dodgedartgt
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| posted on 25/3/09 at 08:18 PM |
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MGB as a donor... Good? Bad? Indifferent???
The local scrapper/recycler has a late 60's / early 70's MGB to part out, unfortunately recent stupid Florida law has recyclers scared and
apparently hands bound about selling vehicles whole after they have ended up behind the gate. Otherwise, I might like to have it as a project in
itself.
What originally caught my eye was the original knock-off wire wheels (four installed, three extra in trunk... er, boot :-)
I had a good look over it and am thinking rear axle with hubs/wheels, uprights with hubs/wheels (no rotors or calipers installed), lower control arms,
steering rack and column, hanging brake and clutch pedals and master cylinders.
What would be the largest frame that the rear axle with the wires would accomodate?
Accepting comments, thoughts, just no flaming.
Thnx,
Mike
[Edited on 3/25/2009 by dodgedartgt]
[Edited on 3/25/2009 by dodgedartgt]
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mr henderson
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| posted on 25/3/09 at 09:09 PM |
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MGB bits are somewhat agricultural, very old fashioned, very heavy, moderately reliable.
I had an MGB based kit here for a while, unfortunately gone now so I can't measure it. I daresay if you found out the track width, then
subtracted the width of one tyre, that would give you an idea of the space between the wheels.
Front is easiest to use if you fit the whole front subframe. That subframe, and all the other bits, weighs a LOT
John
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mark chandler
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| posted on 25/3/09 at 10:15 PM |
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Pretty good donor I would have thought, once you strip off the body its very close size wise to an escort.
Its a basic car, cart springs at rear trunions at front instead of ball joints so easy to make wishbones to pick up on the joints, discarding the
funny plunger dampers, this is a known MGB upgrade.
Probally got an overdrive gearbox, certainly got some nice gauges with good resale on the bits you do not need.
Those old 'B' engines are not hugely powerfull but there are plenty of tuning parts, quite often these days the later rover 1.6 VVT
engines get fitted so 170BHP on TB's is a reasonable upgrade.
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paulf
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| posted on 25/3/09 at 10:23 PM |
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As already said the front uprights would be ok as would the pedal box , instruments etc .I think you may find the axle is narrower than an escort one
so that may be the limiting factor.I wouldnt bother with the engine as Uk spec ones only made 95 bhp and I think a US spec one was about 75hp.You
could use the gearbox and fit a rover 2 litre unit of the type used in the 600s and 800s.
Wire wheels look nice but are time consuming to clean and also tend to stretch or break spokes when the car is used hard.
Paul.
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JonBowden
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| posted on 25/3/09 at 11:11 PM |
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It's been done before - See attached pic
I've had a couple of MGBs. Yes, they are agricultural. You wouldn't end up with the ultimate light, nimble car but it would be fun.
The chrome bumper cars are loaded with useable bits and thus would make quite a good donor.
If you want some more pics. I can post them here - but they are all quite big.
 
Rescued attachment ken-5.jpg
Jon
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 26/3/09 at 11:34 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson
MGB bits are somewhat agricultural, very old fashioned, very heavy,
They aren't particularly heavy actually, considering the B series engine is a bit of a boat anchor.
The roadster kerb weight is ~920kg and the GT is ~993kg, for the chrome bumper cars which is quite similar to Mk2 Escort weight. The rubber bumper
ones are somewhat heavier (IIRC about 1190kg for a GT).
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02GF74
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| posted on 26/3/09 at 02:00 PM |
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has + and - points; good donor if you are looking to make a period type car with wire wheels - there are cobra or whatver AC preceded the cobra - kits
based on MGB.
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Broekens
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| posted on 26/3/09 at 02:52 PM |
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Using MGB underpinnings allways leave the possibility to upgrade to the Rover V8, if you want a little more Oomph..
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dodgedartgt
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| posted on 27/3/09 at 04:40 PM |
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Hi Guys,
Thnx for all the comments.
Jon, that is quite attractive with the wires. Certainly gives it an old-timey flavor. What ehaust manifold do you have installed. The one on the car I
am looking at and the spare in the trunk have a single dump, not siamese like your exhaust shows. I'd love to see more pics. You could always
lift them to your photo archives, along with Guiness Small (cute cat).
I too noticed how easy it would be to adapt the front upper trunions to Locost control arms. Looks like a piece of cake actually to me.
The car I am looking at is pretty gutted. It would not be a restoration, more of a project or hotrod. As another fellow mentioned, what with the rust
issues, this one is definitely a Flintstone mobile :-) Frame rails and center tunnel are there and intact but there are NO floors.
I don't think I would spring for this engine/tranny. I don't even know if it is free to spin over yet, and though it has a hood, it has
been sitting outdoors for many years without valve cover, valve gear or intake/carbs installed.
For a 7, I'm not looking for blazing performance straight out of the box on the first build. Rather a fun cruiser would be good and to get the
in's and out's of the experience, then proceed on to the next, the 'fast' one.
For the relatively low price they are asking for the pieces, I think I will proceed ahead in the next few days.
Thnx again,
Mike
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britishtrident
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| posted on 27/3/09 at 08:08 PM |
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Wire wheel MGB axle was very narrow ---Istr at least an inch narrower than the steel wheel axle.
Wire wheels are a major pain in the backside anyway
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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JonBowden
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| posted on 29/3/09 at 09:20 AM |
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It's not my car - I still don't have a garage, so am just a dreamer.
The car was made by someone called Ken (I just found the pictures on the internet)
the pictures came from here:http://locost7.info/mirror/kwalton.php
That site has many other pictures (worthwhile spending an evening or two looking round
Personnaly, I'd say that if I was to use an MGB as a donor, I'd use everything I could - almost everything is useable :
engine
box
rear axle (but modifies for book style suspension)
front suspension
guages / switches
steering wheel / column
steering rack (?)
seats
good luck
Jon
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dodgedartgt
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| posted on 30/3/09 at 11:41 PM |
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Okay, I went scrappin' today, got the following:
1) Entire front suspension/steering (as one piece, mind you) except springs, dampers and upper arms. This is including steering shaft and joints,
column and smaller diameter aftermarket wheel. No, I didn't take that hell for stout cross member either.
2) Rear axle, hub to hub with drive shaft rear flange and park brake cables.
3) Seven (fancy that) wire wheels with four knock-offs and hubs.
I gotta go back tomorrow to pick it up. I'll also strip the pedal box with hanging pedals and cylinders. There aren't any gauges and the
wiring looks really suspect, at best. I'll be doing my own wiring. May grab the parking brake handle.
I haven't decided about the engine and box yet. It would be convenient though, wouldn't it? Just drop right in.
I know it is a low power "lump" but it is also a carburated "lump". The engine is free to turn over by hand and I think most
or all of the bits may even be in the boot. As for the box, it is missing the shifter and has been sitting in the open weather for years. Ya gotta
wonder whats inside of it. At least it is (apparently) in neutral and I can spin the driveshaft by hand.
I'll have to think on this for a while. My main focus really was in being able to assemble an antiquey like rolling/steering chassis from the
pieces and worry about powering it later.
I plan on this being absolutely minimalist. It will have a starting and charging circuit, lights, horn, blinkers and maybe, just maybe A wiper and
radio, we'll see.
Mike
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