At 06:46 AM 12/31/97 GMT, Ken Roach wrote:
>>Donald Scott wrote...I would not take a TR7or a rubber-bumper MGB unless
it was a gift.
snip
> I am getting sick and tired of all this maligning of rubber Bs they are
evry bit as >good as the older ones if you do a little work to them and
they cost a lot less simply >because of attitudes like this.You can get a
good rubber B for a couple of thousand >bucks but will pay twice that for a
"classic 71"The stromberg carb isn't as hard to keep >in tune as twin
SUs,It will be newer and should have less rust,lower milage won't have
>been "restored"by some idiot.
snip
following written by ken roach:
> Sure there are some mechanical issues, but as stated earlier
>they are easy to overcome. Most B's purchased from non-enthusiasts
>are due for a suspension overhaul anyway, so you might as well put in
>lowered springs when the work is done. Replacing the front
>crossmember is a more elegant way of lowering the front end (retaining
>the full suspension travel), but would add somewhat to the costs. If
>the suspension is decent in the first place I would fit a set of the
>"Ron Hopkinson" style sway bars which are said to be quite an
>improvement over the factory bars. If you don't live in a smog-tested
>state, change back to dual SU's and fit a distributor to match your
>carb set-up (ie HS4 SU's used on '63 - '71 need a distributor from the
>same years to provide proper vacuum advance. HIF4's can use the RB
>dissy or better yet an improved unit from Brown and Gammons in the UK
>which has an advance curve similar to early cars but is set up to work
>with the vacuum take off point of HIF carbs. I should add that the B
>and G unit is the only one that I know of that is specifically
>designed for HIF's, the others will give strange results with these
>carbs.)
come on guys; lighten up
let's see:
'78 B vs. '70 B
less power, higher ride height, uglier dash(opinion!), damned emissions
control
If one were to purchase a later model B and upgrade like Ken Roach says, then
you would have spent way more than if you just purchased a nice chrome
bumper ed car in the first place:
Replacing front cross member
"Ron Hopkinson" style sway bar
I will admit, though, that my '78 MGB with new Tahiti blue paint job gets
me more
stares than any other car I have ever been in, including a Porsche 911
Turbo, but
I feel like I'm having more fun in my '70 MGB, and when the chrome is
shining, you
better put on your sunglasses.
Having driven both restored vehicles, the '70 is by far more fun and
enjoyable.
Gobs more power than the damned Weber(oh! Boy, I just inflamed quite a few
there)
with my dual SUs. It handles much better, and when I spend just $150 on
suspension
updates to the front end it will scorch the roads.
I have no problem with rubber bumper Bs. It's just fact that the chrome
bumper
models are better; hands down. You see, those Brits drink warm beer.
Couple warm
beer with a tightening automobile market and tightened restrictions by
government
and you have a disaster on yer hands.
Of course, all of the above statements are fact and no opinion; we
all know the MGA is the most beautiful car British Leyland made. Now,
somebody sell
me one. I've have yet to gather the guts to ask my co-worker to sell me her
'59 MGA. Red and needs a lot of TLC. My heart aches now I know it will
never be.
Jay
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