New Guy, New Car, Beginner Questions Options

[BritCarJim]

i've lurked here for a couple days and now it is time to get serious. the site handle is no exaggeration. i'm a commited MG guy. i have four of them. i bought the first one as a daily driver 8 years ago ('77 tourer) and have added three more of them as projects. the first project i bought four years ago. it was a total rust bucket and hadn't run in probably 15 years. i spent all of last winter on it and drove it all last summer ('72 GT). it is now apart again for the winter "to do" list. i have two more projects waiting. they are both really rare (on this side of the pond) four door MGs--a '58 ZB Magnette and a '64 Magnette Mark IV (Farina).



about a month ago a guy asked me to do some "9 to 5" work for him (white collar stuff...not important here) and while he didn't have much $, he did have a non-running '75 914 for trade. i thought about it for about 10 seconds and then agreed. now, the only mechanical training i have is self taught and hard knocks stuff, but on my britcars i've done brakes, suspension, electical, body work, welding, engine rebuilding, carpet, and pretty much everything else, so i'm up to the job. i just have to figure it out. the sign in my garage says "home for wayward sportscars" after all, and thus the 914 qualifies. the catch is that i have more whitworth wrenches than metric--i can do whatever needs to be done, i'll just need guidance.



so, sorry to be long-winded, but thought you should know. right now the car is in town at a shop that i trade work with...they do whatever on my boring modern cars when needed. the 914 needs a couple things to get it going so i can figure out what it needs more long term. the shop fab'ed a new bracket for the throttle cable so it could be reconnected to the Weber carb. the other issues are sticking calipers and a FUBARed pedal assembly. i had the shop pull all four calipers and the pedal assembly. i have all of those bits in my shop now and am going to rebuild them for the shop to put back onto the car. i've looked at the classic threads on caliper rebuilding and pedal box rebuilding and am getting started. hang on for a couple pics and then we'll start the actual work.



so, for starters...i've read the classic thread on pedal box rebuilding and while my assembly looks nasty, i've all surface rust. i'm having a time getting the clutch pedal pin out. it has a hole all the way through it. is that original? is it a rolled pin and thus hollow? which way is easier to get it out, up or down? (pic following...i've ground off the end of the pin...it was mushroomed.)

[srb7f]

Congratulations on your new acquisition, and you are already off on the right foot by finding this website. People here can answer anything you can think of with regards to the 914.

In response to your question, it is a hollow roll pin that just needs to be driven out using the correct size punch. Use WD-40, soak it for awhile, hold the assembly with a vise and drive the pin out with the correct sized punch.

You will need a new roll pin (comes with the pedal cluster rebuild kit) or at least did 10 years ago when I rebuilt mine with the bronze bushings.

Goodluck,

[Tom_T]

Well, now you've done it - crossed over that murky line into Middie Heaven! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)
BTW - nice B-GT! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Mike Bellis]

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[HeloMech]

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I told my mom I was looking for a 914. She assured me they had one that was left on their property as payment for back $$ owed. She said if I came out with a trailer, I could have it. So, I went out to get it. A 3.5 hour drive. I looked all over and couldn't find the car anywhere. When I asked her to point it out, she directed me to the yellow '74 MGB. Hm, well, I was there with a trailer so I took it home. I was lucky enough that nobody had released any of the Lucas wiring smoke. I did have an issue with it though. It would start up, idle and even rev to a certain extent. Get just a little too high and it would cut out, stumble and die. Long story just a little less long... the keyway on the front of the cam was oblonged. When it went too fast, it jumped the valves, etc. Anyway, got it all back together properly and sold it off. Then, got my first 914. I'm now on my third.. which was my father's car. Currently on jackstands and mid (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) and (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

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[Haudiosolutions]

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So you're the one with the 914 in town. I've seen it sitting at the shop. There are a few other 914s around town. I have a white 70 with flared fenders, Steve has another white one in Seymour and there is a yellow one running around town. Mine is currently down for minor updates and repairs for the winter. Steve and I are usually open to help.
Derrick

[rick 918-S]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png) I've had several Brit cars myself. Currently Have a 59 Bugeye nearing completion. Lots of help here. Ask away. BTW: ditch the single carb. They belong on Pintos not Porsches.

[ConeDodger]

You're going to need jackstands my friend...

Oh wait! You have British cars! You must already have them!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

[BritCarJim]

yeah, i have plenty of jack stands! for that matter, don't knock my britcars, just because you are right! (british cars are like puppies, they are cute and leave puddles everywhere.) they have character. whatever.

I've wondered about the carb thing. one of my MGs came with a Weber which i converted back to a set of SU HS4 carbs in the original designs. you recommend a pair of Solexes? I have the bronze pedal kit on order...thats what i'll be doing.

thanks for the welcome!

(Haudio...i'll be sending you an email or whatever on this site...)

[euro911]

Looks like your questions have been answered, so I'll just say (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

One of my brothers had some Morris Minors ... a coupe, a salon and a convertible.

I had a '69 MGB quite a few years ago. I wanted to stick an aluminum V6 in it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ... but alas, it never happened (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[BritCarJim]

on some level folks it is interesting how much overlap there is between the different sports car groups...we have more in common than we do otherwise. i've been a member of the "MG Experience" (at www.mgexperience.net) for years and it isn't that much different than here...as to character. thanks for making me feel at home.

[flash914]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) One of these days I'll post a picture 1970 1.7 914 on one set of stand while my 1970 MG B is on the other set. Welcome to the World (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welcome.png)

[rick 918-S]

yeah, i have plenty of jack stands! for that matter, don't knock my britcars, just because you are right! (british cars are like puppies, they are cute and leave puddles everywhere.) they have character. whatever.

I've wondered about the carb thing. one of my MGs came with a Weber which i converted back to a set of SU HS4 carbs in the original designs. you recommend a pair of Solexes? I have the bronze pedal kit on order...thats what i'll be doing.

thanks for the welcome!

(Haudio...i'll be sending you an email or whatever on this site...)

If the engine turns out to be sound post an ad in the classiifed for a comeplete F.I. That is your best option. Duel carbs are way better than the Pinto carb for the life of the engine but IMHO air cooled engines benifit from F.I. It aids in keeping balance under different loads and altitudes. Over heating an air cooled engine by leaning out the fuel is a bad thing.

[KELTY360]

Gotta love 914 guys ragging on Britcars. It's like a short guy ragging on another short guy cause he's a 1/4" shorter.

My first car was a '64 TR4 that provided endless fun...and endless repairs. BTDT. One of my all time favorite vanity plates was on an MGB. Very simple and direct....FIX

You're among friends here; lots of knowledge, generously shared and no foible goes unpunished. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) Good luck, and listen to these people about that carb.

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[Prospectfarms]

yeah, i have plenty of jack stands! for that matter, don't knock my britcars, just because you are right! (british cars are like puppies, they are cute and leave puddles everywhere.) they have character. whatever.

I've wondered about the carb thing. one of my MGs came with a Weber which i converted back to a set of SU HS4 carbs in the original designs. you recommend a pair of Solexes? I have the bronze pedal kit on order...thats what i'll be doing.

thanks for the welcome!

(Haudio...i'll be sending you an email or whatever on this site...)

The air cooled I/C motors demand some different approaches.

I used to work on old Ford tractors that share some qualities of the BMC cars, e.g., "low" compression, carbureted, cast iron, water cooled, four cylinder engines with "Lucas ignition and electric.

Later, after a decade of fooling with A/C engines I've strong developed a opinion/aversion regarding single carburetor conversions. They are almost never satisfactory, and always more difficult than duals.

Carburetors on A/C engines need short manifolds. Stock, single carbureted, VW's used exhaust heat to prevent icing and keep the A/F from condensing on the long intakes.

Tractors and MG's have one carburetor on a manifold positioned close to the engine block. I've always assumed boiling is not a problem because the radiator keeps the Temp. down. Maybe someone can straighten me out on that.

I used to install dual Kadron (solex) carburetors on my VW's. As many understand it, Kadron was an aftermarket company that once produced copies of the earlier Solex design. Solex was OEM on many German cars in 60's-70's, but neither brand, to my knowledge, remain in production. The Kadron style is still produced by others. These remain simple, inexpensive and reliable once you swap out some of the cheap bushings.

Good luck.