Who knows about MG cars

[curtisl]

I am hoping someone can tell me a little something about MG cars. I just purchased a 1971 MG for $300. It of course needs re-done which i have not got a problem doing but i am hoping for some input on things that i need to watch out for.

[mick3643]

mg's are a blast. i had a mgb in the early eighty's that i had a ball refurbishing. having said that, the british were not known for their reliability. As memory serves the electrical system was a little screwy. if you find yourself needing parts let me know and I'll see if the place i bought the parts for mine is still in business. BTW I am a little jealous, it would be fun to rebuild a ragtop again.

[rrumaner]

My father had a 1956 MGB ragtop when I was born. He kept it until my second brother was born and they needed something bigger to drive around in. My brothers and I tried to buy him one as a 75th birthday gift but he passed away shortly before that.

[PHOEBISIS]

MG's-all the MG's were fun,and they all had electrical problems.The electrical problems can probably be resolved with upgraded parts now.I think they have a big aftermarket(not like a Corvette,but adequate).The best aftermarket refurbishing stuff might come via England-but that isn't much of a problem now.
Bringing an old heap back to life is expensive,but the MG-MGB maybe??-shouldn't be horrendously so.
In the mid 60's we had a couple of MG1100's.They were cheap front wheel drive cars.Fun!!They even had real wooden dashes with toggle switches.I was always impressed with toggle switches; for some reason they made me feel like James Bond.Luck.Charlie

[Bill Rubenstein]

I drove an MGC for a number of years -- I think it was 1969. It was pretty much like the B but had the Austen Healy 3L 6cyl engine instead of the 4 banger. I know it had an honest 125 mph. Much earlier I drove a Triumph TR3 which was a 4 banger much like the B.

Electrical systems on those cars were pertty ratty and failed regularly. As an example -- my wife and I were returning from our honeymoon in Dec. in New Orleans. We were really short on luggage space in the TR3 (not much to start with) because of the tools, spare parts and service manual which were a necessity. When we hit Memphis it was really cold and the heater stopped working. I pulled off the road, took an inventory of what electrical stuff was and was not working, tracked the wiring down to the point of failure via the wiring diagram in the service manual, wiggled the right connector and everything sprang to life again. My wife still tells the story, 41 years later.

Also, both the MGs and the Triumphs used a pair of side draft carburators -- either SU or Stromberg. They both needed lots of tweeking and balancing to run properly. It isn't hard to do but they are a mystery to most auto mechanics. They used to selll a device to balance them (a Unisyn) but a good ear and a length of rubber hose worked better for me.

One other thing -- both cars had solid lifters so the valve lash had to be reset regularly. Again, not hard to do.

Have fun...

Bill

[Steamguy]

Originally Posted by Bill Rubenstein

Electrical systems on those cars were pertty ratty and failed regularly.
<SNIP>
Also, both the MGs and the Triumphs used a pair of side draft carburators -- either SU or Stromberg. They both needed lots of tweeking and balancing to run properly. It isn't hard to do but they are a mystery to most auto mechanics. They used to selll a device to balance them (a Unisyn) but a good ear and a length of rubber hose worked better for me.

<SNIP>

One other thing -- both cars had solid lifters so the valve lash had to be reset regularly. Again, not hard to do.

Have fun...

Bill

I was an old-fashioned Journeyman mechanic in a former life, the 'Foreign Car Guy' in our shop. I regularly cared for a number of MGs, a Triumph or two, a couple of Jaguars, and a Rolls Corniche, among the British stuff.

The cars are basically solid; here are some hints for you. Make sure you roll underneath and check all the body and frame bolts, (and anything that bolts to them) put removable locktite on anything you find loose and retighten. Get a wiring diagram and get ready to replace the critical parts of it if it hasn't been done already. Pay particular attention to the areas around the batteries: it can corrode pretty badly back there if just left alone in a damp climate. Also remember you're working with a positive-ground car.

If you get the chance and the cash to pull out (and throw away) the original distributor and replace it with a Bosch, do so. It will add tremendously to your reliability and make the car run just so much better.

The carbs no matter if SU, Zenith, or Stromberg, are pretty good once working right. They may at some time need a bit of a rebuild; this is something you can do yourself on the bench if you have a dial caliper for setting the depth of the jets. Balancing for flow isn't all that hard, and once set should only need to be done infrequently.

As mentioned previously, keep up on your valve lash.

Best advice? Be fussy about getting everything fixed right. Also if you have something simple like a bad water hose, get a full set and replace ALL OF THEM at one time. The greatest enemies to British automobile reliability are half-way measures. Fix it once, fix all of it, and it won't strand you.

[Blizzard]

Rust is the big thing, make sure you check the body sills below the doors. Take a close look underneath it. I love old english cars, mostly old Jags, but they all have Lucas electrical systems and everything you have heard about them is true. The good news is, you can buy all sorts of aftermarket electrical parts so it isn't a big deal any more. Check the web out, I guarantee there are some sites dedicated to MG's.

Have fun, they can suck up some bucks, and if you live in a pretty populated area, there is probably another MG refurber near by that will help you out on weekends for free beer.

[Quad T]

I have grown up around them.

Gramps had a '47 MG TC, he was the mechanic when it raced in the late 40s and 50s in Watkins Glen, after it raced he bought it and drove it for years on the streets. About 10 years ago we sold it to a collector in Ohio who just loves it.

My Dad still has his '57 MGA, he bought it new and it is 90% restored.

My Brother-in-law has a '79 MGB, the '57 is in better shape, but the B is still a fun little toy.

enough bad can not be said about British electronics, and the jokes are out there because Lucas was the common electrical system.

Why do Brits like their beer warm?
Because Lucas makes the electrical system...

Lucas - Prince of darkness...

[Quad T]

Originally Posted by curtisl

I just purchased a 1971 MG for $300.

What model? B? Midget? B GT? Other?

Do your self a favor and get to know these suppliers.
http://www.mossmotors.com/

http://www.victoriabritish.com/

Have fun!

[jd1973]

I have owned several British cars including about 10 MGs and 25 Triumphs. Many were purchased and sold as parts cars. I've had MGAs, Bs, Cs, and midgets (and two Austin Healy Sprites). The Triumphs included TR2, 3A and 3B, 4 and 5(TR4 body with TR6 running gear) and a ratty old GT6.

I love these cars and they are a blast to drive. HOWEVER they are not like US cars. They take a some TLC to keep them in running order. You can't just go down to the MG dealership and get parts or service- there isn't one. It helps to schedule and record all maintenance activities.

First try to find a local or regional club/ association. These guys can be lifesavers when looking for parts or maintenance help. A lot of people have several spare parts on hand if not entire parts cars. Next thing you will need is the proper service manual for the car- don't go cheap.

The two websites in the last post for parts are also good places for service hints also. You can save a lot of time and money by checking the local junkyards to see if they have any cars you can scrounge parts from. I used to know what cars each yard had and what usable parts were available on each car. Once again club members may already have this info and be willing to share.

The electrics on these cars is pitiful. Lucas is known the world over for their flaky systems. It seems a car designed for the British weather would have more reliable systems. Check your grounds for rust/corrosion often (I used to check mine bi-monthly). If you find bad grounds clean them and coat with petroleum jelly. Buy a multimeter if you don't have one. NOTE: If you notice a weak light light it is usually a ground problem.

Check and see if the shocks are leaking or not. I don't remember but I think your model has the lever type shocks in the rear. If so they need to stay full of oil to function correctly.

Engines are fairly reliable and pretty easy to work on. Almost everything is in the open and few specialty tools are required. They seem to seep oil so check it often. The cleaner the engine is kept the easier it is to find a potential leak.

Doing any clutch or tranny service is a real pain. Many specialty tools are required to work on trannys. Early midgets and sprites are known for dropping 2nd gear (design not beefy enough). Bs and Cs were not so bad. Clutches are pretty strong. Most have an additional slave cylinder somewhere in the system theat requires bleeding during mantenance.

Brakes are pretty straight forward and are pretty dependable. Be aware some of these cars require GIRLING brake fluid. The seals in the brake lines are leather and DOT-3 will destroy them. Be sure or you could be without brakes. The emergency brakes are normally quite good thankfully.

Being in Florida I did tuneups at least once a year and adjusted the carbs at least quarterly. The carbs (Ive seen zeniths, strombergs, and SUs) can be adjusted by ear once you get the knack but changes in temperature and humidity can affect them. They also have oil pots that require you to add some fluid occasionally.

This may be a lot more than you wanted but as I said before I love these little cars. I want another but my garage is currently full. They are a little extra work but in my opinion worth every minute. All this maintenance may seem like a lot but once you get in the zone it only requires about an hour or two a month. Other than trannys or clutches, most of the work is pretty easy.

Hope this helps.
JD

[curtisl]

Thank you all for your input. I am excited about getting started on this project and it will be a good opportunity for myself and my step son to bond (not to mention an opportunity to spend time away from the wife). The beauty of this project is that the guy that owned the car had actually bought all of the parts for it right down to the new windshield. So i will only really need to get the engine in good order bolt on all the new parts and fix a few spots on the body and repaint. I will probably be asking for more input in the futrue so keep the ideas and insight coming.

[curtisl]

Originally Posted by Quad T

What model? B? Midget? B GT? Other?

Do your self a favor and get to know these suppliers.
http://www.mossmotors.com/

http://www.victoriabritish.com/

Have fun!

It is a MGB i thank you for the links!

[VaTitanOwner]

Originally Posted by curtisl

I am hoping someone can tell me a little something about MG cars. I just purchased a 1971 MG for $300. It of course needs re-done which i have not got a problem doing but i am hoping for some input on things that i need to watch out for.

Boy, did you bring back some good memories. I drove a late 60's MGB for a couple of years in the early '70s. What a blast to drive. Even though I'm about 6'4" I could fit into it remarkably well. Although not a mechanic by any means, I echo what others have said about the electrical system and keeping it "tuned" properly. Sounds like a great project for you and your son. Good luck.

[PHOEBISIS]

MGB-figured that.I girl a friend-called me late one night~1980.Her MGB had just "STOPPED" on the road-battery dead-no lights,no horn-nothing.Knowing it was a Brit beast I hauled a spare battery 80 miles out to her.I managed to stuff it in-sorta,it was from my old Cuda- and told her to follow me closely and use my headlights to see by.I figured the battery had enough juice for ignition for 80 miles.It did,and she got a rebuilt alternator the next day!!
You can most certainly update the electrics with better parts now.I don't think anyone makes electrical stuff of that"quality" anymore.Anything that fits will be a big improvement!!Charlie PS Fun cars though!!I would still buy a TR6(maybe not a TR7,but certainly a TR8) if I came across one now-cheap-very cheap!!Same goes for those Jenson Healys.All that Brit stuff was fun.

[bighawaii]

oh the memories, i mean nightmares are coming back lol these cars are sure a bunch of fun...where their running. lol have fun on your "constant" project.