MGAguru is on the Prowl

MGA Guru in the South

Since last report, on November 25 we got new connecting rod bearings installed in an MGB in Columbus GA, buttoned up and running well. Had a slow cranking problem with MGA for a while, which turned out to be a faulty battery cut-off switch (second time a Lucas switch has failed). Solution was easy, just ground the battery cable to the frame to bypass the switch. Then we solved a front wheel wobble problem on a bug-eye Sprite in Woodstock, GA by turning the wheel bearings right way around. It was a surprise to me that these bearings are directional thrust bearings. Also gave another MGA a tune up.

November 28-30, we extracted engine and gearbox from an MGA, procured parts, rebuilt and re-installed the gearbox. The engine will be cleaned up, painted and re-installed later. Then we beat it back to Columbus, GA for a bigger job.

December 1-7 we spent a whole week working on one MGB for Keith Farley in Columbus GA. He inherited this one from his father who had restored the car. Unfortunately the restoration was not quite finished. We spent two days doing inventory of lots of boxes of spare parts, then three days on mechanical work, followed by two days of electrical work. On December 8th Keith was driving his new MGB to work and running some back roads for kicks. His follow up comment was, "Who knew driving could be so much fun"?

We received the news about CMGC being awarded the Nuffield Cup of the Americas and got that posted on the web site. Since December 10 we have been hanging out in Florida. December 11-12 with an MGA in Fort Meyers, mostly discussing how to make body parts form sheet metal on the cheap. We were then visiting a private shop full of British cars including a 1967 Jaguar 420G or Mark X limousine (what there was left of it after the rust worm). Then we head to Bonita Springs, FL, to visit Tech Central Racing. Some "club members" get together regularly here to work on the race cars and sometimes working on their own projects. After turkey dinner and social I got to diagnose why they couldn't get the rear cover back on a late model MGB differential (had the main bearing caps on backward).

Dec 13 visit to Glenn's MG (and British Car) Repair in St Petersburg, FL. I was here 25 years ago for a cylinder head in 1989 (different shop location then). This time I lost count of all the MGs parked in and around the buildings. This shop can now do anything for your MG, from tune-ups to complete restorations and everything is done in-house. In the evening we attended the holiday party with Florida Sun Coast MG Car Club. Next day we were in Sanford, FL for the Central Florida British Car Breakfast Club holiday party at the home of Rick Frazee. This place has at least six Morgans in residence.

Dec 15-17 we spent a few days in Mims, Florida, first visiting Roger and Sandi Hobart who have a nice TR4A in final stages of restoration. Then a bit down the road to visit Don Loftis who has a restored MGA and a number of racing MGs. His company name is Custom Coachwork Inc., and there must be about 40 cars on site including a few American street rods and an MGA with V8 engine under construction. He has created a custom fiberglass body kit for MGB with very wide body for huge wheels. There are a pair of these cars here, one with a Oldsmobile V8 and one with a Corvette engine, and they must be wicked fast. He

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