MG MG Farina Magnette - Emergency Brake Cable
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| I am in need of an emergency brake cable for my MG Magnette MkIII. It is a LHD 1961 model. Every once in a while I see one listed on E-Bay, but it states that it is for a MkIV. Wouldn't that fit a MkIII???? Did they change the wheelbase for the MKIV so that this cable would not fit the MKIII? Anyone here know for sure? I am also in need of the emergency brake handle. Mine is missing completely. I figure I could pick up a cable easily enough, but I would still need the handle. Thanks everyone, Michael |
| Michael30/09/2008 at 11:36 |
| Hi Michael, The first person you should check with, the North American high priest of all things Farina Magnettic is John Elwood. Contact him at jelwood@vectron.com . While you're at it, go to John's Farina Magnette website at http://www.mgcars.org.uk/farina/ and register your car (it's free). Next, e-mail Mick Holehouse in the UK. mick_holehouse@lineone.net . Mick is the MG Marque Secretary for the Cambridge Oxford Owners Club (http://www.co-oc.org) and he has personally accumulated a wealth of Farina Magnette parts. I have bought parts from him on several occasions and now consider him a good friend. He has a brother and sister-in-law living in DC and comes to the US often to see his nephew. Another good source is a guy we all just know as Gobby and he's at gobby@gobby.org He has lots of parts for Z and Farina Magnettes. I've bought from him several times also and he's become another good friend. If you want new parts, the best source we have for the Farina Magnettes is NTG in the UK. And although they're 3000 miles away, once you place an order from them, RUN, don't walk, to your front door and the UPS man will be there with your order. Best to place your order from a cell phone while standing at the front door 8^). OK, so I'm exaggerating a bit, but they are very fast. Paul Banyard is The Man there. While I have not always been pleased with my orders from NTG for other MG models, they cater very thoroughly to the Farina cars. (Of the 800,000+ built, many are still on the road in daily service elsewhere in the world so NTG's specialty here is no doubt a very practical and lucrative matter.) Try addressing Paul at sales@ntgservices.co.uk . Or go to their website at http://www.ntgservices.co.uk/ With all these folks, please tell 'em I sent you. Paul might not remember me, but John, Mick, and Gobby will. It won't help you any, but it will boost my ego. 8^) You're way ahead of me and I'm envious. In line for restoration in my shop are my '57 ZB Varitone Magnette and my '65 B tourer. Only after they're done, can I start on my Mk IV #21863. I keep collecting parts for it. Someday it will be great! --I hope... Please keep in touch - either on this BBS or through my personal e-mail address. Farina enthusiasts are few and far between; we've got to stick together. Cheers, Allen |
| Allen Bachelder 01/10/2008 at 05:10 |
| Oh, and I forgot to mention - you're probably right about the difference in cable length due to the differing wheelbases of the Mk III and Mk IV models. Yeah, I saw the one on Ebay, but if it's for a Mk III, you might exercise restraint. Hopefully one of the guys I referred to will know more about that. You can see my pathetic relic in the image below. No, normally it does not sit outside; this was taken while I was moving the car from my shop to my garage last winter. It had sat idle for eleven years before I acquired it, and with just a point/condenser replacement it started right up and idled with 60# of oil pressure after 25 minutes. That's another story that you can check out at http://www.mgcars.org.uk/farina/members/sinkingcreek.html Cheers, again, Allen 
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| Allen Bachelder 01/10/2008 at 05:23 |
| Allen I wouldn't say I was way ahead of you! In fact my car does not look much better than yours. I got mine about 8 years ago. Since then, I have not really done anything with it other than drive it occasionally. It needs paint and interior. The paint is a dead Old English White and the upholstery (what's left of it) is the original green leather. I keep putting off fixing it up, but it is my plan to. I hope to get to this car someday as it is my favorite British car. And I've had a bunch! Every once in a while I inquire about an emergency brake handle and cable. One day I will get lucky. I am not in a hurry for it, but it would make the car safer. Several years ago there was a NOS handle on EBay that I was going to bid on. Right at zero hour I had an internet outage that let the handle fall into the hands of Frank McKinney. Oh well.... Michael |
| Michael01/10/2008 at 22:51 |
| Hi Micheal. Re Hand Brake Cable etc. The cable lenght would not matter as there is only 25mm difference in the wheel base between mk 3,and mk 4 Looking at my RH drive Magnette. A R h drive cable will fit if you take it to a Welding shop cut the 2 holed lug that bolts to the seat mounts and reweld it back to give you a L h drive brake cable. Then you place the fate of your in the good mans welding job. Should be no problem if he is a certfied welder. |
| peter jericevich15/10/2008 at 09:54 |
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