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MG MGA - Handling

Whenever you read an article about a MGA, they comment on how good the handling is. What exactly do they mean by this? I have an original size steering wheel etc. and find that you have to work hard to negotiate really tight turns etc. Are they comparing the car with others of it's day, rather than modern cars?
Nigel Munford

I don't think by handling they mean easy to turn. When I think of my MGA's handling, I think of how well it holds a corner, how little the body rolls, and how you can that feel that fine line just where the rear end will break loose, allowing you to back off (or give it just a little bit more, depending on your disposition). Modern cars with power steering is like apples and oranges.

I have a 13" wheel and do find that it can be difficult to navigate tight corners at low speed. However in another car with the 16" wheel I find no difficulty at all. You might consider that either your felt bushes in the steering column tube need replacing, or the new ones you have in there are too tight. I think that is the most common problem associated with tight MGA steering.
Mark

Nigel,
Good handling generally refers to a car operating at speed, not in a parking lot (no offense intended). At speed, an MGA is a lot like driving a big go-kart. Steering is light and very responsive. Car sticks like glue in the corners. Drive in deep, flick the wheel, let the tail hang out, nice and neutral, maybe just a touch of understeer if pushed.....that's handling.

GTF
G T Foster

It's all about Safety Fast. I have a house full of autocross trophies, so there must be something to it.

In stock form it can push a little if you try to hurry a really tight corner at 15 to 20 mph. The solution to that is get off the throttle when you first turn in, then when the nose starts to come around you can punch it again.

For open road with turns you can take at 30 mph or faster it is delightful. I believe the most oft used terms are light and responsive. It goes where you point it, turns the nose in when you tell it to, kicks the tail out if want to tromp on it at the right time, and behaves itself nicely in a four wheel drift, even if you might over do it a bit.

Oddly enough the type of tires you use has very little effect on general handling characterists. With sticky tires you can go faster throught he turns, but handling is still very similar. If you get comfortable driving on skinny vintage bias ply tires at moderate speed, the transistion to modern radials, larger tires, or even sticky race tires is quick and natural. In minutes you can be flying around corners faster, but it still handles about the same, light ans responsive.
Barney Gaylord

This thread was discussed between 24/01/2006 and 25/01/2006

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