Saturday " FUN " ?

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MGB Lump.jpg My buddy has a 79' MGB.. rubber bumpers... nice car. It came from California…. no rust. Last spring we pull'd the engine.. replaced the clutch... removed 85 pounds of A/C bits an smog bits.. toss'd the stock manifolds, add'd headers and 2 barrel carb. This add'd some zippy :) … Then.. we add'd a new top... interior.. carpets... windshield ( a night mare ! )….
I had a Midget… fun fun fun little car.... it ripped ! Happy at 50-55 mph.... Handled well.... made the " proper " tone as you cruised the back roads of Wisconsin. Not a good choice for the freeways… big rigs can't see you and I sat at " lug nut " height... scary really. Being " British "... it required " attention ".... often. So.. I let it go..... we got a Pontiac Solstice.. fun car... comfy.... cruised at 70 …. difference between it and the Midget.... all those dials.. switches and radio on the dash.. actually ..work. !
Back to the MGB... my buddy, read that in England they came with a 5 speed... electric overdrive... I ask'd him with the four speed at 70 mph how much needle left before it hits the red on the tachometer... " plenty " was his reply. But... he was .. committed…. or should be. He found a shop that had imported several English 5 speeds.... Next thing I know..... we'r drive'n across Wisconsin to get a large crate... one of the draw backs of own'n a pick up.
So yesterday…. it was pull the engine-tranny day. Six hours.... the drive line and tranny cross member was a pain in the butt. As of now... the engine is on the stand... now's the time to attend to gaskets and seals.... the pan gasket leaks enough to make Exxon profitable.
Tuesday is... stuff it back in day...…. Updates pending...
 
Cafephil in Appleton is also doing a California black plate MG.
View attachment 162469
But you prolly knew that.

Oooh.....thats an earlier one with nice clean little chrome bumpers. When I was still in high school , I was a little hard working, money saving fool. When I was just sixteen I had saved up enough to plunk down a really nice size down payment on a new car. I had my heart set on an MG Midget, I went and drive one and was going to buy it, and my conservative dad just hated the idea. Wouldn’t have it! I wound up buying a plain Jane Toyota Corolla, which never did excite me. I sold that Corolla in less than a year and went out and bought myself a motorcycle, which my dad hated even more.
I showed him! :cool:
 
Just for reference. Volvo used the same overdrive on the 240 and 740 . There are parts available..
 
MGB engine IN.jpg MGB Book 2.jpg MGB Book.jpg MGB shaft.jpg MGB Bracket.jpg MGB Engine plate.jpg Aaaaaaaargh.. the " fun " continues. Rear engine seal.. I read the book... really, a block of wood.... I also visited the hardware store.. a 4 inch PCV joint fits perfectly.... I removed he alternator bracket and as I did so. " ting "....I've heard ting before.. never good.. the bracket was cracked.. as I unbolted it.. ting became snap'd in two.
I don't like to reuse engine mounts..... the left side.... Aaaagh….. the steering shaft passes through the motor mount welded bracket.... no room to engage the mount bolt... so I read the book.... really.. remove the steering shaft from steering column… remove steerage rack assembly from the vehicle…. sliding it forward and out from vehicle.... Aaaargh….. I removed the motor mount plate from the engine.. got years of greasy goo off.. and ask'd myself why the 2 washers.... oh.. cracked plate..... the shade tree clown decided he'd add the washers instead of have'n the plate welded. We also replaced the rubber mounts on the tranny cross member. We got the engine sitting in place..... and since the Governor's of both Minnesota and Wisconsin issued stay at home notice... my buddy will finish the rest. I put everything in zip lock bags with directions and diagrams.... ( spacers....washers.. bolt location..)
Last spring when I was shopping for a summer car.... Miata … the Pontiac Solstice .. I test drove a MGB with the GM V 6 with 5 speed conversion. It was a hoot... screamer ! A local British car shop was auctioning it off for the owner..... I was a player into five figures. Then it started to approach $15000.oo.... me and my bidders paddle slinked away...
I don't have a XS 650 project to share.... I pull'd the engine on my Cushman... it was huff'n " blue" late last year.... our little shop does have a clients 73' Tx for resurrection from years of slumber... I'll start a new post for that project.. :)
 
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