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MG MGA - Rusted Frame & Crossmembers

Hello All,
I was on the TD board about 20 years ago during my frame-off resto, but this is my first post to this board. About 15 years ago an "unrestored" MGA came available in my neighborhood and not knowing anything about MGAs I bought it. For 15 years it was on my "to-do" list and I dragged it around through three moves. Well after experiencing some health "issues" I decided it was time to start the restoration. I've got the chassis pretty much stripped down but before I remove the body I need to get the sills done. (Yes, I've read Barney G's wonderful site, but I was hoping I can get the welding subcontracted out.) Assuming I can get that done so in the next few weeks and get the body off I have a question about the frame.
While the two side box rails have a few holes in them, the look to be confined to a single side and I guess these can be patched. My problem is the smaller cross member that runs across the car is rusted out on 3 sides. I don't see the piece in the Moss catalog. Does anyone know if it can be purchased anywhere?
I promise to make my future queries shorter.

Here's what it looks like today....
Joe Holtslag

Oops I tried to upload a picture but was told the file was too big. Is there a trick to this? I'ce uploaded this pict to FB and other places with no problem.
Joe Holtslag

I believe Todd Clarke has this piece.

Clarke Spares and Restorations - his catalog is now online as a PDF. His parts are first rate.

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

Joe, pics have to be < 1 MB size.
Art Pearse

I just got a note back from Todd Clarke who said the box crossmember (CF21) is out of production and he has no plans to make more. Is there another source? If not I suppose I could try fabricating something. Do you think 1/8 steel would be heavy enough?
Joe Holtslag

Try Eclectic Motorworks in Michigan, eclecticmotorworks.com

George
G Goeppner

1/8" is far too heavy. 14 or 16 gauge is about right. I can't recall if it is exactly square, but 2x2x16ga tube is readily available.

FRM
FR Millmore

Nearly the entire frame is 14-ga steel, 0.075" thick.
Barney Gaylord

I replaced the tubular cross member under the gear box front some time ago and the original thickness was 16 gauge (about 1/16")....................Mike
m.j. moore

MJ as a point of interest did you replace the tubular cross member in situ or as part of a rebuild. My cross member has a largish dent in it and I've often wondered if it could either be patched with say a bandage over it or cut out altogether but do not want to take the engine out and disassemble the car.
J H Cole

JH Barney has a way of straightening the tube cross member on his site.Dont know if its feasible for you as i think the body may be in the way of the capped end.Never tryed it myself

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/frame/fr102.htm
P D HEWITT

PD that's very interesting I've not read this before in Barney's site. If you had say a 4x2" dent then at 120 psi there's 0.4 ton (imperial)pushing out which is a fair force provided that the steel is sufficiently plastic to move. Barney advises that the steel should be 'cherry red' but in my admitted limited experience at cherry red steel is still quite stiff and it might have to be hotter than this. Has anyone tried it for themselves?
J H Cole

> Nearly the entire frame is 14-ga steel, 0.075" thick.

Nearly, being the operative term. I have to replace part of the round cross member where the upper braces of the battery trays mount. As far as I can tell, that tube is .090" or thereabouts.
Del Rawlins

Re: tubular X-member. Mine had a dent in it from an off-road event, and I found an old mountainbike at the dump which had a 2" main frame tube. Perfect match, cut out about 3" and welded it in. Fortunately, in the straight bit. My wife complains that I sometimes return from the dump with more than I went.
Art Pearse

JH
I also just cut out the straight part and it was one of the first jobs I did at the start of the restoration. I remember wondering whether the frame sides would spring apart if I cut right through the tube so in the end I just cut away the bottom half which had all the dents.
The engine was out at the time but I think you could probably do this without removing it. It was about a 9" length and the 2" 16 gauge tube was an off the shelf item at my local supplier.................Mike
m.j. moore

My crossmember which had a sizeable dent was cut out and welded in place by a local silencer repairer. He made an exact replacement and welded it back in place whilst the car was still with the body on the chassis and still running on the road. They have welders which can weld almost all around. Then I finished the welding and grinded to a nice finish when the body was out from the chassis
c vassallo

Art

There's a song by Australian singer/songwriter Colin Buchanan called "Frank the Scab", but I think it applies to most us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM3kq9TK1_8

Rutger
Rutger Booy

Round? Ok a couple of small dents in the foregound but other wise the bottom looks pretty flat to me! Well preserved from her stump jumping days. LOL

It remains to be seen if this damage may have tweeked the frame. It does not seem to be bent but I will not know until she is stripped down. For now we are finally enjoying some nice spring weather.

John



jbackman

This thread was discussed between 08/05/2012 and 14/05/2012

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