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MG MGB Technical - Cruise control

I'm thinking of installing cruise control in my 78 MGB. I've been through the archives but didn't come up with a whole lot except a few posts that included Bob Muenchausen from Idaho, a frequent poster. I emailed him direct for some more info, but he has put his cruise control pursuits on hold due to some difficulty in getting one to work to his satisfaction. We both thought it was a good idea to start a post here for some up to date ideas.
So....has anyone had success with cruise? Any suggestions on brand, models and installation? What should we look or look out for? Bob thought possibly his Lucas Sport coil may have contributed to faulty operation on his Audiovox unit which got it's speed signal from the coil. Is one that senses speed from magnets on the driveshaft perhaps a better option for our older cars? (I have a Lucas Sports coil, too).
It is fairly well accepted that an optional vacuum resevoir is needed for the 4 cyl. engine, so maybe that doesn't need to be a point of discussion.
I know there must be some successful installations out there and we would appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks.
Rick
Rick Jaskowiak

This fellow has a cruise on a 1979 B. Look at his web page the talk to him. I believe his came from JC Whitney
http://homepages.msn.com/HobbyCt/johndandy/index.html
gerry masterman

I put cruise control on my 1970 roadster. I did purchase it through JC Whitney, and I believe the product was made by Audiovox.

At the time I was having knee trouble (old injury developed arthritis), and a long drive unable to move my leg was decidedly uncomfortable.

The kit was easy to install and works just as it should. It requires about a 2.5" square to mount (and it illuminates for night driving).

The kit is on sale every other month it seems, and goes for about $69. You will need the vacuum canister.
Dan

Late model Fords use an all electric unit that takes a signal from a generator attached to the speedo drive. Speedo shops carry a similar generator that can be put between two shorter (custom) speedo cables. This rig costs about $100, and the cruise unit is readily available at junkyards. The wiring isn't particularly complicated but you have to provide your own controls as the stock ones are in the steering wheel. Just a few pushbuttons and resistors, and it also ties into the brake switch. I haven't tested mine yet, but Ford makes about the best cruise controls in the business.
Jim Blackwood

Jim

If you could, publishing the details of which Ford units, and what pushbuttons and resistors, would be of great interest to a number of us.

Thanks

Larry
Lawrence Hallanger

Put one on my 80 B years ago, still works fine. It was a Hayes-Dana unit and did not need a vac resevoir. The signal comes off a magnet on the drive shaft.
Dave Pearn

One of the members in the car club that I'm in used a throttle cable for a tractor. He hooked the cable to the throttle linkage and bolted/screwed the controlling end to the tranny tunnel. He has it mounted on a '66 B. I guess it's a cheap and easy way to go.

Alan

Alan McDonald

'93 Crown Vic works for me. I'd scan in the schematic but my scanner software needs reinstalled and I'm not doing that until I reinstall the OS so it'll be awhile. The Ford service manager can give it to you though. Resistor values are given, and any pushbutton switches will work.
Jim Blackwood

Jim

What are all the required Crown Vic speed control components? I assume there is a computer like "black box" and some sort of throttle linkage control device at the minimum. What do they look like and roughly where are they located for one who would be searching through a "Pick-Ur-Part" source car?

TIA

Larry
Lawrence Hallanger

In any of this, the one requirement beyond being a good and proven addition to the car, is what this stuff is.

As mentioned above, we are always hearing about apochryphal modifications, additions, changes, substitutions, etc, but not much of the details of what they are, model numbers, makes, sources, manufacturers, and etc. that would lead others to the same benefits as have been found and proven by others elsewhere. Another part of the problem is that so much mentioned is often a now obsolete item no longer available and no good substitute exists to meet the hopes of those looking for that magical something NOW.

I mention this not to ruffle feathers, but to try to make things a bit easier for anyone reading this BBS about how to modify and "improve" their car. Thanks!
Bob Muenchausen

I have put on the audiovox unit and it works great. I did talk to Bob who had a problem, and it seems to need the magnets on the drive line to make it work corect. Bob still had a problem but my still works like a charm.
jeff becker

Without repeating too much of what is already in the archives about my experience with 3 of the audiovox units, let me give this background. They were all installed as per directions, with and without magnets, and with help from Audiovox's service people looking at the same wiring diagrams I was using, and still, for whatever reasons, the units would only perform properly for a very short time and then fail to function at all. 3 out of 3 is not a very good performance record in my book.

The only thing I could come up with that even has a ghost of a chance of being a reasonable explanation is that the coil used on either of my cars are Lucas 12v sports coils, and perhaps the voltage spikes created were simply too much for the ICs in the cruise control head unit to handle without failure. This is a problem with many cheaper IC electronic devices if they are not well enough isolated from and/or do not successfully filter out these spikes.

The up shot for me is that I am thinking of pulling an older design cruise control unit from a pre-computer car, and use that. Or try to find one of the other current makes which will actually work in my situation. Jeff and I had long discussions about this, and like anyone who has been consistenly unsuccesful with something, I simply choose to do something else, but wish him well in his case.
Bob Muenchausen

Bob: It would be interesting to hook a 'scope to the dc input of the cruise control and look for spikes. I'd want to be able to switch coils and see if there was a difference in any spikes that are found. I am interested in a cruise control but think I'll wait until you find out what fried your 3.
Wray

The coil I have is a Lucus sports coil which put out 40,000 volts. Still wish Bob best of luck.
jeff becker

L.H., from '92-'93 onwards the primary component is a self contained electrical control and actuator unit. It has one multi pin connector, and the actuator cable, and is more compact than the vacuum units. I made a bracket from brass sheet and mounted mine to the inside of the frame rail in front of the engine. The connector has leads for pwr, gnd, speed sensor, brake, and controls. There is also a lead that goes to the electronic dash (if fitted) to transmit speed info to it but that's not needed for it to work. There is no external brain box.
Jim Blackwood

This thread was discussed between 24/10/2001 and 02/11/2001

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