Tuesday, December 20, 2011

MGB Wish List


Our  MGB's


We bought our 1976 Tahiti blue MGB  in Bothel Washington  in 2004  from Pete Soul  at Performance Motors.  We named it for "Blue Boy" by Gainsborough.  We call that B him, "Gainsborough".  


We've recently had the interior  redone and a new windshield put in  at Mini-motors coach  and upholstery  in Salem.  It was a beautiful job.  He was looking good.  My MGB allowance for 2011 was already spent on those repairs.


Gainsborough was a beautiful ride to work the morning  of December fifth;and, I was really pleased with Gainsborough.  That evening pulling out and down the parking garage  ramp was the sudden sickening realization something was now wrong with the drive train.  He wouldn't go into second gear.


On December 6, 2011 I found out about clutch slave cylinder's failing.  I couldn't shift through second gear, and from there  shifting deteriorated  to not at all.  


It deteriorated from the slave cylinder to a new clutch. It's sad to see our whole prim-and-proper show piece have to have its guts out on the shop bench. 
On the positive side, I'm really pleased with how clean and new the engine is looking  at Harold's MGB's in Portland as the drive train is  being reassembled.  They're putting a lot of attention into the long term, what needs to be done for Gainsborough to last for years.  
The list engine parts below are what I've heard would put  him into top condition again. 
Also,  Billy  at Harold's has isolated why Gainsborough was leaking on our garage floor.  He's taking steps to improve that aspect of Gainsborough. he'll have a lot of new hoses.  He'll be a much cleaner car under the hood and floor boards.


Our white MGB was part of the estate from Dick Freeman, a great resource to the British car community.  He was  a regular winner of the Concourse De Elegance in Forest Grove with his red 1967 MGB that looked like it was fresh off the show room floor.  


I've had some weird ones with my White B,  one night coming out of the garage, the lights were flashing by themselves.  The following night I opened the hood and there's nothing to hold it up? That was the night the hood prop came undone; and, where did those two screws fall out at.  Got those taken care of.


It amazes me how suddenly a screw can fall out and I'm left wondering where it came out of.   Today there was one on the back of the white B's console.  There's nothing for a 3/8" long sheet metal screw right above there.
Yesterday morning there was one fell out of the driver's door onto the garage floor.  That one was from the door window sill, one of two screws on the outer edge of the sill.  Someone had put in round headed screws.  I put flat head brass screws in and, gee the door closes a lot better now.


For the white B, I've come to call it "Whitey".  It seems less socially correct.  But it is a very accurate reference. If you have a more correct nick name for a white MGB, let me know.


George 


We're looking for these MGB parts for our B's, that have been recommended for them:

The Blue B, Gainsborough:
Pertronix  Ignitor:
http://www.northwestimportparts.com/MGB-Ignitor-electronic-ignition-conversion-75-80-d261.aspx

Pertronix 
http://www.northwestimportparts.com/MGB-Ignition-coil-75-80-d255.aspx

A 5 speed Transmission:
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=52462

For Whitey We're looking for:
A driver's side threshold plate
http://www.northwestimportparts.com/MGB-Stainless-steel-threshold-plates-d694.aspx

KYB tube shocks:


If you're discarding one of these items and  looking to have somebody who is interested in them pay to ship them; and, get them off your hands, let me know.

George