MG MAGNETTE ZB
RUN BY Alastair Clements OWNED SINCE January 2010 PREVIOUS REPORT February
In the past month, the MG has progressed significantly further than it did in the previous four years. And it’s been a thrill to follow that progress via training director Steve Beaumont’s emails and regular updates on the Heritage Skills Academy’s social media channels.
During its time in the Academy’s Bicester Heritage workshops, the Magnette is going to be worked on by several groups of apprentices as they study different ‘blocks’ of automotive engineering. The first team to tackle the car, comprising Neil Brown, Billy Strutt and Finley Fletcher, worked on the transmission block – ideal, because an issue with gear selection (I couldn’t get any) was what took the car off the road in the first place.
Stripping the clutch swiftly unearthed the source of the issue: the slave cylinder seal had been fitted the wrong way around, so as it had worn, it was no longer able to accept pressure through the hydraulic system. Fortunately, I had a replacement in the stash of spares I left in the boot, so that has been fitted and the system bled. Less fortuitously, however, during its time off the road the clutch had rusted solid to the flywheel. Once parted, it and the thrust bearing were deemed unserviceable so I was in for a new clutch. The car shares much of its mechanical componentry with an MGA, so these kinds of bits aren’t too tricky to find and Borg & Beck supplied one off-theshelf. Fitting is next on the job list.
The gearbox was drained before removal so that the oil could be checked for potential internal damage, and while it was out the team removed the top cover to visually inspect the synchros and gear-selection mechanism. All looked good, and they even discovered there was a service bulletin from MG in 1959 regarding the gear select interlock device causing problems, so this was removed, checked and found to be fine.
Interestingly, one visiting Magnette owner asked Beaumont how the apprentices managed to get the ’box out without removing the engine: “I explained that they had done it by removing the radiator, slackening off the front engine mounts and using a hoist with the engine and ’box tipped down at the rear. The students did discuss it with me, and the only real guidance I gave was to protect the mounts from twisting and to mind their heads when pulling off the ’box!”
The engine was left with oil down the bores over Christmas ahead of the attempts to get the car running, which will be tackled by the next block of apprentices once it has been thoroughly checked over. A full brake inspection and overhaul using my spare cylinders and shoes is also planned. Although it always stopped fairly well, they were partially seized on when the MG was delivered to Bicester, and this will hopefully cure its tendency to pull to the left under braking.
I caught up with Steve over a cuppa at the Sunday Scramble in January, among the throngs of visitors; with a bit of luck, the Magnette may make it to the next Scramble under its own steam.
THANKS TO
Δ Heritage Skills Academy: www.heritageskillsacademy.co.uk Δ Borg & Beck: www.borgandbeck.com