Newbie..and anxious for advise.

[rastaman]

Hi Guys...I have just gotten a Series 3. it is in pretty good condition and judging from the stack of receipts the PO provided, it has been maintained.
It sat for a while, and i am currently in the process of getting it running. It starts but wont run. This I contribute to fuel delivery problems. I am confident I can resolve this problem.

However, here is my question. As a owner of many MGB's, I was able to do several specific modifications to ensure reliable performance. Not being a 'purist' I am more interested in having a vehicle that i know will get me back home.
Question: What are the weak areas on the Ser 3. That can be repaired/modified to make it a dependable daily driver.

Back in my youthful days, the police dept. in the country i grew up in used these as patrol vehicles and they ran the hell out of them, so I would think with the new tech. we have today this should be doable.

Thanks in advance for all advice given. :thumb-up:

Rastaman

[jac04]

Back in my youthful days, the police dept. in the country i grew up in used these as patrol vehicles and they ran the hell out of them, so I would think with the new tech. we have today this should be doable.
It was doable without today's technology, so why change anything? The only thing that I have 'modernized' on my Land Rovers has been the ignition system & suspension. I ditched the points and installed electronic ignition. I installed parabolic springs and gas-charged shocks. Oh, and I guess radial tires count as a more modern upgrade. I'm sure others will chime in with modern upgrades, but these vehicles are quite dependable in stock form.

BTW, welcome to the forum! Post some pictures of your vehicle when you get a chance.

[Apis Mellifera]

As a Series III owner and also the owner of several much older British cars and motorcycles, I can honestly say that all of mine are dead reliable and the only modern items I've used, solely out of necessity, are gasoline and oil.

These old machines become unreliable for only two reasons: either worn components or unskilled owners. Both can easily be fixed.

[JackIIA]

Rastaman,

Link below is worth a read. Terriann is very well known on this site for her knowledge and capabilities. She maintains a website that covers mods, specs, and vehicle history. Going through it will give you a sense of areas of complaint for some people (such as broken axle shafts) and what you can do to correct, if you like. As well as changes that for most folks probably don't make sense (e.g., powerplants). Hope you enjoy the new truck!

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/#modify

[rastaman]

It was doable without today's technology, so why change anything? The only thing that I have 'modernized' on my Land Rovers has been the ignition system & suspension. I ditched the points and installed electronic ignition. I installed parabolic springs and gas-charged shocks. Oh, and I guess radial tires count as a more modern upgrade. I'm sure others will chime in with modern upgrades, but these vehicles are quite dependable in stock form.

BTW, welcome to the forum! Post some pictures of your vehicle when you get a chance.


Now thats what I was hoping to hear....Which is very comforting as my present situation does not allow me the luxary of a 'money pit'..

I will post pictures soon...right now its not much to look at :)

[rastaman]

As a Series III owner and also the owner of several much older British cars and motorcycles, I can honestly say that all of mine are dead reliable and the only modern items I've used, solely out of necessity, are gasoline and oil.

These old machines become unreliable for only two reasons: either worn components or unskilled owners. Both can easily be fixed.

Haha..I like that...In my case I may have both issues going on..

Well I could give you a strong argument, with my experiences with over 15 MGBs..I was however able to resolve what I considered "unreliable areas" to the point where I was confident that I would not need my AAA towing card.

From my somewhat brief and limited research on this site, it seems that the fuel pumps, distributors,and may be OEM carbs might be areas of concern. The PO already installed a single weber, and electronic ign.

Which brings me to my next question...you may know the answer.
What electric fuel pumps are recommended, that would not require a pressure regulator..

Cheers

[albersj51]

I bought a cheap e-fuel pump from napa. Something that's high volume and low pressure. They tend to be loud. I may go back to ther mechanical pump when I finish my resto due to the noise. If yours is an original pump, may want to get a (genuine) rebuild kit.

The only major modern upgrade I'm doing is power steering.

welcome!

[jac04]

If yours is an original pump, may want to get a (genuine) rebuild kit.
Just be aware that the genuine rebuild kits are not correct. The diaphram is made incorrectly.

[Apis Mellifera]

Call me old fashioned, but I like SU pumps. If I'm completely honest, I have used modern components on MGs that I've raced. Though the car is retired, I still have a Facet pump on my 'BGT. I don't like it - too loud and the pressure is close, but not quite low enough for SU carbs. I've used Weber carbs, and while they work, the DCOEs I've used aren't much for fuel economy. I've also used Pertronix ignitions with MSD boxes and have been very satisfied.

Though my Series III is in stock trim, I do plan to swap in a 25D distributor with a Pertronix when/if the points wear out.

Other worthwhile upgrades are high output alternators, if you have a lot of lighting demand. I like LED bulbs and relays for headlights as a way to work with the marginal wiring and various low capacity switches in older British cars. I've had headlight switches and indicator/headlight hi/low switches melt due to the resistance of the switch and current draw of modern headlights.

Many people seem to like parabolics on a Series. Personally I like the old school leafers. A few weeks ago loaded with 1200 pounds of top soil INSIDE my 88, the truck still rode as if on a cloud. Of course, the burning oil smell and various creaks and rattles detracted from the billowy cloudiness feeling.

Back to my original post though: I'd suggest driving it locally with a cell phone in your pocket first and then replace/repair any obviously worn or broken parts. After you get to know the truck, start upgrading to suit your needs. You may find, like thousands of other Series owners past and present, that the truck is perfectly capable as originally designed.

Good luck, though with your collection of MGBs, you've already gotten past the initial puppy love stage of British machinery ownership and have settled into the irrational love stage that will inevitably follow you to your grave.

[TedW]

Which brings me to my next question...you may know the answer.
What electric fuel pumps are recommended, that would not require a pressure regulator..

Hello rastaman:

A number of folks on this site use the NAPA fuel pumps with great success. I use the Carter 4070, which is popular with many vintage restorers, rodders, antique jeep enthusiasts, and other unsavory types. I am convinced that my IIA runs better with it than it did with my oe pump.

Regarding paint: Rustoleum almond is a close match to the original limestone, but is a bit lighter in color. Towerpaint.com will mix the exact color in DuPont Imron and put it in rattle cans with a terrific spray head. They are a great resource.
The DuPont # for limestone is on our host's website.

[Sputnicker]

Tower paint had a fire in February 2010 and went out of business. They might be back in business by now, but I doubt it. I had an order with them that was never filled. After weeks of trying to reach Tower, I finally learned about the fire. I used Ketone after that, with good results.

[TedW]

Tower paint had a fire in February 2010 and went out of business. They might be back in business by now, but I doubt it. I had an order with them that was never filled. After weeks of trying to reach Tower, I finally learned about the fire. I used Ketone after that, with good results.

Tower is back- I spoke to them. You should give them a shout and get your stuff.