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MG MGB Technical - A few questions

Hi all.

I have a 1973 GT and have a few questions.

Some ignorant neanderthal crashed into it when it was parked the other week and when I got back the whole o/s wing was badly dented, so much so that the wheel was impaired by it, the headlight smashed and the bumper bent. I was wondering how easy it would be to knock out the damage.

I have ordered the halogen conversion lights and would like to know if they are just a straight swap and if they make much difference.

And finally, I'm having trouble starting in the mornings(and it's freezing in there) but my charge rate is good and it is a new engine. I have noticed crap on the battery terminals. Could it just be a case of cleaning these and smearing some jelly on em?

If you're wondering why I'm not going through my insurance, I only have 3rd party fire + theft(Regrettably) so unfortunately due to someone else I have to pay for the whole repair and I just don't have the dosh to put it in to a garage.

Many Thanks
Matt
Matt

Get some decent insurance----its false economy not to!
A Friend

Matt,

If the wing is that badly damaged it will be quicker to fit a new one.

The halogen convertions are very easy to fit and they do give alot more light. However, check that all the joints in the wires are clean and that there is a good earth.

David
David Witham

The three biggest wastes of money; insurance, taxes and interest. Money you spend and will never see again.
Bevis

A new wing costs £200 plus fitting plus painting-----thats a fair bit towards insurance!
A Friend

Gee, thanks A Friend.

How about some constructive help?

Thankyou David, at least someone is helpful.

A new wing is too expensive for me unfortunately and so is the insurance so I'll have to make do with a hammer and my friend sprays.

Cheers
Matt

On the other hand - a usable second hand wing can be bought for £50 or so and it is an easy bolt on job (getting the old bolts out may be a different story!)

Painting it to match will cost about £100 if done professionally, £20 with spray cans!

A repro bumper will cost about £70.
Chris at Octarine Services

I'm sorry to say that "A Friend" sounds a bit heartless and is being distinctly unhelpful to Matt.
It is always a pig when someone does a runner like this and to describe TpFT insurance as a false economy is meaningless when the rest of the facts are not known. Maybe Matt is a young driver and can only run an MG at all by making certain economies in his expenditure. Certainly he needs some advice rather than to be torn off a strip for his insurance.

I don't have a GT but I do know that the wings come off pretty easily by comparison to a Roadster. Matt could look around for reasonable condition second-hand ones.
Call Peter Mason on 0208 340 6982. He may have some or may know where to buy them. It may even be possible to buy cheap a fibre-glass wing (horrors!) but at least a way of keeping on the road. You could bash the old one out but of course the MOT man may not like the result.
Marc

Matt - I've emailed you privately
Marc

What A Friend also hasn't realised is that most people's insurance excess, even on comp. policies, is £200 or so so claiming for one wing would be a bit daft anyway.

Sounds like Marc has sorted something for you, but if not then Jon Miller (01905 796669) will have a useable second hand wing.

Hope you get it back on the road soon, and you can be sure that the person who ran off has certainly also put a dent in their karma, not to mention the corner of their car as well!

Good luck,
--
Olly
Oliver Stephenson

Hi all.

Re the cold starting issue, it is certainly worth taking the battery lugs off and cleaning / greasing them whether or not this is the cause of your problem.

Does the engine turn over briskly and not fire, or does it turn over sluggishly ?.
If it turns over briskly, the problem is not battery related.

Don
Don

Matt Re your starting problem. In addition cleaning and greasing the battery terminals you should check the connection where the earthing cable is bolted to the body. This should be clean and greased as well. By the way if the battery terminals are corroded just pour boiling water over them. This will clean off the corrosion much more effective than doing it physically.

Peter
Peter Scott

Matt,

What I am thinking is that you could have lost your car for the sake of paying some more for insurance---its surely too great a risk to take.

Oliver---a £200 excess seems a bit much!
A Friend

Insurance has always been a major issue for a young MGB owner.

In 1980, when I was 19 I bought my first MGB. It cost me £300 and the issurance cost £297 for third party fire and theft with no no claims. When you are young fully comp is often not a feasable option.

I can understand Matt's situation as I found that I had to replace a front wing. I found second hand fiber glass one advetised in safety fast.

David
David Witham

A Friend - nothing to do with "A Friend" who posted on two recent threads dealing with the need to sell and the wish to acquire an MGB GT respectively. The Friend on this thread is a faux ami.
**

Sounds like "A Friend" is a car insurance salesman!
And Bevis is right on track! Insurance in the US, due to our litigation happy society is OUTRAGEOUS! A young person can hardly afford to purchase so-called high quality insurance as it would be more per year than their car is worth. Even as an old f@rt myself I'd rather repair my own damage than turn it in to the insurance leeches, pay a large deductible, then have MY rates rasied when the accident was someone else's fault.

Matt, Good luck repairing the wing, it is not that difficult to make look OK, body work is very well described on several websites. Take your time,use a hammer to beat out the dent, smooth it over with good filler, prime and paint away. If you find a used fender (wing) you'll have to body prep and paint it anyway, so consider working on your bent wing at least good practice.
TDHoward

No salesman, Mr. Howard. Its common sense to have decent motor insurance.
A Friend

Well Thanks for all the replies.

To straighten out the insurance thingy, I was on the dole in Newquay when I took the insurance out and so having to pay £360, even on instalments, was fairly hard(there's not much work in winter down there).

I am 24 and have paid god knows how much in insurance since 17 and I have never claimed(had fully comp before). This really peed me off because I now have my dream car and it's the first damage I've ever had to deal with. I wouldn't have minded if it was one of the bangers I used to own. Incidentally, my first car, an Escort, worth £100, cost me £700 to insure. Where's the logic in that?

I may well go for a 2nd hand wing if they are that cheap because I'm gonna have to spray it anyway and with any luck, it should come off easily because they were new wings 4 years ago in the restoration.

Thanks again.

Oh and the starting is slow but once fired it's fine. Don't even need choke(not running rich, just new engine and tuned). I think the points need changing and eventually I'll get an elec ignition but as my daily driver since March, I'm well chuffed with it, especially when overtaking new cars!

Matt
Matt

Logic? There is less connection between the value of the car and the cost of the insurance than there is between the age of the driver and how much damage he/she is likely to do with it. Don't believe the females in your life when they they say they must be better drivers because their premiums are lower - they actually have more accidents than men but they tend to be at lower speeds resulting in less damage.

If an MGB with SUs doesn't need choke to start in the UK at the moment either you are parking it in a heated garage or it *is* rich. If they didn't need choke to start when 'properly tuned' they wouldn't have one. If it cranks slowly either your battery is dying - and will do so compoletely as the weather gets colder - or you have bad connections in the high-current circuit.
Paul Hunt

Use a little baking soda with that hot water, it will really clean it up.
But be careful not to get any inside the cells of the battery.
And if they are available to you, get a set of the oil treated
'felt washers' that go over the battery posts. I have used them for 30 + years, and they do WORK!
Safety Fast
Dwight
Dwight McCullough

This thread was discussed between 15/10/2003 and 16/10/2003

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