After 40 years, 1/4 million miles, and one change of brushes, my MGA heater
motor finally gave up the ghost big time by losing lots of smoke from the
internal piping, and leaving lots of smoke visibly inside the housing in
exchange for much of the outer skin of the piping. Very curious
phenomenon. Considering that it's a bit of a pain to R&R this part, I
decided that a new motor was appropriate for replacement rather than a used
one. Now Moss has a part number but no inventory for this MGA part, so I
ended up purchasing one from Victoria British. V.B. claimed that the part
was in stock and would be shipped out immediately, but I do not have it in
my posession yet, expecting it (hopefully) today.
Recently someone mentioned having a used MGB heater motor, and just out of
curiosity I checked to see if it might work in the MGA. Moss catalogs show
one part number for the MGA heater motor, and three numbers for MGB heater
motors, none of which match the MGA part. Moss further refers the two
earlier MGB numbers to the latest number, so it looks like the later part
is a direct replacement for the earlier MGB parts.
Then the V.B. catalog lists just one part number for the heater motor for
all MGA and MGB models. So now the questions.
a.) Is Moss missing a good bet by not selling the MGB heater motor as a
replacement part for the MGA?
b.) Is V.B. selling a heater motor for both MGA and MGB that may not work
in one or more of the models?
c.) Is V.B. selling some kind of hybrid part that has been adapted to work
in all MGA and MGB models?
d.) Are the MGA and MGB heater motors physically and functionally
interchangeable but maybe different in appearance? (In which case V.B.
would be selling someone non-original type replacement parts, not a real
big surprise.)
e.) Am I in deep doo-doo, or is this one from V.B. going to work for me?
(I'm not particularly concerned about the appearance of the part.)
f.) Has anyone else been through this exercise recently with either MGA or
MGB?
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
PS
When (and if) I get the new heater motor from V.B., I'll let you know if it
works.
BG
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