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MG MGA - Grill or mesh?

Last night I read the article, on Barney's site, about the aerodynamic characteristics of the MGA. Has anyone changed over to mesh on the grill? If so, was there a big difference in performance or heating?

Thanks, Tom
Thomas McNamara

Have a look at Dominic Clancy's website: http://clancy.ch/MGA.html

Steve
Steve Gyles

Tom, We kept the grill blades but slightly twisted them to open the front up and to catch more air, although the mesh grill does look good.

David
David Lake

I fitted SS wire mesh to our Coupe, and it runs real cool. Did not have the standard grill on it previously, so no comparison.
Peter.
P. Tilbury

Peter,

What is required to fit a wire mesh to the grille opening. Is it as simple as removing the slats and fitting a wire mesh form in it's place?

Thanks,
Gene

Gene Gillam

My roadster has had a mesh grille for some years. I don't have a problem with over heating except when caught in a traffic jam in mid summer (similar to most MGAs over here) - 1800 3 bearing + oil cooler + Redline Water Wetter.
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

I reckon they look good also!
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

The other option is to remove every second slat.
Mike

Mike Ellsmore

To do this is more of an intricate job than it looks.

The grill mounting bars are riveted to the slats, so you either need a second set of bars from an old grill or zou need to fabricate a new set. I went the route of using an old grille. (as an aside, I may have the old original slats still if anzone needs a few). The mesh is then sandwiched between the bars and the grill shell, and the grille can then be fitted using the standard fixing points.

To fix the beading around the edge, I glued it to the shell using UHU craft glue. This is transparent and made a much more reliable job that the superglue I had tried in the past.

I have no idea where to get the mesh, mine was generously donated by Bob West as he was stripping it off a car that was in for resale.
dominic clancy

Dominic,

I would like to have some of your slats. Send me a PM and we'll agree on pick-up.

Vielen Dank

Giovanni
Giovanni Delicio

Giovanni

Zuerst muss ich einiges im Keller aufräumen.... Sonnst werde ich die Latten nie finden.

Gruss
Dominic
dominic clancy

Dominic,

Not sure I'm following you correctly. If the grill mounting bars are riveted to the slats, and if you're replacing the slats with the wire mesh, why do you need another set of mounting bars? Why can't you just use the ones you have since you're not going to use the slats anyway?

Gene
Gene Gillam

Gene

If you really don't want to ever have the possibility of returning to original, you can use the existing grille mounting bars, but you have to drill all the slat rivets out. As the original rivets are steel, not aluminium, they are hard and the possibility of being able to reassemble the grille with parallel slats is pretty remote. I'm sure there are old grilles with bent shells that you could find a "scrap" one to obtain the mounting bars without butchering a good one. good grilles are not cheap !

Someone on here kindly donated me an old grill slat assembly so that my original could be kept for returning back to original if I ever feel like it.

dominic clancy

Thomas,
Moss US produces a SS mesh grille for $US160 if you are interested.
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=92365&SortOrder=10
See the back view image (small image on RH side) to see how it is fixed.
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Overheating is a common problem with MGA's. I have a coupe and roadster, both 1600's. I think that the problem is not enough air through the grille/radiator fins. The heater trunking is right up the front just behind the grille and very little air comes in unless the heater fan is going. I have my radiators rodded out every few years (say, four or five) and that more or less overcomes the problem. It is not an expensive exercise and I get the radiator shop to do it through the bottom tank. Note that MGB grilles are very vertical and probably create an "air dam".
Barry Bahnisch

Dominic,
Understand now...thanks!
Gene
Gene Gillam

Thanks to all for the images and information. While still on the grill subject, has anyone derived a simpler mounting system for the grill?

I was thinking of perhaps replacing the bottom bolts with slide in "pins" or plastic "Christmas tree" fasteners. I don't see body strength being improved by the decorative grill or mesh. Thoughts? Tom.
Thomas McNamara

Since I'm new to the MGA and bought mine all in one piece - how do you remove the grille? I can't seem to feel many bolts on the inside and don't want to indiscriminately start taking things loose.
Gene Gillam

Hey Gene and all, the grill slats are held in by three 1/4 X 28 hex bolts about 3/4 inch long. Three up under the "pan", on top of the front vaalance/bumper. Three more on top, under the front sheet metal. You have to reach in using the arm that has two elbows for access. :) Tom
Thomas McNamara

Thanks!
Gene Gillam

If I have to remove mine I just remove the three top bolts and the two small chrome bolts fixing the lower mounting bar to the shell. This leaves the bottom bar in place, those three lower bolts are really hard to tighten otherwise.
dominic clancy

When I raced in a stock class we used to slightly twist each grille bar to open them up a bit - made a big difference to cooling!
Bill Spohn

Hi guys,
I'm a long way away from my car at the moment - the joys of working :-(

could one of you measure the grille or let me know how much mech one would need to perform the grille conversion?

many thanks,

Grant
G Hudson

It appears that a 12 X 24 inch mesh would do it. Tom
Thomas McNamara

Thanks Tom,

I'll start looking for some mesh :-)
G Hudson

I put one of the mesh grills in for the Rallye to Reno and it worked very well. I have had troubles with this car heating up before in hot weather but on the Rallye in hot weather I ran around 190. Some of the other A's in our group were around 220 and higher. When at a car show around Cleveland I noticed a grill that looked much better and had a heaver mesh wire. The person made it himseld and was selling them. Since I already had one I did not buy one but it looked much better than the Moss one. If interested I can give you his phone number.
GK George

GK George,

Please email me his phone number...do you remember what his price was?

Thanks,
Gene
Gene Gillam

Hey GK George, please send the phone number to me also. Tom
Thomas McNamara

Finished putting AC in the coupe yesterday and during test drives found that the car was hitting 212 degrees (water, anti-freeze and water wetter mixture) when going an indicated 60 mph. Tried bending the slats open which helped a bit (took a slightly longer time to hit 212) then in desperation removed the grill completely. Temperature dropped and only went to 205 degrees at an indicated 65 mph. Had some stainless steel mesh so made this this morning - drove around and it never went over 205. I'm happy and the inside of the coupe is cool!



Gene Gillam

Mike...Earlier in this thread you quote'Redline Water Wetter'and Gene also quotes'Water Wetter'.....What is 'Water Wetter' as I have never heard of it here in NZ? Cheers Rex
Rex Thompson

Rex,

The way I understand it, Water wetter is a product that reduces the number of air bubbles in the coolant which can cling to the surface of the metal and cause hot spots in the cooling system. By eliminating these bubbles heat transfer is improved throughout the cooling system.

Gene
Gene Gillam

Rex, Some info and sales here :-

http://www.nzperformance.co.nz/store/redline-oils-and-additives/water-wetter/prod_217.html

IBM
I B Morris

Thank you I have not seen the product here in NZ....Regards Rex
Rex Thompson

This thread was discussed between 15/02/2013 and 16/03/2013

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