Project 1974 MGB GT - The Mustard (Mit) Mobility Scooter - 6yrs ownership & the end is potentially nigh!

[Sigmund Fraud]

Out of those that have driven the two, I guess even a low spec Dolomite would handle significantly better than the MGB??

 

The Dolly does feel lighter to drive and less agricultural, but I don't think it would be much faster than a (chrome bumper) 'B in practice.

 

Steering is high-geared and vague, the live axle doesn't seem particularly happy over bumpy surfaces and the brakes are... well... they were acceptable in the '70s. They also seem to be set up to understeer, a feature that is exaggerated by the the lack of power and wider tyres on my car.

 

Performance actually better than I expected. Revs freely and if the Speedo is to believed, accelerates respectably.

 

You'd still lose a drag race to a 1.2-litre Hyundai i10, though...

[plasticvandan]

Pop some ear plugs in and give it a good thrashing,I got it up to 50 indeed!

Oil pressure is fine.drive it or sell it.this is at risk of becoming like vulgas princess thread,only difference being his isx longer because he doesn't usually have the cash to throw at things straight away.

[alf892]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! If this car was a modern and not a bit of a hobby, it would have been sold already.

I think you are measuring driving pleasure incorrectly. It has nothing to do with the competence of the vehicle to be a vehicle.

 

My old truck is cold and wet inside.......has a crash gearbox, primitive suspension that loosens fillings, brakes that require extreme forward planning (and faith in single circuit) and is quite intense to travel in.

 

When in the wrong mood I look it and think.......'nah, can't be arsed, I'll take the daily'.

 

However when I drive it down the road its fucking great.

 

Don't know why....just is. Never fails to make me smile.

[SiC]

Well I think it's more that parts are much easier and cheaper to come by than on a Princess. Literally pretty much everything I can get on this either same day or next - from engine parts to body panels and from fixings to interior trim. Both new and readily available second hand. Also there is a wealth of knowledge of pretty much every conceivable problem that can be found online for an MGB GT.

 

The Dolomite on the other hand is a very different beast. I was trying to find a check strap for a back door yesterday. Literally something that is not possible to find. Only luck is finding someone stripping one for parts. Same with body panels. You either fabricate, repair existing or find second hand.

 

So as a first classic, the MGB is great.

[Fabergé Greggs]

I’ve never had a car that ran perfectly, though I’ve always enjoyed improving and modernising as I go along to make them more useable.

 

I would never want something too valuable or too pristine because I just couldn’t enjoy it. That’s not to say that I don’t love them, cos I really really do. It’s just that on some level you’ve got to forget about all the little bits of metal that might explode and just thrash the living daylights out of them on a daily basis.

 

Drive it way more and faster, forgive yourself when you break it and scratch it, for that is what it’s all about. It’s like you’ve got a new pair of jeans and you’re parading about inside in front of the mirror, unsure if you like them yet. Get outside and wear the fuck out of them and by the time there’s a hole in the knee you’ll be inseparable!

[Tickman]

You've put 10 miles on it today, try and get another 30 miles on it by this time next week. 

Just do a bit at a time and you will get to know it and feel more comfortable and confident with it.

 

When I picked up the Toledo from Cros I only had a Morris Minor to compare it to. It felt like a real car in comparison. It is a generation ahead of the Minor.

I love driving them both but they are so different.

[SiC]

Probably something not to admit here and worthy of a ban however I was thinking bad thoughts when driving the Audi. That car handles well, reasonably good performance, pretty reliable, comfortable, safe, very practical and despite is stupid "sports" s-line suspension, actually more comfortable over the bumps than the MGB. Most of my driving nowadays seems to be predominantly long journeys and occasionally buzzing around town. I was wondering what on earth I was doing wasting all my money on the MGB. If I don't even enjoy driving it, what is the point?

 

For that I don't have an answer for. Maybe it's me getting older and preferring comfort or that Bristol is generally shit place for driving in. I used to love driving! The spark for that has been lost somewhat and somewhere.

 

Maybe I need to go buy a Ford KA and use that for a bit to recalibrate my sense. Actually probably still handle better, quicker and rust less. Even the OHV lump in them is likely to rattle and tap less.

[Noel Tidybeard]

However I can't say that I enjoy driving it. I'd much rather go out for a blast in my modern devil fueled Civic. Whether that's trust or something else I don't know.

 

just because spaceship is why

[Fabergé Greggs]

Ever considered a classic motorcycle or scooter? Way easier to fix that cars and way more fun for the occasional blast around town.. 

[Mally]

I've driven a few Dollys.

To my garage to weld the front sub frames.

Couldn't wait to take them back, just a car to me I'd rather be in an MGB.

[Mally]

Ever considered a classic motorcycle or scooter? Way easier to fix that cars and way more fun for the occasional blast around town.. 

 

You have to have it in you for a bike, there's a bit* more danger, and you get wet and cold.

[SiC]

 

Ever considered a classic motorcycle or scooter? Way easier to fix that cars and way more fun for the occasional blast around town..

I have actually! I enjoy blasting around the city on my road bike. So seriously considered doing my CBT too. But a best mate who is a doc and worked in several London hospitals emergency resuscitation unit for a few years, he completely put me off the idea... Admittedly he saw the worst cases.

 

I've driven a few Dollys.

To my garage to weld the front sub frames.

Couldn't wait to take them back, just a car to me I'd rather be in an MGB.

Interesting. Funny how these old cars are so polarising. Triumph enthusiasts would argue very differently.

[Mally]

 

 

Interesting. Funny how these old cars are so polarising. Triumph enthusiasts would argue very differently.

 

Especially if they are selling one

[phil_lihp]

A shame though it is after you've put a lot of work into it, but it does sound like you might find a happier ownership experience with something a bit different, or maybe even just a newer design - maybe an 80's hot hatch?  

 

That said, if your confidence is low for taking it out and giving it a proper run, what if someone came up for a visit and to provide moral support for a proper (like, 100+ miles) journey?  I'm sure there's one or two of us not too far away.

[captain_70s]

 

When I picked up the Toledo from Cros I only had a Morris Minor to compare it to. It felt like a real car in comparison. It is a generation ahead of the Minor.

I love driving them both but they are so different.

Having sat in and played with the controls in a Moggy Minor it really feels old in comparison to the Tolly/Dolly, a very different car. Bearing in mind the MG and basis of the Dolly are essentially the same age I'd imagine them to be much more similar! The Dolly looks and feels quite a bit more antiquated than another mid 70s car, nice today for a retro feel but upright and stodgy when new!

 

It might feel a bit lighter and nippier with the higher power output but both of my cars rolled like boats and tended towards under-steering in fast cornering, the 1850 could be provoked to go sideways if you wanted to shit yourself. Thin tyres and rwd lead to a wandering sensation where you steer the front and feel the arse end follow which takes a good bit of getting used to compared to anything fwd modern. Both the seats in my Triumphs are naff, the vinyl lacks any support and is either freezing or as hot as the sun, the cloth seats were too soft and you could feel the frame.

 

In summary, all old cars r shit. S'alright though 'cause they were all like that when new anyway.

[cort16]

A lot of older stuff is flippin rubbish to drive. I’ll count my cortina in this but owning one is more than just how it drives it’s how it makes you feel and and an experience that’s different from modern stuff , which all drives the same.

[busmansholiday]

A lot of older stuff is flippin rubbish to drive. I’ll count my cortina in this but owning one is more than just how it drives it’s how it makes you feel and and an experience that’s different from modern stuff , which all drives the same.

Absolutely.

 

I am of the age (60's) where a modern pile of crap is easy and comfortable to drive. But would I miss driving the MG roadster in the summer months, you bet I would. It's uncomfortable, at times unreliable, but just puts a smile on your face when you blast down the M1 towards Meadowhell in the outside lane past all the saddos in their big standard boxes of shite.

 

Just get out there and enjoy it, it might never be the daily drive you wanted, but fun and enjoyment is what it's for. Trust me.

[dozeydustman]

You won't know if you like driving it until you've done a good 500 miles or so in it. Poodling around the block doing 10-15 miles each time isn't the best way to get used to it. It's old, it will be temperamental, it will feel heavy and agricultural to drive compared to a later 70's or 80's design as it's on 1950's underpinnings.

 

Get the tank replaced and the carbs tuned, then stick a picnic hamper in the boot and go out for the day with the other half. It should be a sprightly car without blowing your hair off. You'll soon find out if it's the car for you.

[320touring]

Good effort on the 10 mile trip.

 

Sounds like it's at least running well enough to drive and get up to some speed,

 

Good perseverance!

[Eddie Honda]

Good effort on the 10 mile trip.

 

 

WHAT? "Good effort" would be appropriate if the 10 mile trip was done on a unicycle or something.

 

I understand the reservations about the Sherpa Sports, but 10 miles is a bit lame TBH. Although not half as lame as 4/5 miles.

[320touring]

WHAT? "Good effort" would be appropriate if the 10 mile trip was done on a unicycle or something.

 

I understand the reservations about the Sherpa Sports, but 10 miles is a bit lame TBH. Although not half as lame as 4/5 miles.

Further than my Clio managed this morning..

[tooSavvy]

"..Further than my Clio managed this morning.."

 

I'm taking the SavvCrew to Leeds for the week in ToMM©...

 

... am I doing this 'old car thing' wrong, to imagine no one expects two pages of anxt :/

 

*nails [more!] in tyres reportage notwithstanding...

 

TS

[SiC]

"..Further than my Clio managed this morning.."

 

I'm taking the SavvCrew to Leeds for the week in ToMM©...

 

... am I doing this 'old car thing' wrong, to imagine no one expects two pages of anxt :/

 

*nails [more!] in tyres reportage notwithstanding...

 

TS

Well two things. Firstly your car hasn't let you down so suddenly, three times. Secondly, it's Japanese and of an era of Japanese when they were the most solid.

 

If this hadn't let me down many times, I wouldn't having this conversation. I just have so little trust in it running when I need it to most.

[tooSavvy]

.... just joshinn ya

 

*IMP owner/no RAC cover* bitd

 

 

TS

[busmansholiday]

Well two things. Firstly your car hasn't let you down so suddenly, three times. Secondly, it's Japanese and of an era of Japanese when they were the most solid.

 

If this hadn't let me down many times, I wouldn't having this conversation. I just have so little trust in it running when I need it to most.

I can understand your concerns here. Tuesday, our first MGB that's liable to be on fleabay soon as the garage she's kept in is going, was so called because she broke down on Mrs BMH every Tuesday she tried to go to work in it. She has never fully forgiven it and yet we bought this in Paignton when visiting her sister and I drove it back north without any problems.

 

Patience is what you need and just building up the trips without any drama in them. Getting home without drama in an old car is a double edged sword, boring in one way but satisfying in another.

[danthecapriman]

How many times has my Mercury fucked me over in the few years I've had it!?

I don't know but it's been fairly frequent and at least twice it was pretty serious. I've mentioned before what that beast is like when it's playing up, especially when it decides to just stop running and your just a passenger in it with very little control as non of the brakes or steering work without power...

 

But,

 

I still love it! It takes a bit of time and perseverance with old stuff, especially after they've been sat for years, to iron out all the bugs and gremlins. Machines deteriorate when they don't get used and that makes them rough and unreliable.

It is disheartening to keep hitting your head against a wall with them at times, I'd considered selling the Merc last time but if you keep plugging away and using them more and more it does turn a corner eventually. You don't even need to do everything over night, a little at a time and it'll get there.

The most trouble free reliable car I've had? My 74 Capri! Yes it's taken a shit ton load of graft and cash now (but that was my choice to get it back to A1) but that cars only let me down once since 2001. It always starts, runs and drives without a hint of grumpy old car syndrome. Why? Because I've spent ages going over it and sorting its problems out then using it. Most of the time for no other reason than just driving somewhere for the hell of it!

What I'm saying is, just give it a chance...

 

Although I will say part of this old car thing is about finding what's good for you.

I've had loads and I'm confident in exactly what cars I like and what I don't. The Capri was always my 'hero' car and I'd always wanted one so dropping on this one after leaving school and loving it in the metal was just luck really. I could have driven it and thought 'actually this is pretty shit!'.

If after a while you still don't get on with the B then have a go in some other cars. Eventually you might find something you do gel with. Maybe it's a Dolly for you?

But I'd give the B more time and definitely much more use! If nothing else it's allowed you to tinker with an old car and learn a bit about them which you can then take with you to the next one.

[SiC]

It's over a month since my last update. Amazing how time flies. Still have done a depressing amount of miles since the last MOT. Currently standing at roughly 120 miles since the MOT. I've probably done about 100 of those - 35 miles on the journey home with it.

 

The good news is that I'm getting my mojo back for it and wanting to use it again. With the snow and bad weather though it's not been worth it. I did go out for a 20 mile jolly the other week with my Father in Law. I let him do majority of the driving but that's ok as it massively increased my confidence in it, seeing it run.

 

However it seems the weather is getting better again and yesterday was a really nice day. So I left work early today to give it a run. Naturally it was chucking it down when I actually got home. It's due to chuck it down all weekend too.

 

My view is that I cba to drive it in the rain. Having a drive in a classic should be an enjoyable experience. But if it's chucking it down, the windows mist up and the wipers have a big fight to keep the rain off. Not only that as people drive like dickheads in Bristol anyway, my stress levels will be too high. So cba when wet.

 

Instead I decided to have another look at this pressure relief valve. One of the things that spurred this on was rewatching John Twist video on it. He mentioned that on new springs and valves, there is no shims. The old ones were integrated in. So he suggests using two 1/4" spring washers bent flat.

[Video]

 

As it was raining outside, it made complete sense* to go out there and pull it off again. Anyway the short of it is this:

 

Old on the right, new on the left. Black mark on screwdriver is how deep the new valve is. So the new valve is substantially deeper. Thus not pushing the spring as hard and hence a lower max pressure that it can give.

 

Putting two flat washers in line made the depth match nearly perfectly.

 

After putting it all back together I gave it a run. This has boosted my pressure to just under 60psi. Also the pressure doesn't drop and rise when revving to 3k rpm like it did before the washer mod. I suspect with decent oil in, it will increase further. However more importantly, to my untrained ear, it sounds less tappy and smoother.

[busmansholiday]

Result, and if your happy you'll enjoy driving it more. Get some miles on it, soon !

[SiC]

I really need to get that fuel tank sorted now. I have no idea how much fuel is in it. Usually I could just fill it up and take it from there. However if I do that, it'll just piss fuel everywhere. Very tempted to do it myself. However it's been so long that it's coming up to its MOT and I could get the garage to do it then.

 

Oh and the driver seat foam definitely needs changing now. It wasn't great from when I had it and now my Father in law has been in it (he's not the smallest of people...), its completely knackered! Got the foam here, so I may get on with that tomorrow if it's chucking it down still.

[busmansholiday]

Sure it's just the foam?. The webbing below the foam stretches over time as well and may be part of the cause. The clips that hold the seat trim on will come off with a small screwdriver, except the ones by the tunnel which can be a twat to get back on unless you remove the seat.