Hi Bob,
Yep, that can happen. Nope, it shouldn't happen, but the design of the
engine restraint used for a couple of years does permit the engine to
move forward a lot on a sudden stop, especially if the rear mounting
blocks have gone soft from oil that might have leaked onto them.
I drove my '72 into an unmarked work site in the pavement. The bump
and thump destroyed the radiator and the fan, and revealed the condition
of all engine mounts. It showed that the PO had replaced front mounts but
not the rear mounts, nor the little rubber bits at the 'restraint'
fittings.
The radiator repair shop owner, owner of a few MGBs himself, suggested
that a modern 4-row radiator core would improve the cooling ability of
the radiator. That was good advice.
Since UPS had just gone on strike, I was able to get a fan from lister
Mike Robson, initiating a friendship with someone I hadn't met before.
Replacing the engine mounts is not at all fun. The '72 has a poor
arrangement to restrain the engine from forward movement, that was
superceded a year or two later with a much more robust system. Although
the rear mounts appear simple and the restraint system appears a
straightforward bit of work, their replacement is perhaps the most foul
job to be found in MGBs. Others have suggested boring holes in the
crossmember to allow socket wrench access. Wish I had known about that at
the time.
My suggestions are to get the car way up in the air--tallest
jackstands you have. Keep squirt bottles of paint thinner handy to rinse
off the dirt. You need a sacrificial paint or parts brush to push away
grit and grease. There must be six or seven pounds of dirt in this area,
all poised to fall into your eyes and then more to jam in the screw
threads. Keep a shop vac at the ready. Have a couple of droplights. It
would be nice to have a helper to hand you the wrenches and pliers
needed, and to keep wiping them clean for you.
Bob
'72GT
. And, there is exactly one inch of clearance between the fan and the
radiator. Should the engine have been able to move that far? I inspected
the engine mounts, and all
> seems to be solid. And, I can't make the engine move by hand. But, it
still
> doesn't seem right that the fan could reach the radiator. Especially,
since I
> didn't actually hit anything.
>
> I ordered an exhaust kit from Victoria British. (I found the "kit"
> idea convenient. I know I'll have all the parts.) Is the exhaust going
to
> be a nasty job?
>
> Bob Donahue (Still stuck in the '50s)
> Email - bobmgtd@insightbb.com
> 52 MGTD - NEMGTR #11470
> 71 MGB - NAMGBR #7-3336
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