Recommendation - Cambridge C ooling

[MG Mark]

Over the Christmas break I managed to find time to do some work on the trusty MGA, with a view to continuing the quest to resolve ongoing cooling issues, particularly in traffic. I had achieved a great deal by resiting the oil cooler below the front panel shroud and by sealing the gap between the bonnet and top of the radiator (when the bonnet is shut to prevent air recirculation) which had brought the normal running temperature down by 10-15 degrees (fahrenheit), but the car was still running hot when being driven hard or when stuck in traffic.

The radiator was recored when I restored the car, but thinking that I did that around 15 yerars ago led me then to the thought that I should at least get that checked. A firm based in Cambridge was recommended - and what a superb bunch of blokes they are. A quick flow and pressure check revealed that the core was pretty well clogged, despite periodic flushes. A chat revealed that they could refurbish the original frame and top/bottom tanks (as there isn't really any scope to enlarge or change that in the MGA) and recore it with a more effective 3-row core to replace the old 2-row core. The result looks superb was done within a day and a half and for £104 including VAT. I'll post again next weekend, once I have been able to judge what the effect on running in traffic has been, but based on the an assessment of sub-40% efficiency of the old core, I hope that it will make a major difference.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I can highly recommend them - the chaps there know what they are talking about, and can rework radiators to original specifications, uprated specifications or build new one-offs in steel, brass, copper or aluminium. They are at:

Cambridge Cooling
Units 1& 2
61 Ditton Walk
Cambridge, CB5 8QD
Tel No 01223 410555

MG Mark

[gtr-gaz]

Good result Mark

I was rather hoping you were going to part with the old girl (the MGA that is!) and send it my way
It's a great looking car. No wonder you want to keep it!

[Naughty Magpie]

I really like your MGA too Mark, love those curves! Good to read that you've had good service from a local company too.

Please may I have a passenger ride at Marham in the MGA & if GTR-Gaz reads this can I have a passenger ride too (please)?

[MG Mark]

gtr-gaz said:

Good result Mark

I was rather hoping you were going to part with the old girl (the MGA that is!) and send it my way
It's a great looking car. No wonder you want to keep it!

Gary,

Thank you - we'll see. One day, maybe.......but not just yet....you'll certainly get first refusal though! Aside from hot running at Le Mans in the height of the French summer in a traffic jam (which isn't really a surprise!) I was surprised by the cooling (or rather lack of it) at the last Marham Track Day when the weather wasn't exactly hot; even having resited the oil cooler and sealed the bonnet gap, after a few laps I was having to back off down the straights just to keep the temperature manageable, and that is what really sparked me to look at it. Plus, as I'm not off road racing this year, I have always had a hankering to take the old girl and do a bit of sprinting and hillclimbing together - backing off other than for corners on that isn't really an option!

Naughty Magpie said:

I really like your MGA too Mark, love those curves! Good to read that you've had good service from a local company too.

Please may I have a passenger ride at Marham in the MGA & if GTR-Gaz reads this can I have a passenger ride too (please)?

Hannah - I can't speak for Gary, but all the best things in life have curves. Of course you can have a ride in the curvy MGA!

MG Mark

[gtr-gaz]

Naughty Magpie said:

Please may I have a passenger ride at Marham in the MGA & if GTR-Gaz reads this can I have a passenger ride too (please)?

Of course!
Just don't expect me to throw it around like you do your Cobra!!

[Naughty Magpie]

Well that's me all sorted for Marham now with rides in my 2 favourite cars.

[scottieb]

life is just so easy when your a girl!

[gtr-gaz]

Hannah, unless Mark has recently installed bucket seats in his MGA, you will find yourself having to hold on tight, to stop sliding around on those shiny original leather ones!!
Great fun though

[MG Mark]

scottieb said:

life is just so easy when your a girl!

Scott - no need to be jealous - you can have a ride too!

Depending on how I get on with finances and aspirations to take the A for a bit of hillclimbing/sprinting, the A may well have bucket seats by then...or not, in which case, for the one without the steering wheel, there is a door handle to hang onto and a transmission tunnel to brace against. Either way, it will be fun!

Best method that my mates with the Midgets and I found at the last one was to go out at the start of a session in one car, come in halfway through, and change cars/driver/passenger roles - then that way, you don't spend all of the session as a passenger, and you both get to experience each others cars.

MG Mark

[perdu]

At this rate Mark it seems you wont have enough time to have a play in Lara, 'cos the sexy A is going to be in great demand


Perhaps I'd better re-suspend her on rubber.

(Mutters- "things you do for mates"... Huh!)

[MG Mark]

perdu said:

At this rate Mark it seems you wont have enough time to have a play in Lara, 'cos the sexy A is going to be in great demand


Perhaps I'd better re-suspend her on rubber.

(Mutters- "things you do for mates"... Huh!)

Bill, I'll always fiond time to have a play in Lara - enormous fun!

MG Mark