One more time,
Pardon me for those of you who read this already, but I posted it on
Saturday and have seen very few responses, so I thought I may get more
response during the week.
Hi listers,
After looking for a 5 main, metal dash, o/d, roadster for about a year and
a half - I found and bought two in a week in July, a red 65 and a green 66.
David Deutsch was making me jealous, and after all that time in Holland
with MG withdrawal, now I've satisfied my craving. I'm thinking of writing
an article for the club periodicals. The cars both from up north and rusty
so they aren't in great shape, but then I didn't pay much either, and they
should keep me busy restoring for years. Everybody says buy a rust free car
not running instead of a running rusty car, but I never could find what I
wanted. I've got the 65 running, and it was really sweet driving it today
and using the o/d. I'd like to drive both cars intermittently before
restoring, but one doesn't run, and I've got a couple of questions.
1. The PO of the 66 said she had been driving it intermittently up to the
week I bought it. Had what she thought was a starter problem a month ago,
and replaced it. The week I bought it, she stopped after riding around,
and when she got back in it wouldn't turn over - she thought it was the
starter again. I figured it was the starter locked in the ring gear, and
offered to buy it without her fixing it. Got it home, and it's not the
ring gear - the engine is frozen - cant turn it in 4th gear by rocking, and
cant turn it from the front with the crank pulley. Has plenty of clean oil
in it. I've looked in the plug holes and don't see anything unusual. I'm
thinking it's an overheated and locked up bearing. Any other ideas ?
Engine was rebuilt 50 - 60 k miles ago.
2. On the 65, after figuring out an anti theft device (recent thread), a
spare electrical panel with 4 switches, one of which has to be turned on
for the ignition switch to get power, I was out driving today, and the oil
pressure was the lowest I've seen in a B. About 10 psi at hot idle, and
about 30 psi at acceleration RPM. My 68 B never runs below 50 psi, so the
low pressure is a bit disconcerting. Am I damaging the engine running it
with pressure that low ? Is it possible the reading is low ? I've just
read the XPAG oil pressure troubleshooting procedures on todays digest, can
I follow that for the B engine too ? Is the relief valve internal in the
oil pump, I don't see a separate part in the catalogs. Is it likely that
the bearings are just shot ?
The '75 B V8 conversion project is still progressing, although more slowly
than I thought it would. It came back from the paint / body shop in late
June absolutely gorgeous black. We (17 year old son Andrew and I) put in
Moss lowered springs, rebuilt brakes, reinstalled the interior, put in a
new gas tank, reinstalled all the trim, and we're about to put the engine
compartment back together and put the engine in. However, I spent several
hours today taking the windshield apart to put in new rubber. Had to drill
out the screws on both sides of the bottom brackets and order new brackets.
You always anticipate getting more done in a day than you do - but it's so
much fun !! So little time for all these MG's. I need to retire so I can
do this full time !
I've got two hard tops I'd like to sell - one black one from the 65 in
very good condition, and one white one from the 75 that's not in such good
condition. Also still have the disassembled engine and assembled
transmisstion (non o/d) from the 75 I'd like to part with as well. If
interested, make me an offer. I'm in Baton Rouge, La.
Thanks for the help and Safety Fast (er),
Rick Huber
4 B's in the hive - it's like heaven.
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