The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (September 16 - September 30, 2021)
Thursday, September 16, 2021:
After a marathon session processing and uploading pictures from the Sunday British Car Festival in Palatine, IL, I spent first half of today spellchecking and spiffying up the new web page, and catching up a couple days of email and BBS. Also uploading photos and notes form last night's Wednesday Night Garage Club tech and social session (prior page).
 Then there was a lot of forum discussion about rubber rear seal for 3-main baring engines, as it comes up more often than it should, and apparently a lot of people keep pursuing it, even though it is somewhat problematic and not sufficiently beneficial. Pretty sure that comes from wishful thinking, and no one having improved on this design (much) in the past 25 years. Also more repeated discussion on core plugs that fail, because people who install them apparently don't understand how they work. And finally someone came up with a list of dimensions for all oil galley plugs in the B-series engines, which should eventually lead to a new tech page. That was quite a lot of tech happening in one day without actually touching a car.
Friday, September 17, 2021:
Another one of those "Can you check out these pictures?" for a prospective MGA acquisition that wasted a lot of time and unfortunately turned out to be lipstick on a pig. And a variety of rambling emails on body sill panel dimensions, minor "different" details of very early production MGA cars, an ignition light glowing that was most likely a blown diode in a conversion alternator installation, and some questions about an up-spec camshaft that I couldn't answer directly (but made some referrals). In other words, not much happening today.
Saturday, September 18, 2021:
Added Part Number tech pages for 3H576 and ARH1050 Petcock Drain Valves for Engine Block and Radiator. The thread is 1/4-inch BSPP (British Standard Pipe Parallel thread). The standard thread designation is G-1/4. This is a Whitworth form parallel fastening thread, 19 threads per inch, and major diameter is 0.518-in (13.157-mm). In a pinch, a 1/4-NPT tapered pipe plug (18 threads per inch) can be wrenched into this BSP threaded port, but it will damage the female thread a bit making it difficult to go back later to the straight threaded drain valve.
Then I had a special request for the length of the body inner sill panel overall length in assembly, because someone is trying to recreate this part of their MGA with no prior reference panels. Had to crawl under my car to measure that one. So I added the dimension to the picture and updated a couple restoration tech pages.
Sunday, September 19, 2021:
Uploaded a few pictures to a tech page for the original "hidden" or spare ignition key for MGA as they were delivered new. Very few of these still survive in as-installed location and survivor condition. This one is on a late production MGA 1600-MK-II "survival" car. After digging it out and cleaning it up some, it was left in place without removing the original screw. The car is currently running and driving, No telling if it will be forever preserved or some day restored.
Lots of discussion about balancing MGA Twin Cam peg drive knock-off steel wheels (Dunlop). There are some custom adapters made (sometimes available) to fit these wheels to a modern spin balancing machine. The primary ingredient is an inboard flat plate thick enough to accept the four drive pins, and having a concentric center pilot hole. A secondary part is an outboard female cone similar to Wire wheels, but with different cone angle. This must have a hole in the center to fit over the mandrel on the balancing machine, and is usually held in place with a standard outboard fixture cone. Optional additional parts may be some bushings to adapt it all to different size mandrels on balancers in different countries.
The issue is, wire wheels are centered between two cones and do not touch the back plate (driven by central splines). Twin Cam wheels apparently mate flat against the back plate both driven and centered bu the four wheel pins, while the outboard cone is there to clamp the wheel tight to the back plate and make the self-tightening knock-off nut work. But on the Twin cam, the cone on the knock-off nut is not centering the hub, as that is done on the inboard side, which requires the outboard male cone on the wheel to be machined concentric relative to the back plate and drive pegs. It is a head scratcher, and not sure if we agree on a definitive answer on the original design intention. Trying to get this resolved before anyone makes any more balancing adapters.
Monday, September 20, 2021:
Someone sent pictures, so I whipped up a new tech page for Repair of Splash Panels
And a new picture for a period ad for a hardtop supplied by Universal Laminations.
Spent a lot of time discussing how to fixture an MGA Twin Cam peg drive steel wheel for spin balancing. I may have stirred up a hornets nest on the Twin Cam discussion board just by asking questions. Hoping this gets resolved soon, as I would dearly like to have correct information to post on my tech pages (so no one will want to drag me into a religious war).
In the evening we had a meeting with Chicagoland MG Club at Mr Beef and Pizza in Mount Prospect, Illinois. This is (technically) my home club since the early 90's, but it felt almost like a new adventure tonight,
since I hadn't had a meeting with this group in about two years, and they now have a new meeting place. About 34 people in attendance, which is about par for this club with around 180 members (well spread out geographically).
We got there at 6:15 pm for dinner with a few other souls before us. The meeting began promptly at 7 pm, and ended rather unceremoniously just before 9 pm as the restaurant was closing. It was bar food and beer if you like, but no hard liqueur available. We were inquiring about cake and champagne for the club anniversary party next month, but champagne is not available here, not for sale and not allowed to be carried in either, not even on special request. And no personal natter after the meeting either because of closing time (and no bar). I can see why there are some member objections to this place. Will be interesting to see how long it lasts before making another move.
Tuesday, September 21, 2021:
I seem to have stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest on the MGA forum (MGE server) just by asking a few questions about the requirements for spin balancing the Twin Cam wheels (photos from Sunday above). Seems to be a few differences of opinions generating some rancor there. My solitary post on the forum (so far) was not telling anyone I was right or they were wrong. I wasn't even expressing an opinion, just asking questions to clarify some seemly conflicting statements in the interest of ultimately arriving at a consensus of opinions. I will be pursuing the discussion, because I intend to post a tech page for this on my web site.
Then some jolly good fun. I was distracted by a video on YouTube, and then couldn't resist starting a new thread on the MGA forum entitled "Can your MGA pass the Moose Test?". The moose test is a real thing,
although not involving a real moose. I got interested because my MGA was involved in a real moose test with a real moose in 2017. We didn't hit the moose, but there was some minor damage to the car that had to be repaired later (both recorded in my travel log). My MGA failed the moose test at the time, but maybe not a valid failure because it was not a valid test (at least not by the formal rules). The test should be run successfully with a fully laden vehicle at 43-MPH minimum to pass. Mine was fully laden, but also towing a fairly heavy trailer and doing in excess of 50 MPH at the time. After due consideration. I'm pretty sure my MGA would pass the moose test, and I may instigate a trial run at it sometime, maybe inviting others in the process.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021:
Made a new tech page showing design and function of the Dunlop pin drive steel wheels used on MGA Twin Cam (and "Deluxe" cars), and updated an existing tech page describing how to spin balance the peg drive wheels.
Wednesday night garage club again at Tommy's Garage in Lagrange Highlands, Illinois. Time to play with
the MGA on the hoist. They did get the supercharger removed and original style carburetors installed since last week, and I think it was running. Tonight's chore was to drill some holes in the air pan to install an oil cooler underneath with hoses on top. I think it was probably screwed in but not plumbed up when distractions set in. Chilly was consumed, and pizza arrived, time for a break. Someone was playing with an antique air rifle, and two of the CMGC guys were experimenting with a WYSIWYG web page editor for club web site updates.
We hauled out of town heading east again, landing in Plymouth, Indiana around midnight (or 1-am EST).
Thursday, September 23, 2021:
Rainy morning, but nice start to the day with a new friend in the car park, a 1963 Chevy Impala coupe with traditional vintage flames..
Updated a tech page with a new photo and notes about engine block coolant drain taps. There is some evidence now that at least some of the Austin B-series engines may have been originally assembled with tapered thread coolant drain cock rather than the "official" straight threads. Not sure if these were perhaps Australian built engines, or if it is just a coincidence that some engines may have been field retrofit with the tapered thread drain valves.
Hit the road late afternoon continuing east. Fuel and late food stop in Upper Sandusky Ohio, and another 50 miles east before stopping for the night.
Friday, September 24, 2021:
Another travel day. Surely we ate to much last night, slept in this morning, skipped breakfast, driving more eastward, stopping for lunch in Clarion, Pennsylvania. One state per day seems to be easy progress (as long as we're not being rushed). After a good WiFi break, heading out again, destined to be in or near York, PA tonight. ---- We made it to our favorite late night WiFi spot in Camp Hill, PA by 8:30-pm, but the place that was supposed to be open until 11-pm was closed. Duh? No problem, another 25 miles of expressway put us in York, PA at a 24 hour Sheetz by 9-pm for dinner and a fuel stop.
Saturday, September 25, 2021:
Up early today to meet the gang from Darrell's Garage for breakfast at Village Green Family Restaurant in York, Pennsylvania at 6:45-am. A little cool, damp and overcast, but that would change. By the time breakfast was finished we had accrued 15 cars from the local area. I had time to to log them in this time. 2 Bug Eye Sprite, 1 TR3, 2 MG TD, 3 MGA, 5 MGB tourer, 1 MGB GT, 1 Morris Minor. Several miles on we picked up an Austin Healey 3000 to make 16 cars, and 40 miles on we were entering 4H Camp on Cheery Hill Road near Street, Maryland. Right up front one of the vendors had a Bantam roadster on display.
Once all in, there must have been about 160 British cars there, a little shy of the 200 they were hoping for. Up front the Premier Class included Darrell's Morris Minor. just behind , two very nice MG ZB Magnette. And about a dozen MGA, mine being third in line there.
There was one "Whacky" Arnolt Bristol. You can find more photos an notes for that in the Rocks Car show page.
The MG Midget "survival" car had original paint, rubbed through to undercoat in many places, a little rust repaired, mostly original interior and mechanical appointments. By show's end the MGA with an attitude had picked up the long distance award, and a door prize, a $25 gift certificate from the Roadster Factory.
Find about 50 photos with notes on the 42nd MGs On The Rocks supplemental notes page.
On leaving the show we were looking for the nearest open WiFi spot, no luck in northern Maryland, so we finally ended up back in Pennsylvania in familiar territory. In fact we wound up at the place that was closed Friday evening, now apparently back to normal operations. Time to cool off, catch up two days of email and BBS and get started processing all of the pictures form the car show.
Sunday, September 26, 2021:
No rest. Much of the day spent processing photos and notes for yesterday's car show (above), and catching up two days of email and BBS.
Posted a new tech page for pressing the drive hub onto the splined half shaft for the Twin Cam (right)
Updating a tech page for converting the steering rack from a standard MGA to the slightly different configuration for a Twin Cam (or "Deluxe") chassis (below).
Monday, September 27, 2021:
First half day busy posting two new tech pages (mostly for fun). MOWOG Trade Mark in the History section, and MOWOG In Australia in the CKD section.
Then another message from someone having an MG with timing chain one link out of position. It runs and drives, but very low on performance. Not the first time, and I have helped correct one like this a few years ago. It happens often enough that I should maybe post a new tech page to cover this diagnostic and fix (but not today).
Tuesday, September 28, 2021:
In the evening, another visit to Darrell's garage in York, PA. First priority was oil recycling night, and there was a lot of that. Not actually so much recycling though, as most of this used engine oil is destined to be "incinerated" in an oil burning heater to warm up a local service garage in cold weather. A nice direct use for used oil without requiring any post processing. Then behold, someone painted another MGB this last week. Next up is to get the engine running, and maybe brakes to make it roadable. And after dark we were groveling around the Dodge motor home to retrieve the broken interior door handle, We now have a part number to give a better chance of finding a replacement part.
Wondering why carburetors have been working perfectly for a few weeks, but now no fast idle function for a couple days. Peek under the bonnet reveals disconnected bottom end of the fast idle cam link. Late and dark in the alley, not urgent, job for another time. Put it on the to-do list.
Wednesday, September 29, 2021:
On request, a new tech page for a BMC part number 7H7520 Bolt, a special bolt for slave cylinder to brake backing plate on the MGA 1500 (and other British cars of the period). It has smaller than standard hex head, and unthreaded pilot diameter under the head (which is why it is called "bolt" and not "screw".
More photos and notes and another method of fixturing peg drive wheels for spin
balancing (some people never give up, and more than one way to skin a cat).
Finally found a door handle for Darrell's van, to replace the one we broke several weeks back/ Not easy to find a discontinued part, but once we found a part number we found the part on eBay.
Thursday, September 30, 2021:
Tired of putting up with a loud rattle under the bonnet, so it was time to call Moss Motors to ask about a defective oil filler cap. Moss No: 460-100 Oil Filler Cap with cable (stock type for MGA), purchased 1/15/2020, held as spare part, recently installed, fits very loose and rattles, sometimes falls off. Looks like it is missing a spring plate that should sit on the rim of the neck on the valve cover. Called Moss to report the problem, then sent some pictures. Now to wait for their investigation and reply.
Still needling people about the possibility of running our own Moose Test sometime. Maybe it's just a 20 year old residual desire to run another autocross that I haven't done much of since turn of the century.
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