The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (September 1 - September 15, 2019)
Sunday, September 1, 2019:
Just knocking around Troy, Ohio. Got motivated to adjust brakes on the MGA, and rotate tires front to back in the process, no problem. While it was jacked up I wanted to give it a lube job, but on the first U-joint the grease gun ran out of grease, and I didn't have another grease cartridge, so that would have to wait for later.
 Got a call from a guy in Haslett, Michigan with multiple MGs wondering where he could find someone to work on the cars. Easy smile here, as the past three years of our ventures is beginning to pay off, so I could refer him to a few shops in southern Michigan.
Monday, September 2, 2019:
Hanging out in Beaverdam, Ohio on our federal holiday. Had to field a tech question on how to install push button start in the MGA, for someone who doesn't like the crappy current issue replacement pull switches.
Spent the rest of the day looking for trailer tires, again. I do this about twice a year, and I commonly spend a lot of time looking for 4.80-8 tires that might have more than 1/8-inch of usable tread above the wear bars. As usual, no such luck, just don't know why the manufacturers refuse to put more tread depth on these small tires.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019:
First stop today was a NAPA Auto Parts to pick up grease cartridges and some new lug nuts for the trailer wheels. Story here is that many years ago I bought alloy wheels for the car, then having to install longer wheel studs to accommodate the thicker wheels. Wanting to protect the longer threads on the studs, I thought it was a good idea to buy closed chrome "acorn" lug nuts. Those came with 13/16-inch hex size rather than original 3/4-inch, so I also bought a larger lug wrench. The trailer had standard lug nuts with 3/4-inch hex, and since I have to swap the trailer tires regularly I thought it would be nice to have matching lug nuts so I could use the same lug wrench for car and trailer. Car has 7/16 studs, now with 13/16 nuts. Trailer had 3/4" nuts, so I thought it would be same 7/16 studs as on the car.
Next stop was Harbor Freight in Fort Wayne, Indiana, for the expedient move of just picking up new trailer tires with new wheels included (cheap enough), just bolt them on and be done with it. However, the trailer studs are 1/2-inch thread, so put the original 3/4-inch lug nuts back on it, then back to NAPA to return the incorrect lug nuts. None in stock with 1/2 thread and 13/16 hex, so we were off hunting. Found the right acorn nuts at O'Reilly Auto Parts, and about 10 minutes to swap out 8 nuts, put one more small niggle behind us and get on with more important things (like breakfast).
Just posted up a new tech page on a center armrest incorporating storage space. And it is made from an original armrest cover, so it looks very much like the original armrest. Thanks to Guy Foresman for the suggestion.
Wednesday, September 4, 2019:
Most of the day was spent posting the CMGC September newsletter on the club web site. Almost finished, except I don't have the right electronic copy for the high resolution pictures. Maybe tomorrow.
Thursday, September 5, 2019:
Spent time updating the club web site for reports of recent past events, and new information on upcoming events. And then the hi-res copy of the newsletter arrived, so I leached all of the larger pictures out of that and got them uploaded. Good to have something useful to do on a couple of days off. If you're curious the September 2019 issue is here: http://chicagolandmgclub.com/driveline10/0919
Ah, but we did have a walk-in today, one Dan Bruhm from Chesterton, Indiana asking questons about our MGA. He has a 1968 MGC which he bought new, may have been a dealer demonstrator with a few miles on it. Now 50 years later it has accumulated about 8500 miles and is still in pristien condition, driven short distances regularly to keep it in good tune. Sweet.
Friday, September 6, 2019:
Drove late last night. Seems like we made it back to Naperville, IL a day early, so got to take a day off. Made a couple of phone calls, and laid plans for the week end.
Saturday, September 7, 2019:
Started the day with a new tech page for repositioning clutch and brake pedals on the MGA.
Then heading off to a mid day British Car Uniion rally presented by Austin-Healey Club of America, Midwest Region, beginning in North Aurora, IL. Calling for 11:30 am drivers meeting, first there, a few more cars trickled in, just four cars for the rally, and we finally got off at 12:30. Typical gimmick rally, follow the designated route and answer some questions along the way. A few questions would require a short walk or a brief off-road excursion. A couple apparently had multuple suitable answers, only one of which would be considered to be correct (your guess which one). Also one traditional error in the route instructions to cause a bit of consternation. All in all an amusing cruise in the country on a nice day.
The prior advertised ending point was changed without notice, due to closing of the intended restaurant. As long as no one got lost we all ended up in the same place as was specified at end of the route instructions. "The Pub" in Somonauk, IL is a charming place for a respite, so a good time was had by all.
Sunday, September 8, 2019:
Dropped navigator off in Wheaton, IL to have a day off with his friends. Then off to British Car Festival, hosted by British Car Union at Harper College in Palatine, IL. As we have been on the road for five years, last time we attended this event was 2013, so it seemed reasonable to backtrack across a couple of states to meet up with some old friends. There are nearly 100 photos here, so before I get too carried away there is a separate page for the bulk of the photos, see following page. The rain was not nearly as bad as it looks, maybe a few umbrellas, but not many people under the awnings. I was walking around from 9 to 3 and barely got damp, no soaking at all.
All manner of MGs here, A's, B's, C's, Midgets, Magnettes, T-types, one PA Airline Coupe. Also nearly every model of Triumph, including some new things you may have never seen before.
More than a handful of Morgan, loads of Jaguar of all vintage, and a fair assortment of Aston Martin.
Among the Morris Minor collection I found an Allstate Tag-along one-wheel trailer, something to add to my Trailers tech section. I picked up a pair of third place trophies from the rally day before. Near end of show I got hooked up with Richard Witzel from Chicago, IL who has a very nice MGA Twin Cam that was restored by Auto Vintagery. Finding it running very rich, I leaned out the front carburetor nicely, but couldn't reach the rear one, so we will re-visit this one later.
Monday September 9, 2019:
Catching up email and tech questions.
Tuesday September 10, 2019:
Did a new tech page for rebuilding the Twin Cam water pump. Time well spent, I think.
Evening Natter 'n' Noggin with Chicagoland MG Club at Finn McCool's in Schaumburg, IL. A dozen people gathered tonight, much better than we found in July.
Wednesday September 11, 2019:
Another day off, finally having time enough to finish posting photos and notes from the week end activities. Raining in the evening, but heading off to northern Indiana tonight regardless.
Thursday September 12, 2019:
Flat tire on the trailer this morning. Must have happened after being parked last night, because it leaked fast enough to go flat in a few minutes. It looked
like a large nail hole, but nothing there, just the hole. Took 15 minutes to plug it, air it up and get it back on the trailer.
Appointment didn't work out yet, so sitting in Hobart, Indiana today. Posted up a new tech page for the Tag-a-Long trailer shown above.
Friday September 13, 2019:
Little side trip to visit one of my brothers in Hanna, Indiana today. He lost his wife in February (deceased). Recon they were married in 1963, so 56 years together. Had his machinist carrer in Chicago, moved to Indiana when retired. Built himself a nice big garage/workshop with a few machine tools. Took the opportunity to give the MGA a lube job and top up oil in the front shocks. Headed back to the Chicago burbs late night in preparation for morning appointment.
Saturday September 14, 2019:
Morning appointment with Richard Witzel from Chicago, IL, but meeting at a mutual friend's shop Gerard A.
Geraci in Winfield, IL. Been here before. The building used to be for property management, retired from that business, but now a part time mechanical shop Auto MD, LLC sometimes working on vintage cars.
Both of these guys have MGA Twin Cams that were restored by Auto Vintagery.
I first met Richard and his car at the British Car Festival last Sunday. It was running very rich, so we needed to remove the air cleaners for access to adjust the carbs. Got that done, running okay, back together, but had an early afternoon time limit. Test drive revealed a misfire in mid range under acceleration, bit of a surprise. Unfortunately no more time to chase that problem, so keep it in mind for some other opportunity. Meanwhile fill the owner in with suggestions what to look for in fuel metering needles, ignition parts and timing.
Sunday September 15, 2019:
Rained pretty much all night, still drizzly this morning. Found four cars from the Chevy club on their way to Cantigny Park in Winfield, IL for a car show.
Rather large backlog of email with questions, and some bulletin board stuff to review. Real easy to kill a day before you realize where the time went. Hanging around the area for a club meeting tomorrow evening.
I did manage to update a web page with photos and notes for an Arnott supercharger. This one is more comon on earlier cars like the MG TC/TD/TF, but apparently there was a kit to install it in the MGA.
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