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MG MGA - Early Production Shelley Jack Type Confirmed

I dropped into Bob West's place today on the way to a business conference. We got around to Shelley Jacks and Bob produced the few he has found lying in derelict MGAs over the years. He had the correct LJ225 (broken yoke) for the later cars. He also had the King Dick. Then, much to my delight, he produced a seized up Jack that came out of a 1500. It was, as I had suggested in my website, an LJ23. So there we are, a chapter closed, MGA Shelley Jacks identified. Picture of an LJ23 attached. Last one on UK Ebay went for £87 ($130 ish).

He gave me a present of the jack. - thank you Bob.

Steve

Steve Gyles

Steve, You should go into business with Gordon! Seems logical, after capturing ALL the tools and jacks in the country!
As 'they' say in the classics........

lol, Barry
BM Gannon

did someone say tools
g c pugh

Actually, having had another look at the jack I am not sure the chapter is fully closed. It would seem, that like the LJ225, the LJ23 comes in at least 2 versions. The one in the image above has the L-shaped jacking point, whereas the one I have, has the more standard inverted saddle-type support. Mine definitely came out of a derelict 1500, so there is a more than fair chance that it is an original item.

Any information from other 1500 owners would be most welcome.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Picture attached of the LJ23 given to me. It is seized and has a fractured handle yoke.

However, it has the correct saddle mentioned by Barney as being the most likely LJ23 variant supplied with the very early 1500.

Steve Gyles

Steve,
That looks like the Shelley Jack that I have from one of my cars. I will get a picture out to you this week. (working on my lawn at the moment. I will try tomorrow.)
mike parker

Thanks Mike
Steve Gyles

Steve
Looks like you photographed the jack on your bed. (Not that there's anything wrong with that as Seinfeld would say) Or does it go by Shelley?
LOL, Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter

It's actually the towel I keep in the car. As I do not (cannot) use the canopy when it rains I drape the towel across my lap to keep moderately dry. When parked up I lay it along the armrest to soak up the water dripping through the tonneau zip.

Not the best background for a picture. Could not find my normal drape. Wife would have gone ballistic with penetrating oil stains on the bed cover!!

I have not had any sussess unseizing the jack. Tried a bit of heat. Just leaving it soaking in oil for a while.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,
Went looking for my jack today, couldn't locate but will continue looking.
mike parker

Steve,
well I found it. Who'd of thunk it was put away, where it should be??


mike parker

Pic #2

mike parker

For some reason I cannot upload a 3rd pic.
mike parker

the upload box went beneath my open application??
Here is the 3rd pic. Note that it has a 56 under the LJ23. I assume that's the year. This came out of one of the cars I bought from a fellow in Illinois. He had them stored in his barn since 1974, so I am fairly sure that it is original. My cars are 1957, 1957, 1959 1500s. The years are taken from the titles, so there may be a 1956 there.

mike parker

Thanks Mike

I would like to use them on my site, if that's ok. Certainly massively better condition than mine.

Steve
Steve Gyles

You sure can.
mike parker

Mike, I've been looking at your pictures and I seem to have discerned a glaring error! The arrows don't seem to be facing towards the street.

Also, I'd be interested to learn if we've definitively established which jack my 1958 MGA would hace come with (built in mid February). If that was disclosed in an earlier thread I failed to write it down.
David Breneman

Dave,
That is very observant of you. I didn't notice that myself. I will have to turn my garbage can around now, although it will be less efficient than it is as placed.
I don't know which car the jack came out of, but it was definitely a 1500.
mike parker

I was speaking with Bob West today. He has just bought himself an Austin Healey 100-4 BN-1 1955 in original condition with full tool kit. It included a Shelley LJ23 with the L-shaped jacking point.

In summary then, the LJ23 with the saddle jacking point is early MG1500. The LJ23 with the L-shape jack point is Austin Healey.

All we need to know now is at what chassis number the MGA transferred across to the King Dick. Anyone out there with an original and fairly early chassis number with a King Dick? Give me your chassis number so that we can start narrowing it down.

Steve
Steve Gyles

So help out here. My A is Oct '55. I came without a jack (and a lot of other things). Which jack would be appropriate so that I can start looking?

Garland
GD Glenn

Garland

I think I can safely say that you need the LJ23 with the saddle jacking point as shown in Mike Parker's pictures above.

Steve
Steve Gyles

I thought the arrows were painted on the boot lid along with the perambulator bar for pushing when appropriate.
Sandy
conrad sanders

Sandy, I have a double bar rear bumper on one of my cars. Maybe that's what it is for. I hope I know which way to puch the car.
mike parker

This thread was discussed between 04/11/2008 and 23/11/2008

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