Jim Hillyard's Journal

After the death of my '69, I began the search for another 60's MGB. Six months of craigslist, ebay, and auto trader yeilded lots of hopefull possibilities followed by disappointing inspections. I even started considering TR-6s (great power but didn't like the handling, interior, or body as well). Then, in early March I came across a local craigslist add for a '66. The owner said it hadn't run in three years but the pictures looked promising.

The inspection revealed a better car than I had hoped for -- solid floors and sills with the only sign or rust being evidence of a good quality previous dog leg repair; a clean and original engine compartment (nicest original wiring loom I've ever seen) and interior -- complete with the original BMC AM radio. The driver's door had crack of doom and there were the expected scratches and dings. The original Tartan Red had been covered by a good metalic sliver paint job about 15 years ago. While it was showing its age, like everything else I saw, it also spoke to a PO who took good care.

While the engine was a risk, the 18V in my totalled '69 appeared undamaged. So, when the owner told me he wanted $2,800, I didn't have the heart to argue and bought it on the spot.

Three weeks of cleaning the fuel system, replacing rubber bits, testing, and tuning got her running but with a lot of smoke on start-up and acceleration. Compression tests showed 120lbs -- 135lbs. So so for a high compression GF engine. After pulling the head and conducting a leak-down test, I came to the conclusion that, at a minimum, the oil control rings were stuck on #1 and #3. Also, the inertial starter was failing to catch about one-third of the time.

So, over the course of a long weekend, I pulled the 18V and 4-synch gearbox from the '69 and swapped it into the '66 using the Clark & Clark tunnel cover. And, while I was in there, rebuilt the clutch hydraulics, converted to positive ground, and added a converter to the speedo to correct for the new gearbox.

After running her for a few months, I stripped down the interior and exterior and sent her off to Glen at the MG Shop in Tempe for body clean-up, paint, and a power coated dash. Although the world certainly doesn't need another red MG, originallity won out and I ordered her back to Tartan Red.

Following paint came seat rebuilds with Moss' black leather with red piping, the black and red pannel kit, and carpet. She's now back together and running beautifully.

Along the way, Glen found a d-type overdrive for me, so, the spring project will be rebuilding the GF and swapping it back in with the OD.

Finally, thanks to Basil, Barrie, Bob, Dave DuBois, Drake, Hap, Jeff Snell, Jim K., Kelvin, Lou, Peter, Ray, Robert, Sam, Stephen, Steve O., and the many, many others MGE'ers who provided invaluable advice and feedback on this project.

In mid-June, 2011, I purchased my '69 roadster from a previous MGE member through an add on Craigslist. The car ran well, had a decent interior (no cracks in the pillow-dash), gauges that worked most of the time, and nice wire wheels. In other ways, she was showing her age -- the 10 year-old paint was one of many re-coats, both doors had crack-of-doom, and there was evidence of poor previous rust repair. By October, I'd replaced the clutch hydraulic system, installed a soft top, and gotten her tuned properly. Just in time for MG season in Arizona.

Then, on November 9th, 2011, a Chevy Suburban ran a light in front of me. I t-boned him at approximately 30 mph right in front of the Phoenix Police Department's headquarters. A short time later, the Hagerty inspector told me what I already knew -- totaled.

Fortunately, I walked away without a scratch (let's hear it for MG engineering and thank goodness I him and not the other way around) and Hagerty provided excellent service.

Rita, it was nice while it lasted. Sorry to have you pass on my watch.