MGB GT - 1980

[elephantstone]

So i put a post up in the readers cars section but i thought it would be more suitable to post all updates and photos in the classics section so here goes..

Here's a photo of the car the day i drove it home (after a tense 40mile rush hour motorway journey home and the car getting very hot.)



After a couple days trundling around i noticed i had a headlight out and an indicator out. Tried changing the bulbs but to no success.. Next step: "Dad, if i wash your car will you have a look at my lights for me" He got carried away and fixed the door handle/lights and investigated the hot engine when stationary... Leading us to buy this..




Didn't do anything, we have checked the fan works but it was worth replacing as the old one was corroded. Next stop is a new thermostat and a good clean out of the cooling system and a new hose kit..



The eagle eyed reader will have noticed the PH sticker which i have subtly stuck on this afternoon..



This is a view i don't get bored of..



Debating getting a three spoke wheel for it (not wood!) but have got more important things to spend my money on.

Here's a photo of me and my car whilst me and Mrs were waiting for an estate agent to turn up to a house viewing.. My girlfriend insisted on taking a photo..



Will update once i have tackled the hot engine and got all the new hose and thermostat installed.

[Crook]

Nice 'B

[LordBretSinclair]

An excellent entry to the classic car world (despite what Breadvan will undoubtedly say).

Get the few little niggles sorted, use it regularly, and you'll get a good deal of enjoyment

[elephantstone]

Just found another photo with my mates new Golf R... He struggled to keep up.

[elephantstone]

Crook said:

Nice 'B

Cheers!

[elephantstone]

LordBretSinclair said:

An excellent entry to the classic car world (despite what Breadvan will undoubtedly say).

Get the few little niggles sorted, use it regularly, and you'll get a good deal of enjoyment

I will be alot happier when the engine cooling is sorted! My last car was a Mk3 MX5 and the driver involvement is much higher in the B. The feedback is much better through the steering and it just feels 100% times more special.

[benters]

nice BGT. . .as for the hot running I don't suppose its a co-incidence that cars from this era or earlier suffer with hot running. The Rads are way smaller than todays cars, and with so much of modern driving being stop start the inevitable lack of cooling air starts to take effect. My dad had a slightly earlier one than yours and the fix for him was a Kenlowe fan which I expect you may have heard of. Good to see a classic being enjoyed though.

[EggsBenedict]

elephantstone said:

So i put a post up in the readers cars section blah

This is a view i don't get bored of..



Debating getting a three spoke wheel for it (not wood!) but have got more important things to spend my money on.

Nice looking 'B'.

That placky wheel is a bit too 80's for me! The only real option for British sports cars IMHO: http://www.moto-lita.co.uk/our-products/wheels.asp...

[mike13]

Did you keep the mk3 or sell on,that was a nice car?

[nta16]

for the benefit of potential B buyers -

just changing parts without proper diagnostics will not properly sort why the car is getting hot, IF it is getting hot, what does that mean, the needle on the gauge going higher when stationary is normal

did the car smell like it was hot, was it over hot to touch

a gauge is just a gauge and if it's not married up to the correct (well made) temp sender it will register inaccurately

checking the fan works when it should is good but it also pays to check the fan is putting the cooling air in the right direction, unlikely here but it's not unknown for fans be fitted than operate the wrong way

a thorough clean of the coolant/heating system and fresh coolant/antifreeze is always a good idea but the current thermostat could have been checked for correct temperature and tested then

the new thermostat needs testing now well before the work commences that way if it's faulty a replacement can be got before the works start

good luck with the hoses if they're ordinary rubber as many current ones don't last long

people new to classics often rush to put new parts on the cars to try to resolve niggles thinking the faults must be with old parts because they're old when this may not be the case, in fact many modern parts are poorly made so an old but good functioning could be replaced by a new poorly function or faulty part (especially with electric parts)

plus the new owners are over eager to spend money on their new purchase (we all been been there) but proper step by step diagnostics is required to solve faults and perhaps just a little of getting to know the car first

[nta16]

elephantstone said:

Debating getting a three spoke wheel for it (not wood!) but have got more important things to spend my money on.

that is a very nice looking original wheel, original to the car I'd imagine certainly correct type for the model

I had one of those in very good original condition and a certain well known large MG specialist garage bent it by using a puller on it to remove it, they assured me the replacement they put on was as good - it wasn't

number 1 John Twist video shows how to remove a steering wheel without the use of a puller or collapsing the safety collapse-able steering column - http://www.youtube.com/user/Universitymotorsltd#g/...

[nta16]

benters said:

. . .as for the hot running I don't suppose its a co-incidence that cars from this era or earlier suffer with hot running.

sorry but this is not so

only cars that are not serviced, maintained, repaired and set up properly and fully will suffer to any great extent, many B owners use their cars in traffic in standard form

benters said:

The Rads are way smaller than todays cars,

sorry but again that is not so, if anything the rads are smaller now

with your Midget particularly you'll probably find it over cools on the open road despite it's radiator size

benters said:

and with so much of modern driving being stop start the inevitable lack of cooling air starts to take effect. My dad had a slightly earlier one than yours and the fix for him was a Kenlowe fan which I expect you may have heard of. Good to see a classic being enjoyed though.

again not so, yes older cars are not as good in traffic but they do survive traffic even in standard form if they're fully and properly serviced, maintained, repaired and set up

the fix is not the additional electric fan that just masks worn parts and components and lack of full and proper servicing, maintenance, repair and set up

I've been using classics as dailies for over 20 years so I do have some actual experience and knowledge in this area

if a MGB is rarely used or much higher power than standard without the additional cooling requirements then they might get very hot in traffic but not a standard car in good condition

Edited by nta16 on Thursday 1st May 17:00

[v8250]

OP, well done on acquiring what looks like [hopefully] an unmolested car. Re' the over heating, it's rare that the B's overheat...they're such simple devices. As you're replacing the hoses reverse flush both the engine waterways and the radiator. Keep going until clean water flows both ways, then install new hoses, thermostat et al. Top up with a good quality coolant and you should be fine. Plenty of good experienced MG chaps here on PH. Happy motoring

[HumbleJim]

elephantstone said:

Ahh Gauloises and girl-friends, you'll be asked to hand your MGOC membership back.

[Yertis]

nta16 said:

the fix is not the additional electric fan that just masks worn parts and components and lack of full and proper servicing, maintenance, repair and set up

[/footnote]

An electric fan can do those things, but it can also ensure that old cars (specifically my TR6 and before that GT6, both in spot-on condition) do not overheat in stopped/slow traffic on hot days. Less of a problem in the TR but a big problem in the GT6, where I've sometime sat in blistering heat with the cabin heater turned on and up trying to keep the engine from going into the red. Electric fans are good thing – that's one of the reasons modern cars have them.

[LordBretSinclair]

What about the drivers handbook Nigel?????????

[RichB]

elephantstone said:

Shouldn't this be posted in the 'period looking' classics picture thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=28&...

[elephantstone]

Thanks for all kind words.

With regards to the cooling..

I put the new switch in as it was only a 10 second job to do. Will be flushing it out sometime next week and fitting a new thermostat and hoses etc after doing it. They cost hardly anything to get (im used to modern car part prices) and its worth putting new stuff on for piece of mind.

Once ive sorted that next job will be the brakes and servicing the engine. No problems from either but id rather do it now and learn my way round the engine bay.. Something i have zero experience with.

But back to the fun stuff..

When im on a nice bit of open countryside and got all the windows open with my arm out the window, i couldnt be happier!

[elephantstone]

mike13 said:

Did you keep the mk3 or sell on,that was a nice car?

Got rid of it. A little lacking in character and wasn't as fun to chuck around as my mk2 was.

[elephantstone]

LordBretSinclair said:

What about the drivers handbook Nigel?????????

Don't worry I've had that, as much as the drivers handbook mentioning is relentless.. It is useful.