Jack Feldman wrote:
>
> Bob Allen wrote about the problems he is having with his "C".
Please don't think I'm whining, they aren't "problems" so much as
features of this particular LBC. My C/GT is now quicker and handles
better than I have the skill or, ah, testoreone, to drive it. That's
about right.
The point is that the 'C' is a handlful compared to a good running 'B'
or, especially, a Midget. This is not a 'throwable' car and has to be
steered deliberately. On the other hand, the car is *much* faster than
the other cars so it will drive you over your head faster than stock (or
warmed) 4-cyl cars.
> if you join the C Register, you can get all sorts of information
> on where to get used C parts, and how to improve your car's handling.
> I've gone through "The Best of C Notes", and a good number of C Notes,
> and haven's seen many suggestions to add a rear swaybar. That
> may be your problem.
I've let my subscription to C-notes expire. Yes, it is the only source
for keeping up with things 'C' specific I know of. For those who haven't
seen it, it's 8 to 12 pages -- some events, reprints of technical stuff,
and, of great import, the classified ads.
My car has the stock front sway bar and Koni tube shocks all around.
I've added the rear sway bar. It seems to work as advertised. I bought
it from VB and believe it to be Addco. I've heard that the brand has a
poor reputation but, well, it ain't rocket science and it ain't broke --
my only complaint was that the end links were too short. Went from 4ish
to 6ish with red plastic (Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!) bushings.
> There is no need for anti-tramp bars unless you are racing, or have
> so much power that your car's rear end hops when you try to accelerate.
> I don't know of anyone who has felt the need to add a panhard rod to
> their C.
Agree on anti-tramp bars -- I don't do drag racing (and if anyone has
seen how narrow 1st gear is on an LBC, they wouldn't either). I think a
panhard rod would be a good thing -- lower the roll center with no cost
to ride compliance. The panhard rod is a common handling trick for live
axle cars and shouldn't be hard to adapt to LBC. I've just never seen a
source for one and, with the Addco, there may be installation/clearnence
problems.
> The next change is to replace the front sway bar with a heavier one.
> Moss of London sells a "handling kit" which has a 3/4" bar with harder
> bushings. It also includes stiffer busings for the rear spring
> shackels. The two changes, tube shocks, and stiffer roll bar made
> a great difference in eliminating the roll on cornering. It does not
> seem to have made much difference in the understeer.
I haven't messed with the front bar. I have replaced all rubber bushings
everywhere in the suspension, both front and back. And replaced the rear
springs with new stock-GT items in the rear. I have tire clearence
problems in the rear or I would have put roadster springs on the GT. I
used stock rubber bushing replacements.
I'm not sure what a larger front sway bar would accomplish. It may bring
the car back around to pushing in the corners. I don't need more of
that. The "transition" problems when getting the car to turn in and
settle into a corner may have more to do with the polar moment with all
then cast iron that far forward. Therefore, since I can't move the motor
back, I don't know what else to do.
I did ratchet the torsion bars down and run higher pressure up front
30/24. I'm running 195/60HR15 Pirelli P6's all around on 6 inch rims.
The front rims are on adapters that, along with the wheel offset,
increase the front track about 3 inches. Scrub radius sucks, however,
and bump steer is intensified. I like the Pirellis. The new desginations
are P600 -- recommended.
> I'm investigating changing the rack so that the lock to lock turns
> are reduced. BTW, information in the "C Notes" indicate that the "B"
> racks won't work on a "C". The racks are hard to get.
'C' racks are impossible to get. I disagree that 'B' racks won't fit in
a 'C' as I installed mine a couple of years ago and it seems to be
working fine. You do have to be a little creative installing it,
however. The 'B' rack attachments are further apart and the steering
shaft is longer on the 'B' compared to the 'C'. I built a bracket that
moved the rack forward and centered off the original mounting points.
Nothing on the rack had to be shortened to fit. It works but may
contribute to bump steer with the new tie rod angles (Rack is another
inch or inch and a half out on the axle radius.)
> To join the MGC registry call or write Tom Boscarino, 34 Park Avenue,
> Ashville, NC 20803-2056, 704 274-2269
Yep, if you own a 'C' you should try Tom's newsletter.
Thanks for the dialog,
Bob Allen, Kansas City, '69MGC/GT
Car: http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/mymg.html
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