At 09:04 AM 3/10/98 -0600, Mike Cousins wrote:
>Below is a list of the parts that I've got. I basically have 2 MGA's, a
>1955 1500 and a 1962 1600 MkII and I'm trying to make ONE good running
>car out of them.
>
>1955 1500 - intact. fenders are badly rusted at joints, body seems to
>be ok but you never know until you strip it. Engine is dead - whole,
>but I think it threw a rod.
>1962 1600 MkII - completely disassembled. body is rust! everywhere
>there is rust !!! frame looks good though. also, the front end is
>disassembled and the rear end is off of the frame. Fenders are in good
>shape ! 6 wire wheels (I'm having them blasted and painted). Engine
>- dead, apart, and badly rusted.
>
>This is what I would like to do with all of these parts to make ONE car:
>
>I'd like to use the frame from the 62 because it has the front disk
>brakes and the wire wheel hubs.
>I'd like to use the body from the 55 because it looks to be in decent
>shape.
>I'd like to use the fenders from the 62 because they are in good shape.
>I have an MGB 1800cc out of my '77 B (I'm putting a V8 in it) that I
>would like to use for the MGA (I still haven't figured out if this is an
>easy bolt-in or not - anyone know how to do this with the least amount
>of work and $$$ ??? I've asked this question to the group before,
>but I really didn't get a straight answer. Are there motor mounts I
>could buy somewhere ???)
>
>Now, do all of these parts fit together ?????????
>
>Also, If I have to use the frame from the '55 1500, can I use the front
>end parts (hubs, disks, king pins, trunnions, A-arms etc..) from the '62
>on the '55 frame???
> Can I also bolt the '62 rear axle/spring assembly right to the '55
>frame ??
>
>
>The only source I have to figure out if all these parts are
>interchangeable is catalogs from Moss, Victoria British, etc.... When
>looking at the VB catalog, parts are listed with the year model next to
>them. Most of the parts I'm looking at have 55-62 listed next to them,
>which makes me think that they are the same for all models and
>completely interchangeable. Can someone back me up on this, or am I
>incorrect ????
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Cheers
>
>
>Michael J. Cousins III
>
>Work Address: mike.cousins@wsnelson.com
>Home Address: mciii@ix.netcom.com
>
>Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines. - Enzo Ferrari
>
>No one will EVER need more than 640K of ram. - Bill Gates
>
>Hello Mike
If an MGA has a good body, then the restoration is worth the effort.
All the other parts are less expensive and-or restorable and easier to come
by. The wire wheels are usualy not worth the effort of restoration ( worn
splines, loose spokes, warped). But new ones from Dayton. The early frame
will be different at the right side toe board ( the l600,1500 and 1800
engines have the starter mounted at different heights) Starter Bulge. The
suspension parts will switch without many problems. Your big problem will
be the engine. If it were me I would find a MGA engine and rebuild it.
The 1600 or 1622 will have more power than the late model MGB. You will need
to fabricate front mounts, but the major problem is the rear mount on the
tranny. You will need to use an MGA tranny. This means you must use the MGA
backplate and flywheel. To make these parts work , you need to have them
machined to fit the rear oil seal and the crank. A simpler method would be
to design an adapter plate for a MGB tranny to mount into the MGA frame, But
I tried and failed to figuer out that puzzle.
Sam Haynes
TR3 original owner
59 MGA
100-4
Tiger
|