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MGA body rollover jig

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MGA body rollover jig
#1
  This topic is about my 1959 MG MGA 1500
59 Small Block Silver Member David Heye
Algona, WA, USA   USA
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Hello everyone,

I am looking to build a body rollover jig for my 59 A. I know I've seen a few on the Forum but my search only shows mainly MGB's.
I am concerned about getting the balance point correct so it rolls easily.
Also what points should I bolt to? I have the door area braced well along with cross braces across the cockpit.
See picture.

Thanks



David

59 (56 actually) 1500 with a small block Chev engine
59 1500 (waiting for restoration)


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ghnl Avatar
ghnl Eric Russell
Mebane, NC, USA   USA
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1961 MG MGA "Calvin"
I just laid down some old blankets and had a friend help me lift it onto its side (no fenders/doors) and then turn it upside down.

We then positioned some saw horses so it'd be at a comfortable working height.



Eric Russell ~ Mebane, NC
1961 MGA #61, 1̶9̶8̶1̶ ̶A̶l̶f̶a̶ ̶R̶o̶m̶e̶o̶ ̶G̶T̶V̶6̶, 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider, 1991 Honda ST1100


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barneymg Barney Gaylord
Somewhere in North America, Throw a dart., USA   USA
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1958 MG MGA "MGA With An Attitude"
With fenders and doors removed, you can just set it on two saw horses with a sheet of plywood for a table. The central body shell weldment weighs about 200 pounds with several coats of paint on it. Last time I had mine apart for body sill replacement, I power sanded all outside paint to bare metal, and swept up 14 pounds of paint dust off the floor. I think if it was chemically stripped to bare metal it would weigh about 160 pounds. Two healthy guys can pick it off the chassis and set it on the table. And there you can just roll it up on the side where it will sit very stable on the squared up door posts.



Barney Gaylord - 1958 MGA with an attitude - https://MGAguru.com - barneymg@mgaguru.com - Ph: 630-946-3841
(Please email me direct, do not leave a PM on the public server).

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gmkjr56 George Kress
Verona, PA, USA   USA
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1956 MG MGA
1957 MG MGA "Coupe"
The one that I built for my self connects to the place in the rear where the body bolts to the frame in the trunk, two bolts on each side at the very rear.. In the front I bolted to the two spots where the body bolts to the frame in the front pan area. You have to remove the grill and there are two bolts on each side at the very front of the car. Then you have to make your frame high enough that the car can turn all the way around. Mine works well with a roadster but will not spin all the way over with a coupe.

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gmkjr56 George Kress
Verona, PA, USA   USA
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1956 MG MGA
1957 MG MGA "Coupe"
Send me your email address if you want a picture of it in action. gmkjr56@yahoo.com

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59 Small Block Silver Member David Heye
Algona, WA, USA   USA
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Thanks everyone for the replies,

I have the rocker panels all replaced and have removed the body from the Frame.
I've also stripped, repaired and powder coated the Frame.
I've completely rebuilt the Frame, rebuilt GM differential, MGB front suspension,
Bill Guzman's larger front disc brakes and new larger fuel tank.
I've also replaced all the fuel lines and brake lines.

Now that the Frame is done I'm working on the body. I need the rollover jig as the guy that's going to media blast it can't shoot upside down.
He's uses a mixture of crushed glass and water to make a slury. We had him blast the Unlimited Hydroplane we recently restored.
It was constructed with honeycomb aluminum panels (.040" aluminum skins), fiberglass and wood.
The stripping cleaned all the paint off the whole hull without any damage to any of the part.



Thanks again,



David

59 (56 actually) 1500 with a small block Chev engine
59 1500 (waiting for restoration)


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MG Cobbler Silver Member Fred Horner
Westford, MA, USA   USA
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A friend (and MGA club member) used two ending stands and some tubing and angle iron to make a rotisserie for an MGA roadster. I adapted it for my MGA coupe, but it was easily changed from one to the other and a friend used it for his Healey 100-4 as well. Attached are some pictures. so, you can get the gist of it. The long tubes are like large conduit and can be pieced together with adapters to attache to the goal post area mounting, rear cockpit mounts and rear trunk area mounts to support the body. The roadster is a bit easier as the bars pass through the spare tire hole and over the trunk lip, but it worked fine on the Coupe as well with mods.


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59 Small Block Silver Member David Heye
Algona, WA, USA   USA
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Thanks Fred,

That gives me a good idea of where the balance point is for rolling the body



David

59 (56 actually) 1500 with a small block Chev engine
59 1500 (waiting for restoration)

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pinkyponk Adrian Page
Berwick, NS, Canada   CAN
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Just put a brake on the rotisserie. At 200 pounds it would have to quite far off centre to be much of an issue.

Adrian



Home built Eaton M62 Supercharger with 8psi boost, 8:1 compression, custom "supercharger" cam from Schneider Cams, Mikuni HSR48 Carburetor, custom ground high ratio "stock" rocker arms, Maxspeeding rods with Teflon wrist pin buttons, custom aluminum cold air intake, CB Performance computerized ignition, Fidanza 9 pound flywheel, 1.44 exhaust valves in 48cc chamber head, matched manifolds, 2 1/4" exhaust system.


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