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MG MGB Technical - what to look out for in laid up B

I'm in the market for B roadster having had a midget for 5 years and getting a bit too arthritic to get in and out. I've come across a '68 which has been on stands for the last 14 years having had a Heritage shell and rebuilt engine two years prior to that. What are the areas that could cause me problems in recommissioning the car? It has been started periodically (not sure exactly how often) and it has been on axle stands. I'm looking for some bargaining power when it comes to agreeing a price.
Steve Church

The braking system will have to have all of the seals renewed, if not the cylinders and calipers replaced. The master cylinder may be able to be rebuilt, but you won't know until it is apart. This also goes for the clutch hydraulics as well. The batteries will probably be unreliable due to their age. All the hoses should be replaced, too. The fluids in the radiator, engine, trans and differential should be drained. The fuel tank should be drained as well and checked for rust holes. RAY
rjm RAY

Tyres as well, they are probably more like plastic now than rubber.
Paul Hunt 2010

What is the likelyhood of there being some corrosion in the bores? If so is this likely to mean a rebore or hone? The engine has been turned but not very often.
Steve Church

Turning it manually isn't adequate for a long layup unless some oil has been poured through the plug holes as well. If the engine has been *run* periodically, as you said first at least once every six months then the bores should be OK. But it would need to be run for 20 mins or so at a fast idle to get the oil fully hot or it will just gather condensation from short running which is probably worse than not running it at all. I appreciate you may not know the answer to these. If the engine turns smoothly now then quite honestly I would just go for it, you are unlikely to do any damage that removing the head, and doing a hone or rebore anyway, would have avoided.
Paul Hunt 2010


Expect the water pump to blow!

John
John U

I laid my MGB up for about ten years. I started it up about three times a year which included driving it in and out of the garage a few times, and running it until the fan cut in.
The engine had been rebuilt by myself about a year before it was laid up. Four years after putting it back on the road it is still running very well. I had to change the clutch master and slave, wheel cylinders and a caliper.
It was fairly rust free when laid up but it still needed welding under the front footwell.
I reckon I spent about £200 to put it back on the road.
c cummins

My MGB had been laid up for 5 years.

I libirally oiled the bores when I put it away and nudged the bumper ones a year, rocking the car a bit in gear and the bores seem to have survived in good condition.

I did all the brake and clutch hydraulics (rubbers and fluid), did not need to replace any cilinders.

I drained all the remaining fuel and cleaned the carburettors, investing in a gasketset.

The heater matrix was leaking, but I don't know if that was storage related; the wfrontscreen always had a tendency to mist up temporarily after switching on the demister.

The tyres were already aging when stored so I didn't bother with stands. They are unround and hardened now and will be replaced.

As John said, the waterpump seemed OK but did blow during a longer testdrive, the cast iron sealing-surface had corroded during storage.
When I discovered this I stopped the car, amazingly not 10 metres away from a nice gentleman who was watering the garden with a waterhose long enough to refill the radiator so I could limp home!
Willem vd Veer

I think mine had done only about 1,300 miles in the 20 years before I got it. The fan belt broke after 35 miles when I was driving it home.
Geoff Everitt

Steve,

My two-cents worth:

After my experience with my '63 B that had been in a barn for a number of years, although supposedly driven periodically, I would pay a lot of attention to the electrics - mainly corrosion at all contacts and connections - including generator/dynamo and voltage regulator/control box.

Also, tires - dry rotted.

And dig deep for mice nests - they can be anywhere.

And of course rust (I was lucky) - although there are people here on this BBS who know a lot more about where to look than me.

Cheers,
Greg
Greg Van Hook

Thanks for all your comments guys.
I shall be looking over the car the weekend after next when it will be moved out of it's corner so I can give it a good look over. My daughter is getting married on Saturday so I'm a bit preoccupied this week! Still not sorted my speech!
Steve Church

Took my daughter to church for her wedding using wedding cars tonbridge in a VA tourer, and was quite surprised when the vicar in his sermon talked about how he went to church for his own wedding in a TB, and he and his son had restored several MGs over the years. You could take a leaf out of his book and talk about your barn find ...

Wife and daughter might not be impressed though.
Paul Hunt 2010

Why don't you start your speech something like this;

Marriage is like an old car, if you don't maintain it properly the foundations (tyres) will get wobbly causing irritation, it has to be cherised, polished, will cause pleasure and hardship and occasional expenditure. etc. etc.

Don't talk about lubricating nipples and such if you want to avoid embarresment. ;-)
Willem vd Veer

You could tell them about the gynaecologist who changed careers to become a mechanic. In the entrance exam he got 150%. Querying this he was told "You dismantled the engine perfectly, for which you received 50%. You reassembled it perfectly, for another 50%". Then after a short pause he said "The additional 50% was for doing it entirely through the exhaust pipe".
Paul Hunt 2010

This thread was discussed between 09/05/2010 and 20/05/2010

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