George Heissenberger's Journal

This journal is about OUR MG, a glacier white 1973 MGB tourer we call "the old girl". She was built December 1972 in Abingdon on Thames, England. We have owned this car for over 20 years. We bought "the old girl" from a friend in the MG car club in 1982 when it was less than ten years old. As far as we know, I am the fourth owner. When we first got "the old girl" she was badly in need of a tune up, a little body work and some paint. I had the complete inner and outer sills replaced and bought a used front valance from a friend's '68 MGB parts car. We got her repainted Glacier white in the winter of 1983-84. Over the years we have done restoration a little at a time. A new convertible top one year, electrical repairs another year. (almost had a dash fire!) I have replaced the grille, gas tank, sending unit, thermostat, fuel pump (twice), brakes, brake master cylinder, hoses, radiator, distributor, alternator, exhaust, headlight switch, turn signal/dimmer control, u-joints, front suspension, rear leaf springs, rear hubs, and wire wheels. I added the SEV Marchal driving lamps and bullet chrome mirrors and converted the two 6 volt system to one 12 volt battery. For several years I would scour the swap meets looking for something like a taillight lens or an interior light. Now, besides the occasional tune up, I just love to drive in "the old girl".

I got the old girl started and out from her long winter's nap and found I had left the battery switch on all winter. Dead battery! Normally I sut off the battery every time I put the car away after a drive, but I must have gotten distracted. I installed a battery shut off switch many years ago after the headlight switch shorted out and overheated, nearly catching the dash on fire. On the day it shorted we had taked it out for a spin earlier that day but had no problem. I was cutting the grass later when I noticed the headlights were on the MGB. When I checked, smoke was just starting to curl up from the back of the switch! Needless to say it's not a two second job to pull up the back carpet, undo the fasteners and take off the battery cables! So after that experience I installed a battery cut off switch in an easily accessible yet secure hidden location. Anyway, back to this year the battery was dead and wouldn't hold a charge, and I had gotten my usual 5 years out of a battery . Like clockwork it seems. So we are out and about for another season and with quick starts!

Went to take the B for a cruise and found I had a flat tire! No nails, puncture or road damage, so the 20 year old tube just gave out. I found the other tires were all a little low in pressure since putting the car in storage, so that must have contributed to the stress on the tube. A trip to the tire store and a new tube and we're back in business.

Took "The Old Girl" a meeting tonight to get ready for the Sports car and Vintage Auto Festival XXXV this June. Its lots of fun to get together with other MG folks and share in the passion we have for our Little British cars. I get to see various friends in the group at meetings, events and cruise nights throughout the year. The MG car Club Western New York Centre is a great group that I have been proud to have been a part of since 1977. I was vice chair and chairman in the 80's and shared newsletter editor duties along with my wife for many years. The BIG car show has been a special part of this club for 35 years. Our MG "The Old Girl" was in the car show for the first time in 1985, and I happily affixed the 1985 dash plaque on the console. Where did 20 years go!

Several members of the Western New York MG car club went to the first cruise night of the season at the Log Cabin restaurant in Macedon New York. About eleven club members brought their British cars (and one Volvo van) to show our presence and promote the upcoming June Vintage Auto festival. Beautiful weather for a cruise night brought out about 100 cars and motorcycles. It's not uncommon for the Log Cabin cruise nights to host 500 cars and motorcycles in the peak season.

I set the timing and aqdjusted the points today. At first check it appeared the timing marks were well after TDC, so I set it close to 11 degrees BTDC. The car ran poorly, to say the least. It wasn't set where I thought it was. After adjusting it several times I figured out that when cold, the timing appeared to be after top dead center, but once warmed up and with the vacuum hose off, at the correct idle speed the timing was about where it should be and the car ran better. I've got it about 13 -15 degrees now and its smooth and back to where I want.