MG Sports Cars

In our shop we manufacture and use a lot of fiberglass body panels for street rods. I'm about to start replacing the cut out portion of my firewall and was wondering if using fiberglass would be OK or does it have to be metal for structural reasons. I'm also faced with cutting the square to give the top of the transmission clearance; would a fiberglass cover work there; any thoughts on this?


"P"

Paul, I'd say use metal in this area. It's called a fire wall for that reason, to keep any engine fire away from the passenger compartment, I wouldn't want to use a flamable material there without at least a metal covering on the engine side. The trans tunnel area is a bit less involved, but again for me it's easier to use metal and weld it in with a MIG than to use glass.
The structrual part is more interesting in a way. I wonder how much of the strength of the body we actually affect when these small areas are removed, probably not much, but you'd soon find out if it tried to twist as the glass would start seperating from the sheet metal from the stress.

Thanks bill, I know bonding fiberglass to metal is a bit diffacult, at least we haven't been all that good at it. As we build fiberglass car bodies we have been concerned about the fire issue but to date it has never been a problem. We haven't made any plans to use glass on the "B" but I thought I'd see what everybody thought. As of yesterday we have struck a deal with a company in Oklahoma to do our glass work using our molds which returns us to steel fabrication. I'm not going to miss it; even small to medium scale work is messy, smelly, itchy and it gets into everything.

"P"

The transmission tunnel is *the* major structural component in the MGB unibody. I would think twice before replacing any part of it with fiberglass.

Jim

.....and, following up on JIm's comment, major transmission tunnel mods aren't really necessary with the Ford 302/T5 conversion - just a few wellplaced hammer blows at the cowl/tunnel interface seam.
The previous statement requires an engine location that is made possible by using the RB crossmember.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/19/2010 03:57PM by ex-tyke.

We agree Jim, that's certainly not the place to use glass. We talked about it and decided not to use glass anywhere. We try not to re-invent the wheel so don't expect anything exoctic, and there's so many nice cars in the group I'm a little concerned about being compared but I'm keeping a photo record of everything and plan to make a "How It Was Done" article.

I should have said "exotic," sorry!

Paul, as long as you like it and it's safe we're all for it. Everyone here has a different idea of what their car should look like and be built like, so do what you want. We just want you to be safe so that you can enjoy modified British cars along with the rest of us.
My Midget is really starting to look a bit worn after 15 years on the road but I was just as proud of it in Durham as I'm sure any of the rest were of their cars. Get it on the road for Indy!

Thanks Bill, I'll have to do it in stages for money reasons. Get it on the road and do the body mods, like flares, later. I have a plan that seems to change a lot but as I never really intend to stick to it anyway, who cares. I'll try to make Indy, but we'll see.

"P"

I certainly understand about keeping to a budget on my hobbies. It takes time but it's worth it in the end and perhaps a bit more rewarding as well. I took almost 4 years to build the Midget and my MGA project has been on hold for longer than that already. Someday! Heck, I'm still working on the Midget as well, with upgrades planned to the brakes and other things for this year before Indy I hope. The body work will have to wait another season for sure.

Paul, I am pleased you didn't plan anything erotic! We may not have been able to stand it ! ESPECIALLY BILL. :)
SAFETY FASTER!

I've already had one heart attack and I'm not so sure my old heart could take it either! When I built my T-Bucket, it hit the road about three years ago and I was so pleased to have it finished but after about a week of driving it I realized it would never be finished. I just had to have a new set of sexy Wilwood four piston calipers with drilled disks on the rear to stop an 1800 pound car. Keep in mind the brakes on it were only a week old, but let's be realistic here, anyone following me would be able to see them and if nothing else, we have to look "COOL." I don't think most of us are ever really satisfied and just know that one tiny little improvement will do it; until the next one tiny little thing that is.

"P"