My Car
Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2020 1:16 pm
Well as there is a new section on here and I don't visit very often I thought I'd mention my car and this seems the place to put it (mods please move to MGB general if you feel it more appropriate).
I will start by declaring that it is not a competition car - YET. I've always been involved in motor sport and spent a good number of years in my 20's and 30's in the passenger seat of various modern and historic stage rally cars culminating in 2010 (gosh ten years ago) with a class win on Wales Rally GB as it was then. I still do the occasional rally - about one per year as an average to keep my hand in.
My MGB was originally a 21st birthday present, Dad owns a 1954 TF which he bought in the 60's and it shares the garage with a couple of other MGBs so it's kind of in the blood. The car I got on my birthday was sadly written off when stationary in traffic and was rather hurriedly replaced with this car I have now and owned since 2003. The pictures show it's current condition. It's a 76 rubber bumper car and I'm in the process of fitting Sebring valences, the pictures were taken over the last few weekends and include the large amount of fibreglass filler required to fill the gaps!
I've just bought a refurb gold seal engine which the seller claimed to have done only 1000 miles since being built and then stored with nothing more than assembly grease in it.
The engine which is in there was an MGB Hive Fast Road Engine fitted in about 1993. In 2003 when the piston rings finally gave up we threw some pistons, an oil pump and valve seals at it and 17 years later it's somehow still going. The current plan is to take my engine out, drop the Gold Seal in so I have a running car for 2021 then as money and time allows build a fast road/track engine from the old one. If it's really too far gone then I'll use the Gold Seal for the upgrade but I'd rather keep the car running.
Ultimately (and this is why it's in this forum) I'm thinking track days (MGs on Track) and sprints/hills would be a good place to have some fun without breaking the bank. I plan to fit some proper harnesses and towing straps front and rear. I'm toying with the idea of a rear section roll cage for added safety whilst still keeping it as a practical road car but I'll see how that one goes.
Ages ago Peter Cresswell gave me some good advice on the old forum and by e-mail and sort of got me started on this project but it was delayed by a house extension project and then Lockdown - the garage is 60 miles from my house which is not ideal, so thanks Peter. I'll be asking some more questions as I go.
I will start by declaring that it is not a competition car - YET. I've always been involved in motor sport and spent a good number of years in my 20's and 30's in the passenger seat of various modern and historic stage rally cars culminating in 2010 (gosh ten years ago) with a class win on Wales Rally GB as it was then. I still do the occasional rally - about one per year as an average to keep my hand in.
My MGB was originally a 21st birthday present, Dad owns a 1954 TF which he bought in the 60's and it shares the garage with a couple of other MGBs so it's kind of in the blood. The car I got on my birthday was sadly written off when stationary in traffic and was rather hurriedly replaced with this car I have now and owned since 2003. The pictures show it's current condition. It's a 76 rubber bumper car and I'm in the process of fitting Sebring valences, the pictures were taken over the last few weekends and include the large amount of fibreglass filler required to fill the gaps!
I've just bought a refurb gold seal engine which the seller claimed to have done only 1000 miles since being built and then stored with nothing more than assembly grease in it.
The engine which is in there was an MGB Hive Fast Road Engine fitted in about 1993. In 2003 when the piston rings finally gave up we threw some pistons, an oil pump and valve seals at it and 17 years later it's somehow still going. The current plan is to take my engine out, drop the Gold Seal in so I have a running car for 2021 then as money and time allows build a fast road/track engine from the old one. If it's really too far gone then I'll use the Gold Seal for the upgrade but I'd rather keep the car running.
Ultimately (and this is why it's in this forum) I'm thinking track days (MGs on Track) and sprints/hills would be a good place to have some fun without breaking the bank. I plan to fit some proper harnesses and towing straps front and rear. I'm toying with the idea of a rear section roll cage for added safety whilst still keeping it as a practical road car but I'll see how that one goes.
Ages ago Peter Cresswell gave me some good advice on the old forum and by e-mail and sort of got me started on this project but it was delayed by a house extension project and then Lockdown - the garage is 60 miles from my house which is not ideal, so thanks Peter. I'll be asking some more questions as I go.