MGAguru is on the Prowl

MGA Guru Is Still Mobile

The MGA guru road trip continues (indefinitely). Since the last report we have been traveling a week in Michigan, a week in Ohio, another four days in Kentucky and Tennessee, four days in Virginia, and now more than a week in North Carolina. We are happy to report that the MGA engine is running like a top, having done 6,000 miles since the major engine repair in August. We have replaced a broken throttle cable, reset an oil seal in a front shock absorber to get it to hold oil again, replaced a failed brake light pressure switch for a second time, replaced a broken headlight dipper switch with a good used one, removed a failed 12 year old intermittent wiper unit, installed new tires on the trailer (21,000 miles on the last set), replaced the differential to banish an irritating whine, installed new wiper blades, and installed a new hitch ball to raise the trailer hitch by one inch. I also changed the worn rear yoke on the prop shaft to remove a slight vibration. We have traveled over 19,000 miles since early May with no end in sight.

I am still fixing a lot of MGs (other than my own), including tuning up an MGA Twin Cam, fixing an overdrive electrical problem on an MGB, drippy carburetors, leaky hydraulics, MGA air cleaners, and a failed gear reduction starter motor. We continue to attend various club meetings, Southwest Michigan Motoring Association, Central Ohio MG Owners, and British Car Club of Cincinnati where we ran a Lucas Night Rally (every bit as weird as any done by CMGC). We also visit British car shops and parts suppliers, Eclectic Motor Works in Holland MI, University Motors LTD in Grand Rapids MI, Engle Imports in Kalamazoo MI, Discount Tire in Kalamazoo MI (for my trailer tires), Import Automotive in Toledo OH, Hendrix Wire Wheel in Greensboro NC, and Larry Melvin car repairs in Greensboro NC.

We have been darting back and forth across North Carolina for a week and will be here a few days longer. We spent an interesting evening with another "non-club" tinkering group in Asheboro, NC, calling themselves "Central Carolina British Auto Society". They were busy stripping a TR Spitfire to salvage the front 3/4 of the chassis. They are going to use this to build a three-wheel Morgan type car using a more modern motorcycle engine and rear wheel drive unit. On Saturday 10/25 we were attending Uwharie Mountains British Car Meet in rural Denton, NC, with about 65 other British cars (and a nice family style picnic).

In the next few days we will be visiting an MGA restoration project in Asheville NC, the publishing headquarters of "North American Classic MG Magazine" in Huntersville NC, Metrolina MG Car Club meeting in Statesville NC, and I think Walmart in Salisbury NC to get new tires on my MGA (had to happen eventually). Meanwhile keep up with our daily travel notes and photos at http://mgaguru.com/mobile

Cheers from the wondering hobos,

Barney and Elliot Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude

~~ Barney Gaylord