MG Sports Cars

This may seem like a pretty stupid question but hopefully someone can help me out-- what is the width of a MGA rear end? Brake drum to brake drum?

Basically the same as an MGB both wire wheel and steel wheel which are two different widths.

-BMC.

thanks--- which leads to the question--- what is the width of a MGB rear end? Sorry for the continuation....

Its 50" from outside drum to outside drum. Dont you hate answers that don't really answer the question.

It's been twenty years since I had an MGB rear axle and it was the later Salisbury style, not the "banjo" style axle as should be common with MGA, but as I recall from previous discussions the wire wheel axles are narrower than the disc wheel axles. 50" may be correct for the former, but I think the latter are more like 51.75" wide, aren't they? (Someone, please chime-in and verify this!)

An interesting but irrelevant factoid about Salisbury axles: the axle jigs got screwed up and as a result the leafspring perches aren't symmetrically mounted. As I recall, the axles end up offset relative to the body by about 3/8". I doubt this is true of banjo axles.

I think you'd be well advised to take your own measurements, twice! It's very easy to measure an axle wrongly. (I know I did! I ended up with a Ford 8.8 axle that's about 3/4" wider than I should have made it.)

My car is the disk wheel axle, so the 50" is accurate as stated.

Thank you all........I gotta hand it to you all; this site is one of the best. My own MGA (which is due to arrive in a couple of weeks) will provide me with even more ludicrous questions!! The first of which is~ and forgive me if this is the wrong forum to ask this~but does anyone know where I might be able to purchase the complete front sheet metal for a MGA? Mine has been butchered and wil need to be replaced...I need front fenders and sheet metal surrounding the hood..from the firewall forward...
Might be easier to find hen's teeth huh???

Hen's teeth might be less expensive. For the best option I'd look for some salvage parts and repair as needed. New sheet metal for MGAs is very expensive. Often you can purchase a parts car that needs sills etc for less than what the new sheet metal would cost and do the repairs yourself. I had to find two front fenders and a new nose piece for my car and paid about $400 for both several years ago and all three peices still will need some rust repair.