The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (June 1 - June 15, 2024)
Saturday June 1, 2024:
Mostly a day of rest in Milan, NM. Time spent documenting experiences with the Faulty Replacement Parts contact points. Headed west in the evening through more hills in NM. Began to fall out of the hills from 7000 ft down to 6000 ft where we found a nice rest stop at the Arizona Welcome Center.
Sunday June 2, 2024:
75 miles west to Holbrook AZ for a fuel stop. WiFi with no wall power, so move on . Another 11 miles to a truck stop in Joseph City, AZ, but no wall power there either, so keep going. Another 24 miles to next WiFi spot in Winslow, AZ, but still no wall power, keep going. Another 56 miles landed us in a McD in Flagstaff, Arizona where we claimed a table near the only power outlet in the place. Fourth time's a charm? After all this, we have arrived a day earlier than planned. Checking email and returning a couple of messages, we now have another appointment this evening.
Mid afternoon, roll it 82 miles down the big hill toward Phoenix. Say hello to Gary Lowrie in Dewey, AZ. He has a nice survivor 1960 MGA 1600 Coupe. He recently repaired the temperature gauge, which now works, but now has a coolant leak where the sensor is screwed into the cylinder head. This is a result of using a cheap aftermarket gauge for the donor parts during the repair. The new flare nut is shorter than the original one so it runs out of threads before fully clamping the sensor bulb in place. Gary understands this, and is in process of fixing it, just used a too-thin washer for the first attempted fix, and now needs to do it again with a thicker packing washer.
Then down the hill to his lower workshop to check out more of his toys. There was a complete spare MGA differential in the plastic wrap, recently procured. There were two MGA Couope dshboards, one stripped and well along with restoration, and one original waiting for restoration work.
There were a few very original MGAtool kits, some parts missing, a few odd parts substituted, and the tool rolls mostly in sad condition of deterioration.
There was an MGB GT in restoration sitting on a special drive-on rack. The front end of the rack is elevated on an articulated stand, with the tail end of the ramps sitting at ground level. Drive the car onto the the inclined ramps and set the parking brake. Lift the tail end of the ramps with a hydraulic floor jack under a heavy pipe cross member, then drop the ramp legs and set it down to rest on the ground. Ramps and car are then level with work space underneath. Fairly easy set-up, and way cheaper than a hoist or a grease pit.
Nothing special about the car, but it is carrying a special roof rack. This is a reproduction of the fctory optional accessory item. Lowrie is now reproducing this roof rack as closely as possible to original configuration, including original type oval side tubes. There will be a few enhancements for more and easier tie-down points, and I believe it is all stainless steel.
Monday June 3, 2024:
Better do this before it gets too late in the day. Time to take the MGA with the trailer to visit Greg Clark at Clark Cars of Arizona in Prescott Valley, AZ (a new addition to my North American Shops list). Creg has a lot of parts cars and is heavy into the business of used parts for vintage (mostly British) cars. If you need parts, give him a call.
The advertizing car on top of the container, I'm sure I asked but don't remember, so maybe someone else can tell me what it is (Jensen Healey, maybe). It was the MGA in front that caught my eye first, ex-race car with roll bar, notable body damage, lots of rust for an Aerizona car.
It had an odd oil cooler that I don't recognize, probably a period correct aftermarket accessory.
Beginning to grovel around the racks in the warehouse,
I did pick up an MGB inverted spin-on oil filter adapter. These work well, but the threads are part of the aluminum casting and subject to damage, needing to be replaced occasionally. Try a new filter on it before stashing it in the Magic Trailer for a spare.
Then we were back to Gary Lowrie's place in Dewey, AZ. This time down the hill to his shop again to have a close look at a curent
important project. Gary is now manufacturing (in small hand made quantities) the steel pipe assemblies connecting the Austin B-Series engine (for MGA, MGB and Z-series Magnette) external oil passage from the block to the oil filter. These pipes come in perhaps five different forms, with a female threaded pipe nut on the input end and large banjo fitting on the output end. Some of the input end fittings can be purchased, but the only available output banjo fitting is more special and has to have some modifications to work. Then there is the problem of making three to five bends in a half inch steel tube, while comming out with exact orientation rrquired at both nds, and no kinks allowed. The more complex 5-bend pipe is shown here.
The slickest tool here is the one used to form tight radius bends without kinking the tube. Call it a mandrel bender. The round bar mandrel is first oiled before the tube is pushed over the mnandrel to a shoulder stop. The tube wraps around a "pulley" as it is being bent and it is being pulled off of the mandrel. During this motion the tube does not slide on the pulley, because the pulley is rotating along withe part of the tube that is already bent. The bend must be finished before the tube is pulled completely off of the mandrel. This leaves some straight pipe remaining on the mandrel.
Pull the tube off the mandrel to reposition the mandrel with shoulder in different place. you can also slip a piece of straight tube onto the mandrell to relocate position of the stop shoulder (according to the length of straight tube needed between bends). Push the product pipe back onto the mandrel. Rotate the tube to some out-of-plane angle desired for the next bend, and repeat the bending while pulling procedure. I'm sure I left out a few minor details.
This starts with a very tight bvend, like 3/4-inch inside radius at the tube nut end. The tube then runs near the engine block, below the head gasket, but above the filter mount on the block casting. It must pass below the heater valve and water control lever, and above the distributir vacuum diaphragm connector fitting.Then it wraps around the oil filter while clearing the back end of the alternator. Some of the pipes drop lower before bending upward to approach the bnjo bolt from below. By the time the assembly is soldered together with erfect alignment of the end fittings, you must appreciate the craftsmanship required to make these parts.
There is one more project, less prcise, more of the installation of a commercial part. This is an oil to water heat exchanger that gets
sandwiched between thespin-on oil filter.and the mating filter mount. In space allowed
there are two water hose connections to run coolant through the small heat exchanger. This device helps to warm up the engine oil immediately after cold staet, as well as preventing overheating the oil during hard running. That is, it serves as oil temperature stabilizer.
Tuesday June 4, 2024:
Enough fun in one place, time to roll it down the hill some more, stopping momentarily to pick up some Echlin ignition points (three sets) at NAPA in Peoria, AZ (with about 108dF heat). Then a very short run to visit George Bean, also in Peoria, AZ, along with several more friends he had invited to the party. Indoors in the A/C for a while, then out to the garage for a while (that didn't last long), afternoon temperatures like 103dF (maybe higher).
In the evening we found a Loves travel Stop (truck stop) in Tolleson, AZ, cool inside but 100dF late night was rather miserable.
Wednesday June 5, 2024:
Too hot, so up early 6-am. Headed north around the west side of Phoenix on AZ-303 Loop, then east on the north side, and finally I-17 north toward Flagstaff again. To get out of the heat, head for higher altitude. We know this road, 30 miles flat through the desert, and 100 miles up the killer hill to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, but we didn't get that far yet. At 2500 feet we stopped at a cool McD in Mayer, AZ for the rest of the day, and evening, and stayed overnight at a nearby Loves (cool enough to survive at this altitude).
Thursday June 6, 2024:
Half a day of cool, feeling better. Heading northwest, passing through Prescott and a few smaller towns. Hitting I-40 we headed east for 17 miles (bit o a side step in the wrong direction). This is where we were seeing some classic show cars, not knowing where they might be going.
landing at a Loves stop in Williams, AZ at 6700 feet. Way cool here by many standards, so stay overnight.
Friday June 7, 2024:
Supposed to be heading for California, so it was time to head west. (Well, more west). The idea was to try to stay at high altitude as much as possible, so keep looking where the mountains are on the maps. Before hauling out we decided to try installing a new set of Echlin points (from Napa). Good move I guess, as it was then running well at high altitude. Then heading due west on I-40 for two hours, dropping like a rock, so to speak, stopping in Kingman AZ at 3333-feet by mid afternoon. Warmer, but still nice. Having skipped breakfast, it was actually late lunch time. While we were sitting there, another classic car rolled in on a trailer, so I had a chance to get pictures and a short chat with the owner.
-- This is an interesting car, a 1961or1962 Allstate. It was sold through Sears-Roebuck stores and catalog for two years only. Built by Kaiser as a spin-off of the Henry -J, a downsized economy car, a bit smaller than us yanks were used to at the time. The Henry-J was commonly stripped to the bones to sell cheaply, like the boot lid was an option. This Allstate seemed to be fairly well optioned out, like a complete car with nice interior and nothing important missing. The owner was en-route to a Kaiser car show in Tennessee, so this was a short chat and he was gone agin.
Got deterred with a couple phone calls from our friend Ron back in Oklahoma, wanting to chat about progress rescuing his Ford Truck from the weeds. Fuel flushed, and it runs, and the new propshaft is installed, but now maybe it doesn't back up? Grin and bear it. and wait for more news later. That was about the time we started making questionable (bad) navigation decisions. Our ultimate goal was Murphys, California in the Sierra Nevada Mountains west of Carson City, Nevada. When navigator mentioned Bakersfield and Fresno in the central valley, I thought too much hot desert, and we should be looking at the mountains in eastern California. The best move would have been northwest to Carson City, Nevada. Then there were a few more nags from the Planning list, like three shops and a couple of friends in the San Diego area. Maybe we could dash over there, do a couple days and get out. That turned out to be a bad decision.
Continuing west around 11-pm, we continued down hill as well, and not exactly as intended. We had a pin in the map for Joshua Tree National Park in California, thinking it was supposed to have at least some altitude in mountains. Got a bit late and didn't get there, but the first rest stop across the state line in California would do, at least being out of Arizona. Well south and getting warmer, but still at 2000 feet and tolerably warm, not hot, at least at night.
Saturday June 8, 2024:
Getting warm early, so we headed for a cool spot for breakfast in Twentynine Palms, California. At least the A/C was decent. Still one day o kill before visiting shops during business hours come Monday, so navigator thought a Loves Stop in Coachella, CA might be a good idea. NOT. We arrived early evening in Full sun and way over 100dF. That certainly wasn't going to be an overnight stay, so after dark we headed back northwest 102 miles in two hours to a Pilot Travel Center in Hesperia, CA where it would be in the low 80's over night. Much better.
Sunday June 9, 2024:
Fuel pumps were out of service most of the day, and we needed to catch up photos and notes, and make up a parts list to place on order come Monday, so it was a nice day sitting still.
Monday June10, 2024:
Lots of WiFi work, and calling in the parts order to Moss Motors. Got the car gassed up and fiddled with the distributor some. We now had a definite appointment in Murphys, CA a few days off. The thought now was to forget the hot southern California visits and just head north on some state roads to avoid much of the central valley, but we weren't out of it yet. Short evening run to a store still in Hesperia for needed supplies, and some more fiddling with the engine. Then we ran into slow roads and a construction zone with repaving and a delay for a one lane bypass. Midnight by then and not getting where we wanted to be, so stop for the night at another Pilot Stop in Boron, CA. Yes, still desert, but not horribly hot over night.
Tuesday June11, 2024:
Due to next appointment, we still have one day to kill, so do breakfast in A/C and stay inside for the day. After sun down, cruise 80 miles north on CA-395 to a state rest stop near Lone Pine, CA a bit over 3000 feet and tolerable. At least going in the right direction.
Wednesday June12, 2024:
This was about to be a long day. Up with the sun and head more north. Short stop in Bishop, CA for fuel, refill drinks in the door pocket, and breakfast at McD just before the 10:30am cut-off. Typical California McD with no power outlet, no refills allowed for the drinks, and locks on the bathroom doors. Enough said? At least their WiFi was working. Had to call Moss to verify parts order and shipping two days ago, got them to email a copy of the invoice and tracking number. Also had to call JC Taylor again about the towing bill more than two weeks ago, because they never called back to process the towing claim. I think we have that now in process, having forwarded via email a copy of the towing invoice. Just finished that when the cell -phone died. The charging connector on the cell phone just did permanent disconnect, and the phone is not charging. Navigator fiddling with that. Rats. Been having to buy a new dumb phone every couple of years for the same stupid reason. -- Still running one day head of schedule, because no friendly WiFi spots along this route. Navigator's computer goes dead quicker than mine when not plugged in. Looks like we need a re-route to go where we know we can find a friendly WiFi, and look for a store to buy another cell phone. So skip Murphys for now, and stick a pin the the map for a Loves stop in Ripon, CA. To get from Bishop to Ripon, we will have to go through Yosemite National Park. Well, we would go there en-route to Murphys anyway, so maybe not so much detour as you might think. Haul out!
 Continue up US-395 to a little town of Lee Vining, CA, only 65 miles but lots of hills in between. Guessing ignition timing might be too far advanced, because the engine runs too warm at high speed, and it needs engine speed to climb hills at altitude.
It was a lot hotter than it looks in these pictures. We had maybe one minute of sweet smelling coolant steaming, suppressed by easing off throttle and turning on the heater (which should not be required). When we turned left onto CA-120 to head up hill into Yosemite, it was pretty obvious we needed to adjust a few things. Kill engine and raise bonnet. Assure it was cool enough to safely remove the radiator pressure cap, restart engine and add come coolant. Three pints was not so much, but being full up could only help.It may have lost a pint or two to boiling in the hills. Also retard timing some, maybe 15 degrees at the crankshaft, bit of gut feeling from experience. Lean out the carburetors for high altitude, and we were off again. Anyone want to make a painting from these pictures?
For the next paragraph I'm sorry we have no pictures for the beautiful Yosemite National Park. I was busy driving, and I think navigator was busy putting finger nail marks in the crash rail. Well, he was monitoring the GPS for road speed as we were negotiating up and down lots of hill with frequent gear changes. -- Immediately feeling more torque and better revving to higher engine speed. Good thing when we were climbing another 3000 feet in just 12 miles, going from 7000 up to 10,000 feet to the east entrance of Yosemite Park, and we got most of it in good form in 2nd gear. Hello, does my Seniors National Park Pass still work? Yes. Can I get a new one, as this one is rather tatty?Yes, quick form, sign here, new pass card issued on the spot, and we were on our way again.
--Now a lot of down hill through lots of tight switch-back turns,using 2nd gear engine braking to avoid smoking the brakes. More than an hour and a half to make 50+ miles mostly down hill, dropping from 10,000 to about 2500 feet. Once out of the park the road got easier and a little bit faster,but still another hour and a half before we hit CA-4. This is where our re-route really started, when we turned left downhill toward Ripon rather than right uphill to Murphys. Not to worry, we'll get there in a day or two.
-- Approaching Oakdale, CA in the evening, first stop would be a T-mobile store before closing to ask bout a new cell phone. Not happy with what they had to offer, next brief stop was an ATM machine, then a previously unknown McD for very late lunch. That turned out to be a friendly WiFi spot in Oakdale, CA (a rare find in this neck of the woods). When they closed at 10-pm we finally moved on another 20 miles to the original targeted Loves stop in Ripon, CA.
Thursday June13, 2024:
Good WiFi at Loves for breakfast, but needing to fix our phone problem, and a Verizon corporate store was open by 10-am. Not too long to agree our old phone was duff and buy a new one, to be connected to our existing account with no interruption (we hope). Then off to last night's McD WiFi spot in Oakdale to play with the new toy, which would eat up most of the day. We did manage to find a radiator shop not too far away, which will be of interest in the next few days (not anything wrong with our car or current radiator). Catching up these trip notes, although I still need to process lots of pictures, mostly from Wednesday. Made an evening call on the new phone to verify tomorrow's first appointment. Tonight we will be cruising an hour back up the big hill to Angels Camp, CA.
Friday June14, 2024:
Sitting in Angels Camp, CA for breakfast. Had time to post a new tech page for another aftermarket hardtop for MGA, made by Heron Plastics, Ltd. in the UK. This one is a very close copy of the factory aluminum hardtop, but not aluminum, and having a one-piece rear window. -- Just finished that, and the new phone went dead. And I mean dead-dead, zero in the battery, would not accept power from the charging cable. Say What? Didn't even last one day. Now we likely have another re-route coming to return and exchange the new phone.
-- Meanwhile, we have a chore for today. Saddle up and gallop 12 miles up the hill (about 1000 feet up) to Brice Station Winery in Murphys, CA to see our old riend Stuart Mast. You might recall two years ago we spent several weeks here while rebuilding the engine for our car. And on the same visit Stu offered us an original cell core radiator, which we finally accepted with great gratitude, and that piece has been working very well. Today we are picking up another cell core raditor in slightly lesser condition, going to run it down the mountain to Western Radiator Service to get the thing refreshed.
-- While we were packing the radiator to survive the trip, navigator plugged the new cell phone into a USB power adapter in the car cigar lighter socket, and somehow managed to get the phone to light up (with zero charge in the battery). After some poking and prodding, we suppose the discharged battery had something to do with the phone being enabled for WiFi calling (whatever that is). Don't do it again. Anyway it was charging up again as we were charging down the hill.
Western Radiator Service has two shops, one in Stockton, CA and one in Lodi. CA, equally capable. We were heading to Lodi this time, a few miles closer and maybe better roads. Ten miles on we got a text message from the radiator shop. The shop in Lodi is closed today, please go to the Stockton shop. Great timing, one minute before we were to make a hard right turn to go to Lodi, so just go straight at Angels Camp, and an hour later we were in Stockton.
-- Pull our prized possession 65 year old slightly tatty cell core radiator out of the trailer, unwrap it and present it on the counter for inspection. A loose steel bracket on one side needs to be re-soldered. Please change the original long filler neck to a more modern short neck to use with coolant recovery system. They will boil it out and pressure test it again, and likely do a nice job of straightening some bent fins. After due consideration, yes they think they can (probably) fix it up nicely in a couple of business days, check back after the week end.
Off to Walmart for a jug of 20W50 for the next oil change. Quick check of the local McD for WiFi, another dud with no wall power, as expected. So we just toddled on another 12 miles to a known good WiFi spot at Loves on the west side of Lodi. Got all the photos and notes done before 10-pm this time. Running back up the hill again tonight, trying the other road on routes 12 and 49 this time, just to check it out. Straighter and flatter than route 4, easier to drive and a litle quicker, that went well, except for one little thing. We had fueled up at the truck stop, started the engine, switched on the lights and drove off. Almost immediately the system voltage was fluctuating, like intermittent charging, making the lights flicker bright and less bright. When we pulled over to check it settled back mostly normal and didn't cause much problem for the next hour. This looks like the rebuilt Lucas style alternators may have just developed failure mode #6 to keep us worried about when it might fail again. Will have to keep watch on this issue to be sure we don't get stranded with loss of charging (again).
Saturday June15, 2024:
Bit of a chore over breakfast in Angels Camp, adding a new tech page for heater valve period correct manufacturer part numbers, which should be stamped on the factory original parts and period aftermarket parts. Detail information for concours originality enthusiasts.
-- Ran up the hill 12 miles to Brice Station Winery in Murphys, CA to borrow the shop space. Changed engine oil and gearbox oil. On test run we noticed a little rattle near front of engine, soon diagnosed as loose rivets in the crankshaft pulley. Job for tomorrow.Also found an oil drip (big drip) from he differential, paper gasket joint. Tightening the ten nuts securing the differential on the housing didn't help, so it looks like we will need to R&&R the halfshafts and differential again just to replace the gasket. I hate do-overs, but this may be the understandable result of the half-shaft replacement last month (May 24) in Texas.
While underneath, checking out the exhaust hangers, which were fine. But noticed the exhaust heat shield under the left side floor had come loose with one end dropped down and sitting on the exhaust pipe Will need to install a few wood scews there. A quick casual look at Stu's MGA restoration chassis on the lift immediately spotted an oops.
The steering rack end seal boots had rotted and fallen apart. These were installed about two years ago and had never been touched by oil, and never been exposed to sun light. Boo, hiss, more bad rubber parts from Moss Motors. -- In the evening, concert in the park. Didn't count noses, but did hear they parked 150 cars.
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