Inside: • How to Bleed an MG Clutch • 2014 AGM Niagra Falls • Watkins Glen Vintage Races • When Oil Pressure is Too High • Spare Parts Vol. 24, No. 6 November / December 2014 Mid Summer Dreams In Winter THE NORTH AMERICAN MGB REGISTER MG Driver is the official publication of the North American MGB Register, a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and expanding interest in Britain’s most popular sports car—the MG. The opinions expressed within are those of the individual authors and readers are warned that they attempt any mechanical or other modifi- cations described herein, entirely at their own risk. Membership in the North American MGB Register is open to all, with no restrictions. Ownership of an MG is not a condition of membership. NAMGBR Regional Chapters will be pleased to welcome you to their events. Membership dues are $30 per year. For membership details or further information write to: NORTH AMERICAN MGB REGISTER P. O. Box 876 Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-0876 Toll-free hotline: 800-NAMGBR-1 • www.namgbr.org OFFICERS OF THE NAMGBR 6 2 6-4 2 7 1 CHAIRMAN: R. Alan Magnuson PUBLICITY Jeff Taylor 7754 S. Waco Street COORDINATOR: 1645 NW 23rd St. Centennial, CO 80016 Corvallis, OR 97330-1956 303-400-8076 541-753-0777 [email protected] [email protected] VICE-CHAIRMAN: Jeff Taylor 1645 NW 23rd St. CONVENTION/AGM Tony & Lynne Burgess Corvallis, OR 97330-1956 COORDINATOR: 318 Hampton Park 541-753-0777 Westerville, OH 43081 [email protected] (614) 899-2394 (614) 899-2493 fax [email protected] SECRETARY: Bruce Wyckoff 10975 Aspen Trl. Zeeland, MI 49464 TECHNICAL John H. Twist (616) 748-0580 COORDINATOR: 4571 Patterson Avenue SE [email protected] Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (616) 301-2888 [email protected] TREASURER: Dave Mullen 5266 Woodridge Drive Newburgh, IN 47630 REGALIA Connie Wyckoff (812) 853-5108 COORDINATOR: 10975 Aspen Trl. [email protected] Zeeland, MI 49464 (616) 748-0580 COORDINATORS OF THE NAMGBR [email protected] EDITOR: Robert Rushing THE MG DRIVER 5444 Sutherland Ave. WEBSITE Simon Dix St. Louis, MO 63109 COORDINATOR: (314) 954-5976 (314) 614-4671 [email protected] [email protected] CONCOURS Bob Gloyd ADVERTISING Charles E. de Bourbon COORDINATOR: 19692 East Garden Drive & PRODUCTION PO Box 293 Centennial, Colorado 80015 COORDINATOR Del. Water Gap, PA 18327 Phone - (303) 263-8189 ART DIRECTOR (570) 460-6370 [email protected] [email protected] SERVICE Bruce Wyckoff EDITORS EMERITUS: Ken Smith RECOMMENDATION 10975 Aspen Trl. Kim Tonry COORDINATOR: Zeeland, Mi 49464 (616) 748-0580 [email protected] FOR REGISTRAR INFORMATION, PLEASE SEE PAGE 65. The North American MGB Register is affiliated with the MG Car Club of England. The MG Car Club was founded in 1930 and is the original, factory supported, and approved organization for all MGs, with the club headquarters situated in Abingdon-on-Thames close by the birthplace of all MGs. The North American MGB Register is a 501(c)7 Not-For- Profit Corporation. MG Driver Magazine ©2014 All rights reserved. Any part of this publication may be reproduced by members and member clubs only, with the expressed credit given to “The MG Driver Magazine” — Editor Robert Rushing. All images in this MG Driver ©2014-BGA Studios.com/Charles de Bourbon, unless otherwise noted. Robert Rushing Bruce Wyckoff Page 5 • From the Editor Page 9 • Secretary Report Alan Magnuson John Twist Page 7 • Chairman’s Chat Page 60 • Tech Talk Jeff Taylor Classifieds & Where to B Page8 • Vice Chairman Page 66, 67 Editor’s View Reports ou’d think things would slow 2015 AGM-Niagra Falls down after the convention, but Peter Mittler Y they never do. The 2014 Moss Page 25 Challenge continues and the compe- Robert Rushing On the Inside tition is fierce this year. The AGM is Editor coming up and so are a lot of deferred The MG Driver MGB Registrar car repair projects (at least in my Jack Long Basic MG: Electrical System It’s time for another Cover Girl Barry Rosenburg garage…). Plus there is always the need contest. This time it will be for the Page 10 Page 28 to put together the Nov/Dec edition of March/April issue. The deadline will The MG Driver. be December 31, 2014. Photos need to We have a lot of Registrars’ reports be as large as possible (2MB or larger) MGC Registrar in this issue and Jack Long’s rundown and let’s go with a travel theme. Try to John Roger ‘Twas the Night Before . of this year’s Watkins Glen races where Larry Brough find a great shot of your car with some Page 11 MG was the featured marque. We also Page 32 interesting background or maybe have some good tech bits. Speaking packed to the gills for a trip. E-mail the of good tech bits, I really need some Early Midget entries to me and I’ll get the top ten in articles on MGC-specific technical front of the Executive Committee for & Sprite Register Watkins Glen Vintage G.P. pieces – front suspension, engine, etc. Bruce Hamper Jack Long the winning selection. I can’t wait to I also need some tech pieces on Post see them! Page 12 Page 34 Abingdon cars. Robert 100 / 200k Register Jai Deegan Records Set in “Collier Cup” Greg Prehodka Page 13 Page 39 Post-Abingdon Register Fuel Pump Problems Mark Jones Dave Braun Page 15 Page 41 Ken’s Korner Oil Pressure Too High Ken Smith Rober Rushing Page 17 Page 47 Readers Ride Spare Parts Rober Rushing Dave Braun Page 19 Page 49 On the Covers Readers Ride Big Brothers Big Sisters William Doyle Southern Indiana MG Club Front: Remembering the cool early summer in Pennsylvania. Page 21 Page 56 Back: Forelorn view of the Hellertown, PA entrance this past June. In 2015 it starts all over again. We’re all heading to Canada to see the falls! Bleed an MG Clutch System Letters to the Editor Steve Chivington Page 23 Page 57 The MG Driver • November / December 2014 5 Chairman’s Chat n previous 2014 issues I have writ- ten about MG models from the 1920s to the 1960s in celebration Alan Magnuson I Chairman of the 90th Anniversary of MG, the Marque of Friendship. This month NAMGBR I’ll continue with the MGB, Midget, ride height were introduced in 1974 1100/1300, MGB/GT, MGC, MGC 1/2. The 6-cylinder MGC and GT were GT, MG RV8, Metro, the Z cars, MG produced from 1967-69. MGB GT V8s F/TF, to the Chinese MG production were sold from 1973-76. models. MG introduced the four passen- The MGB was introduced in 1962 ger, front wheel drive, 1100 model in as a modern (roll up windows) and 1962 which carried on, as the 1300, comfortable sports car. I am sharing until 1973. The Midget was also a portion of an article Peter Thornley modified to modernize and to meet wrote in remembrance of his father changing standards, changing to rub- for MGB Driver in 2009 to mark his ber bumpers and the Triumph 1500 father’s 100th birthday. “When the engine. British Leyland closed the MGB is considered, Syd Enever was Abingdon factory October 24, 1980. deeply involved in the monocoque de- During the 1980s to the early sign for the next generation MG. And 1990s, Austin Rover continued MG to perhaps give you a new perspective badge engineering tradition by selling on the MGB and John’s respect for MG versions of the Metro, Maestro, Syd Enever let me quote again from and Montego. In 1992, the MG RV8 his own writing: “I think if you want began a low production run. The MG an indication of how remarkable it is, as F was introduced in 1995. BMW sold a design: take an MGB roadster with the MG to the MG Rover Group in May ‘shed’ down: open both doors fully; and 2000. MG badges were placed on Rover then look at it from the side with your eyes designs the ZR, ZS, ZT, and the ZT-T about a foot off the ground; and you will station wagon. The new TF was in see two large chunks of motor car joined production from 2002-05 when Rover together by ‘not very much’; into that ‘not entered bankruptcy. very much’ he had to build, not just the As you are aware, MG is now beam strength to hold the thing up off the owned by the Chinese company SAIC, road, but the torsional rigidity. You see and cars are sold under a UK subsid- if you are designing a saloon motor car, iary, MG Motor. They are producing you’ve got tin over the top, and you can the four passenger MG6, MG3, and stress that, you can make the thing as MG5. The MG 5 European Prototype torsionally tight as you like. He got it built has been photographed doing high into the sills. He deserves a Putty Medal altitude testing in Colorado and a for that lot.” John Thornley, MG Gen- disguised 2015 MG GT version of the eral Manager from 1952 to 1969, wrote MG5 has recently been photographed this about the MGB and Syd Enever, on the roads around Lansing, Michi- MG Chief Engineer, 1954-71. gan. The MGB/GT followed in 1965. Who knows when the MG Marque MGB production continued until will again be sold in North America? 1980 with annual updates for the US/ We can only hope in anticipation! European safety and emission stan- Happy Thanksgiving! dards. Rubber bumpers and increased Alan 6 The MG Driver • November / December 2014 The MG Driver • November / December 2014 7 Vice Chairman Secretary’s Report Jeff Taylor reetings All, Bruce Wyckoff Vice Chairman We have had a busy two months NAMGBR Secretary G since the last issue of The MG NAMGBR ello fellow MG fanatics… club is eligible for one of the most im- Driver.