MGB Register Forum

Since buying the car in early April, I have been away for a few weeks, so last Sunday was its first real run from home to Burghey House where not only was a Game fair on, but my wife and daughter were competing with their dogs at a Flyball competition. The "boys" in the club were interested to see the B.
On returning home I seem to have an oil leak, a broken passenger door key lock and an annoying creak from around the steering column. Happy days!

Drove down to the Houghton Hampshire, Boot Inn lunchtime natter. Good selection of cars from a MG3 to TC. Organised by Bob Marshal from the MGB Register.
Well done Bob good meet up

With new door locks fitted, the car was entered at Autokarna, a large classic (and modern) case show at Wollaton Hall. Nottingham. Had a good day despite the cold and wind with several compliments on the car and chats with other petrolheads.

[attachment=1]ASC_3799.JPG[/attachment][attachment=1]ASC_3799.JPG[/attachment]The MGB Register displayed the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon MGB at the Historic Marathon Rally show at Gaydon on Sunday
We had amazing interest in the car and managed to push it into the parade.
Next showing will be at MG Live Silverstone 20th 21st June http://www.mglive.com for tickets.
If you want to see more pictures of the car visit http://www.mgb-register.org[attachment=1]ASC_3799.JPG[/attachment]

Had a trip down to Donington to watch the Super Kart GP and run in the new tyres. Saw the MGOC had a couple of races there too. A very good day with wall to wall sunshine.

Drove it to work with the roof down


Graham

Took my '79 BGT to the Dering Arms in Pluckley, Kent in company with Jaguar E Type, Berkeley 3-wheeler, Opel GT and Aston Martin DB7. We all struggled to keep up with the Berkeley! Nice, eclectic mix of cars and very pleasant company. This informal meeting is held on the second Sunday of every month and is very enjoyable. Other MGs present included PA, TD, A, '69 BGT, and what looked like a Costello V8 BGT.

I've been busy giving the MGB a really good polish, following the wing replacement and spray work there was dust from grinding and cutting and the painting everywhere. Are paint sprayers as messy as plasterers?

The MGB now has a busy week or so ahead. Monday (tomorrow night) is the Stone natters informal concours, which is a lot of fun where people vote the car they would like to take home with them. The 'B' isn't eligible as I run the meeting and have the casting vote if there is a tie! It has to look its best though! On Wednesday I've entered an HRCR North West tour, which is an excellent event across the Staffordshire Moorlands and Peak District, and being an HRCR event the navigation has to be on the button as well. Thursday evening we are off to a Carole Nash pub meeting at Weston on Trent (between the A50 and Donington Park). These are great get togethers and attract a wide range of cars. Then on Saturday the Shenstone and District Car Club are having a breakfast meeting at Curborough where I hope to meet up with some old acquaintances and adversaries.

So now fully restored to good health, here is the car enjoying a recent garden party.
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Took part in the Liverpool Transatlantic 175 Classic car cavalcade, celebrating 175 years of Cunard transatlantic sailings from Liverpool to New York. 175 cars of all ages parked around the Three Graces on the Liverpool waterfront. At 2pm-ish there was a parade around the city centre, unfortunately just as we set off a nasty squall swept in, very wet and very windy, we survived but had to abandon the tour 2/3rds round when the the newish windscreen wiper blades decided to launch themselves off their arms. Fortunately they sat on the bonnet so had to stop in the pouring rain to re-fit them. the drive home down a mercifully quiet but very wet M53 was "interesting" as I didn't want to risk them flying off on the motorway so I had manual stop and go wipers. Other than that the car was brilliant, didn't miss a beat and looked pretty good parked up amidst some really nice cars. Plenty of MG's in attendance from the 1930's onwards.

I've had a busy weekend, and changed the back axle. The original was creating so much vibration that I couldn't see anything in the mirrors! There was a lot of play (backlash) at the pinion flange, and having read the Haynes MGB Restoration Manual (by Lindsey Porter) I found a way of measuring the backlash, rather than using degrees which requires some specialist measuring equipment. turn the propshaft/pinion flange one way until there is no free movement and make a mark on both the flange and the casing. Then turn flange the other way until there is no free movement, and mark just the casing this time. Then simply measure the distance between the two marks on the casing. Up to 4.5mm indicates no or very little wear. 8mm is normal for an axle that is perfectly usable, and over 10mm a complete overhaul is needed. Mine read 17mm!

I have found the restoration manual to be more useful that the Haynes (or BMC) workshop manual as it tells you how to judge for wear and what to do about it. A recommended book!

I managed to get a low mileage (48K miles) axle complete from Welsh MG Spares in Wrexham, which arrived in a couple of days. The backlash on this was about 4mm (slightly less actually) so is in great shape. It's not hard to change, but is a bit of a maul as the axle is heavy, and I had some help to pull the old axle from the car, and put the replacement one back onto the locating lugs on the springs. I took the opportunity to build up new brake back plates which is when I discovered that axle was off a GT, which uses larger diameter rear brake cylinders as the GT is much heavier at the rear. This means the locating pin for roadster cylinders is in the wrong place, but a few minutes with a round needle file produced a figure or 8 shape which locates the wheel cylinder just fine.

I also took advantage of having the exhaust system (Maniflow 1 3/4" rally system) off the car to get it tighter to the underside of the car as it has always hit the road on occasions, and this seems to have also been successful.

So already to go to Shelsley Walsh on next Sunday (16th). Hope to see some of you there!