Moss Motors, Ltd

Mine is a '77 MGB with 81k miles on the clock, 4 spd, '76 engine. Just got it out of 5 years storage. Reworked the Rostyle wheels and brake lines, gave it a little face lift with body graphics. Been through many induction systems prior to storage: first was Weber DCOE, next was OEM, then Weber DGV, now has Moss Fuel Injection. 

After "hot rodding" previously owned cars, I have decided to try to keep things mostly stock for reliability and maintainability. 

Very cool car. Hopefully you have rebuildable units for the parts you listed. A good electrical shop can handle the distributor and starter motor. The carbs are going to have the same internals and gaskets as those used on other British cars such as the Austin-Healey. The needles and float bowl pivots are going to be unique, but everything else will be pretty standard.

 Good luck with the restoration.

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Kelvin Dodd
Global Sourcing Engineer
Moss Motors, Ltd.
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Disclaimer: Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.

Mine is a 75 Midget. The car sat outside for 13 years without ever being moved. I bought it in early 2005 and it was still a very solid car with little body work needed. I put about 1000 miles on it this summer, but still a lot I want to do. Next year--maybe 10,000 miles!

1974 Austin Marina. Sat still for 11 years, slowly coming back together, got mechanicals all straightened out, a couple of electrical issues right now (sounds familiar?) then hopefully ready for the shows in summer '07. Had so much fun doing this that I might consider another Marina project.....

Chris

http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r14/chrisfielding/marina/

My sincere admiration goes out to you for keeping a Marina alive. I've always felt these were better automobiles than they were given credit for being. The transmission on the manual gearbox models was, from what I could tell, the weakest link. I had a buddy with an automatic and he just couldn't kill the thing. Yours looks great in your avatar. I'd love to see more pictures. Keep the faith.

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

Thank you for the kind comments, motorbill,

 The link I have on the bottom line of my last post has just about all the pictures I have so far - the photos are all in reverse chronological order for some reason...

I guess this is a different than normal restoration but then who thought 10 years ago that people would be restoring TR7s today ??? Who knows 10 years from now Moss may have a Marina catologue in their line up....... hint hint!!

Chris

Chris:

Good on ya!  My first two British cars were Marinas' and I still get a hankering to build one up. Despite many weak points, they were my sole transportation for many years and never let me down. I had plans to build up my 2 door GT using an MGB O.D. gearbox and late TR7 rear axle which would have solved a lot of the weakness issues, but my girl friend rammed a Jeep with the car before I had all the parts accumulated. I did run my other Marina in Pro Rally for a number of years before the body shell finally got too badly cracked. It was very slow and non-competitive, but did finish.

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Kelvin Dodd
Global Sourcing Engineer
Moss Motors, Ltd.
Helpful Links:
Code of Conduct
FAQs

Disclaimer: Working on automobiles is inherently dangerous. Moss Motors, Ltd. is not liable for injury or damage due to incorrect installation or use of their products. All products are sold with the understanding that the safe and proper installation and use of the products is the customer’s responsibility. Follow factory workshop manual procedures and instructions, but use current shop safety standards and common sense. Some tasks will require professional advice or services which Moss Motors cannot provide.

Kelvin,

Oh, that poor Jeep....

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

I have two British cars at the present. The first is a '73 Midget which I call Half Asp and my wife has named Frank, short for Frankenstein. It has a 2.8 V6 and 5 speed installed. My second car is a '59 MGA which is under construction. It will have a 4.0 inline 6 and 5 speed. It's been named Project PMH (Poor Man's Healey) Photos of both in my albumn. Information on the Midget is also posted on the British V8 web site and the MG Engine Conversions web site.

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'73 Midget (V6)
'59 MGA (I6) under construction
'73 Lotus Europa
'52 MG TD kit car body project.
'98 Jag XK8

"There is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness"

My present LBC is a 1962 Hillman Minx Series IIIC convertible, in "Moonstone" (kind of a bluish white).  Those of you have attended the Moss Motors shows here in New Jersey have probably seen it.  I have been a Rootes fan since the fifties.  This is about my 110th Rootes car (I have owned as many as 8 at one time).   Over the years I have become and expert on what Moss Motors parts will fit a Hillman, Singer or a Sunbeam... or a Plymouth Cricket (which was a rebadged Hillman Avenger). 

The car has a very interesting history.  It was originally bought new in the Spring/Summer of 1962 in Toronto by someone who worked for the Toronto parks department.  He sold it it in about 1973 to a retired Canadian Naval officer who kept it at his summer home in the Thousand Island area.  It was towed cross country at least once-to Vancouver and back and then parked in a barn in Gananocque.  I bought from the Naval Officer about 3-4 years ago.  To be honest, it was not the car I wanted, but the fellow who owned it was so nice, I had to buy it.  It was indeed cheap and the price included delivery from Canada to New Jersey.  A local "Maaco" shop did a rather complete repaint, a local upholstery shop did the interior (in Marine grade vynal-the same the original) and it just got a new top.  Mechanically the car only needed a clutch and new hydraulics (brakes and clutch).  The clutch came from Moss Motors (of course) and is the one for a late TD through MGA.   Next step is to get the bumpers rechromed.

The car drove out to Ohio last year for the Hillman Meet and will be going out again this summer for the Hillman Centennial meet.  It drives quite well and is an enjoyable car to ride in.  However, only having 56 horsepower and pulling a 4.22:1 rear end mean that Interstates are not fun.  Hills aren't so good either! 

 Jan Eyerman and "Gordy" the '62 Hillman

Jan,

Cool, another neat but underated Britcar, During my all too brief college career I ran about in a Hillman Husky. But the one Rootes machine I've never lost a desire to have is a Sunbeam Rapier Convertible. I've got way too many projects as it is, but I could still be tempted by one of these compact, practical. yet sexy little jobs. Ah well. So many cars, so little time.....

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Motorbill
From Lola to Land Rover, If it's British and has wheels, it's likely I've bloodied me knuckles thereupon

I have a '48 Ford Prefect that has not been converted into a street rod or drag racer. Last I checked, it was one of only a handfull as such listed in the English Ford Registery. I retrieved it from a salvage yard in '62, got it driveable and used it as a second car for several years. Employment changes and other concerns caused it to be stored for a few years until recently. It is currently undergoing a more "proper" restoration and could be back on the road yet this year. The story behind this LBC is here http://sailok.com/enfoprefect Unfortunately, our host doesn't have much to offer for this car other than a few generic Brit bits.

I also have a '67 Sprite that I bought completely disassembled, ready for total restoration. Again, employment concerns have stalled progress on it. Being fully retired now, I hope to get both cars restored in the near future. I look forward to many enjoyable hours both building and using both cars but especially driving the Sprite.

 

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Bayless
Never express yourself more clearly than you can think
'48 Prefect
'67 Sprite (project)

Bayless-

My first car was a 1967 Austin Healy Sprite. Bought and wrecked it before I had a driver's license at the age of fifteen. Did a 270 spin in the snow into a stone wall and walked away. Part of why I believe in God!

LCJUTILA 

Purchased my 1965 TR 4 in 1983 while in USMC in California.  I got married in 1990 and the car has sat in storage since.  I think I have finally gotton myself situated (gotten my wife to give me permission) to pull it out and get to work on it.  Sure look forward to getting it on the road again. Nothing like the sound of a classic Brittish car.

1966 Sprite.  75xxx original miles, factory high compression head and close ratio tranny.  Some rust here and there, but its in darn good shape for a car that has spent most of its life in minnesota.

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1966 Sprite MKIII
1974 Ford F100
2001 Audi A6 2.7T - Not Stock