Before you go off singing the glories of a/c in lbc's, be prepared to say
goodbye to simple DIY maintenance. I can speak from experience on this issue.
My '77B has it.
The under-bonnet plumbing is in the way of everything. One of the hoses
passes directly over the oil filter and distributor, no such thing as a simple
tweak of the distributor for timing. Another hose is in contact with the
radiator cap. The compressor displaces the alternator to a position that is
awfully close to chafing the wiring harness. The car has a mechanical fan and
an electric cooling fan. The heat exchanger, above the passenger's knees,
really messes up access to the wiper motor. The ductwork behind the dash makes
it a lot of fun to get at the wiring, not to mention the crushing actions to
install the glovebox.
I envy you folks who casually talk about pulling your engines. I'm thinking of
putting in new rings, but I'll probably try to do it 'in situ'. Am I going to
be delighted to have it this August when the temp hits 95F with matching
humidity while I'm stuck in a Boston traffic jam? Don't know. I'm more apt to
be a 'bugs-in-the-teeth', windscreen folded down TD'er than a Mia*a emulator.
Bud Krueger
52TD
77MGB (commuter car, 110 miles/day)
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