MG Magnette restomod
Discussion
I've posted rather wistfully about this idea a couple of times over the years, and now I am getting old having a real roof starts to appeal. I grew up with these cars, and my idea would be to take a ZA or ZB and then bring it up to a standard usable today, such as an 1840 MGB engine, (or more modern), disc brakes, even air conditioning. I've done some research on the internet, seen a number of restorers, but advice from the cognoscenti here would be helpful. I mean, Jaguars and their restorers I know like the back of my hand, but I am now moving into completely unknown and for me virgin territory. And we all know what can happen to virgins. There must be good and bad out there, as in Jaguar land, so "inside information" would be most helpful.
That's very similar to a car my mate is doing for himself. Basically rust-free Magnette shell, MGB engine, overdrive gearbox, not sure of the rest. I haven't heard any mention of air-con - I thought of putting that in my project, but mine don't get used very regularly and I think it might cause more problems than it's worth.
Something like this then: http://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2014-03...
I've always liked how these look and have fond memories of this one going very sideways round Lydden Hill at a SEMSEC sprint meeting when I used to compete.
Owned by a really nice chap; it was his Dad's old car and rather than sell it he decided to drop an ex DTM Merc 190 race engine into it, weld up the diff and take it racing.
I've always liked how these look and have fond memories of this one going very sideways round Lydden Hill at a SEMSEC sprint meeting when I used to compete.
Owned by a really nice chap; it was his Dad's old car and rather than sell it he decided to drop an ex DTM Merc 190 race engine into it, weld up the diff and take it racing.
lowdrag said:
I've posted rather wistfully about this idea a couple of times over the years, and now I am getting old having a real roof starts to appeal. I grew up with these cars, and my idea would be to take a ZA or ZB and then bring it up to a standard usable today, such as an 1840 MGB engine, (or more modern), disc brakes, even air conditioning. I've done some research on the internet, seen a number of restorers, but advice from the cognoscenti here would be helpful. I mean, Jaguars and their restorers I know like the back of my hand, but I am now moving into completely unknown and for me virgin territory. And we all know what can happen to virgins. There must be good and bad out there, as in Jaguar land, so "inside information" would be most helpful.
This is one of my favourite cars lowdrag. To run it nowadays though requires upgrades. The original engine was a 3 bearing crank, longstroke and worked seriously hard to give any sort of performance. If you want to retain some of the original classic feel the 1800 unit is the one to go for. A big valve head and decent cam will make it surprisingly quick and the all synchro overdrive 'box from the MGB is very respectable.Personally I would fit a Rover V8, probably an injected 4 litre from a Range Rover. There is bags of room in the engine bay and you could use a 5 speed Getrag 'box. The aircon pump from the RR will also go straight on to give you a cool cabin. You would have a very quick old motor.
The worst and most outdated aspect to these cars is the suspension, particularly the kingpins. You can engineer the front end to take ball joints however and a set of Konis will transform it. Complete this with Minilites and you have a very pretty looking car that will go round corners.
I love the interiors in these with the octagonal instruments, but it would be nice to have the front seats modified to recline and give better support. Just some of my ideas to inspire.
J
I'd be going MX5 engine and box, mounts very similar to B series, totally bullet proof, 140BHP from the mk2 1.8, twin cam classic looks, isn't a K series, the positives are endless!
The 5 speed box is a delight (although some attention would need to be paid to gearlever from memory magnettes didn't use the remote housing on the box so the lever exits the top of the box rather than the rear) and if your really lucky you might be able to get away with using the prop with minimal modifications.
Stick a pair of twin 40s on it and it will even snort like a lotus twink and on the original FI will be as at home on track as it is pootling to the shops on a freezing cold winters day.
The 5 speed box is a delight (although some attention would need to be paid to gearlever from memory magnettes didn't use the remote housing on the box so the lever exits the top of the box rather than the rear) and if your really lucky you might be able to get away with using the prop with minimal modifications.
Stick a pair of twin 40s on it and it will even snort like a lotus twink and on the original FI will be as at home on track as it is pootling to the shops on a freezing cold winters day.
There are many Z's with MGB 1800 engines, 5 speed boxes, disc front brakes, even aircon...permutations are endless. Several with V8 motors, even some converted to two door coupe form. The reason is thy look good, handle well & are a good place to drive in. In standard form they are undergeared...designed before motorways in the UK, but for the day quire brisk because of the handling. Mine has a 1622 block, 3.9 diff (from MGA Mk2)& anti roll bar. We did 2250 miles in 12 days to Bavaria & back with no problem. Cruise at 75+ on the Autobahn, mid summer, no overheating of the mechanicals (passengers were a bit warm!) 
wildoliver said:
I'd be going MX5 engine and box, mounts very similar to B series, totally bullet proof, 140BHP from the mk2 1.8, twin cam classic looks, isn't a K series, the positives are endless!
The 5 speed box is a delight (although some attention would need to be paid to gearlever from memory magnettes didn't use the remote housing on the box so the lever exits the top of the box rather than the rear) and if your really lucky you might be able to get away with using the prop with minimal modifications.
Stick a pair of twin 40s on it and it will even snort like a lotus twink and on the original FI will be as at home on track as it is pootling to the shops on a freezing cold winters day.
This would probably be my option although I'd stick with standard injection rather than carbs if I wanted to make it usable.The 5 speed box is a delight (although some attention would need to be paid to gearlever from memory magnettes didn't use the remote housing on the box so the lever exits the top of the box rather than the rear) and if your really lucky you might be able to get away with using the prop with minimal modifications.
Stick a pair of twin 40s on it and it will even snort like a lotus twink and on the original FI will be as at home on track as it is pootling to the shops on a freezing cold winters day.
Pretty tempting actually as I've got this in the garage -
Pretty nicely restored on the body and interior but very original on the drivetrain, there isn't a single part of the bloody thing that doesn't leak
Just love the idea of a burbling V8 with 5-speed manual box frankly. Have been reflecting on a restorer, looking at cars sold and for sale, and also discussing having the XKSS tarted up for sale and sending it to the Revival auction, where the last one fetched a fabulous price. All she needs is a wing touched up (two pimples from underneath) the floor and part of the sparse dash resprayed matt black, and a full clean and detailing, plus I guess the wheels resprayed and new decals. About £1,000 should cover that. Then it is a question of the budget to do the new project. I've looked at one or two quite well-known MG people, and one in particular seems to do good work but the cars are rather bling. I would want a Q-car, one that doesn't look too purposeful but which can go like hell if the spirit is willing but more importantly is a restful tourer. But, like my original post, the problem is being sure one has found the right person. Too many sharks in the pond, no matter what make we are talking about. I've seen so many simply shocking jobs over the years, including a person billed for 75 lbs of filler (yes!), a boot lid so heavy with lead it took two hands to lift it, cars not properly jigged (talk to Quentin about his first rebuild of the E-type he sold a while back) and many more horrors.
lowdrag said:
But, like my original post, the problem is being sure one has found the right person. Too many sharks in the pond, no matter what make we are talking about. I've seen so many simply shocking jobs over the years, including a person billed for 75 lbs of filler (yes!), a boot lid so heavy with lead it took two hands to lift it, cars not properly jigged (talk to Quentin about his first rebuild of the E-type he sold a while back) and many more horrors.
Why not have one of your trusted Jaguar restoration specialists take it on for you?I had thought of that, but the people I used tend to specialise in Jaguars. The person who did my E-type wouldn't countenance it, and I wouldn't think of asking him since he is booked out for ages with work anyway. This wouldn't be a straightforward rebuild of a standard car, and it would I suppose be a bit like asking my E-type man to put an XKR engine and associated electronics under the bonnet in some ways. I know Beacham do it to Jaguars, and it isn't that overly complicated I suppose in this case, but here we are talking a whole new dynamic and it needs people who know the type of car and the way of modifying it to cope with the weight distribution, the power, the handling and so on. Better to get someone who has the knowledge already than ask someone to start from scratch.
I had an 1955 ZA as my first car, as has been said it was a nice place to be but not particularly fast, cruising speed was about 65. I always wanted to fit an MGB engine, front discs and wire wheels from an MGA, cold easily be done.
Talking of Jags, funny story. Back then I was a student but had a part time job working with Milletts. Back then they were into camping gear and it was during the 3 day week during Labours time in the early 70s. We sold loads of camping Gaz lamps top shops and places because they wanted to keep open and in business. They were hard to get hold of and I was asked to deliver a crate of them to a very posh restaurant in Ealing. I parked the Magnette outside this restaurant in their courtyard knowing I'd only be a few minutes and boxed someone in. In that few minutes a chap walked into the (posh) restaurant and shouted loudly, would the person blocking me in with their Jaguar outside please move it. Me, as a long haired, 18 year old in hippy jeans, loved it when I turned round and said, "Oh, that'll be me, I won't be a second, sorry," and walked out of the place with these smart diners all looking at me!
Talking of Jags, funny story. Back then I was a student but had a part time job working with Milletts. Back then they were into camping gear and it was during the 3 day week during Labours time in the early 70s. We sold loads of camping Gaz lamps top shops and places because they wanted to keep open and in business. They were hard to get hold of and I was asked to deliver a crate of them to a very posh restaurant in Ealing. I parked the Magnette outside this restaurant in their courtyard knowing I'd only be a few minutes and boxed someone in. In that few minutes a chap walked into the (posh) restaurant and shouted loudly, would the person blocking me in with their Jaguar outside please move it. Me, as a long haired, 18 year old in hippy jeans, loved it when I turned round and said, "Oh, that'll be me, I won't be a second, sorry," and walked out of the place with these smart diners all looking at me!
I've gone part way there with my '63 Riley 1.5: new seats, brake servo, Minilites and it's a comfortable enough car in today's traffic or would be if I'd improved the suspension, lever arm dampers and torsion bars or leaf springs are unable to cope with today's driving conditions.
However, I have another 1.5, one of the last to be made in 1965, that I bought as a project from the previous owner's widow. That car has a new, rust-free, shell and came fitted with an overdrive, telescopic dampers, wide steel wheels (pity the brand new tyres are now 20+ years old) and a reconditioned engine that has never run.
It's currently in the paint shop and when it emerges it will have a rebuilt MGB 3-main bearing engine that's sitting at the back of my garage, servo + front disc brakes, new seats and maybe an auxiliary fuel tank for long trips - coincidentally Magnette tanks were fitted in the boots of the works rally 1.5s to increase range.
However, I have another 1.5, one of the last to be made in 1965, that I bought as a project from the previous owner's widow. That car has a new, rust-free, shell and came fitted with an overdrive, telescopic dampers, wide steel wheels (pity the brand new tyres are now 20+ years old) and a reconditioned engine that has never run.
It's currently in the paint shop and when it emerges it will have a rebuilt MGB 3-main bearing engine that's sitting at the back of my garage, servo + front disc brakes, new seats and maybe an auxiliary fuel tank for long trips - coincidentally Magnette tanks were fitted in the boots of the works rally 1.5s to increase range.
david.h said:
There are many Z's with MGB 1800 engines, 5 speed boxes, disc front brakes, even aircon...permutations are endless. Several with V8 motors, even some converted to two door coupe form. The reason is thy look good, handle well & are a good place to drive in. In standard form they are undergeared...designed before motorways in the UK, but for the day quire brisk because of the handling. Mine has a 1622 block, 3.9 diff (from MGA Mk2)& anti roll bar. We did 2250 miles in 12 days to Bavaria & back with no problem. Cruise at 75+ on the Autobahn, mid summer, no overheating of the mechanicals (passengers were a bit warm!)
That is spooky I knew exactly where that castle was. We were there in 2013 on a tour. I have a shot of the castle at roughly the same distance. 
Well, if you think of it as a big comfy four-door MGB, and that naturally leads to thinking about MGB V8s... why wouldn't it also lead to thoughts of MGCs?
And, if you're thinking of a straight six, and you know XK lumps well...
(As payment for the idea, can I have a go when it's done?)
And, if you're thinking of a straight six, and you know XK lumps well...
(As payment for the idea, can I have a go when it's done?)
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