Charlotte got very special head gear today: an original NOS (new old stock) AMCO roof-mount luggage rack. Trunk-mounted luggage racks (reproductions) for the more common MGB convertibles are available in several styles, but not for the MGB/GT. These racks were available back in the day, AMCO making the most popular version as shown here, but today they are as scarce as hen's teeth! 

Just a quick post here to show the final result of the driver's seat replacement, swapping out my old Corbeau GTA Lowback for a new Corbeau Classic. See my comment in the previous post, detailing the installation and noting some issues.… 

I did buy the new Corbeau classic seat, and it went in pretty quickly, but not without some drama. 

I guessed that the custom frame for the older GTA lowback would fit the new seat, and I was right, it bolted right on. Getting the frame out of Charlotte's cockpit was a chore, and once out, the bolts, which had been fastened with nuts, lock washers and large fender washers, were welded onto the frame, so only the fixing nuts would need to be turned from under the car (the frame bolts directly to the floor). 

All went well, and the new seat was installed. BUT, driving it home from the shop, I realized that, even though the dimensions were almost identical to the GTA, the new seat positioned me too close to the wheel and pedals, and worse, way too high in the car. It was driveable, but hardly comfortable. 

So Charlotte went back in the next day, and all the work done had to be undone. While driving to the shop, I realized that bolting it to the floor without any frame was probably the only solution, and Steve Mackay of Mackay's Garage agreed. Out came the seat, off came the frame; a cardboard template was made to indicate the position of the four holes in the seat bottom; out came the drill and four matching holes were cut in the floorpan. Back in went the seat, the machine screws were tightened up, and that was that. Now it fits like a charm, and looks great. 

After the 1968 model year, MGBs began to get cheap. 1968 was the last year of standard traditional leather seats (roll and tuck upholstery with contrasting piping) and 1969 was the last year of leather seats, period. Form then on it was all downhill (mostly) in terms of a traditional classic British sports car interior look. 

Luckily, interior bits and pieces can be replaced and upgraded. One good place to begin is the seats— or at least, the driver's seat. A great upgrade is a competition-style driver's seat to hold the driver firmly in the car. Combined with a 3-inch wide competition belt or 4/5 point harness, you'll be esconced in your car as firmly as any F-1 driver (well, sort of). 

Some years ago, I installed a Corbeau GTA "lowback" seat in my 1970 MGB roadster, a 1950s-1960s style classic competition seat that did wonders to hold me in the car— useful for when I was autocrossing. When I gave the car to a friend, the seat went with it. Fast forward to years later, in 2009: my friend told me that he had taken out the Corbeau seat, and it was mine if I wanted it. Well, I didn't have to think twice, and bolted it in my current MGB/GT. Luckily, I had not put on too much weight, and still fit in the rather snug seat.  

Unfortunately, time and years of UV exposure had done its damage to the nylon fabric upholstery of the seat, and within a year, it had deteriorated to the point where it was held together by duct tape as much as the stitching. So bad that I am not going to show what it looks like today. 

Then a few days ago, I got an email from one of our MG club members who drives a MIdget, listing lots of parts she wants to sell, to make room in her garage. One that caught my eye was a brand new Corbeau "Classic" bucket seat, which is the same as my old GTA seat, but with traditional roll-and-tuck upholstery. I had been looking at this seat as a Xmas present to myself, and here it was, for sale at 1/3rd the new price (and these seats are not discounted anywhere). 

So tomorrow (Saturday), I will be driving out to see the seat, and bring it back home, where it will be installed as soon as I can get Charlotte up on a lift to get access to the floor bolts that hold the old seat. With any luck, the new Corbeau will use the same steel frame and mounting points as the old GTA. Let's hope.…!

 

My last ex-wife said that my motto should be "More Is Better." In the case of automotive lighting, I agree 100%. Although Charlotte sees her way after dark with Hella E-spec headlamps equipped with 80W/100W Halogen H4 bulbs, I had a pair of trusty Hella 500 lamps mounted up front as well: one wide-angle fog, and one focused pencil beam driving light, operated sequentially using the OEM fog/spot switch. But the Hella 500s were not doing the trick, so I decided to treat myself to the newer and more advanced Hella 700FF lamps ("FF" for Free Form beam pattern).

These are BIG driving lamps: each is 0.25" larger in diameter than the headlights themselves! Although they use the same 55W Halogen H3 bulb as the 500s, they are BRIGHT — as in, light-up-Fenway Park-for-a-night-game bright. They fill in the area just beyond the reach of headlight low beams, and supplement the high beams for night-time fast driving when there is no street lighting.

One modification was necessary: I had to fabricate a pair of L-shaped brackets to mount the lights with enough clearance from grille to back of lamp housing. The advantage of the brackets is that they allow adjustment through three planes. 

On early Saturday morning (Sept. 17), Charlotte drove from Boston's north shore up to Stowe, Vermont, to see the famous British Invasion car show in Stowe, Vermont. Charlotte drove in convoy with five other British sports cars: two beautiful black MGA Mk. IIs (each a Steve Mackay restoration), a 1969 MGC (the short-lived 3-litre / 6-cylinder engined 'big brother' and planned successor to the MGB), a rare Williams-hardtop MGB, and an early 70s Triumph TR6 that the MGs decided nonetheless to welcome as company anyway… 

After some experiments, I discovered a simple video camera mount that seems to work: a tripod jammed behind the seats! Surprisingly, the video image is nice and steady. This test video is a drive onto Eastern Avenue heading to Rocky Neck, the well-known summer artists' colony in Gloucester, with the Madfish Grille (a laid-back waterfront bar and grille) as a final destination. 

You can see the five-minute video on You Tube at: http://bit.ly/qZ6Fw1 

 

 

Friday early evening, Charlotte and I were passing the time at Niles Beach in Gloucester, watching the sunset and observing a tour schooner slowly sail out of the harbor for a sunset cruise. A few more sloops and one handsome Ketch were at anchor in Niles Cove, filling out the view.…

A great photo of the crazy man who keeps Charlotte running and in one piece: the talented Steve Mackay, proprietor of Mackay's Garage in Wakefield, Mass. Steve was leading our pack of drivers to Stow: Steve in his perfect black MGA Mk.2 (see photo below), me in Charlotte, my red MGB/GT, and Steve Devine in his award-winning black MGA Mk. 2 — restored by Steve Mackay. Each of the MGAs had a 5-speed gearbox conversion, whereas Charlotte was struggling to keep up with her non-overdrive 4-speed box.