I don't receive the NAMGBR publication, but I am interested in this
discussion. I recently purchased a TD that had a B engine installed (I
didn't do it, I swear!). The car is not restorable to original
condition, due to lack of parts (including a TD driveline) and the major
modifications made to the chassis to accommodate the B engine. Not the
least of which was a relocation of the pedals to the firewall to use a
hydraulic clutch. Given the poor body condition of the car, I would like
to strip it down to make a vintage racer out of it. It would have to run
with the MGB's, of course, but what it lacks in aerodynamics it would
make up in less weight and more style.
However, I would like to put B disc brakes on it, as well as install a B
or A rear end. It currently has the TD rear end and I am afraid it would
tear up halfshafts pretty quickly if I don't swap it out. The 5.125
ratio is great for plowing the back forty, but not much good on the
racetrack (even though the transmission I have has an overdrive (!!)).
Anyone actually have any experience with these conversions? What does it
take to swap the B front suspension with the TD? How 'bout the rear
ends? I'm told that that A rear end works better because the spring
mounts are the pretty much the same, whereas the B rear end requires more
work. Anyone confirm this?
Thanks.
David Littlefield
Houston, TX
'62 MGA MkII
'51 MGTD
'88 Jaguar XJ-S
On Mon, 30 Nov 1998 17:57:18 -0500 Charlie Baldwin <ewsinc@BlazeNet.net>
writes:
>Bud,
>
>I just received my copy of the Driver today and immediately read the
>"offending"
>article.
>Actually, from your description and having some knowledge of Ian's
>lack of political
>correctness, I expected something much worse. He's cutting down the
>people who do
>not drive their cars, that only go in for the picnic thing and worry
>only about how
>their car looks, not how it runs and drives. If you drive yours as I
>also drive mine
>he's not talking about us. The MGB world has similar people who
>trailer their car
>around to shows just to gather up the trophies. Those of us who
>understand that the
>real pleasure to be had from an MG is to drive it know that those
>people just aren't
>having as much fun as the rest of us.
>
>As for the bastardization of the car, even that isn't as bad as it
>could be. I'm not
>sure why someone thought it needed a Ford rear end when a standard B
>one should work
>okay, but the rest of the mechanical "improvements" don't sound too
>bad. At least MG
>components were used. The MGB front suspension is very similar to the
>TD but would
>gain the addition of disc brakes and a sway bar. My own TD has an MGA
>rear axle
>which gives me a 4.3 vs 5.125 ratio and also wire wheels. I also used
>the MGA front
>hubs and brakes(1500-not disc) and this summer I got tired of
>wallowing around
>curves and added an MGB sway bar and plan to go to an uprated B sway
>bar to make an
>even bigger difference in body roll. Not only do these changes make
>the car more
>drivable on today's highways, they also make it safer. Most anyone
>would agree that
>TDs could use some more power, better brakes, and a fifth gear or
>higher rear end to
>make them more of a pleasure to drive.
>
>His TD sounds like an interesting and fun car, but it probably won't
>win at many car
>shows, concours or popular vote, though I doubt that he cares. Most
>likely Ian could
>also care less about going British with a picnic basket since he is
>British along
>with the current chairman of NAMGBR. Most likely they think the picnic
>basket set is
>somewhat silly.
>
>Charlie Baldwin
>TD14552
>'60 MGA
>'66 MGB
>
>Bud Krueger wrote:
>
>> Received my November/December copy of NAMGBR's MG Driver today. It
>really irks
>> me that the editors would allow such TD-bashing as Ian Pender's
>article 'The
>> Full Monty'. Granted, I'm not happy to hear about another TD that's
>been
>> bastardized, but that's not the point. A lot of us TD-owners work on
>and drive
>> our cars because we enjoy the real MG spirit that one finds in MG's
>without
>> windup windows, etc. Those owners who enjoy 'going British' with
>their picnic
>> baskets seem to identify with something from the other side of the
>pond. I think
>> that they are a small minority compared with those of us who see our
>TD's as
>> cars to be driven.
>>
>> If Pender's article represents the NAMGBR's editorial attitude
>then I
>> certainly know to save another $25 next year.
>>
>> Bud Krueger
>> 52TD (being driven)
>> 77MGB (being worked on)
>
>
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