MG
The Classic Marque

Epilogue: "The rest of the story" or "How a 20 year old bodge came back to bite me".

So referencing the sad tale noted above I'm happy to report my 1977 MGB is once again on the road. However, the circumstances that caused the issue and the expenditure of over $300 in currently unnecessary parts, not to mention 2 weeks off the road, are worthy of memorializing in the hope others can avo...

The other thing that sticks in my mind from 1968 was the price of a brand new BSA Bantam. £126 10s.

Trev

Paul,

What finish will your runners have? Bright chrome on steel as orig? Polished stainless steel? Pls advise.

On a totally different subject:

Issue 116 Oct 2024 of The North American Classic MG Magazine's cover photo is of Daman Thakore's YT EXR 4669 in Cappadocia, Turkey enroute on its 73-day, 13,500 km journey through 14 countries from India to the UK. Included i...

I well recall the woman in the local record shop had little piles of 3/4d counted out ready on a shelf so she could give change from a ten-bob note in the rush on a Saturday morning when we'd all dive down to buy the latest single....Dave

Grey, you had me questioning my memory there but your mate confirms my numbers.

Talk of paraffin reminded me that we used to get ours from what mum and dad called the oil man. He had a lorry and came once a week. As well as paraffin he sold washing powder and cleaning products. The front of the lorry had those on with a tank at the back with his measuring cans.

Trev

Trev,I've had to accept that my memory has had a good wobble.
I had a conversation with a mate who had a part time job pumping petrol in the mid to late 60s so he ought to know. He told me I was talking rubbish - it was around six bob a gallon.
I blame my age. The years have been kind, but some of the weekends were b@st@rds!

Yep we had those round heaters too and paraffin lamps until I was about six as we didnt have electric until then.

I also remember singles at 6/8d in the mid sixties and I think LPs were £1 10s.

I thought chews were six for a penny and large ones were a penny.

Trev

It's not uncommon to have an engine earth strap on RBs, the gearbox strap is a right pain to deal with compared to the engine strap on CBs!

Yes inside as per the image I posted, with the 'straight' part sticking through the bulkhead into the engine compartment.

If you have a steering lock (only legally required in the UK from 1st Jan 71) you probably won't be able to withdraw the inner shaft far enough with the outer still mounted to fit the gaiter as the bulge in that shaft for the lock prevents it. You can't even pull it b...

Yeah I remember those parafin macines too and the soaked ground round them. Remember the heaters? When we were kids, mum used to carry a lighted one (we had two, like these) from the living room into our bedrooms at nights, on very cold winter nights, to 'take the chill off'. And then back to the living room. Imagine if she'd tripped. Our ceilings were kind of blackened. But I only noticed it when...