Greeting to all, I stumbled onto this list a month or so ago but have
been a "reader only" until now... Here's my free advice and at least
you'll get your money's worth!
I've owned my '60 MGA since '70 when, as a high school student, I dragged
it home with 110,000 miles. I now have over 300,000 miles and am ready to
re-restore it.
I read the posts about date coding parts & proper color (colour) of
obscure clips etc and want to caution eager restorers about the pitfalls
of over-restoring. I have two friends who, in the consuming attempt to
make a perfect restoration have lost SO's (well not lost them, they know
where they are but they're not together...) and still don't have MG's to
DRIVE! We (my SO & I) enjoy the 'A, and I knew she was right for me when
she begged me not to sell it when some now forgotten financial crisis
arose.
The point is: enjoy your car, unless it is truly an historically
significant example it was built for fun DRIVING! FYI: The origin of
"concourse d'elegance" was not to judge perfect examples of factory built
cars but to showcase custom bodied automobiles.
Here is my reply to the HOTFOOT thread, MGA experience but applies to
others:
1. Radiator must be in good shape, I took mine to a local radiator shop a
number of years ago and had a new core installed for a reasonable sum.
With 160 degree thermostat I run 165 around town and 175-180 on the
highway (65-75 mph).
2. Fan blades can be installed "backwards". This will not try to push air
thru radiator but will reduce efficiency as trailing edge becomes leading
edge and visa-versa. Also, perhaps more importantly, fan will not be as
close to the radiator.
3. Make sure heater control valve (on side of block above distributor) is
off. I have to adjust the control cable for summer use which gives me OFF
to 3/4 ON and in winter I adjust to give full on.
4. I applied an insulating foam/foil over the trans tunnel. This was sold
in hardware store for applying to hot air heating ducts. It's about 1/4"
thick foam with foil on one side and sticky adhesive on the other. Trim
to fit with scissors/utility knife.
5. I attached a heat shield to the underside of the front floorboard to
minimize heat transfer from the HOT exhaust pipe. I used a piece of 1/4"
thick (asbestos?) sold for woodstove installations. It is attached with
screws but spaced out from the floorboard about 1/2" to provide an
airspace. My wife gave me a cookie sheet she didn't want - a brand
something like 'Airbake'. It's two layers of aluminum with an air space
between. I'm saving it with the idea that it may work as well or
better...
6. The filler that is attached to the bonnet and fills the gap between
radiator and bonnet was mentioned in a previous reply.
7. I have seen an article in MGA! (magazine of MGA register) about a fan
shroud that will bolt in with no modifications. This sounds like a good
item but haven't tried it.
8. Finally (finally!!) the MGA grille has a reputation for deflecting air
at highway speeds, I assume this is why the temp goes up after 1/2 hour
of 65+ mph driving.
Enjoy your MG's!!
Eric J Russell '42 Chevy 1 1/2 ton flatbed
Bridgewater, MA '59 Volvo 544
ejrussell@juno.com '60 MGA roadster
'83 F250
'92 Chrysler convertible
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