Bought a Feb 1980 BGT.....Vermillion Red in colour

[Ian Smith]

Solid, lots of work done in past 3 years (unleaded, Electronic ignition, K&Ns, new Kenlowe Fan etc etc) and just needs finishing off for MOT.

Think carb float/jet stuck as it pees out petrol when the fuel pump comes on;
Rear offside light and offide number plate light inop - poss bad earth - any ideas or could it be fuse? Rest of electrics etc fine.
Tyres - these are old (165SR14s), I have access to two almost new 165 80 14s or 185 70 14s, so I'd need to buy two more anyway - cost not an issue just want to know if:
165s will be a bit tail happy in damp
185s will make steering overly heavy and not give noticeable extra grip.

Not sure whether to fit wooden moto lita wheel or keep the current 'SAAB' branded mountney type wheel - or I do have an Astrali and matching MGB boss lying around somewhere.
The Grey striped seats are in excellent condition, not sure whether to keep these or just go for black leather covers?
Its got the original Blaupunkt Rad Cass in it that should be worth a few pennies to the 80s BMW/Merc crowd!
Might even put some LE style alloys on...................

Going to get paint mopped, the respray isnt best in world but all solid under the 4 year old paint.

So its a light project for when i get back from hols in Wales in mid August!

Ian

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Ian
You seem to have found yourself a nicely specced late MGB GT!
You are probably right about the cause of the carbs flooding and the rear lights problem (especially as it the No Plate light and side light on the same side).
As far as tyres go, I think the 165s will be fine. The GT had these as standard until they were fitted with the part alloy (as on the V8s and Anniversary models) or full alloys as on the LE. They will help keep the steering lighter. The 185/70 tyres do have a larger footprint and do make the steering heavier at low speed, but this can reduced by fitting a castor reduction kit and re-aligning the steering column to the rack mast. A bigger problem with 185/70 tyres and if you fit 5.5J x 14 wheels such as the ubiquitous Minators, is tyres may well foul on the rear wheel arches under cornering. Some cars don't do it, others do it on one side or the other and some (like my roadster) do it on both sides! Using the LE alloys reduces the likelihood of this happening as they are only 5in wide.

Good luck with finishing off and getting an MoT. Put some pictures up when you can, and it will help people to answer future queries if provide your location (town and county are enough) which you can do in the 'User Control Panel'.

[Trevor Rodgers]

Hi Ian Mine is also vermillion dating from June 1980. I have webasto sunroof chrome rostyles and sill covers. As you will see from my previous submissions I have had a few issues like You but gradually getting things sorted thanks to fellow owners like Peter. I also have what is described as half leather seats-more like vinyl but not all cloth I also have a Mountney steering wheel in orange, I think its about 13 inches so it adds to the effort! What it is to have a more modern car - Kia Venga- with power steering. I am sure we will post again.

[Ian Smith]

Thanks Chaps, Avatar thingy now updated.

There's a tin of carmine red in the boot, but that may be a ringer!! Looks too dark.

Car started and drove fine into shed with aforementioned overfuelling, now wont start - sparking ok, I think the new fuel pump isn't priming as its ticking away madly. Ill see what if anything is reaching the fuel filter for starters.

I'll try the 185s I have on minilite style wheels, if it rubs I can revert to my spare pair of stag wheels or even minilites with 165s (as my mate has a parts car with two nearly new tyres on it I can use bits from).

Not planning to do anything this side of holiday/getting TR8 Back from garage - poorly oil pressure!

Will keep you posted.

Ian

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Ian
I am not convinced the wheels the LE cars used were exactly the same as the Stag wheels. They look similar without a doubt, but Clausager's book 'The Original MGB', he mentions 'The wheels were five-spoke cast alloys, similar in design to Triumph Stag wheels...'. Rimmers list the wheel for the Stag but don't list it for the MGB which I would assume if they were the same wheel, they would.

Does anyone on the Forum know for sure they were identical to Stag wheels - particularly the offset? I'll post this as a new thread to see if anyone can confirm whether or not they are the same wheel.

So try the stag wheels but if the foul the rear arches then don't assume you have a problem.
Incidentally, the MGC both roadster and GT used 165 tyres as standard and didn't have much of a problem, although I remember the GT I had went through rears (Dunlop SP Sports - the aquajet tyre!) in about 3000 miles.

We'll see what comes back from the new post so keep an eye on that as well.

[Ian Smith]

Hi Peter

So back from hols now, managed to spend an hour so far replacing spark plugs and fitting my spare Moto Lita (on basis i've found out the SAAB branded one currently on the B could be worth some money!). Anyone else got a working 80s Blaupunkt R/C in their cars - mine looks like the sought after 80s BMW fitted units.............?
[attachment=0]MGB Blaupunkt.jpg[/attachment]
Still no fuel coming through (pump sounds like a drill now) - definitely sparking as I have tester for that!. Will jack car up and see what comes out when pump pipes disconnected, at least that's an easy refit! Minilites arrived, just got to sort fitting tyres.
Might get to play again Saturday, hopefully get it started again, although TR7 is taking most time at moment.........

Ian

[Ian Smith]

OK
Latest news, car now starts and runs, the pipe from the tank to the Facet pump was split so it was sucking in air. Still dripping fuel from carbs though - its the small square pump with a regulator on so I doubt its overfuelling (plus its not coming out of the overflow pipe),could be seals? - at least I can drive it to garage now!
Re wheels, the Minilites I have are 6Jx14 so think they will be too wide, am going to go for 165s, probably using the current Rostyles to keep cost down (wish I had decided this at weekend as there were 4 decent tyres on ebay for £30 locally!). I can sell the 6Js to the Staggies!
Still not managed to get rear lights working - am assuming its something to do with the fuel pump wiring that is a it untidy so if that's sorted all may be fine as I think there is a common earth.
All good fun, once these few bits are sorted its off to the MOT station.
Ian

[Peter Cresswell]

Hi Ian,
At least you are making positive progress!
When you say the carbs are leaking, where are they leaking from? You mention it is not coming out of the overflow pipes.

[Ian Smith]

Hi Peter
Progress being made in the odd hour here and there.
Carbs dripping out of float chambers when running - could be sticky/leaky floats - my friendly mechanic will pop over and have a look when he gets a mo, dont want to drive it to his garage with petrol dripping onto exhaust.
Found issue with rear lights - when PO drilled hole for rerouted fuel pipe (facet pump is in boot), he drilled through part of the loom that runs along the side of the boot to the rear lights etc!! One red wire broken as far as I can see and a black one nicked, I think ill just strip out and replace a couple of lengths of wire.
Should have rostyles with 4 decent 165 R14s on by end of nest week and them MOT here we come.
Stag MOT tomorrow - hoping all OK there.
Ian

[Geoff Edwards]

Hi Ian,

I've been following your thread for a while. My 1979 MGBGT is similar to your car and I have had Minator wheels for years now with 185 tyres and never had a problem; however I've had the car from new- it has now done 146k miles. Two thoughts do come to mind, however, in that weak springs may cause tyre to rear wing contact and that all MGB rear axles are biased to the nearside by something like 15mm.

As regards your leaking carbs, I would take them off and assuming floats and needles seem OK, replace the float chamber gaskets which often leak - always seemed a silly design!

Geoff