Engine

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The MGA had a variety of engines:

• 1500 early (1489cc) 68 bhp
• 1500 late (1489cc) 72 bhp
• Twin Cam (1588cc) 108 bhp High compression
  
• Twin Cam (1588cc) 100 bhp Low compression
• 1600 (1588cc) 78 bhp
• 1622 (1622cc) 93 bhp

Although no real outstanding horsepower here from today' s standards, when these were first produced they won a great many races. Even today on the vintage racing circuits, MGAs are winning their share of races.

My car came with a 1600 engine, of which the previous owner had no history of. 1600 engines are found in a variety of British vehicles and have been around for many years. My block is undoubtedly from an MGA due to the cutout in the block to allow a mechanical tachometer. Although the 1600 is not stock for my  particular MGA, I do appreciate the upgrade in power. Most of the MG community is accepting to interchange different engines sizes between different years, or even going as far as using a MGB engine and still being called "original". The early 3 Main MGB engines are virtually a dropin exchange where as the later 5 main blocks require a little work, i.e. matching various  components from the MGA (1500,1600,1622, & 3 main 1800, depending on which transmission your using, as well as using an earlier front plate, which use the rectangular engine mounts.

When I dismantled the engine I discovered (after some head scratching) that I had 1622 pistons and rods in a 1600 block. Someone had tried to replicate a 1622 engine. The block had been bored out to 3" (.030 over) to except the 1622 pistons. Along with the unusual components, the pistons and rod bearings were slightly scored. The block and crankshaft looked quite healthy.

I had a machine shop go through the engine, they cleaned up the cylinder walls and polished the crank. The machinist mentioned that the bores were not consistent through the whole cylinder, which would explain why the pistons were scuffed and perhaps adding extra strain to the rod bearings. The engine components were balanced, the block hot tanked and new cam bearing installed. It looked great and ready to be rebuilt. The crankshaft, camshaft and piston rods will be the only things not replaced.

The 1622 engines, besides having a bigger bore also have higher compression pistons, this in combination with a newer style head produced 93bhp. The 1500 & 1600 engines, both used a dished top style piston and and a cylinder head with a 37cc combustion chamber, producing 8.3:1 compression. The 1622 engines used a flat top piston and a 43cc combustion chamber, producing 8.9:1 compression So in an effort to grab a few more horsepower I decided to go with the higher compression pistons as well, which means I need to replace the original head (compression ratio would be to high with the old head). Running the engine the way I found it  would have produced a very high compression of around 9.6:1 and would have required very high octane fuel to combat pre-ignition and engine life would be shortened. Since the proper1622 (43cc) heads are very hard to find, I have bought an early MGB (1800) head, these heads are interchangeable and are a lot more common. This head is very similar to the original 1622 head, with the combustion chamber and both exhaust and intake valves all the same size. So on paper I should be getting close to 93 bhp. The head will also be ported and  polished to allow for better air flow. That should make my silk scarf stand up in the breeze.



The original oil filter cartridge system has been converted to except the modern spin-on filters. Oil changes will be a lot easier and cleaner.

The 1622 and early MGB flywheels were lighter for added performance. The earlier MGA flywheels can be easily lightened to match. I had a machine shop lighten my flywheel by a few pounds, it also needed to be re balanced. This could add a couple of hp and improve the throttle response, although losing the extra weight will make it easier to stall from a dead stop. The ring gear was replaced at the same time.

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Although I have all the parts, I'm hesitating actually rebuilding the engine. I would like to wait till I get a little closer to having the car complete so the engine is not sitting around and possibly seizing up or maybe creating some extra wear when it does finally get started.


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Brakes

MGAs were equipped with a variety of brake systems:

• The 1500 ( 1955-1959) had drum brakes front and rear
• The Twin Cam ( 1958-1960), 1600 De-luxe & 1600 Mk II De-luxe (1960-1962) were equipped with the added stopping power of disc brakes front and rear.
  
• The 1600 (1959-1961) used disc brakes front and drum brakes rear.

Brake and clutch master cylinders share the same housing and the same fluid reservoir, so it's important that both systems be maintained properly. The Twin Cam & 1600 De-luxe are the exceptions as they both have separate brake and clutch master cylinder reservoirs. The1600 uses an expanded top, to allow more fluid that is required for disc brakes. The 1500s have a flat top

I managed to get my master cylinder apart, after a struggle using a grease gun to applying pressure to the cylinders. I've honed the cylinder walls and installed new seals. Since the cylinder walls did not come out perfect and I don't want to take a chance with this part, I will be sending the unit out to be re-sleeved with stainless steel liners. This will bring the unit back up to original specs, improve longevity and lessen the need for regular brake fluid changes.

The rear brake cylinders ( on the drum brake cars) are unique in that they have one piston instead of two. The cylinder "floats" on the on the brake plate so when the piston extends the cylinder moves so both brake pads extend evenly. Although this system seams quite outdated, it is more then adequate to stop the car.

The brake lights are activated from a pressure switch which is at a junction point on the brake lines. The pressure of brake fluid closes the contacts of the switch, cool. This is the one that came with the car, I hope it works. The coiled up portion here goes to the Master cylinder.

My 1500 was equipped with drum brakes front and rear but I have upgraded to 1600 disc brakes on the front. I am also using the more readily available MGB calipers, with the use of a special adapter. Factory MGAs used steel brake lines (pipes), I've upgraded to copper/nickel for longevity, I'm also using stainless steal brake hoses, theory is that they have less give then rubber and therefore provide a more responsive brake pedal.. Because of the difference between MGA & MGB calipers, the 1600 brake hoses do not work for the MGB calipers, but surprise.... the 1500 brake hoses do the trick.

The hand brake design is somewhat unique, the hand brake cable employs the same piston as the hydraulic system does. With no secondary braking system, it only makes sense to maintain these brake properly.

The handbrake lever can be a little tricky to the inexperienced operator. This built-in "security system" could be handy for spoiling would-be thieves. My lever has been freshly chromed and new bits installed.

I had the MC sleeved in brass and I'm very happy with the results. The unit came back looking brand new complete with new screws copper washers and gaskets. The MCs were left natural from the factory, soon to take on the normal rust colour the are usually in. I painted mine black.

Suspension

Suspension on MGAs is an tried and true design, started out in the thirties. It uses leaf springs and lever shocks -or dampers on the rear. On the front, coil springs are used in combination with lever shocks. There were two types of wheels offered, solid disc wheels or the more romantic 48 spoke wire wheels. My car is set up for solid wheels. The car can be changed to wire wheels, but although I really like the look of wires, they can be troublesome to maintain.

MGAs offered 4 ratios for their differential, 4.3, 4.1, 4.55 and 3.9. 4.3 is the most common and yes you guessed it, that's the one that came with the car. I may, in the future change to a 3.9 for better highway cruising. 3.9 gears are relatively easy to come by, since many MGB are equipped with them. The early MGB used the same axle setup so it is a easy swap.

The rear axle was taken apart cleaned and painted new seals and hub bearing installed and everything tightened  to 140 lbs using a special socket (1 61/64"). I inspected the differential and it looks in good shape, no filing in the oil and all the gears looked healthy.



My car came with new front and rear springs, as well as 2 used front dampers and 1 rear damper which turned out to be a MGB variety. I purchased 4 rebuilt dampers and used the old one for cores. New Polyurethane bushing were purchased and installed for the front and rear. Original factory bushing  used rubber which tend to wear out quickly.

A Rack & Pinion steering rack provides responsive steering. They are reliable and easily maintained. After examining mine for any problems it was a fairly easy job to rebuild, new seals and rack boots were installed. Though it's tempting to use grease on the grease nipples on the rack, MGA's racks are filled with oil, not grease.



MGAs offered an optional adjustable steering column on all models. Using a small wrench at the bottom of the column would allow the driver to extend or retract the steering wheel a couple of inches. Not something you would want to try while the car is moving, but still way cool! Mine came with the adjustable column, apparently most cars did have this option.



Swivel pins allow each wheel to rotate side to side, basically a threaded rod with swivel links -or trunions- at the top and bottom provide a pivot point. Top swivel links attach to the lever shocks. Bottom swivel links are attached to the A arms. Swivel pins are considered to be a weak point and many owners upgrade to stronger MGB components -king pins-.


I have examined my swivel pins and they are in very good shape. I've installed new bushings in the swivel links and reamed them to proper diameter. Other components have been replaced with parts still readily available from various suppliers.

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The Frame

The frame of the MGA is a unique design, it's midsection is bowed out towards the outside of the car to allow the floor and therefore the driver to sit lower in the vehicle. This is one of the reasons that the MGA is so much fun to drive. The driver's sense of the road is increased the closer he is to the road.

The frame is a closed design and uses actual wood for the floorboards. This wood can add to the deterioration of the frame, it sops up water and holds it against the metal frame increasing the chance of corrosion. Most MGAs, particularly the roadsters have problems with rust in the cabin section of the vehicle.



My MGA was no exception to rust. Most of the floorboard rails were replaced and sections of the frame itself were replaced. I've never done any welding before this project, but with the help of small mig welder and the internet (for reference and moral support), I've been able to repair the frame and I think I can accomplish all the welding I need for this car. I guess we will see. I'm very happy with the results so far. Why didn't I start welding long ago?

Original MGAs used a 12v positive ground system. Two 6volt batteries were placed in series and stored behind the driver under a steel cover. A lot of MGAs today have been converted to a single 12volt system and some have been converted to negative ground. Since I will also be changing to a single battery and negative ground, I have extended one of the battery trays by a couple of inches to allow for a small 12volt power source. I guess I will store my lunch in the other tray. Converting my generator to a small alternator will provide me with 20 extra amps of available power.




The cross-section tube at the front section of the frame is bent down to accommodate the transmission and it tends to take a real beating and usually shows major road scars. Again mine didn't disappoint, the tube was virtually crushed to the point where the bottom was flat. One method to correct this is to heat the metal and apply air pressure to the tube and everything should pop back out to normal. My tube was to far gone, it also had a large tear in it which even with my newly found "expert" welding skills could not get to hold any real pressure. So I had to replace the flattened out piece with a new pipe. The repair is almost invisible.




After all the welding repairs were completed I had the frame sand blasted. The results were quite satisfactory and no other weak points were uncovered. I then painted with "Chassis Saver" paint. This is a self leveling one part "epoxy" type of paint which I brushed on. The results, I think are great., the frame looks new. This paint has a very strong bond, it's also a rust paint so I didn't have to worry about any spots missed with the sandblaster. Be sure to wear gloves, it's very hard to get off your hands. It has no UV protection so you need to top coat if exposed to sunlight. I will be using a flat finish type to prime the inner panels before painting the body.


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The Plan

The general plan is to build a car I can drive. Show cars are great,and I enjoy them but not for me. The big attraction to the MGA for me, besides it's great looks, is the simpleness of the design. The body can be removed from the frame which allows easy access for inspection & repair. This car was not a luxury car and with the lack of roll up windows (roadster) the number of components that need refurbishing is reduced to a minimum. You are left with the barest of essentials of a true sports car. And a sports car needs to be driven.

I want to keep the car as true to original as possible while still allowing for some modern upgrades when they can be easily hidden, the vintage spirit must be maintained. Some of these will include a 5sp transmission, MGB brake calipers --did I say modern?--,a MGB cylinder head, a removable third brake light, a radio hidden under dash, 3 point seat belts.


Since this project is for fun, I'm not sticking to a real ridged time line and therefore will be jumping around a bit to keep things enjoyable. The plan is to begin with chassis and all its components including engine and transmission. Hopefully this will be completed by fall of 2009. Then spring of 2010 I will begin the body.

Getting Organized

Before it got to cold, I organized all the bits that came with the car. As you can see everything is tucked away, the fenders, doors and other odd bits are in the rafters. The engine is green which is strange since the factory colour is red. Hmmm....makes me wonder what I'll find when I check out the engine.
Throughout the fall I carried on with organizing different parts. With help from the internet I was able to determine what all the different parts were. I ended up having a few parts that are from various other English cars which I will probably sell. I also determined what other parts I needed to complete my project. Most parts are available, either new from places like Moss Motors, or used from E-bay or the like.

3 cars in a 2 car garage

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The first order of business was to find a parking spot for the new addition. I separated the body from the frame which allowed me to raise the body to the roof using large ratchet straps. (I've added another strap in the center for added support.) I moved the frame outside and wrapped it up for the winter.

The New Car

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During the summer of 2008 I was surfing the internet for MGB, thinking about a high school chum who had a slightly beat up MGB we used to bomb around in. After viewing a bunch of MGBs, a photo of a MGA appeared on the monitor and I was hooked;  I had never seen one before-- I guess growing up in Edmonton limited my opportunity to see an MGA. Wow what a gorgeous car! I hadn't been so excited about a car since my first one, a 65 Chevy.

I spent a couple of months reading up on these cool little cars, getting a feel for them. There was no question, I had to have one. I was lucky to find one for sale in Canada and struck up a deal with the owner. My wife & I picked up the car on the Sept long weekend 2008. The wet weather didn't dampen my excitement, and after a long round trip drive to Saskatchewan the car settled into its new home.

The car is a 1958 MGA1500, designed and built by British Motor Corporation B.M.C., more famous for there very successful MGB, I suppose.

MGA was extremely successful when introduced, with over 100,000 cars being built between 1955 to1962. The car had some minor styling changes through out the production run but most of the changes were to mechanical upgrades for power and reliability. The majority of units were exported to the United States, which is still the best place to find used parts.

• 1500 (1955 - 1959)
• Twin Cam (1958 - 1960)
  
• 1600 model (1959-1961)
  
• 1600 Mk II (1961-1962)
  
• 1600 Deluxe & 1600 MK II Deluxe (After the Twin Cam was phased out, Some 1600 and 1600 MK II were offered using the twin cam chassis, along with unique twin cam options. These were designated as "1600 De-luxe & 1600 MK II Deluxe") .

All years and all models were offered in both the roadster and the coupe versions (1956 on), as well as, Left-hand and Right-hand drive. It is a fairly easy task to convert from LHD to RHD or vise-verse, and with many US cars coming home to England, it is a popular conversion.


With its unique and powerful engine the Twin Cam is the most sought after MGA, and the 1500 the most plentyful. The coupe seems to trail a little behind the roadster in popularity. although they do have their own class of coolness. Coupes have a few neat features lacking on the roadster, like door handles and roll-up windows. 

The simplicity of the MGA makes it a perfect candidate for a DIY restorer. Not much more then typical home mechanic's tools are needed. 

My car's previous owner had started a restoration, basically the car had been dismantled and stored in boxes. Some "bodywork" has been started. Hopefully I can figure out where everything goes.



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