Engine mud shield / radiator cowl ?

[Charles Farran]

Ian ,
A better picture of the mud shield for the later RB cars.
Cheers,
Charles

[Charles Farran]

Ian,
One final point as regards cooling for the RB cars. There were two versions of an air duct fixed below the oil cooler behind the two slots in the front valance which funnel air towards the lower front of the radiator. The first being fitted from the introduction of the RB cars in 1974 through to 1977 when the second version was used (which is fitted to my car).
Cheers,Charles

[Ian F]

Thanks Charles. Looking at my BGT I can see the plate would fill quite a big gap between engine and radiator. I could envisage that such a gap could generate some turbulent vortices/eddie's which might interfere with air flow through the radiator, hence covering the base of the gap could be advantageous.
Does that sound reasonable?

Ian F

[Charles Farran]

Hi Ian,

When the RBs were introduced , the Rubber Bumper & it's styling effectively (as far as i can tell) blocks the direct airflow that went through the original chrome style grills & on to the radiator that was set back closer to the engine with original belt driven fan in between the radiator & the engine. (Many "pre moving of the radiator forward " owners fit after market electric fans (e.g. Kenlowe) to I presume improve cooling and / or presumably is more efficient in terms of less drag on engine power(?)). The radiator was moved forward part way through the production of the RB versions. In your case whether fashioning a plate in the space between the back of the cross plate behind the oil cooler & the front of the set back radiator would help - i can't say - maybe other members who have the set back radiator versions of the cars might have a view!
The mud shield is unique to the RB cars & i believe was only introduced part way through their production when the radiator was moved forward which was also the time that the second version of the air duct was used as referred to in my post of 1.02pm earlier today.

Cheers,
Charles

[Peter Cresswell]

I fitted a radiator cowl/shroud to my MGB a before we went to France in it a few years back and I think they work quite well. I was expecting France to be hotter than the UK and it didn't disappoint with temperatures reaching high 30s in the south. My worst fear was the notorious French Autoroute traffic jams, and we encountered a few of these around Tours and Poitiers where there was was considerable amounts of roadworks. Although we spent many minutes idling in the queues after many miles at around 75 - 80 mph the temperature gauge remained in the normal range.
They are a bit fiddly to fit as there is very little clearance between the ends of the fan blades and the shroud (Tip - loosen the fan belt so the fan can be rotated easily until uniform clearance is achieved).
One point though is the part number 459 - 685 is available both in the UK and US, but in the UK it costs £68-20 whereas in the US it costs $58-99 (or £45.01 at todays exchange rate)!

[Ian F]

Apologies Charles - we may have been talking at cross purposes due to my imprecise language.
When I referred to the "big gap" between engine and radiator I was referring to the later RB cars. There certainly isn't any such gap on my '72 !

Ian F

[Charles Farran]

No worries Ian, i did wander about the gap you were referring to !
Cheers,
Charles

[Mnripley]

The plastic mud shield is back in stock at Moss, have just ordered one.

[Not_Anumber]

Ive also realised there are also some remnants of another cardboard type cowling that goes in front of the radiator and oil cooler. Does anyone know what part this might be please ?

from the end pieces Id say it doesnt look as deep as the air duct tray that was on 1974 to 1976 Bs, part no BHH1622, presumably the spacing would be quite different as the 1977 onwards B's had the radiator mounted further forward so would have had a different part.

[Charles Farran]

Chris,
See my post of 21 October at 12 02 pm.
As your car has the radiator further forward you need the later version. Part number BHH1614 was fitted 1977 - 80.
Shown in David Manners Group catalogue , but not in Moss.
Cheers,
Charles