The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (July 1 - July 15, 2025)
Tuesday, July 1, 2025:
Still working with Part Numbers tech pages for the MGA clutch hydraulic circuit parts.
Wednesday, July 2, 2025:
Late afternoon, we have an appointment with some folks from Milwaukee and Great Lakes MG Motorcar Group. Run 40 minutes north to LeDuc's Frozen Custard in Wales, Wisconsin by 6-pm for an event they call "Sundaes on Wednesdays". No little cars around, and just a few guys there when we arrived, so grab some snacks while waiting, Half hour later an MGB came in, and we collectively had half a dozen people.
After about an hour, just as a couple guys were about to leave, an MG Midget rolled in with one more guy, and shortly thereafter everyone else left, so we hung out with the new guy to chat about his Midget.
Around sundown Navigator pointed us southwest for 70 miles, and we landed at a truck stop in Poynette, WI. Not sure why we were here, but Navigator swears it is in the direction of our next appointment.
Thursday, July 3, 2025:
Posting photos and notes from yesterday's social event. Also catching up the trip log which was six days in arrears. More email and phone calls shuffling the spread sheet for future events. That's always a challenge when there are multiple club events on the same dates in different states. Currently looking at a big void in the trip log between June 29 to July 1, have to finish filling that in later.
Friday-Sunday, July 4-6, 2025:
I finally got a break with some available time, so I finished most of the work to post up a dozen Part Numbers tech pages relared to all of the parts of the MGA clutch hydraulic circuit running from the master cylinder output port to the
slave cylinder input port. It all starts here www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/parts/3H/3H544.htm with links to a dozen Part Nnumbers pages. More to do, still needing to do pages gor the pipes and hoses for those circuits, and more for the Twin Cam models.
Monday, July 7, 2025:
Sitting in Belvidere, Illinois this morning. Got sucked in by a few tech questions about rebuilding the MGA windscreen. My response got a bit involved, resulting in posting up a new tech article on Windscreen Rebuild - More Advice From Experience. Then on another prompt, I posted another electrical tech page for Horn Not Working - Diagnostics . Moving a little farther south late evening.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025:
Found a couple new friends. The green Chevy from Connecticut was at a hotel in Sycamore, IL. The owner was chatting with the owner of another collector truck, telling him that he had seen our MGA before, had chatted with us, and knew our car was traveling all around North America and had been to Alaska, among other things. Small world, and a close knit community of collector car enthusiasts. Then at McD's we were confronted by the owner of the Citroen Du Chez Vous from Illinois, and killed another hour chatting. Put some old cars out in public view, and they will be attracting lots of attention.
We headed for Sandwich, Illinois in mid afternoon to visit oldest daughter. This time of year the car insurance on the MGA is renewed, and we needed to pick up the confirmation letter with the new insurance cards. Then we headed back north, driving an hour and a half to land back in Rosco, IL again. Feels like a Yo-Yo, but we have an appointment in Wisconsin tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025:
Club meeting this evening with Madison British Car Group at Breakwater Bar and Restaurant in Monona, WI. About 25 people present for the typical club meting, with a bunch of them hanging around o chat afterward.
Thursday, July 10, 2025:
Looking for a new convertible top, tan canvass, for durability, and knowing I was never going to order any garbage fabric from Moss Motors again. Other sources are mostly out of stock, like no one wants to carry inventory since the Covid break. I finally bit the bullet and ordered top of the line Signature model top from Prestige Auto Trim in the UK. Made to order, expecting about two weeks for delivery, having it shipped to brother's place in northern Indiana.
Friday, July 11, 2025:
Mostly hanging out on the MGA forum fielding tech questions from two different people with failing gearboxes, and lots of other tech problems.
Saturday, July 12, 2025:
Off for some fun today with Quad Cities British Car Club, Summer Party. For the uninformed, Quad Cities is straddling the Mississippi River at Rock Island and Moline in western Illinois plus Davenport and Bettendorf in eastern Iowa. QBAC covers this and the surrounding area within driving distance. This extends up river into southwest Wisconsin. The location is home of Dennis and Crystal Klemm in Orfordville,Wisconsin. We had been here before. A little search in my travel log makes it July 1, 2023, just two years ago for summer picnic with the British Boots and Bonnets car club from Rockford, Illinois area. Same place, same game, many of the same people. The Klemms are associated with several different car clubs. -- We arrived on schedule at 1-pm, but many people had a head start on us, already sitting down with food in hand. So we had the picnic first, before heading out for tire kicking.
At least 13 cars in the primary line,and I likely missed a few more. Figure about 25 visitors.
For sure the standouts here were the Big British Cars, in contrast to the MG Midget hiding behind them. The Alfa Romeo was nice (each to his own), as well as the E-Type, three MGA and the BGT on the end.
We walked into the main shop building first, the largest of four out buildings. First impression is. museum, a nice collection of mostly restored vintage British cars, and mostly MG. Right up front were two M-Type Midgets, a D-Type and a PA. Wow, a good start. In the back corner, an Austin Healey bugeye Sprite and a Rover sedan, just for contrast.
I don't immediately recognize the two-tone blue touring car,should have been carrying a clip board for notes. The dark blue car next in line is definitely a bull nose Morris. That is followed by an MG 1100 sport sedan and an MG Farina Magnette MK-III.
On down the line, The dark red car I might guess MG TD, but most likely wrong, probably something older. The brighter red car is a 1934 MG PA with a known notorious history. The black car with bonnet up, I dunno, but there is definitely an MG SA somewhere in this mix.
The next black car with wider radiator and very vintage looking wire wheels I also don't know. The red sedan is definitely an MG Z-Magnette well along with restoration, wood dash finished but most of the interior still missing.
Checking out the second building, the MGA looks finished, perhaps just in for some maintenance. The open touring car next to it, something large and prewar. Behind the MGA is the future projects corner. The large white ghost is a mystery, but there are two Austin America tickling a fond corner of my heart.
I couldn't guess the large sedan with the light blue cowling, but the bright yellow frame is definitely an English Wheel, in case someone wants to hand form some contoured body panels. The rubber bumper MGB must a driver car that was just finding for a parking space, as it looks out of place in this otherwise eclectic collection.Fun poking in the dark corners to see what treasure might be hiding here.
Finally into the fourth building, not a lot left to see, but may be more recent procurement or tail end of the priorities list for restoration work. The cylinder head was back in the first building, belonging to an MG K-Magnette. six cylinder engine. Pity I didn't get a picture of that car.
Okay, party over, we headed over to nearby Beloit., WI to find a WiFi spot and dinner.
Sunday, July 13, 2025:
Last night's WiFi spot in Beloit didn't work out, and it was raining late night, so today we are back at the Love's stop in Roscoe, Illinois for better known amenities (playing it safe). Much of the day spent processing photos and notes from yesterday's picnic and treasure car tour (see above).
Monday, July 14, 2025:
Good news. Looks like my new convertible top from Prestige Auto Trim in the UK has been shipped today (maybe late evening). Big Surprise. -- In the evening there was a ZOOM meeting with British Motors Trade Association, with about 25 members in attendance. Five years since last meeting of this group.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025:
Tracking info says the new rag top canopy is supposed to be in transit via Fed-X. I've been piecing together a new order for small parts, mostly to replenish inventory after the gearbox rebuild back in April. Clerical work is a time consuming pain.
|
