Bigfella70

Morning all, I have my GT6 up on axle stands at the moment as I continue with the recommissioning work. Ives stripped the rear brakes as the wheel cylinders were seized and I want to clean up and paint the backplates and replace flexi's. On the rear offside drum I noticed that the bracket which should support the flexi / rigid brake line joint had become detached. Someone in the past has bodged it and apparently welded the emails of the bracket to the shoe retaining pin, hence this was all that was holding the bracket on. Id guess it's not uncommon for these brackets to snap off backplates. My first thoughts are to make a new bracket then rivet or bolt through the backplate ensuring no conflict with the brake shoes assembly etc. Has anyone else had this issue and any other suggestions to fix? Thanks in advance!

Hi Chris, Paradors are great hotels, stayed at the Córdoba and Ronda locations before. As for the other car/s present I'm afraid I didn't get chance to look properly. Was quite rushed as I'd just disturbed the owner closing the doors! Planning a revisit for a proper look sometime!

Don't think it's actually for sale. We're going to call back when there's more time to talk as the proprietor although very friendly was just about to lock the doors when I asked (in broken Spanish) if I could quickly look at the car. There are still MG / Rover emblems outside the premises and some marketing posters on walls etc. There was a workshop / storage towards the back of the building however no opportunity to see what was inside. Will post up any further info / updates etc.

Hi folks, just out in Andalucia, Southern Spain and happened across a small ex MG / Rover showroom in the back streets of a town called Antequera, about an hours drive north of Malaga the other day. On looking through the window I had to do a double take when I was met with the sight of a lovely GT6 at the back of the showroom. Had a very brief exchange with the owner who was friendly but eager to close up the premises for siesta. Nice condition RHD (still on uk plates) Mk3, would be great to drive on some of the local roads!

Thanks Pete, think I will pick up a set from Canleys in lieu of upgrading to a blade type fuse box.

That's good to know Dave thanks. I plan to have my GT6 MOT'd once recommissioning jobs are completed. Can't beat an independent and documented inspection for safety and I've always thought the MOT is a great way to achieve this.

I'd recommend Car & Classic website. Free advert and seems to have a good following.

Doug, glad this didn't happen whilst you were on a run. Have to say I was planning on changing out all the rubber fuel hose on my GT6 as a precaution. However there are no leaks and no fuel smells at all so makes me wonder whether to leave well alone and carefully monitor when the car is back in the road. Seems there is a real issue with some of the "new" parts these days with particular reference to rubber!👍

Hi there, Just a quick note / feedback having just received my TSSC membership pack and latest "Courier" magazine. Really impressed with the quality of the membership pack and all correspondence within. Very high quality and professional indeed. Over the years I've been a member of a number of motoring clubs relating to various marques and the TSSC product / service is up there with the very best. Thanks to Angie and all at the club HQ. Should anyone be pondering over joining the club, I'd thoroughly recommend it ! 👍 Regards. Dave.

Andy, Thanks for that and it's something I wasn't aware of! I basically replaced a lower rates fuse with a damaged cap for a Halfords supplied 35amp fuse. The others fitted are all marked 35amp hence from what you've saying this is incorrect and ought to be swapped for some 20amp rated items. Thanks for the input!

Hi Doug, No rush at all, thanks for trying. Hope you get to the bottom of your fuel leak without too much hassle. Dave.

Good point Karl, there's not enough work required to justify kitting myself out with all the gear etc. I think I'd quite like to actually do "some" of it myself under supervision of someone who knows what they're doing. Just need a tame welder willing to take the work on !

Great result, John. Good to see there are still a few radiator repair places left. It was suggested to me by the vendor of my GT6 to have the top tank removed from my rad and the cooling channels rodded through, rather than a recore to ensure all clear as the car has been stood in dry storage a few years. The rad was flushed with water but I'll look into this service and see what the consensus is. It's not leaking at the moment though !

Very neat installation! A good friend has a Mech-Mate pit and I've been very impressed with it. For those where a pit isn't possible, perhaps a scissor lift / ramps may provide an alternative that raises the car higher than normal axle stands or drive on ramps. There seem to be quite a few on the market, not sure if anyone has any experience or observations on these devices.

Would have loved to attend however I'm away on this date. Will keep eyes peeled for future events, these days seem a great idea and really beneficial.

Could be worthwhile re flushing the cooling system including the heater matrix. Despite rad being re-cored etc, if there was sediment elsewhere that's then washed through and partially blocked flow through the radiator could this explain the anomaly of the top hose being empty etc. Just a thought as a possible course of action to negate that side of things?

Haha Pete I can relate to that !!

Morning all, Looking towards the next phase of my late Mk 3 GT6 recommissioning. This will involve cleaning up and painting sections of the chassis where there is some surface rust at the far rear and front of the car (chassis and body will be remaining united!). From inspection, the chassis is rock solid with the exception of the two front gusset sections which I would like to either repair or preferably replace as I see they're available from Paddocks at £22 approx each. This makes replacement rather than patching a bit of a "no brainier". Prep wise is not an issue as I'm working in a decent size garage at home with angle grinder etc etc. Id either like to have a go at the welding myself although my MIG experience is limited and I sold my Claire 135TE a couple of years ago through lack of use so would involve re investing or hiring a machine! Alternatively I'm considering looking for a "mobile welder" to attend and weld in the new gusset sections on site. I can do the prep prior to and clean up / painting afterwards. Hence my question is, firstly does anyone have access or link to a "tutorial" on replacing those sections as I'd like to study what's involved. Secondly as an alternative do any Yorkshire based members know of a reputable welder that may be prepared to do the work at my location West Yorks / North Yorks border (under cover with adequate electricity, lighting, tea, coffee and biscuits, bacon sarnies etc etc along with the appropriate payment). I would really like to have a go at least with some of this work but would ultimately appreciate someone on site with experience to ensure the welding is of the appropriate strength and spec etc... Thanks in advance! Any suggestions or pointers much appreciated.....

Doug, thanks so much, really appreciated ! Dave.

Thanks gents, Doug is there any chance you could take a photo of your ballast set up and solenoid connections please? Appreciate this is a big ask, however I'm really curious as to what the factory installation should look like as compared to the image of mine in the post above. No rush at all if it's feasible? Cheers. Dave.

Thanks for that. The white and pink from the ignition switch (component 4) terminal 5 is shown on the diagrams below feeding the radio (component 55) but also going on to the heater (components 55 / 56). Bit of a red herring as the colour is similar to the ballast wire that's applicable to my late Mk3 car. I think I could do with looking at another late GT6 to see what the original resistor wire set up looks like and then to fathom returning the ignition wiring back to standard.

Thanks Pete, In terms of the coil wiring I'm not actually sure if the white/pink is doing anything or been bypassed, hopefully the photo shows what I have left although it does look suspiciously like it's been hacked about. Could anyone with a late GT6 post an image of what the coil feed wiring should look like? I can see the different terminals on the solenoid and the corresponding wiring diagram, however I'm not certain what the different terminals are designated for. I have some reading to do! With regard to the way in which the ignition switch is wired I need to give that some consideration as to whether I change things around or leave alone, perhaps piggy backing off the ignition warning lamp feed for the oil pressure lamp rather than swapping things over on the switch. I could throw the towel in and call an auto electrician out however I'm enjoying learning about the car and gradually putting things right!

Evening all ! Had some enjoyable time on the GT6 today and managed to make some progress. I now have a working oil pressure lamp which is illuminating and extinguishing as intended once the engine is running. I had been a little concerned in case the lamp had been purposely disconnected at some point in the past to mask low oil pressure indication, this is thankfully not the case. However the wiring on the ignition switch was not found to be as specified on the wiring diagram. The spade connection for the oil lamp live (white) was found to be detached but the terminal I think it should have been connected to was taken up with another wire. Below is a diagram of the ignition switch terminals: Specified in the factory manual, the connections should be as follows: 1: white / red wire - solenoid 2: brown wire - solenoid 3: white (x3 wires) - oil pressure lamp, ignition warning lamp and top fuse 5: white / pink wire - radio facility (then appears on diagram to lead onto heater motor. However what I actually have is as follows: 1: white/ red per spec 2: 1x brown wire (solenoid) per spec however also 1x white / pink wire should feed radio/ heater and be on terminal 5? 3 2x white wires (ignition warning lamp and fuse feed) per spec, however also the spurious blue wire to solenoid terminal shared with white and yellow coil positive side. 5 The two spade terminals were minus any wires connected and when tested were live on ignition switch position 1 as anticipated. Rather than swapping any wires around, taking into account the car starts and runs fine and most of the electrics work, I temporarily connected the oil lamp feed to terminal 5. This is fine apart from the oil lamp coming on when the ignition is is position 1 rather than 2. I guess to resolve this I should swap the white / pink wire currently connected to terminal 2 onto terminal 5? This still leaves me with the spurious blue wire which is gate crashing on terminal 3 and taking the place of the oil lamp feed. I'm not sure what the purpose of the blue wire to solenoid is! Furthermore, following Peters note on coil resistance, I'm getting 1.5 ohms across the low tension terminals, suggesting a ballasted coil still fitted. in terms of the coil and wiring, photo attached below showing white and yellow feed from solenoid, branching into a joint with some white and pink wire (looks to have been hacked about / taped over as shown in the photo) then back to white / yellow feeding the positive low tension side of the coil. My indicators and hazard flashers have sprung back into life, probably as a result of working the switches / relays which have been dormant whilst the cars been stood a while. Car starts on the button and I just have the below to sort electrically: Defective reverse lamps (will test switch and wiring when replacing transmission tunnel cover) Defective horn (removed old units and spurious wiring so a mini project to reinstate) Id like to bottom out the uncertainty over some of the ignition switch / solenoid / coil connections as described above and get the oil lamp working from position 2 on the switch rather than the current temporary "fix". Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated!

That's a really good point Badwolf and certainty something I'll pay attention to whilst checking the circuit today. Unless the feed has become detached or disconnected from the ignition feed or the bulb holder itself is faulty I can't see much opportunity for the wire itself to have become damaged considering where it's situated. However I'm taking nothing for granted !

Great result and very satisfying to trace and repair the issue. I did similar once on a Jag XJC where the twin tanks had been plumbed in incorrectly and only one tank reading on the gauge. I'd also bet your original unit is far better quality than any available replacements these days!