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No mention of MG B as a donor in here?
pauldm - 16/3/04 at 12:17 AM

After visiting http://www.mcsorley.net/locost/
there is at least six builders using this vehicle. Theres massive after market support for MGB's & the technology is based on a proven 60's design [no injection or Sierra ghia wiring] Also rotten MGBs are easy to find.
Any thoughts?

Julian B - 16/3/04 at 08:39 AM

Well i never did understand how any one could have the heart to use a lovely MGB as a donor. Surly the deserve restoration not slaughter!
But if you say Sierra, then most people would agree that turning a bag of poo like said Ford into a 7 is not only cool but the only humane thing to do.

Cheers

PS My mum used to have a MGB GT hence the soft spot.

mlgates - 16/3/04 at 02:26 PM

I'm also suprised that the MGB is not used more. I am working on a project right now that will use the remains of my reliable 65' MGB (may she rest in peace) as a base for a Lotus VI styled car. Simple mechanicals, ample spares, and a period look and feel (mech. speaking). Works for me.

stephen_gusterson - 16/3/04 at 07:42 PM

ron champion did a locost using an MGB once - he told me so in an email 4 years ago.


Also, Ken Walton on

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/locost


sadly ken died about a year ago, but there is still much of his wisdom on the site.

Just search for him or the term

kenwrace


to find his really brilliant posts.

Ken raced a lotta cars in his time

Garf - 18/3/04 at 10:46 PM

Yeah you can also bolt on the T2 or 3 turbo onto it

But the thought of a 60s designed engine with modern performance bolt ons whacked on it ... bye bye gearbox !

Laters
Garf !

type 907 - 20/3/04 at 12:18 AM

I'v a soft spot for the MGB,

especially the one that donated its dizzy,
so my 907 could live again.

Paul G

pinyachta - 20/3/04 at 03:49 PM

Some MGBs are a bit beyond economical restoration. I bought one with trees growing where the floors used to be. A new shell and all would easily run $20k, if I did a lot of the work myself. Good runners can be had for under $6k.

pauldm - 22/3/04 at 10:27 PM

How about buying this DUTTON PHAETON KIT CAR @ ebay.co.uk
throw away the chassis [sorry phaeton owners but it looks like a red bath tub on wheels] & put the normal locost panelling on instead? How would this effect the legality of the car in respect to SVA --this car holds this certification but how are the authorities to know that it has been changed?

stephen_gusterson - 22/3/04 at 10:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pauldm
How about buying this DUTTON PHAETON KIT CAR @ ebay.co.uk
throw away the chassis [sorry phaeton owners but it looks like a red bath tub on wheels] & put the normal locost panelling on instead? How would this effect the legality of the car in respect to SVA --this car holds this certification but how are the authorities to know that it has been changed?


this has been discussed a few times before.

what you are proposing is called ringing.

its illegal.

most insurance companies know what a dutton looks like, and a locost will be sussed in an accident and you wont be insured

atb

steve

pauldm - 23/3/04 at 12:00 AM

& if my idea was all made legal with a new sva test? [yes - I know that not the Locost way!] it would save a lot of work if you picked up the Dutton for a bargain.

stephen_gusterson - 23/3/04 at 10:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by pauldm
& if my idea was all made legal with a new sva test? [yes - I know that not the Locost way!] it would save a lot of work if you picked up the Dutton for a bargain.



i dont understand

the dutton has a ladder chassis. Its completely different from a locost. If you throw away the chassis, you lose the V5 and SVA (which a car didnt need at that age anyway).

So, if you are saying have another SVA done anyway, what are you gaining?

An old, not too compatable, shagged Dutton donor?

atb

steve

britishtrident - 24/3/04 at 02:23 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pauldm
After visiting http://www.mcsorley.net/locost/
there is at least six builders using this vehicle. Theres massive after market support for MGB's & the technology is based on a proven 60's design [no injection or Sierra ghia wiring] Also rotten MGBs are easy to find.
Any thoughts?



Reliable as the MGB was the engine was heavier than the 2 litre Pinto and less powerful than a 1600Gt xflo, the best place for it is in an MGB. Also MGB aren't cheap there is a steady demand for basket cases due to availabilty of new MGB heritage shells.

A better bet would be rotten low mileage Marina/Ital 1800/1700 combined with Triumph front suspension.

mranlet - 26/3/04 at 04:56 PM

I just don't get it...

Why would you build a Locost if you had an MGB? It's allready super light and fun as heck!

That's like using a TVR as a donor....

-MR

britishtrident - 26/3/04 at 06:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mranlet
I just don't get it...

Why would you build a Locost if you had an MGB? It's allready super light and fun as heck!

That's like using a TVR as a donor....

-MR




Are you being ironic ? or have you never jusr driven one ?----- the MGB aint light even in chrome bumper form, its direct ancestor the TD was quite light and had quick as wish steering, the TF was smidgem heavier, the MGA a god bit heavier by the time you get to rubber bumper B GT what had been a light repsonive sports car with light quick steering had lost the place.
The early B was fun in a heavy sort of a way but pPerformance wise the B was seriously embarrassed by the Marina TC with the same engine. Even the B V8 wasn't that quick.
If I still had a B I would put a Rover M16 in with an SD1 gearbox, even in non-turbo for the M16 has more power than the factory MGB Rover V8 and is a sporting engine unlike the old Buick unit which by real V8 standards isn't a ball of fire.

pauldm - 27/3/04 at 01:59 PM

I have an MGB GT at the moment but it needs some interior fittings etc. I'm also interested in building a 7 type". My intention was to canabalise a scrap MG to supply parts both projects. As for my Dutton question > according to http://www.madabout-kitcars.com the Phaeton uses a space frame chassis. I pondered over this running gear could be modified to something more "7 type". Thanks for the "ladder frame" info.

britishtrident - 27/3/04 at 02:19 PM

quote:

snip
the Phaeton uses a space frame chassis. I pondered over this running gear could be modified to something more "7 type". Thanks for the "ladder frame" info.


To call the Dutton chassis a space frame is bending things a bit, a 3 dimensional ladder frame is closer to the mark. Dutton would still be with us if the chassis didn't look like it was made of old shelving units, Westfield came along with a halfway decent chassis and Dutton was history.

Interesingly a lot of old Dutton chassis/bodies are comming on the market sans V5 or chassis number -- me thinks a lot of Dutton Locosts out there.

pauldm - 3/5/04 at 09:22 PM

Bah! Went looking at extra cheap MGBs - found a cracker @ £205 new sills,floor,brake pipes,bonnet,doors,rear axle, 2 dashbords with dials, new carpet set & 4 months MOT! I can't scrap this!

NS Dev - 3/5/04 at 09:29 PM

Hmmm, OK!

I like odd cars I suppose too! MGB handling a bit suspect though, and Dutton is a ladder frame, and it flexes like hell, having driven one quickly !!!(well...relatively, difficult to go quickly in something that wooly!!)