My MGB

[SCT]

Does the MGB have a positive ground electrical system like a lot of the older British cars? I hear those systems can be quite ‘sporty’ to figure out.

[Instigator]

No.
It’s a ‘74 and has negative ground.

And yeah, have heard same.
They say that’s why the Brits drink warm beer.
They all have Lucas refrigerators!

It did used to have two 6 v batteries wired in series to keep the weight balance.
One under each side of back seat/shelf.

Its been converted to electronic ign too.

So far, the only issue we’ve had is a sticking carb float which shuts it off until the float drops.
I have the rebuild kits.

I’ve put several hundred mls on it so far.
Including the 100 to get it home.

Weve discovered a back roads trip (45 mins) from our house to Bucyrus for pizza and beer!

When I bought it the ignition switch wouldn’t release the key so we parked it in front w/the key in it.
Cheryl thought I was nuts.
I told her as long as it cools off before they try, we’re golden.
It has a manual choke ��

It does have an electric fuel pump which blew me away.
For carbs!

Does the MGB have a positive ground electrical system like a lot of the older British cars? I hear those systems can be quite ‘sporty’ to figure out.

[FMP]

Use to see one around here with a high trim package, touring, full chrome trunk luggage rack, wheel opening trim , a few other details.
Good country road cruiser top down. Had some nice wheels with it.

[Instigator]

There was a ‘1980 in full Limited Edition trim, w/luggage rack and everything else and gorgeous for sale same time as mine.

In I think ‘76, they went to plastic bumpers for our stupid crash rules which added weight and totally screwed up the lines of the car.
That was problem one.

Problem two was it was $4k more than mine.

Was a very, very nice car and tough to walk away from but had my heart set on a steel bumper car.
Mine was the first decent one I had seen in yrs.

Most are totally cancered out or have a 100 lbs of bondo on them.

And with weight equaling performance……

Use to see one around here with a high trim package, touring, full chrome trunk luggage rack, wheel opening trim , a few other details.
Good country road cruiser top down. Had some nice wheels with it.

[David]

Lucas,prince of darkness, inventor of intermittent wipers, inventor of the roadside stop, the original anti thedpft device.

Lucas = loose unsoldered connections and splices

why are there no skyscrapers in London? Lucas makes elevators

[Instigator]

Back in the day, I had a ‘1978 Triumph 750cc Bonneville.

It was absolutely stunning/as new w/it’s 3 tone paint on the tank.
Had enough torque to be a blast to ride but vibrated like a tractor!

That thing would run just long enough to get to far away from home to walk back.
Id get a ride back for the truck to pick it up and the damn thing would start/run!
Every time.

Clearly it was demonically possessed!

Lucas,prince of darkness, inventor of intermittent wipers, inventor of the roadside stop, the original anti thedpft device.

Lucas = loose unsoldered connections and splices

why are there no skyscrapers in London? Lucas makes elevators

[David]

[Turtleherder]

I swear the English think that a cars electric system works by a brain damaged wizard waving a busted wand over the engine bay. Or bonnet, whatever.

[CDave]

I swear the English think that a cars electric system works by a brain damaged wizard waving a busted wand over the engine bay. Or bonnet, whatever.

My theory is it rains so much in England that they must have thought it was the rain causing the electrical problems, so they never tried to make it better. They figured it would be a waste of time.

[Li'l Toy]

Boy, Gary, I caught up with this thread late. Always wanted a Midget or Sprite when I turned 16 (or, if the planets aligned, a Healey 3000) but they were "sports cars" and our family's insurance just plain would no insure then--though I had friends in nice "family" cars that ran the 1/4 in just over 10 seconds. Life is never fair.

I was going to comment that it may be simple but it has a Lucas electrical system--I see others got there first. I did see an add once for a mason jar of Genuine Lucas Electrical System Smoke.

Light weight and good handling--the Miata is the genetic successor to these cars, and look how successful it has been. My son Matt and I autocrossed and did HPDE's in his '99 for years, great fun.

I don't know about your Weber/Solex issue, but when I was in college I was driving an Opel Manta. When its carb went south, everything I read at that wise old age said you just can't rebuild a Solex. So I bought a two barrel Weber that bolted right in, easy to Rube Goldberg the linkage, and boy did it wake up that Opel. In fact, when I sold the Opel I moved the Weber to my wife's Opel wagon and put her Solex on the car I was selling.

[Instigator]

Thanks Pat!
Great to hear from you.

Yeah on the Healey 3000’s!

My MG actually has SU carbs and I like them a lot.
Ive taught myself how to tune them but have not rebuilt them yet but have the kits.

So far I’m having a blast w/the lil booger!

Lucas smoke in a jar! Love it.

Hope you are well my friend.

BTW, I now have an 8 that I am collecting parts for ��

[David]

[QUOTE=Li'l Toy; Light weight and good handling--the Miata is the genetic successor to these cars, and look how successful it has been. My son Matt and I autocrossed and did HPDE's in his '99 for years, great fun.[/QUOTE]

I am on my 4th Miata as a daily driver. I put 150,000-175,000 miles on them and then get another

[Li'l Toy]

Gary--Have you seen what Healey 3000's go for today? I could have had one for $1200, instead ended up with a '65 VW Bug for $500. But I put in spacers to widen the track, Koni shocks and those weird tires that everyone though were gong flat--new fangled Michelin "radials."

I am afraid I ran out of patience with the 300 OMC. Tired of it always being an issue whether it would start, and if it did would it keep running. While I was doing a few little things on the boat before buying a more modern motor, Matt rebuilt the transom (it is a tremendous job) but life intervened before he could finish the core. 4 years later I am just getting to finishing that and then will look for a motor.

Edit--guess I should change my signature

[mr fun]

cool cars, always liked the leg room inthe MGB , being '6.3' I could stretch out out in the passenger seat and still have room. the midget was pretty ill handling as it wanted to swap ends on quick turns at speed. damn near flipped one at about 60.

[Instigator]

I had a friend in high school that had a hot rod bug and it ran and handled great.

I had a ‘69 square back that I loved.

Dont feel bad about giving up on the 8.
You just about have to be a mechanic to own one these days.

The new motors are amazing.

Even the “newer”.
Id love to have a pair of 300XS’s on my Checkmate.

Your boat is/will be again, a museum piece, no matter power.

Gary--Have you seen what Healey 3000's go for today? I could have had one for $1200, instead ended up with a '65 VW Bug for $500. But I put in spacers to widen the track, Koni shocks and those weird tires that everyone though were gong flat--new fangled Michelin "radials."

I am afraid I ran out of patience with the 300 OMC. Tired of it always being an issue whether it would start, and if it did would it keep running. While I was doing a few little things on the boat before buying a more modern motor, Matt rebuilt the transom (it is a tremendous job) but life intervened before he could finish the core. 4 years later I am just getting to finishing that and then will look for a motor.

Edit--guess I should change my signature