When I purchased my 58 MGA Roadster one year ago, it had been sitting
under a tarp in a field for 15 years and the motor was froze. The motor was
a 5 main bearing MGB shortblock with the 1500 head (at least it says "15" on
the head). I obtained a very good 1500 short block through this list and I
am in the process of rebuilding the unit, but have a few questions.
1. The short block I bought was missing on of the connecting rod big end
caps. Do I need to buy an entire connecting rod unit or can I just buy a big
end and bolts from somewhere? Does any one have a big end and bolts that
they would sell me? (Number 3 cylinder - numbering from the front to the
back)
2. Can I use the headbolts and push rods from the engine that was in my car?
I assume that they would be MGA pushrods and headbolts.
3. The shortblock that I bought did not have a flywheel. Would the flywheel
from the engine in the car when I bought it be a MGB flywheel or and MGA
flywheel? Even though I have the engine out of the car, I have not
dissassembled it as of yet. Naturally, I will be using the clutch and
transmisson from the engine removed from the car, which I assume are both
MGA.
4. I assume the water pump is one for Barney's collection and should be
replaced.
5.Following up on David D's questions on what do you say to the machine shop
that is doing a rebuild for you... I had intended on proceeding as follows.
My cylinder bores are very good and show essentially no lip. Therefore, I
will not be having the cylinders bored. The bearings are "std". Therefore,
I intend on taking my crankshaft and block to the machine shop and asking
them to (a) take the glaze out of the cylinders so I can put in new rings on
the original pistons, (b) tell me if the crankshaft needs regrinding, (c)
give the block a bath so I can give it a nice paint job, and (d) put in new
camshaft bearings that I will supply (since they look like they mightbe
tricky). Am I forgetting anything? I thought I would ask them to put some
sort of assembly paste on the units so that they do not rust if I do not
complete the rebuild for a week or two.
Thanks for your time and learned responses. This list as made my last year
of MGA rebuilding much more productive than it might have been in the "olden
days".
Joe Ratigan
58 MGA
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