Dry system ? You notice they didn’t drive it very far either.

Why I insist on gettin’ my cars delivered….Sorry for your troubles. At least now you got a nice rebuilt engine. E-brake and air filter is easy. Welcome to the group. Where in Jersey would you be settin?

What radiator water?

 WOW!!!  With a start like that ,things have got to get better.I bet that REV. did a double take when you had it towed back to his house.Post some pictures when you can and let us know how the work progresses.

Welcome to the MG madness!
There is a ton of knowledge here. So start asking questions.
And step number one in your cure is to buy a copy of John Muir’s How to Keep Your volkswagen Alive
(click the book title)

Paul I had to laugh when I read this. Its exactly what my wife tells me’

My ammeter don’t work so I’m keen to see how this plays out. 

Ed what you say makes perfect sense. I also was thinking what the previous owner thought was low oil pressure may not be. Over at the Samba the general rule of thumb for stock VW oil pressure is 10 psi per 1000 rpm. Roughly 10 psi at idle and 10 psi for every additional 1000 rpm. The readings are taken on a warm engine temp. , not at start up. On…[Read more]

Just my opinion. If it’s in the car, get new plugs and wires, new points, condenser, test the coil to make sure it’s good, drain and fill the pan with thick “high mileage” oil (20-50?), douse the carb with something the gaskets might like–carb cleaner, say–and spray some wd40 around the inside cylinder walls through the plug holes before turning…[Read more]

 The wiring rev. E shows wire 23 connected to the starter as well as to the ampmeter.. . I  came to this conclusion by putting two of the diagrams together,hope I’m seeing correctly since I’m looking sideways and thru bifocals. The bat cable from the + batt. terminal would also connect to the same starter terminal ,and if I am correct, all the c…[Read more]

so i would hook battery directtly to the ammeter ?

The ammeter would be wired in series to the power source (generator) to the battery. All power runs through the ammeter. A better way to go in install a voltmeter. It is wired in parallel to the battery. Less chance of a problem with hot wires.  

The existing motor sat in the garage of the former owner for ten years, with low oil. the former owner also said he had low oil pressure when he disassembled car.

er, what’s wrong with the existing motor?

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Thanks everyone for all your suggestions.  I think I might be able to adapt them. I will start working on the problem and let you know how it comes out. Might be a while before it gets solved.
Thanks, Jim

some old British sports cars had vertically long and horizontally narrow clutch and brake pedals…shaped like your gas pedal.

OK…IMHO, a 1776 cc dual port longblock with 042 heads from http://www.aircooledengineering.com/
I have actually had 2 MOFOCO “Streetwise” 1776 longblocks. They were trouble free (hydraulic lifters) and had more than enough “yank” in the first Pink MG (Angelica). I’ve heard that Roy Henning (MOFOCO) has really cleaned up their act too. They are…[Read more]

Ace: http://www.aircooledengineering.com/
These guys are near Salt Lake City, but have a premier reputation. A nice dual port 1776cc longblock will make your car very peppy. Heck, a 1641 is adeqaute too. I’d have the block modified for full flow oiling and a remote oil filter too.
I have a set of dual port dual Kadron’s that I removed from my 1776…[Read more]

Hi Buddy,
that 1600 will push your TD  faster than you might think. The 1776 would be nice for sure. You are right to stay away from GEX. I have heard many horror stories about them. I have heard good and bad about MOFOCO, but way more of the + comments. You might do a search on the Samba forum for builders. Most of them will suggest doing the…[Read more]