Newbie, help!

[2ndTriumph]

Hi folks, pardon my ignorance with this auto and thread, I am new and should be purchasing a beautiful black 1980 (my first) with 26,000 miles in a few days! The car is mint! Very excited indeed.
I have a few question though,
1/ It is a 1980 'Special Edition', what is that, and why does it not have a/c or overdrive? A/C is important to me.
2/ That baby is a beaut but rides very high, I saw lowering springs are available, how low can I SAFELY go, 2ins?
3/ It has a pretty decent oil leak (car only had 4000 mls added in last 2 years, apparently..) should I be concerned?
4/ The only other thing is the softness of the brakes, what is needed here, just a good bleeding or possibly a whole new set-up: pads, slave and master cylinder, SS lines?
5/ What can I safely and reasonably $$ do and spend to add some .....ommphhhh
exhaust (Anza or Modna) ?
headers
what else for these fine cars?

Thanks much, I appreciate your patience and advice.
(PS-Anyone here in my neighborhood?)

[KimMG]

Originally Posted by 2ndTriumph

Hi folks, pardon my ignorance with this auto and thread, I am new and should be purchasing a beautiful black 1980 (my first) with 26,000 miles in a few days! The car is mint! Very excited indeed.
I have a few question though,
1/ It is a 1980 'Special Edition', what is that, and why does it not have a/c or overdrive? A/C is important to me.
2/ That baby is a beaut but rides very high, I saw lowering springs are available, how low can I SAFELY go, 2ins?
3/ It has a pretty decent oil leak (car only had 4000 mls added in last 2 years, apparently..) should I be concerned?
4/ The only other thing is the softness of the brakes, what is needed here, just a good bleeding or possibly a whole new set-up: pads, slave and master cylinder, SS lines?
5/ What can I safely and reasonably $$ do and spend to add some .....ommphhhh
exhaust (Anza or Modna) ?
headers
what else for these fine cars?

Thanks much, I appreciate your patience and advice.
(PS-Anyone here in my neighborhood?)

1.) A/C was a dealer installed option. If the original purchaser didn't want it, the car wouldn't have it. Overdrive was a factory installed option, not all Special Editions came with it. Special Edition generally refers to the decals.

2.) Don't know. There are lowering kits available.

3.) I only worry if I am losing more than 3/4 of a quart between oil changes. I change my oil once a year or every three thousand miles, whichever comes first. What's the source of your oil leak?

4.) Deteriorated, swollen flex lines in the braking system can give a spongy feeling so can air. When was the last time the hydraulic systems were flushed. Pull all the wheels and inspect the braking system for wear and leaks.

5.) Yes, there are quite a few. There's suppose to be an upcoming event in Palo Alto, http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/read.php?1,626470 and you just missed MG2007 in Rhonert Park, CA

You may want to take a look at http://www.theautoist.com and look up a couple of articles, "Awakening A Sleeping B" and one on purchasing a B. They both have good check lists to help you become familiar with your B and to better ascertain its condition. If you regularly service your B and fix things as they wear or break, you will find that a B is quite reliable. If you are going to work on the car yourself, then it is a must that you get the Bentley manual. It is available from a wide variety of sources, amazon.com, ebay.com, mossmotors.com, victoriabritish.com. New it costs around $40-. The factory service manual is also available on CD, just check the above sources.
A color wiring diagram is available online at http://www.advanceautowire.com click on stock schematics.
Many parts are available at your local chain auto parts store. If you want a review or have a question about a part or it's source, ask at http://www.mgexperience.net or http://www.britishcarforum.com
There you will find the best options for what you need. An example would be the alternator, are you going to need a higher output alternator because you want brighter headlights and to add a couple of accessories. There are a couple popular alternatives to the original Lucas.

[2ndTriumph]

Thanks much! I will update as I progress.
Cheers.

[gerrym]

I think you mean "Limited Addition" a black beauty that was to be the last year for the MGB. I have one I got in 1980 and drove the wheels off it. Now ready for restoring. Which I will do.

They did come with A/C if you where lucky to find one. However, Moss has come out with a add on unit that looks good. I also have a 74GT with air it does not take long to cool them off.

Oil leaks? Common! The only thing you can do since the car has been sitting is put a chemical into the oil that seals the leak if it is not too bad. I do not like doing this however short of a rebuild it may be worth it. Some times a rebuild leaks some too.

Brakes sound like they have air in them if they pump up. Look for a leak ( usually at the wheels). Easy to fix.

A good Limited Addition goes for some good bucks worth investing in so enjoy and good luck.

[2ndTriumph]

Originally Posted by gerrym

I think you mean "Limited Addition"

Brakes sound like they have air in them if they pump up. Look for a leak ( usually at the wheels). Easy to fix.

A good Limited Addition goes for some good bucks worth investing in so enjoy and good luck.

My bad, LE yes.
Yup, you can pump em, may just need bleeding.
Thanks much.

[gerrym]

Yes. if you can pump them up it would be safe to say there is a leak someplace or check the fluid level.

Want to get the some more performance? Add a Weber downdraft! simple to put on and you will see a difference right away. You can get these check out mossmotors.com they have all the parts you will need. The stock carbs on the Limited are a headache the Webers are very simple and fast.

[Flash75]

I believe you live in CA, if that is correct check your smog laws before changing the carburetor.

Clifton