1973 MG B GT V8

Having a tidy.

Tamas and Lydia have been tidying up the 1973 MG B GT V8 in various ways. It’s not in for a full restoration so a

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Clearance – Adjusting the Ball Joint Spacing on the 1973 MGB GT V8

The workshop at Bridge Classic Cars noted a small noise coming from the suspension of the 1973 MGB GT V8 during its pre-delivery inspection and found a small clearance issue.

The wheel weights fitted to the new minilite wheels were interfering with a ball joint and had damaged the rubber gaiter. So, the weights were moved to the inner edge of the wheel and the ball joint was replaced.

This has given the arm and the balljoint enough clearance to spin freely without any interference.

Behind the Scenes – Live Draw of the 1952 MG TD & 1973 MGB GT V8

Last night, March 10th 2022 saw the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions find out not only who the lucky new owners for the 1952 MG TD and 1973 MGB GT V8 were but we also launched a very special competition that is close to our hearts and has such an amazing story which will go on to help and support people most in need right now.

On the live stream to our Facebook page, we welcomed those who tune in every week and some new names. The first order of business was to unveil the latest competition.

A 1989 TVR S2 2.9 has been amazingly donated by its owner Jar Joyce. Jar had been so moved by the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine that he felt compelled to do the most he could. Jar had won the TVR from us in October, and a few days ago got in touch with us to help him use the car to raise funds and awareness for the situation the Ukrainian people have been forced into. In Jar’s own words ”I have had a very lucky life and now I would like to share my luck with those who need it most.”, so we will be drawing this 1989 TVR S2 at the end of April with 100% of the proceeds going straight to the Disasters Emergency Committee who are working with the Ukrainian people to support and help in so many worthwhile and incredible ways.

If you want to enter this amazing competition to win the TVR or just to help support this noble effort, click the link below (or share this with everyone you know) and remember 100% of the proceeds will be sent at the end of every week directly to the DEC to make a direct impact to those displaced and victims of the invasion.

Click here to enter the Ukrainian Humanitarian Appeal 1989 TVR S2 2.9

After Craig had gone through the details of this wonderful, heartfelt appeal on behalf of Jar and all of us here at Bridge Classic Cars, it was time to run the live draw of these two classic sports cars.

First up, was the beautiful Acconite purple 1973 MGB GT V8. Hayley, using the random number generator, input the numbers. The odds for this car were fantastic as by the time the competition closed, a few hundred of the 4666 tickets were remaining. So, with one click of a button, the next owner of the BGT V8 was decided. 1602. That number had been the single ticket bought and allocated to Richard Holland. The lucky new owner of this stunning V8 sports car.

Next was the 1952 MG TD. A very special car with again, fantastic odds for all those who entered. Just under 300 tickets remained from the 1999 tickets allowed for this competition. Hayley reset the random number generator for between 1 and 1999 and with a single click, the fate of the TD was decided. 1476 appeared on the screen. This particular ticket was again a single ticket bought by a long time player with Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, Alan Cockerill.

Behind The Scenes – Shooting the 1973 MGB GT V8

The freshly rebuilt V8 burbled in the winter air outside of The Hangar. The Bridge Classic Cars team had been waiting a long time to shoot this particular car, the 1973 MGB GT V8.

With all of the work complete on the car, including the engine rebuild, a new clutch, new wheels and tyres, it was time for the car to go through its photo and video shoot. As the Bridge Classic Cars team set off across the airfield, the GT V8 looked incredible in the bright, low sun.

This particular car has some upgrades which really go to help the useability of the car. The car had previously been fitted with a 5-speed gearbox so the Bridge Classic Cars replaced the ageing clutch to help its next owner use the car more easily. That and the completely rebuilt all-aluminium V8 which ran faultlessly lap after lap during the filming thanks to the newly fitted electric fans.

As Hayley drove the car that morning, we could all tell this was going to be something very special for its next owner.

New Fan Switch – Fitting the New Fan Switch in the 1973 MGB GT V8

The 1973 MGB GT V8 is back in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop to get a new fan switch fitted.

The technicians noted that the original fan switch wasn’t controlling the electric fans correctly so a new switch was put on order and recently arrived.

After the new switch arrived, it was installed into the car and the coolant topped back up before the car was run up and tested.

Complete Circuit – Fitting the new Brake Servo to the 1973 MGB GT V8

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house restoration team have been getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 in our workshop ready to be driven. And one of the jobs that needed doing was to replace the brake servo.

Dave, our senior technician, has been working on the car. He carefully removed the old unit out of the nose of the bright purple 1970s sports car and made sure all the hoses and fittings were in good working order before replacing it with a brand new unit we had sourced for the car.

With this part in the car and tested, the MGB GT V8 can now begin its road tests and be driven safely.

New Set – New Carpet Mats in the 1973 MGB GT V8

The Bridge Classic Cars in-house trim shop have worked their magic on the front carpets on the 1973 MGB GT V8.

The carpets in the car were beginning to show some wear and tear, so our in-house trim team got to work on remaking them. Brian, our lead trimmer, used the originals from the car as templates and also recreate a heel mat for the inside of the driver’s footwell.

Along with that, Brian replaced the sound-deadening in the footwell whilst the carpets were removed.

Catch a Leak – Fixing Leaky Carburettors on the 1973 MGB GT V8

Paul, one of our in-house restoration technicians at Bridge Classic Cars, has been getting to the bottom of a fuel leak on the 1973 MGB GT V8 we currently have in our Suffolk workshop.

After investigating, Paul found the seal around the needle within the carburettor was weeping and allowing fuel to leak out. After carefully taking apart the carbs (making sure not to damage or warp any of the gaskets) Paul replaced the seal and rebuilt the units to go back on top of the V8. After they were back on, Paul checked for any leaks and everything was nice, clean and dry.

Handling the Pressure – Oil Pressure Gauge and Wiring Issue with the 1973 MGB GT V8

Progress is continuing on the 1973 MGB GT V8 that is currently in the Bridge Classic Cars workshop. Our technicians have been going through to check all the systems required for its testing and found a couple of issues.

Paul has been looking into an issue with the oil pressure gauge and some peculiar issues with the wiring. Look into the gauge to begin with, Paul has cleaned out and rewired the pressure sender which he believes has sorted the problem but it will be reevaluated during the cars tests.

The wiring was some issues down to the routing of certain wires through the engine bay which was causing the car to blow fuses during the cars fire up. Paul went through each of the wires in the engine bay and behind the dash in order to trace back any problems to get them fixed. After this and a couple of repairs to the wiring, Paul is moving forward with his checks on this amazing 1973 MGB GT V8.

Moving Forward – Update on the 1973 MGB GT V8

The team here at Bridge Classic Cars have been busy working on getting the 1973 MGB GT V8 that is currently in our workshop all finished up. Some of the final jobs to be completed involved renewing some of the trims.

The original chrome bumpers had seen better days, and with good quality replacement readily available the restoration teams made the decision to replace them with all new pieces. As with most classic cars, the original brackets for the new bumpers caused a slight issue. They weren’t allowing the bonnet to close completely and securely. So, our technician Paul fabricated a new set of brackets which allowed the bumpers to sit in their original position along with having the space for the bonnet to shut entirely.

Also, Paul removed the tarnished and pitted original MG BGT badge from the back of this iconic sports car so it could be replaced with a new, shiny reproduction piece we had ordered.

Ready, Set, Go – Preparing to Reinstall the V8 into the 1973 MGB GT V8

Jonn, one of our in-house restoration technicians here at Bridge Classic Cars, has been busy preparing both the car and the engine for the pair to be reacquainted.

Previously, after testing the 1973 MG B GT V8 our technicians found metal shavings in the oil after it was drained as part of our testing procedures. Since then, Jonn has replaced the bearings which had been found to be deeply grooved as well as fixing a problem with the oil pickup which had caused the issue in the first place.

Since that, the engine has been prepared to go back into the front of this beautiful purple sports car.

Keep an eye out here on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for more updates very soon on the 1973 MG B GT V8.

Back Out – Removing the Engine on the 1973 MGB GT V8

A few weeks ago, after firing the newly rebuilt V8 in the front of our 1973 MGB GT V8 for the first time, our in-house restoration technicians discovered some flecks of metal in the oil.

With this, our technicians have decided to take the engine back out of the front of this iconic purple sportscar and begin to diagnose what has happened. With a project such as this, it’s always done that after the engines first run in that everything is checked, doubled checked and then triple checked to ensure the health of the engine.

Thankfully, our in-house restoration experts are on hand to oversee the investigation and expect to see more here on the Bridge Classic Cars blog.

Issues Found – Looking into an Oil Pressure Issue on the 1973 MGB GT V8

Bridge Classic Cars have been working on this 1973 MGB GT V8 that has been in our workshop for a while, and during its testing phase, an issue has been found.

After fitting up, plumbing, wiring and preparing the newly rebuilt V8, the MGB like all of our projects, began its testing phase. After being run up to a temperature several times, our technician John discovered an issue. As part of all engine tests, our technicians remove the oil filter to inspect the condition of the oil and therefore the internals of the engine itself.

Upon inspection, John discovered metal swarf around the inlet of the oil filter. From there, it was time to begin tearing down the engine to get more of a look at what the issue might be. Looking into the oil galleries throughout the block, John found more metal debris. Then, taking his time to carefully remove some of the main caps John discovered them to be quite considerably scored and grooved. Indicative of an oil issue to the crankshaft.

The next step is to take the engine out of the car and begin to take each component apart, inspect and report on each piece.

Coming Together – Refit on the 1973 MGB GT V8

Bridge Classic Cars team of in-house restoration experts have been working on getting this 1973 MGB GT V8 we have in all buttoned up and ready to hit the road!

John and the workshop team have gone through hours of wiring checks and small fixes that were needed to ensure the wiring system throughout the whole car was in good working order and each component worked exactly as it should. Along with that, the interior of the car can now begin to go back in. Step by step, it’s beginning to look like an MGB GT again.

Underneath, there’s a brand new exhaust system to help that V8 breathe. Tucked up nearly underneath its brightly coloured body, there will be no doubt thanks to the new exhaust that this is indeed a V8 car. Also, the new brakes and clutch hydraulic systems have been put in, bled and tested passing with flying colours.

All of this means we should be able to test this stunning little sportscar on the road very soon. Keep an eye out on the Bridge Classic Cars news page for updates on the 1973 MGB GT V8.

The Smallest of Details – A New Fitting on a 1973 MG B GT V8 Oil Filter Housing

Previously on the 1973 MG B GT V8, we were installing the electric fans to help keep that freshly rebuilt V8 cool. Another integral part of the engine is its oiling system.

Our master engine-builder Ady fitted a remote oil filter housing to the MG’s engine bay. To help with the oil feed of the refreshed V8 in the MG B, he needs to add a specialised small fitting to connect up to the hardlines.

With the fitting now in place and hardlines bent up to meet the new fitting, it could be installed into the engine bay safely tucked out the way.

Next up for the MG B GT V8 will be its first fire. Keep an eye out on the News Page for more updates.

Kept in Check – Electric Fans on the 1973 MG B GT V8

From our last post, we had begun to work on adjusting the radiator fitment for this 1973 MG B GT V8. Thanks to the spacer made up by our in-house technician Ady, the radiator now sits back enough in the engine bay to fit the two new electric fans.

The electric fans, although a modern addition, will help those glorious 8 cylinder classic sportscar conquer anything its owner may throw at it. The cooling system on this B GT V8 has been entirely gone through by the team at Bridge Classic Cars after the engine rebuild to ensure all the work we have carried out works harmoniously with each other.

Cool Down – Adjusting the radiator of a 1973 MG B GT V8

One of the most important parts of any vehicle restoration, especially classic vehicles, is the cooling system. Often overlooked and undervalued when it comes to work carried out by many. At Bridge Classic Cars, we take a different approach. Every component and aspect of the vehicle is just as crucial as the next. It’s cooling system, is no exception.

This rather fetching Purple 1973 MG B GT V8 has had a completely rebuilt V8 carefully placed into its classic nose but along with that is a brand new radiator to keep the temperatures in check when the customer is out using and enjoying their beloved sports car. With that, a modern solution to its cooling had to be undertaken. The addition of some electric blow through fans.

Now with this type of MG B GT, it’s not as simple as popping them in place on the radiator. Our in-house technician Ady measured the engine bay carefully to determine that around an inch was need to be found. For this, he fabricated a custom set of spacers to allow the radiator to be placed behind the core support and back an inch allowing for the electric fans while also not impacting the routing of any coolant hoses from their factory location. With this type of move, considerations need to be taken to not impact other aspects of this timeless classics use. That’s what we at Bridge Classic Cars pride ourselves on, the ability to work alongside a customer to best facilitate their restoration needs while also making sure that your classic car is working in the best way it can.

Heart and Soul – 1973 MG B GT V8

The engine. The beating soul of any classic sports car is just as important as its classic, iconic lines. Performance was the cornerstone of sports car design and dynamics in the 1960s and 1970’s and the legendary 1973 MG B GT V8 is a fine example of this.

When it came to the engine build, our talented and all-knowing in-house engine builder Ady here at Bridge Classic Cars, all that was delivered to his bench was several boxes comprising of an all-aluminium Rover V8 when he had got it all back together to the highest of standards for this very special customers car.

With such care and attention to detail taken with building up the long block to the finest of details. Its installation must be dealt with under the same supervision and care.

The engine was tentatively lowered down between its fabulous purple towers, being careful as to not mark or mar the body or engine in any way. Millimetre by millimetre until it sat perfectly in position to achieve the handling and excitement its B GT V8 is renowned for.

Next up for this particular car is to handle a way of keeping the whole package cool and calm in the face of many fun-filled miles ahead.

A Jewel in the Crown – 1973 MG B GT V8

When you first open the bonnet of any sportscar, the first thing your eye is drawn to is the engine. It sits centre stage and prominent, it is unmissable.

After the hard work by our talented in-house engine builder Ady here at Bridge Classic Cars, it was important to add the finishing touch. A beautiful set of refinished rocker covers to catch the eye of anyone lucky enough to stare into its soon to V8 filled engine bay. The care and attention given to each individual component are clearly seen here in the time and approach to something like a cover, it has to be as close to perfect for our customers.

With the rocker covers now finished and carefully installed onto the rebuilt and restored all-aluminium V8, it’s soon time to drop it into the car.

V8 engine rebuild now complete

Ady has now finished rebuilding the engine on the 1973 MG B GT V8 and so it’s now ready to be fitted into the car. As well as painting the engine beforehand, Chris also painted the rocker covers for Ady. You can read about the painting of the engine that Chris did in the paintshop here.

Having a tidy.

Tamas and Lydia have been tidying up the 1973 MG B GT V8 in various ways. It’s not in for a full restoration so a sympathetic touch was required. There was fraying carpet in places and where it had come unstuck and screws had come out that were holding panels in place. Another thing was there were various painted pieces from the engine bay that had become corroded underneath the paint, so these were either sandblasted or ground down to remove the paint and corrosion, before re-painting.

Fitting a new clutch to our MGB V8

A new clutch has now been fitted to our newly built V8 for the MGB. Tom is just finishing off and tidying the engine bay before he hands the car over to Ady for the refit.

Engine rebuild for the MG B V8.

Ady has been working on the total engine rebuild for the 1973 MG B GT V8. He’s rebored the engine to suit the pistons, refaced the engine block, refaced both the cylinder heads and cut all the valve seat and the lap in the valves. There are all new valve springs fitted, the crankshaft has been re-ground, there’s a new camshaft with new cam followers, he’s up-rated the camshaft and crankshaft, there are pulleys with a new timing chain and a new front cover is on, including an oil pump. The engine has been built re-built with new bearings, gaskets, seals and a water pump.

Rebuilding the MGB V8 oil pump

The oil pump gear would not turn so with the use of a marker pen, Ady was able to show where the pump was rubbing and then he could relieve the high spot to allow it to turn.

One that was done, Ady had to sort out the end float as there are two thickness’ of gaskets.

Here we have the oil pump drive coming through the housing to the distributor to make sure it all works before thbe rebuild.

MGB V8 Blast From The Past

Various parts and components from our MGB V8 have gone off to the aqua-blasters to be cleaned up ready for preparation and paint.

MG B V8 Arrival

We’ve been working on the engine for this MG B V8 and now the rest of the car has finally come in for us to fit the engine.

MGB GT V8 Engine Strip

Ady has stripped the engine of our 1973 MGB GT V8 so he can diagnose the issue with it.

Rebuilding the V8 engine

Having been in storage for many years with our friends at Brown and Gammons it’s time for the car to out and see the sunshine.

We have been commissioned to rebuild the engine and marry up the gearbox.

Work will commence very soon.