MGAeughhh

[PaulAA]

Well now...

I've just collected a pal's MGA from the workshop for him in absentia, driven it across town in varying traffic and now have it sitting in my garage, awaiting his return.  It has a certain solidity, but I feel blessed that I am a TR man.

Paul

[Nick Jones]

I've heard them described as "a vintage driving experience".  Same gent then went on to describe driving an AH3000 as similar (to the MGA) but faster and with additional vertebral compression.....  Coming back from Switzerland in the Vitesse in 2009 we shared a shuttle compartment with a posse of AHs on their way back from a few days hooning round the Alps.  One of the drivers literally lay on the floor for the whole duration of the crossing, literally a broken man.  Apparently he was meeting his wife on the other side with more comfortable transport and his co-driver was to drive the car home to the Midlands.....

Mind you I have seen a certain Spitfire-driving CT member lying down in a car park about 3/4 way round a 10CR.......

Nick

[JohnD]

I sometimes feel a bit vertebrally challenged in SofS, 600lb fronts and a rear that looks as if it came off a truck.    Even small road irregularities feel major.

But it's seat design and support that matter, not the resemblance to a tractor.     Ensure the right lumbar lordosis, forwards curve in the small of the back, centre of curve rearwards, is preserved, and the spine not allowed to slump in one long curve with forward centre.      Race seats and six-point harness to prevent 'submarining' do much for this, where yer old bucket seat as seen in MGs and dare I say, Triumphs, does nothing.

Any sufferers should try one of the many car seat support gadgets, that put a pad against the back, behind the waist, and make sure that the waist band of the seat belt id done up correctly.     Firmly around the front of the pelvis, lower than the belt, this is not only safest, but tilts the pelvis forward reinstating the lordosis. Take time to adjust the seat, support and harness properly.   My modern allows me to adjust the back support and I'm often grateful on long drives.

John

[RedRooster]

Still wouldn't kick out of the garage a twin cam MGA or a big Healey.

[PaulAA]

1 hour ago, RedRooster said:

Still wouldn't kick out of the garage a twin cam MGA or a big Healey.

The Fred Flintstone-mobile in my garage is an early 'A with a 'B 1.8 engine transplant.  Pedestrian.  Irritatingly, it seemed to garner more glances from passing folk than the '6 would do, which only goes to show how little taste the average punter has, eh...

[Nick Jones]

Very few twin-cams out there.  Well under 10% of total production.  The original 1500s had 68 bhp and the final versions had a 1600 producing an alleged 90 bhp.  The 1800 from the MGB is going to be an improvement - though not exactly refined or sporting.

A good friend still has a Riley 1.5 (though it's not moved in about 25 years), which is suspiciously like the 4 door, tin-top sister of the MGA.  We stuck an 1800 B series from a Marina TC in that in place of the original 1500.  This made it surprisingly brisk in a straight line but didn't help the handling.  I remember that it was exceptionally good at going sideways....... even at low speeds.  The all-round drum brakes led to the occasional "brown moment" too.  We should probably drag it out and mend it, but it was extremely tired in all respects when put away, so this would be no small task.

The average punter has very average taste for sure.  Though I note that my small grey missile gets more attention than it used to.  However, being grey, if I park it next to an otherwise similar vehicle in red, it immediately becomes invisible!  I don't care.  It does slightly irritate me that grey appears to be coming back into fashion though - it's been very exclusive for the last 30 odd years!

Nick