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MG MGA - MGA 'Sebring' valance.

I am thinking about removing the front bumper and fitting a fibreglass valance. These are know variously as competition valance and sometimes Sebring valance. Does anyone have any experience with this modification? I notice MGOC have one.
John. (1960 MK II)
j mcmaster

John, I ordered one of the fiberglass Sebring valances from Moss a while back. While it was of decent quality it didn't fit the contour or profile of the front fenders very well. It seemed to bulge out a little too much on the sides and was slightly too wide, but as all MGA's are slightly different I guess it has to be made to fit most OK. My solution was to make an aluminum valance modeled after the original LeMans MGA valences. I left the regular valence in place after removing the bumper and hand formed a strip of 080 aluminum (pretty thick for bodywork but good for resisting rock dents) that filled in the space where the bumper was. It is not hard to make. All it takes is a good nibbler to cut out the strip and a rosebud torch head to anneal the aluminum between pounding and time on the wheel as it work hardens quickly. If you don't have metalforming experience it is a great project to learn on or if this seems too involved for you I highly recommend having one made by someone local as it looks like it belongs on the MGA where the fiberglass ones always look like an afterthought even when done well. attached is a picture of the one I made with the car still in primer.
Matt

MG Grover

John, I altered my car during a rebuild 38 years ago as the cost of replacing the bumper bars was prohibitive. I simply cut a strip of zincalume sheet metal, shaped it to fit the bumper recess and welded it in place. It is coated with crinkly, thick body deadener and over painted.
The holes at the bottom, and the scoop below, channel air into the oil cooler which is mounted below the panel. Works well.
The badge and numberplate bar is made from the leg of an old chair which happened to be lying around. The mounting brackets utilise the old bumper mount bolts from the chassis extension.
Barry

Barry Gannon

John,

I have begun to fit the Moss Sebring valance. As Matt observes, it takes a lot of fitting. I have concluded that I need to finish the rust repair and do the final fit on the fenders first. Then I will probably have to cut the fiberglass valance into 3 or 4 pieces and glass back together to match the car.

Ken
k v morton

Matt...Your car looks pretty good. I especially like the screens. I am trying to sort a competition windscreen as well on another thread. Your suggestion is a good one but perhaps a little beyond my experience/ability. However I will keep it in the mix and may get there. Thanks, John.
j mcmaster

Barry...I am trying to make any modification to this car easily undoable so am reluctant to alter the original valance.But it is the look I am after. I thought of the fibreglass because it would allow me to leave the inboard bumper bolts intact and hide them behind a mount for lights or vents. I have heard the stories about poor fitting as Ken above tells and the fibreglass fiddling is probably more in my ability level. But I am still thinking it through. Thanks, John.
j mcmaster

Ken...your experience is similar to that I have read elsewhere but as you can read in previous posts it is probably in my ability level. I suspect that there are a few of these valances from different suppliers some of which may be better than others.Thanks,John.
j mcmaster

John,

I have seen some cars with carefully fitted fiberglass valances, and some pretty poorly fitted valances on others. As Matt also pointed out, the cars themselves also differ one to the next. My car has had the grill surround replaced which may affect the fit. But it appears from what I have seen - my car and others - that the right side fits the curve of the fender better than the left side.

I have two steel valances, and may yet try to modify one of them.

Ken
k v morton

Forming metal is a much easier thing to do than trying to persuade an already formed fiberglass part into a different shape. It would almost be easier to make a mold and lay up an entirely new fiberglass part than to cut one up and re-glass it back together in a decent looking way. Metal can be fun to work with where fiberglass can be frustrating to fit. Just my thoughts on the matter...
As a side note I have seen some complete steel valances on Ebay that are of the Sebring style that have the area where the bumper recess is as just smooth. Only problem is they look flat where the bumper would normally go instead of rounded and contoured to the body, also expensive.

Barry, I like the practical recycling!

Matt
MG Grover

Matt - your valance modification is the best I have seen.I am interested in how you attached it.
Jeff Delk

Matt,

I agree I would rather work with metal, though my skills need a little more development. Either way, I'm going to wait until my front fenders are properly fitted before I spend much more time on the valance.

Ken
k v morton

Jeff, Here are some close up photos of the valance. It is attached with countersunk small diameter phillips screws about 2" long. Between the original valance and the aluminum piece I cut pieces of 1/4" aluminum tubing to set the aluminum piece out the right distance (lots of measuring and keeping track of which piece of tubing goes where) and just slid the screws through the tubing into holes I drilled in the original valance. Easier said than done when you are putting 15 screws in at the same time! The picture behind the valence shows the screws that will be trimmed and capped with nylock nuts when all is finished. For the edges at the wheel wells I rolled the aluminum back and attached it with a small screw to the inside edge of the steel valance. Sorry that picture didn't come out so well. Hope this helps. I will post some pictures when I finally get it painted this year sometime as it has been still winterlike here in Idaho.
Matt

MG Grover

Picture 2

MG Grover

Photo 3

MG Grover

Photo 4

MG Grover

Photo 5

MG Grover

Final photo 6!

MG Grover

Matt, Your 'mods' look great. I see from the photos that you have cut and formed the strip of aluminium to fill the bumper recess. That is exactly what I did, except that I welded a steel strip so there is no seam (see my post above). I sealed the top edge with the same section as the mudguard joint to prevent grit and rain access.
The attachment screws use the original valence mounting captive nuts and have a small tube spacer between the two surfaces.
It has lasted for 38 years!
Barry.
Barry Gannon

This thread was discussed between 05/04/2010 and 07/04/2010

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