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MG MGA - Celebration time

Hooooooray! Many thanks to Les B and others who talked me through the first start of my 1957 MGA. OK, first let me humbly say that even though I was certain to have set the motor up correctly I had indeed set it 180 degrees off. The trauma of pulling the starter cable for the first time was met with disappointment as I had a faulty starter switch. That replaced I had no spark. A new coil was bought probably unnecessarily as I finally found the problem to be corroded points. Anyway many many thanks to those of you on this board who have helped me along this 12 year ground up restoration of a genuine basket case where the DPO took everything apart even the guages and then sold it to me. What a project. When my daughter was about 8 I told her she could have the car and I would get it running by the time she was 15. She is now 15 and 1/2 and working on getting her learner's permit. Tomorrow I take it out for the first time for a drive around the block without seats or windshield.
David Holmes

Congrats, David!

Yes, that is a happy feeling after working on one so long. It gets even better as you near completion, getting all the bugs out. Welcome to the ranks of those who have pulled it off. We share your happiness.

Tom
Tom Balutis

Hi David. Hearty congratulations on getting your MGA finished! This is a major accomplishment, and a huge thrill. For precautions, you might want to bolt in the driver's seat before driving the car. A loose seat can easily move, leaving the driver unable to reach the pedals! This can be injurious to both car and driver. Minus windscreen is fun though, unless you get a june bug, or bee in the face! Enjoy your test drive, but please make sure the brakes are top notch and not leaking from any fittings or seals before you venture out. Having no brakes is bad news! Again, congratulations! Glenn
Glenn

David. Glad you got it up and running. A great feeling when that happens and you know that you are the one which made it happen.

As to the dizzy being 180 out, I did exactly the same thing on my first MGA 1600 engine rebuild. It was the third engine I had rebuilt, but the first BMC engine. The line cut across the upper face of the distributor drive is offset to one side, but, you have to both know this and look hard to see that it is. Obvious once you have an experience mechanic point this out to you (this was how I learned I had installed the drive 180 out), but far less obvious when you are doing the work by yourself and for the first time.

You should be proud of yourself.

Les
Les Bengtson

This thread was discussed between 13/07/2006 and 14/07/2006

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.