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MG MGA - mod to ease engine/trans removal?

I'm in the process of restoring the toeboard support panel (referred to as a firewall panel in an earlier posting) because some PO had mangled the bottom of it, completely eliminating the curved section that should be there over the transmission. I have the loan of another panel to use as a model. I have not removed an MGA engine/transmission with the body in place. Is this a particularly tight area that would benefit from additional clearance? Now's the time for me to provide more of an arc on the bottom of this panel if it makes sense to do so. I have to put in new floor boards anyway, so relocating the 3 weld nuts around the clearance arc area should not be a problem either.

George Goeppner

It can be tight. Each car has it's variations, some seem to have more clearance than others. You don't say what year, but if your car's driveshaft bolts to a flange at the rear of the trans, the problem becomes a bit worse (the flange wants to hang up on the mount). Usually removing the crankshaft pulley lets you move the engine forward enough to remove it without problems. Some folks will now write that they didn't have that problem. My '61 (built in '59) had plenty of room. The '60 I bought for parts was the opposite. Pull the pulley first if you're going to yank the engine--it's a bitch to get off while the engine is supported on the sling.
R. L Carleen

I believe that some of the factory competition cars had this panel split in the middle so that it could be removed easily. I plan to do this on a car.
John

John, I considered removal of the panel for engine removal, but the steering column passes thru it, making that approach impractical in my view. Maybe Frank Graham can inform us of factory modifications (if done) on this part for works competition cars...
George Goeppner

George
I have taken them out before in order to get the transmission out without removing the engine (I must have removed the steering column)and it is very difficult to find a place to slide them when in one piece, unless you remove the hydraulic lines. I had read somewhere about the factory cars having the panel split and presumed it was the middle. Perhaps they were split somewhere else. I would be interested to find out. Removing the steering column is easy though.
John DeWolf

Make sure to remove the dipstick in the transmission. It will hang up and it is hard to see what the heck is keeping the trans from proceeding forward.
RG

I've pulled out MGA engines and engine/gearboxes several times. I think it's easier to pull them out separately. I've never noticed a problem with clearance at the toe boards.
As a matter of interest (possibly!) I've removed an MGB gearbox from underneath, leaving the engine in. If I had to do that over again, I'd pull the engine, then the box.
Fraser Cooper

This thread was discussed between 21/10/2004 and 24/10/2004

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