Re. recent threads:
A) Tires.
Gary Anderson of British Car says, "Didn't want to give you MGB drivers
short rations but it seemed to me
you were in a pretty enviable position relative to the guys who still have
to try to find 15-inch or 16-inch tires for their vintage machinery."
Since I race my B on Dunlop 5.50M 14's on 5.5" wide alloys, my car sits up
REAL HIGH on the track. On the street I run Dunlop D60 A2's (175/65 14's)
and occasionally bottom out. SO, as I seek ways to lower the B for racing,
I need to look to taller tires or wheels for the street. There is a 2 inch
difference in height between my race & street tires. And, the 4.5" wire
wheel rim width can be a problem. So, I started looking at going to 15"
wire wheels for the street. Contrary to what Gary implies, I found more
options available IF I went to wider 15" wheels. However, for skinny 15" or
16" wheels, Gary is spot on - very limited options.
For my purposes, I'm going to 195/70 14 D60 A2's for the street. Their
height is only 0.2" less than the race tires. Section width 0.3" less.
And, the recommended rim width is 1.5" less meaning they will work
adequately (not perfectly) on 4.5" rims.
For detailed tire specs, go to the manufacturers' web sites. Dunlop's page
for my D60 A2's is: http://www.dunloptire.com/products/tire.html?tire=d60_a2
B) Hardtops
A cousin had a factory hardtop on his then new B back in 1964. I didn't buy
one on my new B in '65, but wished I had. When I started driving B's again
on a daily basis in 1993, I made it a point to find & buy a factory hardtop
like the one that just sold for $516 on eBay. I paid $125 for one that
needed a complete side window frame, new plastic window on the side that had
a frame, poor chrome on the clamps, no side brackets & in bad need of paint.
After a year of scouring junkyards all over the US, Tony Giordano (Tony of
the MGC's) suggested Bromsgrove MG Centre in the U.K. Bob at Bromsgrove
checked his computer, found a frame with glazing, & sent it off (Along with
a new Tickford convertible top. All for $300 USD delivered with duty
paid.).
After installing new glazing courtesy of a local plastic supply house,
installing the new frame with glazing (Thank you Tony & Bob), and a paint
job, I enjoyed that top every winter from 1994 until 1996 when I changed the
top's color from Carmine (to match my '80 B) to OE White to contrast with my
Mineral Blue '66 on which I have enjoyed it since. And, I now use it for
racing as that is how most factory MGB's were raced.
What is the comfort & security of that top worth on a 10-degree winter day?
Certainly lots more than the $200 - $300 I have in it. But, not $999. SO,
$516 isn't really that bad all things considered.
BTW, thanks to all who offered sympathy & suggestions on my recent clutch
cylinder and alternator queries (Special thanks to Larry Hoy for many back &
forth emails) . The former was solved with more cussin' and a new bottle of
DOT 4. The latter was solved by using the rebuilt '69 B alternator that I
had offered for sale. Seems that all of the late model, low-cost
alternators I looked at in the various auto parts stores were much heavier,
of different pulley offset or different enough mounting as to make the
conversion from a generator more than I had time for.
Using the '69 B alternator merely required following the wiring schematic
EXACTLY, using a short length of threaded rod to extend the rear bracket,
and removing the alternator and modifying it's wiring connections as
described on British Automotive's site.
Norm Sippel
'66 MGB with a new lease on CT to NYC commuting
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