Hi folks,
For those interested, here's a report on 2 1/2 months of commuting via '77
MGB. Started using the B for commuting on 3/2, odometer showed 64,479 miles
(believeable).
As of this evening the odometer shows 68,244 miles. A few statistics:
Time period: 2.5 months
Miles covered: 3,765
Fuel used: 181.85 gallons (87 octane) = 20.70 mpg
Fuel cost: $198.30 ($.0562/mile)
Oil used: 10 qts
Oil cost: $13.30 (Castrol 20W-50)
Unanticipated repair costs: $20 for wiper wheelbox; $1.95 for foam tape to stop
leak over top of windscreen.
Discretionery (improvement ) items: Pertronix Ignition Module $80(thanks Skip);
Lucas Sports Coil $20 (great buy from Ed Kaler); Tonneau Cover Zippers $80;
Alarm System $200.
Maintenance items: Charcoal for canister $8.95 (at pet supply); Foam for
canister $.99.
Items to erase DPO problems: PCV system $35 (just installed it yesterday and it
looks as if it's already taking care of the oil consumption problem).
Presently commuting 110 miles/day; typical morning run is a one mile warmup from
the house to the highway, through the gears to 60-65 mph and then motor for
about 49 miles, probably downshift to third at exit ramp, next 5 miles at 40-45
mph, maximum of two stops before arriving at work. This is from 5:15 to 6:15
am. Trip home at 3:30 pm is not as simple and will probably require me to go
through the gears half a dozen times. Still too chilly to drive to work with
the top down, but it's always down for the ride home. Oil pressure stays at
75psi virtually all of the time; temperature gauge seldom goes over midscale.
The stainless steel exhaust system has just enough throaty sound to please this
OF. The HS4's, rebuilt by Lawrie, are still running beautifully at 12 flats
down, the ignition (Pertronix/Sports Coil/NGK BP6ES @ .040") is at 20BTDC at
1000 rpm.
Next on the to-do list: undo the DPO's mongrel brake system and return to the
standard setup for a '77.
It takes a lot of the tedium out of commuting -- it's fun to drive it!
Bud Krueger
52TD
77MGB
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