V8 Column for January 2006

WARNING FOR ALL V8s
An inspection of the steering rack mounting on a V8 Roadster built from a LHD rubber bumper MGB roadster reimported from the US has revealed serious cracks in the mounts on the crossmember. As the consequences of a complete failure would be serious, members with both chrome and rubber MGBGTV8s, V8 Roadsters or GT conversions built from Factory rubber bumpered shells or RV8s need to have the mount inspected as a matter of urgency.

Crack on one side of the V8 steering rack mount is quite clear. (Photo: Brown & Gammons)

The cracked steering rack mounts were spotted during work on Chris Hunt Cooke's V8 Roadster at Brown & Gammons in Baldock. They fitted a 12g mild steel strengthening gusset which is Mig welded to both the mount and the crossmember and of course the crack in the mount is also repaired with a weld.

Ron Gammons at B&G comments "Chris has just returned from taking his V8 Roadster back home and has reported that the combination of having the steering rack mounts positively located together with our fitting the B&G revised castor reduction kit and some new Bridgestone tyres has completely transformed the car. He rates the steering as good and as light as his rally prepared MGB Roadster he has entered for the annual LeJog event". Full details of the cracked mount repair with the strengthening gusset are on the V8 Website.

The B&G castor reduction kit provides 4 degrees of castor angle compared with the standard 7 degrees. The revised engineering and materials in this kit ensure the castor angle on each side is even and avoids crushing the rubber or polyurethane pad.

MG WINS LE JOG
A team of three MGBs have won the premier award on LE JOG, Britain's longest historic rally. The LE JOG (Land's End to John O'Groats Reliability Trial) has become a legend amongst the rallying fraternity and no wonder! The aim is to drive from one end of Great Britain to the other on minor roads, some quite remote, in just three and a half days, a journey of some 1,500 miles. The challenge comes from several elements: the weather in early December, which may be anything from bright sun to bitter freezing fog, the task of plotting and driving the navigation and regularity sections without losing time and the skill of negotiating the manoeuvrability tests along the way.

Rally prepared MGB of Chris Hunt Cook in sunnier climes. (Photo: Chris Hunt Cook)


This year the crews faced heavy rain which flooded roads and threatened to make fords impassable. One Maserati owner is looking at an engine rebuild as a result, but the MGs kept going and were among the 35 finishers out of 49 starters. The MG crews were Colin Evans/Shon Gosling, James Vinall/Michael Kunz and Chris Hunt Cooke/David Kirkham. Chris Hunt Cooke was driving his rally prepared MGB and is a regular competitor in the annual Le Jog event from Lands End to John O' Groats. This year was wet, very wet, as Chris relates but they picked up the Marque Team Trophy and a bronze medal too.