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MG MGA - What car is it? (irreverent dog)

My wife pointed this photo out in a recent magazine advertising one of our local wine areas and asked is that an MG. I said no but could not tell her what it is. Can anyone help? Note our irreverent dogs here in Australia - I am not sure how it works as wheel cleaner!
Mike


Mike Ellsmore

Fiat Spyder
Steve Gyles

Thanks Steve - this site is almost as quick as a phone call.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Sold in the US as the Fiat 124 Spider 2000. A very neat car, almost bought one myself in 1979. Very few left in the US Northeast as they were very prone to rust.
- Ken
Ken Doris

It may be off topic to discuss a Fiat car, but there is a point of interest for the mga twin cam owners.
They all know the frustration in getting the valve clearances correct. Remove two camshaft drive sprockets, remove six bearing caps, remove two camshafts, replace with correct shims, replace camshafts, replace bearing caps, replace and re-time two camshaft sprockets, adjust chain tension.
And, in spite of all the care a couple of clearances are not quite right. Start again!

On the Fiat 124 you depress the tappet with the camshafts still fitted and change the shim on the top of the tappet. Job done.

In the attached image the shim on top of the tappet can be seen.

Mick





Mick Anderson

Yea but when the timing belt goes early, recommended every 30,000 miles, it bends all those lovely valves. Today's modern reincarnation is the Mitsubishi Eclipse. Impressive and seductive but bound to leave you on the side of the road with an expensive repair.
R J Brown

In 1973 I looked at the current MGB but bought a 124 Spider with 12K miles. I Put 100k on it, sold it for $300 less than what I paid, and got another one. They were more advanced than the push-rod MGB. I could flip two levers an push the top right down. At 35 mph it was a power top! They are now very popular in Scandinavia and the are scooped-up in California and exported regularly.
Now, wouldn't think of trading my A.
Steve
Steve Meline

Why can't I see the image - never seems to work for me on the first posting. Did you know that "Spyder" when pronounced in Italian comes out as "speeder" - so it has nothing to do with scuttling around and catching flies!!
Cam Cunningham

Hi RJ,

I agree, I would have duplex chain, MGA Twin Cam style, over a timing belt any day, but I like those tappets.

Mick
Mick Anderson

Looks like the dog in the picture is having the typical reaction to a FIAT!
Derek Nicholson

The 124 was a nice, supple, balanced little car made with materials designed to last a couple of years. Maybe. They are rare today even in California, too bad.
All of our little cars have a way of marking their territory. My A leaves engine oil from the engine and transmission. The FIAT leaves engine oil from the engine and olive oil from the transmission. The poor dog is just trying to keep up! He just maybe making a bit of social comment on the scene. (Certainly not on the excellent Australian wines.)
Russ
Russ Carnes

As an owner of both major brands of British sports cars, my contribution to the discussion:


k v morton

Steve M,
At least you NOW have a car to trade. Have you parked it anywhere yet and left it for a few hours to eat or shop?
JEFF BECKER

KV

Am I to understand from your post that you believe that Fiat is British?

I'll have to start supporting Ferrari in F1 next year!!

Steve
Steve Gyles

While I do envy the valve adjustment method, the Twincam/Jaguar style really isn't that big a deal. Most of the wear comes in the first period after grinding the valves. After they wear in a bit, they are usually quite stable for long periods of time, barring any problems like lean burn etc.

That has always been a problem on Jags - people do the valve job, but don't follow up in a few thousand klicks to reset them, and on those motors they clearances are much tighter (.006-.008") and so burning can result quite easily if the valve ends up not being allowed to seat properly (exhausts shed a fair bit of heat from the momentary contact with the seat, the rest going through the guide).

As for chains vs. belts, although at least one MGA Twincam owner has gone to great lengths to convert to belt drive, IMO it is a negative step. Yes, with chains you are always having to check tension as they wear - not nearly as nice as the automatic belt tensioners, but at least they are much less prone to breakage - an event that is disastrous on the MG.

We had lots of Fiats here in BC - but their big downside was little or no rust proofing and they all melted away in a very few years, to the point that they are quite rare now. Nice engines, cunningly designed and easily operated soft tops, and pleasant styling. Pity they didn't make them to last. I may be wrong, but I am not sure that the US got any convertibles; I know they got the closed versions.
Bill Spohn

Steve,

Of course not! The two major brands of British sports cars referenced being MG and Triumph. The statement was intended merely as an introduction to the cartoon, which relates to the topic at hand....

Ken
k v morton

FIAT = Fix It Again Tony.
MLS Somers

This thread was discussed between 28/11/2007 and 06/12/2007

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