MG
Show at Stoneleigh
Stoneleigh
has such a concentration of MG specialists and traders ranging from the leading
MGV8 specialist service and spares providers like Brown & Gammons, Clive Wheatley
mgv8parts and Halls to traders specialising in specialist areas. This brief report
highlights just a few of the interesting items seen or discussed during the day.
Posted: 200211
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Overdrive Repair Services, Unit
1, 50 Rother Valley Way, Holbrook Industrial Estate , Halfway , Sheffield S20
3RW
0114 248 2632 and Email
www.overdrive-repairs.co.uk
| Laycock
Type LH overdrive
The specialist Overdrive Repair Services had a stand
at the MG Show at Stoneleigh on Sunday with replacement solenoids on display.
They are remanufacturers of all the Laycock overdrive units and their spare parts.
They are staffed by ex-Laycock employees and offer a professional service to all
classic car owners.
Often overdrive problems can be solved by simply
replacing the solenoid as I found in 2010 - my overdrive |
had
started cycling in and out of overdrive and before the overdrive unit was removed
for examination, the solenoid was changed. The result was the overdrive returned
to a normal working state with a smoother change up than before. A low effort
and low cost service option well worth checking first.
The overdrive
unit on the Factory MGBGTV8 model is a Type LH Laycock unit and replacement solenoids
are available from the leading MGB and MGBV8 specialists. At Stoneleigh Overdrive
Repair Services had stock on display - LH Solenoid Valve Complete Part No: 37H1934.
They also offer a full overdrive repair service. See section Fc 3 of the MGB Workshop
Manual AKD3259 for an exploded diagram of the overdrive unit, a description of
the unit, how it works and a fault diagnosis section. |
Converting
sealed beam headlights with new reflector/lens units and halogen bulbs
Many V8 members with an MGBGTV8 still fitted with the original sealed beam headlight
units find the lighting provided is not satisfactory, particularly when driving
in the dark on unlit rural roads and lanes. It's made worse in wet conditions
of course. So a popular upgrade has been to replace the sealed beam units with
a new lens/reflector unit which will take a halogen bulb. The transformation is
quite extraordinary and the sense of improved safety is reassuring. During discussions
with Brown & Gammons we agreed to run an "Upgrade your V8 headlights"
scheme this Spring using good quality reflector with a domed lens with the same
profile as the original sealed beam units thereby retaining the original look,
rather than fit a flat lens. Details of the scheme will be announced in March.
More
Change your V8 servo campaign
With the report the other day of another servo failure it's reminded many V8 enthusiasts
of the real need to have the servo checked and better still replaced. One you
have experienced the spine chilling effect of your foot hitting the floor with
the brake pedal and the reality of no brakes, it takes a while for that chill
to pass! Now we ran this campaign a couple of years ago with the support of five
MGV8 specialists around the country and talking with Brown & Gammons, Clive
Wheatley and Halls at Stoneleigh they all believed it was a scheme they would
willingly support again. So we are planning to launch it again staring later this
year so it will run into 2013 - the 40th anniversary of the launch of the MGBGTV8
model in August 1973. That's a reminder of how old some of the servos on members'
V8s can be! More
Interest in
good quality MGBGTV8s and RV8s
A couple of enthusiasts mentioned
they had been searching for a good quality Condition 1 Factory MGBGTV8 but have
found there are very few cars available at present and those they have visited
and inspected have been Condition 2 cars priced as Condition 1 cars. There are
already three "wanted" adverts on the MGV8s
for Sale webpage on the V8 website and very few cars on offer. In the next
few weeks, as the Spring approaches in the UK, the usual upturn in cars offered
for sale is likely. One feature with V8s owned for many years by an enthusiast
who has decided to sell up is their wish to see the car go to a good home where
it will continue to be looked after in a considerate way. Stories of long cherished
low mileage MGBGTV8s in excellent condition being bought up and driven hard as
a "daily drivers" horrify some potential sellers - that was mentioned
by a couple of longstanding V8 enthusiasts at Stoneleigh. With RV8s the supply/demand
balance is better with a moderate stock of cars advertised for sale. The key feature
is the high prices of a few very exceptionally low mileage RV8s advertised for
sale by "top end" traders. There the price premium for a very low mileage
is considerable so if a buyer intends to cover say 6,000 pa (around twice the
typical mileage for an RV8 based on our replacement tyre survey) then the depreciation
of the premium of say £5,000 becomes a concern for some potential buyers.
Clive Wheatley has a clutch of RV8s for sale, several in Oxford Blue, including
the uprated RV8 of Al Barnett formerly owned by David Boniface in Tokyo. Details
of those cars should be released soon. | | |
