WDMGC Memories
Over the years, our newsletter, The Can-Am Connection, has contained a wealth of MG histories, personal stories, technical knowledge and some fun along the way too. Some of it was topical and expected to be ephemeral when written, but much more of it has stood the test of time.All newsletters produced since mid-2002 were in an electronic format, and are still available in our archive, however, wading through them to find the forgotten gems, and those never seen by members who have joined since that time, takes a little work. We’ve tried to do the hard graft for you by extracting what we think are the articles, which are still apropos today, into a few categories and adding a brief synopsis so that they can be browsed much more easily.
So take a look at the list below, we’re sure you’ll find something useful, interesting, funny that you’ve either forgotten or are reading for the first time.
Click on the icon category to jump to its listing.
![]() History |
![]() Whimsy |
![]() Stories |
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MG History
Articles concerning the long history of the MG marque
Click on the links to download each story
Title | Intro | Orig Date | ||
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1960s Price List | Tim Burston gives us an MG dealership price list from the late 1960s | January/February 2013 | |
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Look Familiar? | Paul Lester brings a Japanese car to our attention that looks quite like a British one we know very well | November 2004 | |
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Alive and Well in Longbridge | John Zajac tells us about his participation in the “Design the New MGB GT” competition held by the MG World magazine | March 2004 | |
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The Evolution of Automobile Headlights | Carter McCollum discusses how headlights have and are changing | May 2016 | |
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Bill Wyman’s 1966 MGB | A Rolling Stone decides an MGB is the thing to keep him rolling | January - February 2005 | |
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The MG Badge | Jonathan Wood tells us how the MG octagon badge came to be | Enjoying MG June 1997 CanAm October 2002 |
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All Good Things Must Come to an End | John Twist, a part of MG history to be sure, announces his retirement in 2016 | November 2016 | |
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Ken Costelo | The passing of the man who put the V8 into MGBs | October 2015 | |
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Killed By a Lie | Tony Baker tells how Triumph finally won the Battle of the Brits over the MG | Enjoying MG January 2003 CanAm May 2003 |
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Let’s not Forget our Roots | Philip Wiltshire recalls some MG milestones | April 2003 | |
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Memories of Motor Shows Past | A look at the London Motor Shows of 1957 and 1967 | January - February 2005 | |
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Great Rivalries | Sam Smith of Automobile Magazine reviews the great MG vs Triumph rivalry | October 2009 | |
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MG ZT T260 | A modern MG spotted at Watkins Glen | October 2013 | |
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MGA cozy when closed | Bill Vance’s story of the MGA Coupe | July 2005 | |
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The MGA is 60 this year | Philip Wiltshire celebrates the MGA’s 60th birthday in 2015 | April 2015 | |
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MGB LE50 | A look at a revival model MGB-GT celebrating the B’s 50th year | June 2012 | |
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MGeometry | Rick Astley tells us that there is more to that MG logo than you might think | August 2014 | |
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MGs on Postage Stamps | Rick Astley looks at some MGs in miniature works of art | October 2002 | |
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Museum Collections Centre Project | The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust is awarded money toward a new museum | February 2010 | |
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Old Number One | Steve Finch takes a look at a rather special 1925 MG | August 2016 | |
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Old Speckled Hen | Dave Stein tells about the car and the beer | October 2011 | |
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Remembering Roy | John Pressnell’s interview with Roy Brocklehurst, formerly Chief Draughtsman at Abingdon | Enjoying MG April 2008 CanAm July 2008 |
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Roy Brocklehurst | Steve Finch's tribute to former MG Chief Draughtsman Roy Brocklehurst | June 2012 | |
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Syd Enever | Steve Finch's tribute to former MG Chief Draughtsman Syd Enever | May 2012 | |
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First MGB-GT | Reprint from Enjoying MG about the development of the MGB-GT | June 2004 | |
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MG V8 Engine | Philip Wiltshire reviews the history of the V8 Engine | June 2006 | |
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Why Americans Drive on the wrong side? | Rick Astley tells us why America got it wrong | September 2003 | |
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Why Brits Drive on the correct side? | Tim Burston also looks at why America got it wrong | March 2013 | |
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Eight Mile or Base Line | Some people might call it 8 Mile Road, and others might call it Base Line Road!! So which is it? Here's the history behind the dual name. | 2018 |
On The Lighter Side
Some of the not so heavy articles featured over the years, like recipes, British banalities and some silly stuff too
Click on the links to download each story
Title | Intro | Orig Date | ||
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Did You Know? | Things you didn't know, some you may have. Things you may not believe, and some you shouldn't. | ||
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Club Convoying | Lise Brown’s 2009 reminder of the rules for convoying at club events plus her 2016 update | April 2009 | |
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Sabrina or Jayne? | Rick Astley asks the over-riding question | June 2015 | |
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Frogeye or Bugeye? | Rick Astley asks the eye-popping question | May 2015 | |
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Line Dancing | Rick Astley rants about telephonic line butters | April 2013 | |
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MGA on TV | A 2012 TV commercial featuring Jimmy Fallon and an MGA | January/February 2013 | |
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British Road Speak | A quiz on British transportation vocabulary | ||
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MGA Recall | Ralph Poupard warns of a perilous fault in MGAs. Or is it their drivers? | April 2010 | |
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Tastes of Summer | A refreshing salad recipe from Sue Hunt | ||
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Bubble & Squeak | Lise Brown tells us how to make delicious use of leftovers à la Brits | March 2003 | |
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Bangers and Mash | A British sausage and potato pub favorite from Lise Brown | January - February 2007 | |
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Beef and Guinness Stew | For St Patrick's Day, or any other, Lise Brown tells us how to make a tasty dish | March 2009 | |
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Name that Car | Make a guess at what MG this is. You may be surprised | March 2004 | |
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Colour cues | What the colour of your car says about you by Dee Van Dyk | CanadianLiving.com’s On the Go auto lifestyle | |
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Licensed to Save Money | How Michigan classic car owners can save some cash | September 2004 | |
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What’s Your Car Called? | We had asked if members give names to their cars. Rich Wagner tells us how he and Adrienne named theirs | June 2004 | |
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So Long, it’s Been Good to Know You | An MG goes gentle into the good night | September 2003 | |
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What is Vintage Racing? | Otto Pope instructs gives us some background on vintage racing | August 2002 | |
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Mustang | Eurocentric British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson’s snarky review of an American icon |
Member Stories
Travel stories and other musings from WDMGC members
Click on the links to download each story
Title | Intro | Orig Date | ||
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Trip to The British Invasion in Stowe | Ralph Poupard describes his 2016 trip | October 2016 | |
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Put In Bay Race Reunion 2015 | Dale Brown tells of his trip to the famous Ohio races | September 2015 | |
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Waterford Hills Vintage Race | Steve White and his brother dare to go vintage racing | August 2015 | |
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NAMGAR GT-32 | Ralph and Kathi Poupard’s 6000 mile trip to Whistler, BC in 2007 | 2007 | |
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NAMGAR GT-39 | Ralph Poupard tells the story of his trip to the Ottawa event | September 2014 | |
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NAMGAR GT-40 | The MGA event comes to Michigan | July 2015 | |
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MG-2011 NAMGBR Convention | Ralph Poupard takes the long and “smashing” trip to Reno | August 2011 | |
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MG-2012 NAMGBR Convention | Ralph Poupard’s travels to the celebration gathering in Dillard, Georgia | July 2012 | |
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MG-2014 NAMGBR Convention | Steve Finch describes the 2014 French Lick, Indiana event | July 2014 | |
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MG-2006 NAMGBR Convention | Rich Wagner describes his “Incredible Drive" to Gatlinburg | August 2008 | |
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Road Trip to Watkins Glen #1 | Dale Brown describes the 2013 trip | October 2013 | |
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Road Trip to Watkins Glen #2 | Dale Brown describes the 2014 trip | October 2014 | |
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Road Trip Across the Sunny Southern USA | Dale Brown tell the story of his 2014 east to west coast journey | Summer 2014 | |
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Gotta Get Back In Time | Steve Finch’s trip to the Classic Motorsports Mitty at Road Atlanta | May 2014 | |
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Trip to Traverse City and Area | Dale Brown describes his 2013 trip to Traverse City and the Alden Car Show | September 2013 | |
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Two Weddings, One MG | 35 years separate Ralph’s Poupard’s MGB’s participation in family weddings | October 2009 | |
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Conch Out at Key West | Austin Finch leads a dog’s life on a 2013 trip to Key West | May 2013 | |
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LeMans Classic 2010 | Philip Wiltshire’s travels to the famous French race track | March 2011 | |
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Alden or Bust | Sisters Shari and Sandy take their 1949 TC and the 1951 TD to the Alden Classic Car Show | September 2008 | |
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Nineteen Days in an MGB | Rich Wagner’s trip to Albuquerque | July 2002 | |
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1,238 Miles with the Top Down | Jack Renaud takes his MG and kayak north | January 2004 | |
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Don’t it Always Seem to Go | Steve and Donna Finch travel to the 2015 Brits in Paradise event in Key West | May 2015 | |
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The Long and Twisty Road to a TD | Phil Lyon’s TD restoration project | July 2016 | |
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Telegraph Road | The special meaning the Michigan Road and Dire Strait’s song has to Rick Astley | April 2015 | |
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The Invisible Car | The MGB may as well be invisible according to Rick Astley’s experience | July 2013 | |
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Moss Motors buys Al Moss’s MG TC | Steve Finch describes how the parts company bought the car that inspired its founder | October 2012 | |
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MGs In The Movies | Dale Brown & Steve Finch tells the story of Marilyn Monroe’s 1952 TD | ||
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MG RV8 Impressions | Philip Wiltshire reviews the history of the V8 engine | March 2012 | |
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The Great Race | Heide Basinger tells us about the 2012 time, speed, distance rally sponsored by Hemmings that ended in Dearborn, Michigan | January - February 2012 | |
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And then it Just Wouldn’t Start | Dave Stein’s takes his TD on a memorable errand | September 2011 | |
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The B in the Woods | Rick Eisele story of the restoration of a car found in the woods | September 2011 | |
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Bringing Home Ray’s C | Fran Lewis tells how she and her late husband brought an MGC home that they bought in California | May 2011 | |
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No Wining and Dining for this MGB Owner | Rich Guinta had good reason to whine about his experience at this 2010 event | October 2010 | |
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A True “Garage” Find | Aaron Preuss describes his Midget discovery | August 2010 | |
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My 1953 MGTD Mark II | Brad Charnas story about his TD | August 2010 | |
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The Little Great White in the North | Dave Barton’s Australian built MGB comes to Michigan | January/February 2010 | |
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My 2010 Winter Project | Elvin Davis’ work on his red 1980 MGB | March 2010 | |
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The One I Wanted, The One I Got | Marty Hunt’s successful quest for an MGB-LE | October 2009 | |
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The Car that got Away #1 | Fortunately for Sandy Kuivenhoven, she didn’t have to accept the Midget her father wanted for her | July 2008 | |
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The Car that got Away #2 | Ed Fleming tells the story of the car he wished he'd bought | March 2008 | |
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Driving Home without a gas pedal | Rick Wagner's 8-mile trip to remember | November 2003 | |
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Enjoying the Drive | Traveling in Michigan and Surrounding States on Two Lane Roads | May 2009 | |
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It should have been a boat | Jim Cox never really intended to get an MGB | September 200 | |
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Runaway MGB | Ralph Poupard relates his true winter experience | January - February 2006 | |
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Snack Shack | Sandy Kuivenhoven introduces us to one of her favorite places on the planet | August 2008 | |
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The only 2 Bonds on the road in NA | Richard & Sherry Dittmans' 1968 & 1969 Bond Equipes | October 2003 | |
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The Loose Nut | Dale and Lise Brown's eventful trip to the Canadian Maritimes | April 2005 | |
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An Infernal Triangle | Rick Astley's frightening towing experience | April 2008 | |
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1957 MGA project | Ralph Poupard tells the story of his prize winning MGA | August 2003 - Reload | |
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NAMGAR GT-47 | Steve and Donna Finch head to GT-47 in Colorado Springs! | Sept 2022 |
Sharing Technical Advice
Some technical guidance and tips from WDMGC Members
Click on the links to download each story
Title | Intro | Orig Date | ||
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All that glisters | A reprint from Enjoying MG about those shiny chrome parts | Enjoying MG May 2001 CanAm May 2004 |
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An Ounce of Prevention | A helpful accessory described by Steve Finch | June 2013 | |
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Adding Auto-Lamps to an MGB | Rick Astley tells you how to make your lamps come on automatically when it gets dark | ||
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Battery Winter Storage | Otto Pope provides some advice on keeping batteries in good condition over winter | May 2002 | |
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Your Fuses may be Overrated | The method of rating fuses has changed over the years. Are yours correctly sized? | January - February 2001 | |
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A Cool Top for the MGB | The Bimini top. Keeping the sun off, yet feeling the breeze | September 2016 | |
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Brake Calipers | All you need to know about brake calipers from Harry Mac Lean | September 2014 | |
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Buying an MG Midget | Richard Ladds tells you what to look for when buying a Midget | Enjoying MG October 1997 CanAm September 20 |
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Buying an MG TD | Richard Ladds' guide to buying a TD | Enjoying MG, August 1997 CanAm April 2003 |
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Buying an MG MGB | What to look for when buying an MGB, by Richard Ladds | Enjoying MG, August 1997 CanAm July 2002 |
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Castrol Speaks | Gary Morrison forwards Castrol's wisdom on oil for your MG, plus Harry Mac Lean's input on the same subject | April 07 / March 2009 | |
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A Cautionary Tale | Rick Astley warns about over torqued wheel nuts | July/August 2013 | |
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Checking the Age of Your Tires | How to tell the age of your tires from the coding on the side | May 2010 | |
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Conventional Cooling Fans | The ordinary radiator fan is more complex than first appears | Enjoying MG, July 2014 CanAm September 2014 |
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MGB Electric Fans | Some information about the standard radiator fans fitted to rubber bumper MGBs | November/December 2014 | |
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Dash Lighting Rheostats | Some repro rheostats may not be up to the job | ||
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Battery Sulfation | Rick Astley describes some new devices to prevent and reverse battery sulfation | 2017 | |
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The Story of a Poor Sucker | Jacking the car up from under the oil pan has some bad consequences | ||
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An Electric Month | Rick Astley's month in the garage | August 2008 - Reload | |
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Fuel for Thought | A combination of 2 articles concerning fuel and ethanol | November 2007 | |
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Refusing to Beat the Heat | Rick Astley adds some new fuses to his MGB V8, which was getting hot under the bonnet | September 2012 | |
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Hidden Dangers | Rich Wagner has some carburetor float problems | March 2017 | |
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How’s Your Swingletree? | Rick Astley's problem with a brake component that has a strange name | March 2005 | |
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MGBs With Leftist Tendencies | Why your back axle may not be quite central | September 2011 | |
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MGA 3-point belt | Ralph Poupard discusses fixing a 3-point safety belts to MGAs | September 2007 | |
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MGB and Midget Engine Removal | Some tips on wrangling the engine out of some MGs | ||
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Nuts Screws Washers and Bolts | All about nuts and bolts | June 2003 | |
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Old Cars and New Fuels | Modern gasoline blends are far removed from those for which most collector vehicles were designed | July 2009 | |
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PCV System | Harry Mac Lean discusses Positive Crankcase Ventilation | March 2015 | |
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Power from your MG | Old cars and modern electronic accessories | August 2015 | |
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Powering your MGB | Harry Mac Lean talks about some of the engine options available for MGBs | ||
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PoziDriv Screwdrivers | That cross-head screw in your MG is probably not a Philips but a PoziDriv | ||
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Principles of Metal Shaping | Jack Renaud and other MGers go to a metal shaping and fabricating seminar | March 2005 | |
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A View on the Rear View | Some passed on wisdom about how to properly set up rear-view mirrors | October 2009 | |
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Is your B an Inny or an Outty? | Rick Astley questions whether you have your MGB sidelights fitted correctly | August 2002 Reload | |
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Sleeving Brake Cylinders | Lee Jacobsen introduces a different way of refurbishing master and slave brake cyinders | November 2011 | |
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Smoking MGB | Rick Astley fixes one cause of tail-pipe smoke, only for another to occur | October 2014 | |
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Sparking Along | Harry Mac Lean describes the different types of ignition systems available for our MGs | September 2011 | |
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Speedometer Adjustment | Rick Astley suggests that you can often calibrate your speedometer yourself | July 2006 | |
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Speedometer Project | Bill Reeves describes how he repaired the speedometer in his MGB-V8 | April 2012 | |
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Stay Cool Dude! | All you need to know about engine cooling by Harry Mac Lean | July 2006 | |
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Talk Concerning Torque | Is that torque wrench you bought from Harbor Freight accurate? Test its calibration yourself | July 2010 | |
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Under bonnet battery | Dave Barton's down-under built MGB has up-front battery conversion | March 2008 | |
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Universal Joints | Why it is important to have two and get them installed the right way around | May 2004 | |
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WD-40, Who Knew? | There's more to WD-40 than hits you in the eye | January - February 2009 | |
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The Ignoble Fuse Holder | Rick Astley offers a solution to failures of the fuse holders on MGBs - potentially on all MGs! | July 2018 | |
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Top Fitting Tech Session | The task - fit a new top to Dan Sokolowski’s newly acquired 1977 MGB. We'll replace the old vinyl top with a fabric top. Here are our steps! | 10/15/2018 | |
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Will MGs Be the Last Classic Cars | Are the Abingdon MGs, and cars of their ilk built up to 1980, the last that will become classic cars driven long into the future? Rick Asley ponders. | Sept 2022 |