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MG MGA - First Test Drive

Sucess!!
Today I successfully completed my first proper test drive of my new MGA...
I must say I was rather please with the performance in general. I still need to get used to the non-powered brakes.

At some point of the ride I think again one of the float chambers must have got blocked temporarily cos I could feel the engine started to run on 2cylinders only, then it must have cleared and ran smoothly again. Changed the fuel filter after and I am supposed to empty all the fuel from the tank and clean it.

Apart from that mayor issue, and I was able to take it up to about 60mph and the engine runs well. I can see why people would change the gearbox to a 5speed.
I still have to get used to that un-synchronize 1st gear that I always seem to scrape into ! ;)

I was rather surprised of how well this car handles in the curves, its like it turns into them...

I attach a picture I took during the drive, where you can see me grinning with satisfaction !

Thanks to all for helping me make my dream come true.
I feel like to adventure just started.


G Ramos

Congratulations, I bet you got a lot of waves and thumbs up from bystanders too. I find that when I am waiting at traffic lights people always seem to have a comment about my MGA. Usually something about their dad had one, or they had one when in school or the like. If you keep on fixing things yourself, you will learn a lot, and have the satisfaction of being your own mechanic.


Ed Bell

One way of dealing with the non-synchronized 1st gear is to first shift into 2nd and then into 1st before starting to move.
David Werblow

Gonzalo,
Well done! Good to see a younger person getting interested in this hobby. As you a starting to learn these cars are a lot of fun to drive. Their racing heritage really shines through.
Happy Motoring!
GTF
G T Foster

Your car looks fantastic Gonzalo, I can see why you liked it so much.
They are great fun to drive and very satisfying to work on too.
Dont worry too much about the mechanics too much, they are really quite simple to fix.
I knew nothing at all about how cars worked when I first got an MGA but over 30 years of tinkering with them I have rebuilt everything apart from a gearbox. So long as you follow a good workshop manual, you should soon be able to fix anything.
Well done
Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

Indeed it is fun to drive.
Just got to get the clutch sorted next week and I will be able to take it for a proper spin!
G Ramos

Gonzolo - the amazing thing about these cars is that they drive as if designed just recently! They track the road like an arrow, corner well, and just feel "competent" whether on a country road or highway. Ed's comments about everyone having a past history of some sort with an MGA (Dad, brother, cousin, friend) is so much a part of the great experience of driving one.

Glad to hear the fuel problems are being resolved. The joy of working on these cars is that once you have it "sorted out" they run like a train. Sure, you may run into the odd problem here and there, but not enough to dampen the fun.

- Ken
Ken Doris

There are "unintended consequences" that come with owning and working on these cars: you will gain a lot of confidence to tackle things other than car-related stuff - plumbing and electrical around the house. After a while your wife wont allow anyone else to work on anything mechanical or electrical around the house because you will have the protocol down pat - read up on the subject, ask questions, not being afraid to get your hands a little dirty, (and my personal favorite) gather the proper tools! If you keep this car (and I suspect that you will), you and your wife will have a lifetime of memories that will relate to the MGA (other cars come and go, houses come and go, but the MGA will remain constant.)

Best of luck on your journey. Hope to see lots of posts from you on this board over the coming years.

Don Carlberg
Don Carlberg

I agree with Don. Any excuse to buy more tools. I have found that the purchase of the needed tools is always a money saver over paying to get it done. Not only can you take pride in a job well done but your tool collection grows.
R J Brown

This thread was discussed between 28/02/2010 and 06/03/2010

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