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MG MGA - Original Shelley Jack

If anyone has an original round base Shelley Jack in their later 1600 could you let me know what version it is. i.e. the markings cast into the casing such as LJ225 or LJ250 etc.

Many thanks

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
The Shelley jack in my 1600 Coupe,GHD 96350, has the markings LJ225.
By the way, I believe you know Barry Gannon, he lives about 2 kilometres from me.
Regards,
Garry
Garry Kemm

Thanks Garry

I certainly do know Barry. I Came over to see him on holiday a few years ago. Our wives went to school together back in the late 50s/early 60s.

Barry builds very nice MGAs. I was most envious of his build quality

Please say Gdday from me.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Shelley LJ225 for a 1962 Mk2
Mark Lambert

Thanks Guys

I have an LJ250 that I picked up cheaply. Wondered which vehicle it might come from. It appears to look much the same as the LJ225 except for the handle attachment flange which is an open rectangular channel measuring 2.5" long, 15/16" wide, 3/8"" deep with a 3/8" hole in the middle. Not seen one like it before. Same colour orange/red as the LJ225.

Any suggestions?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve

Yeap I got hold of a Shelley which was apparently from a 1600 MkII. It's marked LJ225 too. It's also marked with "CA265" and "5H".

I recently had a lucky escape, as I had a front tyre go really flat overnight in the garage and not on the road!

I couldn't get the usual trolley jack under the front cross member, so I got out the "Shelley" - made for the job right? Wrong! It wouldn't go under either the cross member or the lower wishbone?????

Was the jack really designed for an MGA? Just wonder if my jack is actually correct.

When screwed right in, the overall height from the casting base is just under 5" and might be OK, but the threaded section then sticks out below the cast base by about 1-1/4", making the jack's minimum useable height 6-1/4" which is too high for a completely flat front tyre on the "A".

Were they really all like this or have I got the wrong one?

Pete
Pete Tipping

Pete, The threaded section is actually two sections, one inside the other. The outer section should screw up against the pad at the top. When my jack is fully lowered, there is only about 1/8" protruding from the bottom of the base. I can remember my dismay in 1962 as I tried to fit the jack under my MK-II with a flat tire! You must get the tire up onto something, or dig a small hole under the jack. I ended up driving the flat tire up onto the shoulder of the road to get enough room to fit the jack under the spring pan. That was my first encounter with British engineering. Not much has changed since then.
Ed Bell

Thanks for that Ed - from what you say it would appear my jack's 6-1/4" overall thread height (inner & outer) must be wrong. It would also seem that the 5" height (if the threaded sections were shorter) was too high too!?

Pete
Pete Tipping

I seem to have a thing about Shelley jacks at the moment. The wife is getting most concerned! I have just picked up a rectangular base jack that appears to fit Clausager's description for the one supplied with early cars. Can anyone confirm the markings on the jack - e.g. 6 inch or 6 1/2 inch etc.

Many thanks

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I recently purchased a '60 Coupe and a '60 Roadster. Neither came with a jack, but a friend had a Shelly jack that was from his sister's MGA many yers ago. He couldn't remember whether it was a MKI or an MKII. At any rate here is the info and maybe you can date it and tell me what the handle is supposed to look like, as I have none, and the correct paint color and brand.

Markings on the top......CA 258......BH

Markings on one side....Shelly L J 225 58

Markings on the other side ....CA 265 BH PROVPAT
A.T. Tirella

I have a NOS Shelley jack in the box. The number in the base looks like "LI225" with
a mold depression at the left-hand base of
the "I" that might make it look like a J, but
it really looks like an I to me. Mine has the
CA 265 BH PROVPAT markings on the base, but the marking on the top is CA311. The BMC label on the box says AHH 5986, LIFTING JACK, RTS QTY ONE.
David Breneman

Pete, My Shelly jack is 5" tall in the "down" position. Road clearance on the "A"s is supposrd to be 6", so the jack should work. Less than that and the springs on the car are probably worn, or the car is really loaded down. Full lift on the jack measured about 10 1/2 ".
Al
A.T. Tirella

Hi Guys

Many thanks to all for the feedback on the version of the Shelley Jack (LJ225) that was supplied with the later 1600s.

What I am currently looking for are the details on the Shelley jack that was supplied with the early 1500s. Apparently this jack had a rectangular base, not the more common egg timer base. Any information most welcome.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,

Mine has a King Dick B1077 with a base you probably call egg-timer. Original colour black; 5 1/2" high when closed. But the car is late 1500, so no help there, sorry...

Shane
shane rj

Al,
Agreed the road clearance is 6", but as I said earlier on this thread, with a really flat tyre the jack will not go under either the front cross member or the wisbone. You will also see above that when my 1600 MkII jack is fully lowered to 5 1/8" that 1-1/4" of thread sticks out of the bottom - so min height is 6-1/4".
Would appear from what Ed said that the threads in my jack are too long and thus is the incorrect jack for the MGA or what...?

Pete
Pete Tipping

Thanks Shane

I'll note the details you've supplied for the King Dick. There is also a picture of the King Dick in Clausager, but not of the earlier Shelley, just the later conical shape Shelley.

Clausager does not say when the switch over from the rectangular base Shelley to the King Dick took place. He does say, however, that the conical Shelley took over from the King Dick at chassis 93548.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Petre, You;re right of course. The small detail of having a flat tire, thus requiring the use of the jack, somehow got past me. But I don't think the screw threads should stick out from the bottom. I think there is some kind of "stop" inside the jack to prevent the threads from going any further than the bottom of the base. Must be a problem inside of yurs. As said, fully compressed, mine measures "5".
A.T. Tirella

Pete

One of the jacks I have is an LJ250. It looks very similar to the LJ225 and has a clip-on base plate, preventing the threads contacting the ground. Does the LJ225 have 2 clip restraints cast into the base?

Steve
Steve Gyles

To all, So now I've learned that the Shelly jack I have is not appropriate for either the '60 Coupe or the '60 Roadster I have. Any known sources for used King Dick jacks, hourglass type? Also missing crank handles for both cars and spare tire hold down clamp for the Roadster. I have the wing nut, just need the stamped metal clamp part.
Al









"
A.T. Tirella

Al

No there's no problem. The threaded sections are just simply too long for the cast base, which is marked LJ225. It's also marked with "CA265" and "5H".

The threads at the bottom end have been "upset" to stop them coming right out.

It would appear that there must have been another version, which I need.

If my jack is definitely wrong as you imply, I could shorten the threads and peen over to retain safety...

The jack for the 1960 model was the type with a bevel gear around the top and a square drive jack handle. This LJ225 just has a reversible rachet actuated by a 3/8" rod.

Steve

Not sure what a clip restraint would look like, but I think not.

Perhaps a slight panic/impulse buy, but picked up a scissor jack at the midget do at Kingston Lacy in Dorset on Sunday! So roll on the flat season!

Pete
Pete Tipping

It's me and my jacks again! Just picked up an interesting Shelley rectangular base screw jack. It looks like the forerunner of the double lift screw jack. It looks like a standard MGA Shelley jack except that the centre section, instead of screwing out is a plain circular shaft drilled with holes for locking at the desired height with a peg. The lettering says 6 1/2 inch EX.

Can anyone throw any light?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Al - re :the spare tyre clamp - mine was missing both the clamp and the wing nut and bolt - I got the clamp from Moss - but I have seen them for sale on ebay quite cheaply recently - so they are not that hard to find - the wing nut and bolt was more difficult - but fortunately Bob West had one. Cheers Cam
Cam Cunningham

Thanks Cam, fortunatetly I have the wing nuts and bolts so I'll pick up the clamp from Moss or the like.
Al
A. Tirella

Steve
I can't enlighten you as to what it's for - but it was never for an "A"!

Pete
Pete Tipping

Pete,

I suspect not. Something earlier I believe, probably pre war. I have this thing about Shelley jacks now. I keep buying them at autojumbles! I have also started a database on any information I can gather. Over time it should be a worthwhile document, but it relies totally on feedback. So come on everyone out there let me know what original information you have - it does not have to be just MG, I also have some data on Austin Healey. Once I have have enough information to make it worthwhile I will post it on the net.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Stop going to autojumbles Steve - you may get over it... Nasty affliction too that 'Shelleyitis'!

Pete
Pete Tipping

Steve, when you write the book, put me down for one!!

Has anyone written a book on Trico washer bottles, or AC radiator caps?? Now they would be really interesting!!

CP
Colin Parkinson

Colin

It will be a most uplifting publication, taking literature to new heights. It will have everything including sex, with screwing on every page.

Now then, there are some washer bottles on ebay at the moment!

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 18/05/2006 and 09/06/2006

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