Let's talk MGB GT

ugh an X1/9 that should have been put to death...

 

1966 MGB-GT was my first car.
Junior year high school 1974.
Man that was a cool machine. Twin 6 volt batteries, positive ground. 4 speed.
I learned almost every part of automotive maintenance on that car.

Once there was a party at the beach and I had the only car to get there. I think we had 10 people in it.

Those were the days my friend....

 

Never had a GT, but I've got an '80 B. They are easy to work on, parts a'plenty, and lots of support. They're a load of fun to drive, and turns heads too. (I saw one w/ 220,000 miles on it the other day, LOL. Guy had it running good too).

(Actually, my dog thinks it's his. He goes w/ me everywhere I take it).

Reliablity is really better than one would think. I say buy it Tim, like's been said, everybody needs a project.


dm_n_stuff, I've also found myself lookin' at XKE's. (Series 1 roadster is my next dream car right now )

 

jjay911 had a doo-doo brown 74, auto! ask him about the time he had to push it like half a mile only to end up puking in the parking lot!!! I have video of it, i just can't convert it from the security camera format! Quad Strombergs? What could go right!???!

 

I can see it now... driving down PCH in a PCH










Legend has it:
[Pacific Coast Highway]
[Project Car from Hell]

 

After 24 years of ownership, 3 of which where in the Netherlands, I sold it in 2006 on eBay.

Great car and even greater memories
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The "Shape of Things to Come" (remember the wedge shaped garage?). I know a dentist here that has a TR7 and TR8 (both immaculate). It's a car you either love or hate. I think Triumph learned there were more people in the second group.

It's hard to beat a Jag Etype (particularly the Series 1 Roadster) for style and collectability. I had one in my shop all winter being restored, it just went home on Saturday.

 

How about a classic MG-A?
What a good looking classic roadster in my opinion. Never driven one though.

http://www.britishcarsource.com/Vehicle/DisplayAd.asp?id=127

 

A really beautiful car but most of them are so underpowered that they can't get out of their own way. An engine swap to a later "B" engine with an overdrive, now you've got something!

 

beautiful cars, a little Jaq-like, but still great. The engines however did stink, and they are overpriced right now.



http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1658545_1657867_1657786,00.html

 

I think the TR8 was the best of the TRs.

Nice car.


When people say that the TR 4/5/6 are beautiful and the TR 7/8 are ugly, that's pure generational/age bias, and nothing else. The 4/5/6 look like bathtubs that were dropped out of apartment buildings.

 

As cars, the TR8 was a revelation to drive compared to a TR6. Fwiw, I don't think the Wedge is ugly, just that the Michelotti TR6 has classic and to my eye, much prettier lines. Age bias maybe, but I wasn't born when the TR6 was introduced.

 

Had a TR-8 as well.
Blue convertible. In its day it was too cool. Wanted the 4 barrel conversion but never got around to it.
The English cars that lure me now are the TR6 and AH 6 bangers.

 

Dang! How did I miss this thread??

I've had loads of LBCs and have loved each and every one of them. I've had four TR6s a TR4 and still have my '67 MGB-GT which I've owned now for about seven years. It's seemingly one of the few left that was left totally original (except for a repaint). But the chrome bumpers/radio delete plate/huge "banjo wire" steering wheel and those lovely Dunlop knock off wheels just take me back to when my dad had a similar '66 BGT. And as Tony K well knows...if it came down to me having to sell the 308 or the 'B it would be the 308 in a heartbeat.

I'll be buried in my 'B.

Cheers;
Aaron
'82 GTSi
......and a '67 BGT!!!!!

 

I feel the same way about my p1800!

 

Is that a red Miata in the background? If it is I'd for for that car instead.

 

he has two there... ok, here is the thing, I'll come clean I am planning on converting the car to something drastic, something cool, something useful... A camera car!

What is a camera car you ask? It sounds vague I know, BUT follow me on this.

I get wider tires and do the whole Sebring body of fiberglass. These all sort of cancel each other out so I keep curb weight close to the original 2300lbs. Next, gut the interior, leave the dash, add some adjustable Bride/Sparcos, a cage and a fuel cell. Drop in a cheap Honda motor and drivetrain. Maybe even a BMW E30 since I can get whole cars for dirt cheap. Ok, now off the cage, I add a few crossmembers and an arm that will be removable. It is basically like an "L" shape with the short end hanging down to just above the license plate. At that spot I will make a shock absorbing/semi-stabilized mount. This will drop most camera lenses to license plate level for low shots. To run the system, I'll remove the hatch completely.

The other thing I plan on doing is adding emergency LED flashers like on pace cars so not only on runs can I run a traffic break, but on shoots, people infront of me will get out of the way or atleast be aware of our presence. I have checked on the legality of such a system and it is provided I am not using red or blue.

So follow the logic, wider tires = better traction as well as displaced air volume for some shock absorbtion in the rear end. The car is a 50/50 balance and adding any of this stuff with a big6 BMW motor won't kill the balance. The fiberglass nose also allows me to get behind it and place hidden mounts and power for forward facing cameras or rally lamps.

So you probably have one question left. "So Tim, aside from the obvious thought you put in this, the parts sourcing weight and balance, why an MGB GT?" Simple, find me another car that fits the bill at an asking price of $500 before the build! And one that I can start selling parts off to keep my investment minimal, not to mention a car when I take this stuff off will still be kind of fun to drive.

Now you could try to do something on a ballhitch on a truck, but 1) it can't handle curvy roads. 2) it is too high. 3) it is almost impossible to defeat bouncy-vibrating shots, like the saying "rides like a truck". The cross members and the arm itself avoid much by flexing like a fishingrod, plus the options at the mounting bracket.

Ok the real motivation is I like the car and am a little pissed at the quality of video I see with cars because you know what, among other things I long to be a cinematographer.

I live for project car hell, I already am in the middle of four!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The insanity of it all now starts to make sense. Good luck with the project and please keep us photo-updated!

 

If you really want a camera car, go reliability and functionality over style and beauty. The best camera car I've ever worked with was a Cayenne Turbo from the Shelly-Ward crew.

Think about this for a second before you slam me. It's not a pretty idea, but one that will work well.

What about a worked Subaru Brat?

Pull the passenger seat and drop a boom mount and a steady cam mount. Remove the roof and shave the windshield so you can shoot over the front of the car. Put 6 axis mounts on all 4 corners. And setup removable seats and cheese boards in the back. Add a new motor with a beefy alternator. Super tight but adjustable suspension. Onboard SMPTE. VTR playback... Or better yet multiple input DVR. Some flat black paint and a decal on the back that says "I break for Claude Lelouche"... And you're done!

 

If you don't like a "bouncy" truck you'll hate an MG for smooth ride, it's not what they're about at all.

If you want to build a "Frankencar" for shooting video there are probably a lot of others that would be better.

 

I planned on re-tasking a few in-car LCDs for the feed, and wiring camera control extensions as well. Basic stuff for tracking focus, filter rotation. Traditionally a truck with a sled has been employed allowing dull low-speed shots and some poor SOB had to work camera, or even worse, it was locked down on static settings.

Porsche reliability in the Cayenne is a myth. Then again making a few grand a day doing this as a career/service, you could afford the ever mounting cost of maintaning a POS like that.

What if it does not work out the way I want to? I just remove the armature, it is not built to be permanent. After that I have a fun little car I can loan out to friends or family that are short a car or just dump it. Heck, my uncle in NY really likes this car, so maybe it becomes a xmas gift for him.

It is the rapidly removable/reconfigurable ("Monster Garage" style) armature design that handles the bounce. I have been hanging out with a lot of oldtimers on the backlot at Paramount Studios that have done similar things and then I have a couple of friends that are Art Center students that wanted something fun to do. I can't say my engineering skill is all that great, especially on the gimble, but to have a fun little car and to try something out can't hurt. Pipe is about the only cost we have, we have torches, and lots and random parts we can work with. A lot will all come down to me test driving the car with some dead weight and a camera test.

I know I could be doing something that may not work out at all, low cost, big ambition and a desire to see something better. I mean how much worse can I do compared to this guide to shooting car video as demonstrated by everyone that has participated in a run on this board so far.

1) buy camera and don't read the manual
2) get a ride
3) stick camera out window and whip-pan frequently
4) post to youtube
5) ?
6) profit!

I guess there is not much more to say until I get building.

 

I have a 1957 mga RESTORED but with an MGB engine if you are interested...

 

I signed up but haven't posted much, however I am about finished with a restoration on an MGB and one site which I found to be extremely helpful was the MGexperience. They have an entire section devoted to those who are working on engine swaps, and while V6's tend to be the most popular, there are any going on. I have seen one car get an SR20 DET motor with a 5 speed put into it, so anything is possible for the engine. There are also a few members on there that have built rally cars so the may be of assistance to you as well.

http://www.mgexperience.net/

 

Love the MGA, it is a poorman's Austin Healey lol