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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGA - Brake Shoes

As I am sure many of you, particularly 1500 owners, know that current replacement brake shoes from the usual suppliers are not quite right. That is when fitted new they seem slightly too small and you have to use almost all the range of the adjusters even when new. I have previously added packing under the adjusters.

I then heard that Bob West, famous MGA restorer, could supply proper shoes. I contacted Bob and he said yes he has been delivering correct ones but only by using original shoes and he has now run of old shoes. Old original shoes can be identified as the ones with holes in for rivets.

Luckily I found a full set of 8 of these original shoes in my garage, never throw anything away! Anyway I sent them to Bob and I got them back yesterday relined with quality Mintex lining.

Clearly this is a bigger issue for those of us with front drums but it applies to all non Twin Cam rear brakes but luckily they wear a lot slower than front ones.

Bob is in Pontefract in the UK and his phone number is 07919 347320. He no longer has a web site as he stopped doing restorations, even suppliers get older!

Paul
Paul Dean

Well, that's interesting to know.

A quick scan of my shed reveals two shoes with rivet holes.

Unfortunately a quick skim of my working notes suggests that the other two were thoroughly oil soaked and so probably were discarded, about 15 years ago.

If only I had known then what I now know.

And of course, even then I really knew "never throw anything away" !

Jim
J N Gibson

This thread was discussed between 25/11/2025 and 26/11/2025

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