That awful colour MGB GT

[3VOM]

Is the hole in the points elongated and so slips off or up the post? Or cracked possibly?

[SiC]

I think it's quite a snug fit on the post. May have to remove the dizzy to take a closer look and see if anything is amiss.

The dizzy in the MGB is a bit of a bastard to get to and work on.

[mercrocker]

The dizzy in the MGB is a bit of a bastard to get to and work on.
[/quote]


Another good reason to fit electronic and forget about it for a while....

[SiC]

Which reminds me, I have an electronic unit from cros that he gave me. Forgot about that, ought to fit it. Also got a CSI ignition distributor (like a 123 ignition) that I need to send back and get one without the immobiliser function.

Also I'd actually thought you'd be in the must use points camp!

[PhilA]

Looks like the spacer washers are in the wrong order on the right, causing the spring to impart a side load on the points arm.

Big fiberboard washer first, then spring, then thin fiber washer then nut

Looks like you got them both on top

Phil

[SiC]

So I tried all manner of washer combinations on the terminal end and also tried moving the spring arm at extreme angles. However it still keeps riding up. Pretty certain the big washer should be at top. The hole is the exact right size to fit on the end of plastic insulator.



I think it could be one of two things. Either the arm isn't flat at the end.


There is a angle to the cam section too which maybe causing it to ride up.

My solution? I've put a set of cheap, one piece points on. These have a flattened end where the point moves on. Thus it can't ride up.

Like this but more plasticky and cheaply made. I think I paid under 2 quid at a show for mine. Moss are £3.50 and their cheapest ones.


However I'm not overly bothered about the quality as it's still running on a points assistance unit. Contact wear won't be a problem. I just need to keep an eye on wear and make sure it doesn't have too much slop.

Now tomorrow is the big moment for the car. It's going for its MOT!

In preparation I give it a quick wash and had a quick check over the car. I like to present cars for MOT that are clean and tidy, gives a good attitude to the tester - even though I know them pretty well now. Who likes to climb around and under filthy cars?

First off, even though it's not an MOT requirement, I decided to fix the flash-to-pass.

This requires removing the steering cowl.


Four screws and it's off! Compared to moderns, it's laughably easy.


Two screws to remove the stalk. Oh, that wire...


Yeah I'm not fixing that yet. It needs to come off, re-strip the wire and try to re-crimp. Or possibly solder but my soldering irons are in storage still, ready for moving.

So carried on with its checks. Everything seems good. Finally a quick test drive to clean the brakes and just give a good blast.

By this point it was dark, so I turned the lights on.


FFS! It broke and fell apart.


After some fiddling I got it all back together.


I didn't push the switch all the way back in, just in case it decides to break itself again. Thankfully and handily in this case, my local Moss branch in Bristol has moved literally around the corner from the garage that does all my work. So any problems, I can get them to buy whatever they need to fix it. Actually closer to them than all the motor-factors like Euro Car Parts and the like!

So I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll pass. Going in first thing but could be at any point tomorrow that it's actually tested.

[Hooli]

Does it need an MOT? I forget the age of it.

[SiC]

All genuine chrome bumper MGB don't need one legally. Next year it will be all MGBs.

I like to have one as it catches anything I may have missed and ensuring it always passes keeps an official record of a certain level of maintenance standard. Plus it's giving money to a local business.

Anyway it passed with no advisories!

[Hooli]

I was just curious.

I also wonder what the legal status is if a MOT exempt car fails an MOT, is then fixed but the owner chooses to not bother retesting it. I believe it'll be legal to use, but I can see hassle off a grumpy cop if the MOT history still shows on their system.

Hurrah for the pass btw.

[SiC]

I can't see why it wouldn't be legal if it's being fixed. Even if it's not fixed, I don't know if it still would be automatically illegal to drive. But would be something that be picked up on if there was an accident.

Of course if you did have a serious accident and it would be inspected with or without an MOT.