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Multiple Year End Questions

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Midgey

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Questions for You Guys:

1. Is the Vic Brit street roll bar for MGB comparable (or the same) as the Autopower street rollbar? Think it provides a modicum of protection for normal street use?

2. I want to get new Minilite look alike wheels for my '78 MGB. V.B. offers 14" and 15". What advantage and disadvantage would there be to going up to a 15" wheel.

3. Just lost the rear quarter windows on my 2 and 1/2 tear old Robbins top on my '74 Midget. They were cracked and broken from folding. The rest of the top is fine. Is there any alternative to scrapping the whole top and buying a new one?

4. I am only 6 feet tall, but when I sit straight up in the MGB my sight line is too close to the windshield rail and top (much higher than i the Midget). I bought new Suffolk seats for the Midget and really really like them. I am thinking about getting them for the B. Any chance they would sit a little closer to the floor, thereby improving my sight line?

Cheers for the New Year!

Wells in Albuquerque

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
1. Yes & No
 
HooBoi... Since this is th' first response, take it with a grain o' salt, pleeze... My opinions only.

1) Forget any "glam" rollbar. Worthless "BLING." If you WANT rollover protection get a competition one... but be prepared to go topless for the duration. Otherwise don't put the car sideways into a ditch and it won't flip.

2) Stick with 14" rims as tire choices are adequate, speedo will stay reasonably accurate, inner fender rub will NOT be an issue.

3) Find a good upholstery shop and ask 'em if they can replace the quarterlites. NM has brutal sun issues, but Robbins tops are about as good as they get.

4) Mounting is everything. You could likely gain "headroom" with the swap, and omit the "bobbins and wooden rails" under the B seat runners, too. I'd ~guess~ you'll see an almost two inch "gain."
 
I'll chime in on #2
If your going to do some serious auto crossing, then the 15" wheel will allow for a lower profile tire to be insalled, but really keeping the 14" is just fine for most cases.
and#3 like doc E. said. a good upholstery shop should be able to fix you right up. But I'd add that an ounce of prevention....
The "windows" in the top should not get folded when the top is put down. I know on a midget you can stow the top without undoing any of the rear fasteners, but you really should undo the sides and carefully fold them over when putting the top down. this will prevent them from cracking again.
 
Midgey:
#3, any good top shop can replace the window. However the top must be removed and reinstalled.--Fwiw---Keoke
 
#1) VB Rollbar?

Ok, I admit it - I’ve got one on my 78B (see attached). Now truthfully if I was to purchase one NEW I never would have shelled out the money ($$$) VB is asking. But I got mine on ebay for next to nothing and in fact I kind a like the looks of my B with it.

157704-IMAG0027.JPG


But is it anything more than just for looks? Welllll, in a nut shell - sadly, no. However I did notice an ever so slight increase in lateral stability or stiffness when rounding corners – less body flex if you will. Some will say that any gains in rigidity ain’t worth the cost and are funds better spent elsewhere. Break it down like that and I guess I would have to agree – but again the ($$) price was right and I couldn’t resist. Truth be told I paid more for the roll bar cover than I did to the seller on eBay.
 

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So, to go a little deeper on the street rollbar question, I am curious. Is the reason they are frowned upon because they will fold - not strong enough to withstand the weight of the inverted vehicle (tube size or design is inadequate), or is it that they are too low to provide full protection at head height (because they need to fit under the hood)? If the former, wouldn't the Autopower Street-Sport Roll Bar (has an extra lateral bar be worthwhile, and if the latter, isn't something better than nothing for a street use car where I need to be able to use the hood? I am driving this B all the time for normal street use, and getting some marginal protection against the unlikely colision and flip situation would, it seems to me, be of some value, even if it is much less protection than a good racing bar. Also, my 9 year old son rides with me, and if head height is the real issue with street bars, then it would appear that I can atleast provide some protection for the child, if not for the driver. Also, would not the placement of the street roll bar provide some marginal additional resistance in an side impact situation? Can I hear a little more from you guys on this?

Thanks, Midgey /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
All of the above....any rollbar that allows the MG top to be put up is pretty worthless!
 
2) The stock MGB wheel is 14" and is adequate for daily driving. MGC came stock with 15" and is fully interchangable with MGB wheels. They are basically the same car other than the engine and front suspension design.

A 15" wheel will offer better handling and a much wider choice in tire selection. Performance tires in 14" are getting hard to come by, and even if you do find one you like, you will still have a very tall sidewall by modern standards. A tall sidewall (~70 series) will offer a nice smooth ride, but running a 60-series tire on a 15" wheel will greatly reduce tire flex and make your steering very crisp, and cornering far more stable. It will also keep an accurate speedometer, but in the case you choose a tire with a non-stock rolling radius you can always recalibrate the speedo to match it.

The 15" wheels also give a different look, which is subject to personal interpretation. I think it looks better but that's just my opinion. I'm running 15" x 5.5" wire wheels with 195/60R15 tires. CLICK HERE for a photo.
 
Midgey,
Midgey, I have a "street" roll bar in my TR6 and I understand why they are mostly for show - they attach to thin sheet metal and not the frame. That said, a good question would be where do "real" roll bars attach in unibody cars like the MG? Bling-bling roll bars, like mine, are also not of sufficient height to offer true rollover protection and are probably made of a thinner gauge tubing than a racing organization would approve. I welded in a frame within the confines of my roll bar and added a safety glass wind deflector as well as a high third brake light. So mine does more than "look cool".

Bill
 
[ QUOTE ]
All of the above....any rollbar that allows the MG top to be put up is pretty worthless!

[/ QUOTE ]
At least you said they're "pretty". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

But seriously, I think there is a question that begs to be asked here – what’s the difference between the MGB's “cosmetic” (hate /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif the term "bling-bling" BTW) street rollbar and those you see on some of the new cars rolling off the assembly lines these days in a true rollover situation?

In My View: NADA! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif

Granted they probably have better anchoring location and are cosmetically better incorporated into the overall design. But for my money those hoop style rollbars like you find on the new MX-5, Z4, Porsche Boxster & the Mini convertible don’t look like they’d provide much protection as the drivers head still sticks up above them too.

I think we’re reading way too much into this. I mean as hard as I’ve tried I would have to be really crazy in my B to ever make it rollover in the first place. Duh....
 
14 vs 15 inch wheels. The MGC had the 15" wheels stock. As long as you don't go overboard on the width, they work OK. Using the 15s allows the use of 65 or 70 series tires, giving a wider selection.
 
A 70-series 15" tire would be very tall and most likely would rub the arches badly. I would go no taller than 65 and no lower than 60.
 
Midgey,
I am also looking at the Suffolk seats for my 77 MGB. In my case, I am 5'7", so my sight line does not pose a problem. I want to change the colour of the interior from black to a lighter colour, and will probably go with Biscuit.

Based on your experience with the Midget, the seats sound like a good choice...does anyone have experience with the Suffolk seats in an MGB? What about leather vs. vinyl...leather is a lot more expensive...is it worth the extra cost?

My car is completely stripped for a paint job, so now is a good time to "bite the bullet" and redo the interior.
 
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