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MG MGA - Parking Brake Stiffener/ Driveshaft Support

I just received my Namgar Tech Sessions book and while glancing thru it I noticed a tech article on hand brakes. It states that the hand brake is help to the passenger side tunnel by four bolts that pass thru the tunnel...then pass thru a stiffener panel. On the driver side tunnel is supposedly another stiffener panel that attaches to the passenger one and forms a cradle for the drive shaft should a u-joint break. If the u-joint were too fail would the driveshaft not just drag helpless at the back of the car(or even fall off. Is this true and should these pieces be found on "every" Mga? I know mine does not have them. Are these pieces available in the "repro parts world"? If not does anybody have a spare set for sale?
PS: This brake job of mine is starting to become quite a learning experience into the little "quirks" that are part of our MGA'S. I am learning alot of things I never knew about my car. And I like it. Thanks Gord
Gordon Harrison

If the front U-joint breaks while driving, the the driveshaft will continue to turn, driven by the differential as the car coasts to a stop. It would continue to flail madly in the tunnel, but if there were nothing keeping it in the tunnel, the front could possibly drop down, wedge in the road, and rip the whole rear end out.
Jeff Schultz

Check your e-mail for pictures.
Randy
R J Brown

randy,
Fabulous pictures. Even if I can not find some origional ones they should be very easy to fabricate. A quick note. One of the plates becomes the backing plate for the E/B with the 4 bolts holding it to the tunnel and the other plate sits at a right angle to the tunnel ...traverses under the drive shaft and acros to the driver side of the tunnel. Right ???
Gordon Harrison

If you break a front U joint it is possible to become an instant pole vaulter.
John H

No Gordon both sit accross the drive shaft. There are 4 holes in the E brake bracket The 2 front holes go to one bracket the rear 2 go to the other one. There are 2 identical brackets like the one in the pictures. Check E-mail for another picture
R J Brown

Gordon,
I had an extra set of these I gave away a few years ago to a fellow owner in Austria I believe, but before I did I made a actual size drawing of them. You are welcome to a copy if you want, just let me know your address and I will send it to you. Have a good day!

John
John Progess

John,
i accept your gracious offer and have sent you my address buy your email. Thank you,Gord
Gordon Harrison

Hello Randy
Would you be able to e-mail those pictures to me? I'm doing a Coupe rebuild from a pile of bits, and they will be very useful.
Many thanks
Dave
D Jacobs

Hi John. Could I also trouble you for a copy of the drawing? Thanks! glennsmga@gmail.com
Glenn

This thread was discussed between 15/03/2006 and 16/03/2006

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