I cannot comment on the Merryman alternator but I can relate my
experience of installing the Delco alternator on my B.
I used the same alternator as Merryman is using but did not modify the
case. I mounted it in what might best be described as an upside down
position. By doing this the mounting ear on the Delco can be mounted to
the front side of the water pump. The opposite side mounting ear is what
I attached the adjuster arm to. This arm was then attached to the
standard location on the B. The arm was purchased at a local auto parts
store. On the back side of the alternator I designed a bracket that
attached to the standard alternator mount on the engine.
The bracket I designed for the back of the alternator is to eliminate
vibration that could easily break the ear on the water pump or the
alternator.
I bought a standard plug for the connection to the Delco and wired it to
the wiring harness on the B.
The jury is still out on this conversion, I have had this on for only a
week. The installation looks clean and proper (if you can call a Delco
on a B proper!).
The cost for this conversion was as follows:
Alternator $30.00
Plug 2.00
Bracket 12.00
Steel strap 2.00
Total $46.00
I have told some of the list participants that I would put this
information together and have it available for those on the list but I
just haven't had the time to do this.
Many of you might ask why I did such a thing to my LBC. To those of you
that ask this question I point you to the thread on LBC reliability. My
Lucas alternator died 4 times in less than one year.
Cheers,
Larry Hoy
1969 MGB Roadster
1987 Jaguar XJ6 Vanden Plas
1976 MGB Parting out
On Thu, 29 May 1997 08:04:01 -0400 Ed Taylor <etaylor@nr.infi.net>
writes:
>I might add this caveat to the previous posts about the Merryman =
>alternator. I purchased one of the units after having read of it on =
>this mail list. I received the unit promptly, made the installation =
>quickly. I tensioned the belt to proper spec, and within 3-4 days of =
>around town driving, the mounting bracket for the alternator (on the =
>water pump) had broken. The unit as they shipped it only had the one =
>mounting ear positioned at the front of the alternator, thus torqueing =
>the unit in a manner which put stress on the water pump bracket. I =
>called Merryman, and they promptly sent me - free of charge - an add-on
=
>bracket for the rear of the alternator which bolts into the engine =
>block. This has solved the problem. and the unit now appears to be =
>trouble free after several hundred miles. The caveat would be to go =
>ahead and request the rear bracket when you place the order, you may =
>save the cost of having to purchase a new water pump too! By the way =
>Merryman seem to be awfully nice people to work with and gladly sent the
=
>bracket free of charge, even though I would have been happy to pay for =
>it!!!
>
>
>
>
>Ross, David and others,
>
>I've seen this Delco alternator conversion at Merryman's shop. It
>looks
>very clean as it does in the picture in NAMGBR Driver. They have taken a
>standard Delco alternator that can be found anywhere and modified the
>casing so that it is a straightforward bolt in replacement for the Lucas
>alternator in later B's. The kit comes with the necessary connector and
>instructions to just plug it in to the existing connector. Very clean,
>very simple, hence the twenty minute installation. These guys run a high
>quality restoration/service shop and know first hand about some of the
>weak points with MG's and have come up with the alternator and fan
>conversions to upgrade and make the cars more bulletproof. All of the
>modifications I've seen that they've made to cars end up looking like
>they came that way from the factory. Perhaps some of you saw there stand
>at Carlisle(I think row F, but don't quote me).=20
>
>Charlie Baldwin
>'52 TD, '60 MGA, '66 MGB
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