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Dow
United Kingdom
490 Posts |
 Posted - 28/06/2012 : 09:36:07
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Graham,
I love my J2, blown and unblown (but not quite as much unblown) and object to you calling J2s odd. 
Regards
David D |
Edited by - Dow on 28/06/2012 09:38:12 |
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etlanpa
United Kingdom
560 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 10:15:53
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| you just can't beat a blower on any pre-war car.... |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 10:23:06
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Well there we are Neil. The number of replies probably has given a reasonable flavour of what it is all about.
I still think that my suggestion of coming along to meetings and talking to people is the best thing. Let them know that you are interested in getting a J or whatever, and try and cadge a ride in their cars. I am sure that you will be impressed whichever model you go for.
Happy climbing of Bury and Duncton - or the lane from Bignor village up to the top of Bignor Hill, where it meets the ancient Roman road, Stane Street on its way down to Chi.
Best wishes,
Colin B.
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3244 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 12:06:26
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Hi Neil
As Colin B has stated you have a wide range of opinions to help you.
The best advice is to visit someone with a well sorted Triple-M car, there are some cars which look pristine but run very poorly and vice versa! You also need to know who carried out the work.
Like Bob I have always been a Triple-M enthusiast and enjoyed all my cars from an every day PA in the late 50's through 2 more PAs and 2 PBs to my current cars both of which are supercharged. They are fun to drive, have an amazing performance for their age and bring a smile to my face!
George
L2023 and NA0960
Nr Buckingham, UK |
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philcoombs
United Kingdom
77 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 15:48:12
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Hi Neil just a few thoughts from someone lucky enough to be the keeper of an M and a J2 - both in standard form apart from a proper crank and rods in the J2.
Wendy and I love both cars and try to use them regularly the M was the first we had and we subsequently bought the J2 to give us greater touring range.
The M is great and while it will bowl along happi;y at up to 50-55 on good roads the combination of the 3 speed gearbox and limited power means that even on quite modest hill eg eg A27 east from Falmer up to Hollingbury will ultimately mean 2nd gear or rather a pedestrian 40 at best. So not really the car for using on faster roads if there are hills! Other things to remember are that unless you are very short you look over the top of the windscreen and ultimately the buffeting takes its toll - we reckon about 100 miles in the day is as much as we can take, linked to this is the question of what happens if you have a hood and want to use it again unless short you will be bending sideways to see out of the screen (PS we don't have one!).
The J2 is a much more useable car and is happy to cruise along at 55-65mph so is quite fast enough even for motorways although in the UK it gets a bit tiresome with the noise from passing traffic etc. It will climb all major road hills probably in top although a drop to 3rd may be necessary occasionally but this is still good for up to 55mph (?60) so no problems there. On A and B roads it will keep pace with the traffic unless very fast. It is well protected from buffeting and we consider it reasonable to do up to 250 miles in a day before the noise gets to one!
Both cars will go up any normal road hill and worse - we use the M on the Kimber Classic Trial and the J2 does some sprinting and hill climbing - it will never win its class re engine sizes but you can sneek away with quite a few Handicap wins if you try - all great fun and part of enjoying the cars.
I live a bit further east than you in the Lewes area and if you want a compare and contrast I am sure we can arrange to take you for a spin in both.
Regards
Philip |
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NeilC
United Kingdom
27 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 21:20:22
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Thanks so much all. Excellent information. It sounds like a J2/PB could do what I'm looking for after all which is great news as I can't wait to find the right one.
Many thanks for the offers to try cars from the people who have Emailed me. I think I will take you up on it as I need to see what one in good condition is really capable of.
The two cars I was looking at were at Nutley Sports cars, they are both in amazing condition. One is a J2 with swept wings and a PB engine/gearbox and the other is a cycle wing J2. |
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Cathelijne
Netherlands
744 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 21:42:02
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quote:
Originally posted by philcoombs
Hi Neil just a few thoughts from someone lucky enough to be the keeper of an M and a J2 - both in standard form apart from a proper crank and rods in the J2.
Regards
Philip
Hi All,
Could I just say that a perfectly standard J2 with an original 80 year old (admittedly only 79 years old then) crank won the Triple-M Class in the Kimber Classic Trial in 2011? And not only that, it won the fun in the Foster/McNinch field the next day as well! Seems a perfectly proper item to me  !
Cheers,
Cat |
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Bob Stringfield
United Kingdom
854 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 23:08:44
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My experience tells me that, for your future financial well-being, you should consider buying a 'standard' road car, not a combination of different models' engine and chassis.
'All matching numbers' is most desirable, nowadays, for selling, but, as long as all of the bits come from the same model, there are always buyers if it turns out not to suit you.
Even a much-modified one-model car will, at present, out-sell any 'bitza', particularly any car with a combination of different eras, pre- and post-war, for instance.
Do take up any offers of a ride. I am in Staffordshire.
Bob. (Part of Lichfield's 'Torch' escort on this coming Saturday. BHP and RPM non-critical) |
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Foz
United Kingdom
773 Posts |
Posted - 28/06/2012 : 23:11:29
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Hi Phil,
I like your comment about the noise from "passing traffic"....going into 3rd gear and passing at 6000rpm is a great noise!
Foz |
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Richard Hardy
United Kingdom
2165 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 00:27:23
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Hi Neil
Having recently witnessed 5 figure mark-ups on MMM resales by dealers and for pretty standard cars, it is often advisable to purchase direct from a private vendor rather than a MMM dealer. There is a two tier market on car values in the MMM world
Talk to MMM owners and keep watching the cars for sale section on the Forum
Good luck
Rich
Vintage MG Parts |
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Bob Clare
United Kingdom
278 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 00:40:48
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Hello Neil,
Just spotted your message - had a lot to do after Silverstone last weekend and failed to get on the web site until now.
Anyway, just 2 comments on the matter. First, there is NO SUBSTITUTE for meeting folk who actually drive Triple-M cars, looking at the cars and (if allowed) driving them. Your best local natter is at the The Gribble Inn, OVING, Chichester PO20 2BP, 4th Sunday lunchtime - 12 noon on. Peter Mace 01903 743335 is the contact. Another useful gathering for pre-war MGs is the monthly VSCC lunch at the Crown in Dial Poat which is on the A24 just north of Ashington. It's on the third Friday of every month and we usually get 4 or 5 Triple-M cars. I bring my NB and my mate brings my PA (with PB engine but a PA box - PB one needs stripping).
Secondly, if you were brought up on army 3 ton trucks then you'll have no problem with Triple-M cars - crash box, straight cut gears (1st & 2nd) solid axles, cart springs etc. If not, then as has been said already, allowances need to be made when driving
Finally, please don't be tempted (as I was) to buy a car before the above research - it would cost you, the dealers are there to make a buck, the owners are there (I hope) to be helpful (as Philip Bayne-Powell's articles are).
If you would like to visit me in Worthing for a chat, please e-mail on 100570,2213@compuserve.com
Cheers.
Bob Clare
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DickMorbey
United Kingdom
3682 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 08:41:40
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Hello again Neil,
Bob's posting reminded me that you are in Chichester. Our member Terry Holder is also from that fair City and runs a very nice J2 and has much knowledge of Triple-M cars. He can be contacted via this Forum and I am sure he would be happy to get together with you.
Dick Morbey
PA/PB 0743
Henley-on-Thames, Oxon, UK |
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agn178
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 10:00:21
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What a combination of wise words & comments from everyone here!
I congratulate you on your initial steps & wish with hindsight that I could have adopted the same course.
Unfortunately the Internet was not around when I bought my J2 & embarked upon its restoration in a very simple way & have ended up much less enthusiastic (disappointed) than the other contributors!
Cruising at 55-60 - I've still to see 45+mph?; no bother on (any) hills? - anything nore than a slight incline is 2nd gear/20mph; Keep up with traffic? Nah, I can form a queue anytime on any road!
However since joining this forum I have received great encouragement, lots of advice & "how to fix" instructions which I'm still trying to work through. Again unlike you I'm not at the centre of any large MMM hotspots so cannot take advantage of the kind offers of Area Natters & trial drives.
I wish you all good luck in your search for a well sorted J2! |
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Foz
United Kingdom
773 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 10:22:32
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Hi D,
at least you have a clear road ahead of you when driving....
keep the faith!
Foz |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 29/06/2012 : 10:41:29
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Dick,
Is your Terry Holder any relation to Terry Holden who by pure coincidence also lives in Chichester (if you can call Funtington, Chichester).
To AG178, a realist at last. It is refreshing to hear of a normal road-going Triple M enthusiast, who has never seen 6000 + on his tachometer. Welcome to the "normals" club !
Colin B. |
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