Stupid SS oversills
Discussion
Hi all, not posted on this forum before 
Er, anyway, drivers side stainless sill cover off and the outer sill underneath is rotten, which I really should have expected, but being an eternal optimist was hoping it wouldn't be too bad. Will almost certainly be the same on the passenger side so that's next.. two new outer sills, respray and waxoyl and NO more sill covers (they were on when I bought her) Poxy bloody things...££££-ouch... Rest of the car is totally rot free and beautifull with a number of sensible and tastefull mods. I love her immensley, and she's not slow for a 37 year old lady either 
piccy below (it was raining)
Er, anyway, drivers side stainless sill cover off and the outer sill underneath is rotten, which I really should have expected, but being an eternal optimist was hoping it wouldn't be too bad. Will almost certainly be the same on the passenger side so that's next.. two new outer sills, respray and waxoyl and NO more sill covers (they were on when I bought her) Poxy bloody things...££££-ouch... Rest of the car is totally rot free and beautifull with a number of sensible and tastefull mods. I love her immensley, and she's not slow for a 37 year old lady either piccy below (it was raining)This is my fourth B and the first that had had the over sill's fitted. The car checked out OK in all respects when I bought her, the only unknown being what was under the sill covers. It was a gamble, however given the history and the condition of the rest of the car it was a gamble I was prepared to take. If anybody owning a B reads this that has over sills fitted to their car I would suggest getting them off and checking the sills, the next thing the rot attacks after the outers are the inners, then the castle rails and so on. If the rot gets that far you have serious structural integrity problems and a huge bill in front of you !!!
Cheers for the nice comments, only fitted the anthracites in December, went for 15" anthracites as they really suit the car. I've kept the original wheels which are in very good condition, although one has a very slight buckle which when fitted to the front of the car gives horrendous steering wobble over 70 leptons. The front spoiler (also fitted in December)has definitely helped the high speed stability, although more noticeable is the positive effect it has had on the engine cooling, which is much improved. A previous owner had also fitted a manual over-ride switch for the cooling fans and lights which let you when the fans are running and when the overdrive (on fourth only) is engaged. She has spax all round which I dont consider to be the best shocks, and although she handles quite well the damn things rattle like buggery at the back which is annoying at low speeds (previous B did this as well). I have a set of RV8 manifolds in the garage which I had intended to fit last year along with a set of Peter Burgess Econotune heads, however they're still in the garage as when it came to it I could'nt bring myself to cut the holes in the inner wings... Anway, enough of the
and apologies for a lengthy post...
Cheers for the nice comments, only fitted the anthracites in December, went for 15" anthracites as they really suit the car. I've kept the original wheels which are in very good condition, although one has a very slight buckle which when fitted to the front of the car gives horrendous steering wobble over 70 leptons. The front spoiler (also fitted in December)has definitely helped the high speed stability, although more noticeable is the positive effect it has had on the engine cooling, which is much improved. A previous owner had also fitted a manual over-ride switch for the cooling fans and lights which let you when the fans are running and when the overdrive (on fourth only) is engaged. She has spax all round which I dont consider to be the best shocks, and although she handles quite well the damn things rattle like buggery at the back which is annoying at low speeds (previous B did this as well). I have a set of RV8 manifolds in the garage which I had intended to fit last year along with a set of Peter Burgess Econotune heads, however they're still in the garage as when it came to it I could'nt bring myself to cut the holes in the inner wings... Anway, enough of the
and apologies for a lengthy post... 
Hi John, some pictures taken last year, prior to putting the new alloys and spoiler on. She has uprated heater matrix (toasty), fan over-ride switch and warning light, cibie headlamps, leather interior, central locking and alarm, spax all round, green stuff pads, tubular block huggers, K&N's, and webasto (which works perfectly and doesn't leak !) She was completely rebuilt in the late eighties, including engine, box, and rear axle, and has only done (I'm 99.9% sure of this) 46K miles since. Did have lumenition, but due to an intermittent (never fully diagnosed) fault last year I've gone back to points.. and no trouble since.
Engine bay requires a bit of spit and polish, also had new mild steel blockhuggers fitted since this picture taken
I have the original wheels, front valence, and over-riders. The V8 badge off the grill was slightly loose on one side and needs repairing before it goes back on the car.
Mark on the roof is early morning dew ! She's one of the later chrome bumper cars that has the rear number plate lights on the bumper as opposed to the inside faces of the over-riders.
Engine bay requires a bit of spit and polish, also had new mild steel blockhuggers fitted since this picture taken
I have the original wheels, front valence, and over-riders. The V8 badge off the grill was slightly loose on one side and needs repairing before it goes back on the car.
Mark on the roof is early morning dew ! She's one of the later chrome bumper cars that has the rear number plate lights on the bumper as opposed to the inside faces of the over-riders.
Edited by Chilliman on Saturday 12th March 12:41
You have a fine car there Chilliman.
The MGB GT V8 is no fire cracker but a very nice car to drive. It's a long striding true GT car, but like the MGC which when that car first appeared in the 1960s, several Motoring Journos simply didn't 'get it' by comparing it to the 1.8 MGB which although visually similar, like the MGC, all three are very different cars to drive.
MG ( and Rover ) have been often unlucky when introducing their top spec cars like the V8 BGT. If I remember correctly, I saw one on display outside the local dealership when they first appeared which was about the time of the fuel crisis when motorists were issued with fuel coupons... Just the job ... a small car with a BIG V8 engine when it looked like there would be no fuel available...
I believe that only a paltry 2,500 odd BGT V8s were produced and registered.
I had a clear out of some old papers and invoices a few years ago, These included those 1970s Fuel Coupons, an Invoice for a new Mini 1000 I bought in 1970 ( £702 on the road! ) and a 1960s MGB Tourer ... £849 ... new on the road ... Happy days all gone now ....
The MGB GT V8 is no fire cracker but a very nice car to drive. It's a long striding true GT car, but like the MGC which when that car first appeared in the 1960s, several Motoring Journos simply didn't 'get it' by comparing it to the 1.8 MGB which although visually similar, like the MGC, all three are very different cars to drive.
MG ( and Rover ) have been often unlucky when introducing their top spec cars like the V8 BGT. If I remember correctly, I saw one on display outside the local dealership when they first appeared which was about the time of the fuel crisis when motorists were issued with fuel coupons... Just the job ... a small car with a BIG V8 engine when it looked like there would be no fuel available...
I believe that only a paltry 2,500 odd BGT V8s were produced and registered.I had a clear out of some old papers and invoices a few years ago, These included those 1970s Fuel Coupons, an Invoice for a new Mini 1000 I bought in 1970 ( £702 on the road! ) and a 1960s MGB Tourer ... £849 ... new on the road ... Happy days all gone now ....
John, Thankyou for your comments on the B, she really is a cracker and drives beautifully.... As some may know, the factory V8 was in fact not the gas guzzler many believed (the engine minus the ancilliaries is actually lighter than the 1.8 B series engine). Driving it economically on a run I get the same or better consumption than I did in any of my three 1.8's !!! Interesting about your new mini in 1970, that was the year I bought my first car, a rather sickly and badly in need of some love Lotus super 7, for which I paid exactly half of what you paid for your new mini ! (although the insurance for 12 months was more than double what I paid for the car 
) My mother had a spitfire at the time, and also in that same year my father bought a TR5.. If only he'd kept it...... When I was quite small my father worked for a company that built 'specials', fibre glass bodied sports cars mostly based on fords such as the E93A..(In a number of adjacent lock-ups in a mews in South London ) I think I was a petrolhead from the age of about five
At least we're still young enough to have our memories intact !!! (well, nearly..)
All the best, Richard.
) My mother had a spitfire at the time, and also in that same year my father bought a TR5.. If only he'd kept it...... When I was quite small my father worked for a company that built 'specials', fibre glass bodied sports cars mostly based on fords such as the E93A..(In a number of adjacent lock-ups in a mews in South London ) I think I was a petrolhead from the age of about five At least we're still young enough to have our memories intact !!! (well, nearly..)
All the best, Richard.
Edited by Chilliman on Saturday 12th March 21:07
Looks more Carmine red, especially on the engine pic
Chilliman, we'll be here on the 17th April, your neck of the woods:
http://www.bressingham.co.uk/content/eventarticle....
Hopefully the sun will be shining, if you're about, pop down and give a
Chilliman, we'll be here on the 17th April, your neck of the woods:
http://www.bressingham.co.uk/content/eventarticle....
Hopefully the sun will be shining, if you're about, pop down and give a
mgtony said:
Looks more Carmine red, especially on the engine pic
yes it could be Tony but what with photos and computer monitors . . .I made a mistake before I forgot my RB V8 roadster was Carmine and told someone in was Damask in the photo - old age I'm afraid
damask and anthracite tho' got to be the right way
(see my profile)
na, yes it is low compression. 8.25:1 !! Factory figures are 137bhp and 193 ftlb... With regard to colour, this has been the subject of some debate. When I sprayed the spoiler prior to fitting I used Carmen, although it's come out darker than the rest of the car. Originally I understood it to be Damask. The car was last resprayed late 80's, and I'm sure I have some paperwork somewhere in the file that says it was Damask... guess I'll find out when it comes to respraying the new sills !!!
Tony, with great regret I will be unable to make it to Bressingham, my next leave period is 18th to 28th March, and won't be home again after that until 28th April. The invitation tho' is very much appreciated, were I to be on leave at that time I would most certainly join you I'm a member of the MGOC so will keep an eye on your future events... Best to all, Richard.
Tony, with great regret I will be unable to make it to Bressingham, my next leave period is 18th to 28th March, and won't be home again after that until 28th April. The invitation tho' is very much appreciated, were I to be on leave at that time I would most certainly join you
I'm a member of the MGOC so will keep an eye on your future events... Best to all, Richard.
The title of this photograph is "you were only supposed to take the bloody sill covers off" 
Photo taken about 10 days ago... Next winter should see engine out and engine bay refurb, and front crossmember/suspension/rear axle all dropped refurbed and back in... possibly maybe hopefully
Photo taken about 10 days ago... Next winter should see engine out and engine bay refurb, and front crossmember/suspension/rear axle all dropped refurbed and back in... possibly maybe hopefully
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