MGA Forum

Barney,
Thanks again for your help on my MGA with the differential pinion seal and the drive gear under the differential. Couldn’t have done these two things without your knowledge and specialty tools. Tomorrow I will grind my own square drive socket for the differential for the next oil change. The stud you used to pull out the distributor drive gear was invaluable also. Safe travels my friend. Hope to see you again someday. Your always welcome here.

Took some digging to find this thread. Wow, seven months since last touched. I guess that's because the world was shut down for a year. Since last posting we did get to visit out MG friends in York, Pennsylvania, and one (closed) shop on southern New Jersey, then down the east coast in early October. With things still locked down in that part of the country, we held up in a motel in Columbia, South Caroline for another two months. Broke out of there at went to Florida in mid December, and have been hanging out there for most of five months, mostly fiddling with cars with friends at Tech Central in Bonita Springs on Fridays.
Looking like the lock down is finally easing up, so we have high-tailed it out of Florida a few days ago. Stopped long enough to do some brake hydraulic repairs on MG Midget in Albany, Georgia. Now in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, heading for a club meeting in Davenport, Iowa on Sunday afternoon. Then expect to be buzzing around northern Illinois for a couple of weeks. Also intending to sign up and attend the MG2016 all-MG convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey in mid June. Word is so far sparse reservations, just a few hundred cars registered, but should be good to kick off some post-pandemic awakening.

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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).

We have been kicking around the Chicago, IL area for a couple weeks. We have a club road rally here Sunday 6/6, after which (haul ass) we expect to be in York, Pennsylvania by Tuesday 6/8-pm. The following week we will be in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the All MG 2021 convention. If nothing else jumps up to change plans, we are likely to be back in York, PA on 6/22. Then it should be freelance for a while. Anyone want to put a hand up along the way?

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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).

Been 6 months, and a lot has happened since June, so I should post another progress report. Did get to MG2021 in Atlantic City, New Jersey in mid June. On the way back to Pennsylvania we smashed the nose of the MGA, had to get another new grille, straighten and repaint the nose and one wing, repair a headlight.

While waiting for parts the engine broke a piston, and when replacing pistons we also replaced the camshaft and tappets, because it had been over 200,000 miles since last replacement in 2014. Experience tells me it is common for 3 of the front 4 cam lobes to wear down whole the rear 4 are still good, which implies a slow oil feed to the front of the rocket shaft on cold start, or maybe insufficient oil to the rocker shaft once rocker bushing get a little worn. I should consider increasing the size of the oil metering groove in the rear cam journal to allow a little more oil up top.

Did all of the engine work without removing the short block from the car. Main bearings and cam bearings now have 320,000 miles (in 21 years). Rod bearings were replaced 47,000 miles back due to oil cooler hose failure losing all the oil. otherwise they would have same mileage as the main bearings. Keep your oil clean, and bearing should last indefinitely (with no metal to metal contact).

Got to the Brit Car Fest in Chicago.IL in early September, then to MGs On The rocks in MD in late September, then back to York, PA to play with friends car some more. Heading south by mid October with stops in South Carolina and Georgia before arriving Florida mid November Hit northeast FL (Jacksonville), then northwest to the panhandle (Pensacola) before the FL southwest coast in mid December.

In the past few weeks I was doing some repair work (mostly electrical) on s rusty MG Midget at Tech Central in Bonita Springs (they just want to get the thing out of here). Got new fenders for the Magic Trailer last Wednesday, cleaned and painted. Repair work on the fiberglass trailer box Saturday, and going to install the new fenders today (and buy new trailer tires again). Still have a laundry list of minor repairs to do on the MGA.

Will be hanging around Florida at least a few more weeks before heading west around the Gulf coast where we expect to spend some time in New Orleans, LA area. Have an appointment to attend the NAMGAR GT in Colorado Springs, CO in June. Then heading for the west coast (followed by northeast) as we haven't been out there for 3 or 4 years. You know by now that we get to everyone's neighborhood from time to time, so put up a hand, and we may stop by for a visit (and maybe a little helpful car tinkering).

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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).

Washington DC is near the west coast, just a few miles away If you're in the area, consider a steak and a frothy beverage of choice as a guarantee from me ))

Yeah, it's just right over there. In Florida we go west coast to east coast in a couple hours. Farther north it's almost a one oil change trip, not bad. Just came down the east coast recently, so it may be next fall before we get there again. Click email below and send street address and phone number, and will put you on our Friends list for a visit next pass. -- Barney

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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).

Two months, huh? Definitely time for an update. We blew out of Florida a couple days ago, through Alabama and Tennessee, and into mid Kentucky tonight. We expect to spend at least one more day in southern Illinois before heading into the Chicago area by Friday. We will be in that area at least 10 days through the 27th, after which we will likely head south again.

Very likely near direct line to the New Orleans area on the Gulf coast by first week of April, and maybe for a few weeks in that area. Then through Texas, and more points west. We have one definite appointment to be in Colorado Springs, Colorado second week in June for the NAMGAR national get together GT-47. After that, most likely to the west coast, running roughly south to north, as we haven't been there for 3 or 4 years.

Follow our follies at http://mgaguru.com/tales/index.htm

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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).

No news since 2022?
Hope nothing drastic has happened.

Ah, the news is all in out travel log
http://mgaguru.com/tales/mobile.htm
Daily photos and notes since beginning in 2014, and still going.

Current activities:
http://mgaguru.com/tales/mobile238.htm

Short recent summary. Winter in Florida. Swap meet in northern Illinois in mid March. Sprint back to Tennessee for better weather while navigator gets some more driver training seat time. Up to southern Illinois for the driving test, passed in a flash on the first try (in the MGA of course). Back to eastern Tennessee for a club meeting a week ago, followed by a car show on Saturday, followed by a new workshop visit. Ran up to southern Illinois for a good view of the eclipse on the 8th. Then a few days of misery with a failing computer and a failing car. Bought a new computer yesterday, which will likely keep me busy for a few weeks getting it configured and full loaded and functional. First non-raining day, so I got the car fixed today, that issue out of the way. That's just the last 30 days.

Navigator Elliot is now officially co-driver Elliot. Need a few hours to get back to Sandwich, IL to pick up his hard card Illinois Drivers License. Expect to attend Wednesday Night Garage Club car tinkering session in Lagrange Highlands, IL come Wednesday. Soon heading for west coast to spend a month in California before attending NAMGAR GT-48 in Welches Oregon in mid June (see y'all there).

Oh, the real summary: 275,000 miles in the past 10 years, all on one continuous road trip, and nearly doubled the size of the web site in the process.

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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).

Barney
Congrats on Elliott getting his hard card and sharing the driving. Still amazes how you keep going on your endless road trip.
It took me 20 years to break the 250k mark on my MGC so its hard to fathom more miles in half the time.
Ron

Those are some remarkable numbers Barney. By chance, have you kept a log of failing/failed things per mile? Such as head job at xxx miles, replaced the head at yyy miles, replaced brake components at zzz miles, etc?

I've turned into the data geek at work and that kind of stuff is near/dear to my heart

Wow! That is one big decision! I wish you the best and will follow you and sometimes heed your advice.

Ned

Currently in southern Illinois.
Headed in the direction of San Diego, CA. Intending to spend at least a month in California.

Just registered for GT-49 in Welches, OR in June.

Tried to register at the event hotel, but no
No more room at the inn, so no idea where we might be staying when we get there.

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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).