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MG MGB Technical - Special Tuning Valance

I have fitted a Special Tuning Valance to my 1971 MG BGT. However, I am not sure if I want to put the bumper back on as it looks rather 'cool' at the moment. This leaves me with the problem of where to mount my number plate. I have decided that I want to put a self adhesive number plate on, but I am having difficulty in finding a black plate with silver lettering.

Anyone in the UK know where I can get one from?

Cheers Joe
Joseph Phillips

Joesph

I have just done this - i put a square one offset on the bonnet. Looks fab IMO, but be aware that:

1) Stick on plates are not legal even if they are identical to metal plates, they do not conform to BSAU whatever it is....
2) There is a net height requirement to any plate not mounted vertically. They DO NOT have to be mounted vertically, but if they are not, the letters have to "look" a certain height from a set distance.

Whether you get pulled is down to luck/snotty coppers - so dont blame me! ;->

Go to www.fancyplates.com, pick the option for old style but make sure you specify sticky backed flexible vinyl otherwise it'll come back solid plastic.

Cost is £10 plus about £4 P&P and because they come from NI no requirement for all your docs.

HTH ~PHIL
Phil

Was there a year when stick-on plates were legal? I'm sure we've all seen the pictures of E-types with stick-on plates from the 60s... were they legal then or did the cops just not care?

Cheers,
--
Olly
Oliver Stephenson

I have read of a chap getting away with it in an e-type because he happened to have a brochure showing his car being road tested in a magazine or something with the stick on numberplate..... Police agreed that as it left factory that way it was ok.

I don't know of any other.

Most people think stick-ons aren't legal because they are usually stuck where not vertical, this isn't (necessarily) the case. My arguement is that you can see the number plate better on my car when stuck on the bonnet that you can at the where its *supposed to be* anyway....

Anyway, if you can find a stuck on number plate that conforms to BS AU XXXXXX (insert number) its legal, but i dont think you will. Quite what the difference is between my black and silver (gloss) painted steel number plates and my glossy stick on number plates (in the same font, the same height etc), also black and silver - i couldnt tell you.

The DVLA website will confirm this by the way! ;->

~PHIL
Phil

Joseph
I have been using stick on numbers for about 4 years and have never had a problem. my car is 1969 "G" reg V8 conversion.
It has a fibreglass MGC bonnet. I went to my local sign company and got them to cut the letters out using a shiny silver finish. The car is Mallard green which is quite dark so I just stuck the letters on without a black background to the front of the bulge.
Before this I had white stick on letters.
I have been pulled over by the police twice for speeding ( once I got away with it ) and although they looked round the car said nothing about the numbers.

Mark
Mark

Mark

That wouldn't have been you in Issue #1 of Retro car magazine would it...?

~PHIL
Phil

http://www.mgs-on-track.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=266&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=501

Mark, Is that your car? the pic is from the track day at Goodwood.

I first saw it in the sound test area and I was trying to work out if it was the car featured in the first issue of retro cars. If it is then I have seen the car at Castle Combe too.

Just have to say it sounded AWESOME!

what spec is the V8 in your car?

I am interested in a V8 conversion for mine (well my dad is) so I would love to talk to someone in the UK with first hand experience.

I am just debating now if I should put the number palte on the bonnet or on the valance below the air scoop.

Cheers Joe
Joseph Phillips

That was the car i was thinking of!

It was the retro car. I saw it last year on the MGOC track day at Bedford - at least i am sure it was that car because i remember having a chat about the MX5 seats... (i was the other mallard green BGT in then standard form)

Really nice car IMO! :->

~PHIL
Phil

I have known people have problems with the self adheasive number plates at the MOT test. The solution was to put the "proper" one on just for the test.

I have never heard of anyone having a problem with the police.

David
David Witham

FWIW the following is from the DVLA Number Plates FAQ

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/faq/faq_number_plates.htm#1

Item 26:

"Are stick-on number plates legal?

No, number plates must meet the British Standard requirements and we are not aware of any self-adhesive number plates that are able to meet these requirements."

However this is under the heading for the new-style number plates for vehicles registered from 1st September 2001.
Paul Hunt

Phil, Joseph

Yes thats my motor alright.
I am really getting into these trackdays and yes it was me at Bedford Autodrome and Combe. Sorry Phil I dont remember you but if you see me again come over and have a chat.
Joseph
My car has evolved over the last five years, I keep trying to improve things all the time. This winter Im working on twin master cylinders with balance bar together with a rear disc convertion. ( ready for when I break the 300hp barrier).
The engine is a Y2K 4.0L Discovery unit with SD1 timing cover, Peter Burgess heads, RV8 Manifolds, Edelbrock Carb and fast road cam. The engine was making 260+hp at the flywheel last time on the rolling road.
Should have her back on the road in Feb. with a bit of luck. If you want to discuss a coversion my e-mail is V8MG@blueyonderdotcodotuk
As well as making a very capable track car, it is also a nice cruiser, 30mpg on a run and I must say that Ive had many fast cars in my time but the MGB with the V8 beats the lot by miles.

Cheers

Mark
Mark

Joseph
Which was your car at Goodwood?
Mark
Mark

http://www.mgs-on-track.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=153&size=big&password=&sort=1&cat=501

Thats my MG, however it kept blowing coolant out of the radiator as the headgasket is not seating 100%. So I did two sessions in that and the rest in a Clio 16V that looks like a Williams.

I am really tempted by a V8 conversion. My B has gone as far as I really see viable for a road car, with a 285 cam, weber, big valves, flowed head, raised CR, etc.... and produced 115bhp at the last RR! Now that is slow when you take it on a track like Goodwood!


The sound of you V8 has made me want it!!!! Any chance of a passanger ride at the next track day? hehe
Are you doing the one at Brands Hatch in Feb?

Cheers Joe
Joseph Phillips

Nice looking car.
What mods have you done to the suspension and brakes?
I would love to do Brands Hatch in Feb. as long as I can get the work finished in time.
You are very welcome to have a ride.
I have done Brands once before and for me its the best track so far!

Mark
Mark

Mark,

Suspension wise I just have the uprated lever arms and 550lbs lower fast road springs. Not sure what rear springs are on there as it was done before I had it. Brakes are standard apart from braided hoses and castrol response fluid, and I have removed the covers from behind the discs. To be honest it's not fast enough on the straights to need mega brakes at the moment.

I had just finished fitting the new sparco Sprint seats before Goodwood and they are so much better than the motordrive one that were in it before hand!

Do you have negative camber wishbone arms? Uprated ARB? Just curious because, if I am not super smooth I tend to get understeer. If I get a bit excited and turn in a bit late or hard it just likes to run towards the edge of the track, and sometimes beyond!!

I can't do much to it until next year, as I don't have a job and my student loan isn't big enough to even think about a V8 conversion!

Cheers Joe

You have mail Mark.
Joseph Phillips

Joseph
I have spent a lot of time and not to say dosh on suspension setups. Front is Hopkinson telescopic Bistein with 7/8 anti roll bar with rose jointed drop links and all nylatron bushes. Rear is Composite fibreglass springs, panhard rod, my own anti roll bar(adjustable), Anti tramp. Quafe LSD.
The front is easy to get right but the back is a different story, but Im close to getting it spot on.
Would like to see your seats.

Mail hasn't arrived did to change the "dot" for "."
cheers
Mark

What a tit I am!!! I have just re-sent it and added the '.'!

Do you find it a tad understeery, or is yours quite balanced?

I am looking forward to seeing it in the flesh again, very nice car, as it should be by the amount of work it appears you have put into it.

Cheers Joe
Joseph Phillips

Hi Mark

Can you give me your impressions on the panhard rod - has it made the back end more flightly?? I have one sitting in a cupboard unused - despite shipping it from USA (probably the place you got your springs..?), because i habe heard horror stories of it causing snap oversteer if installed off horizontal etc.

Whenever i ask the question how does a rod affect handling, noone can ever give a straight answer! %-> they just tell me it sorts lateral movement - which i knew anyway!

My car at Bedford was just a standard GT then and nothing special, it looks different now and much revised. I am hoping to get it on the track again soon, but i need a new engine first!

Rgds ~PHIL

Phil

Phil
I can only comment on the use of the panhard rod together with composite springs. The effect of this combination is a better ride and predictable handling.
On the track I can do four wheel drifts at over 90mph and if the tail does start to get out of shape its so easy to correct. I would suggest if you fit the rod go with paraboilc or composite springs. Make sure that when the suspension is in the neutral position that the bar is level and in line with the centre of the axle tubes. I made my own using some thick walled pipe, 2 rose joints and some steel plate to make up the brackets. I have welded on the axle bracket as far outboard as poss and bolted on the chassis bracket.
If you think about it the original springs are compromised because they are trying to do three things.
1. Act as springs
2. preventing lateral movement
3. locating the axle ( tramp )
If you take away 2 and 3 the spring charachteristics can be changed so they only have to perform one operation( composite springs have an even rate). Thats my view.
A lot of suspension mods make very little difference on the road but on the track its another story.
Hope this helps.

Mark
Mark

Phil,

Why do you need a new engine? is it that bad?

Join MGoT and come and have some fun. It will be much better to have some more MGB's rather than those boring bloody MGF's, LOL!

Cheers Joe
Joseph Phillips

Engine is still (more or less) standard and lets the car down - i did the track day at Bedford, thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was a bind without a quicker engine IMO. Plus its getting abit tired now and needs an overhaul.

The car isn't standard however and suspension is all uprated with neg camber, stiff springs and fat ARBs etc, so i am really itching to get it on the track as it should be far improved over Bedford (on the road its nigh on uncontested!)

I am saving for a bigger engine solution now, so watch this space...

~PHIL
Phil

Phil,

Modifying your B and keeping it N/A is not the answer IMO. I think you should stick with your idea to build a engine specifically for supercharging.

My car needs more power to make it fun on track, but it's not an option at the moment, it has to stay as it is.

What do you think of the negative camber wishbone arms? When on track I can get understeer quite easily if I am not as smooth as possible. Bigger ARB tends to induce more understeer so I am not sure I want one of those, but have been wondering about the negative camber wishbone arms and some new poly bushes.

Joe
Joseph Phillips

Definitely poly bushes, but buy only those made by superflex. They are the best in my and many other's opinions.

You should not have more that 1 degrees on road and 2 degrees on track according to most people in the know. You will have to check that your front crossmember is true however. 30+ years of banging over potholes means most of them are shagged - this will give you more neg camber than is recommended on standard neg camber upgrade arms for the B....

Too much neg camber will make your straight line stability poor and decrease braking ability. Get it right though and the thing goes around corners like its on rails!!!

The biggest thing i am trying to get used to is the fact i dont have to back off for bends anymore, infact the car performs better on a positive throttle through bends. For a rear driver, thats quite hard to get used to! };->

What you loose in understeer with ARB you gain in the ability to corner very flat. Whilst you perhaps shouldn't go bonkers, you should at least be 3/4" at the front. Neg camber will give you some neutrality back.

HTH ~PHIL

I suggest you speak to Doug Smith of MGMotorsport....
Phil

Phil,

Doug, every time I ring him up we have a chat for about an hour! His service has been top rate so far and I buy most of my parts from him. He says go for a 3/4 ARB, with negative camber wishbone arms and poly bushes.

What tyres do you use? I am on 195/60 14 Avon ZV1, but I might change to Yokohama A539 when I come to change, and I might drop down to 185's, just a thought at the moment.

Joe
Joseph Phillips

I have ZV1s on the front and some continentals on the rear.

Continentals are crap (especially in the wet - curiously, given their marketting campaign) and i'll not buy them again. To be honest i am not sure why i bought them in the first place! Pleasantly surprised by ZV1s.

I was also considering a change to yoko' A539 next time because they get a very good review (a mate has just put them on his midget FWIW and says they are very good).

Also though i might try a set of Bridgestone potenza (i think thats their name, but i cant remember the model number) becuase i am a big fan of bridgestone tyres and get on well with them. The wear rate is the problem i foresee with Yoko - fine if your car is a track tool, but i do mostly road miles and can't be going through a set of tyres every 6000miles!!

Cheers ~PHIL

Phil

This thread was discussed between 25/11/2003 and 27/11/2003

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