The last drum roll

In my last update, in the February 2021 issue, we finished on the pleasure of being able to drive the MGA under its own power for the first time. That had demanded a clutch change and a master cylinder rebuild, along with a new clutch slave and flexible hose, as covered previously. The major problem now was that the car could move under its own power but the only braking on offer was the limited effect of the handbrake.

As this is an MGA 1500 it had drum brakes all round, which have gained a somewhat unwarranted negative perception by many from the fact that 1600 models were equipped with front disc brakes, seen as the leading-edge sporting technology in the 1950s, giving the drum brakes an inefficient, subordinate label. The reality is that drum brakes, when maintained and set up properly, are very effective and reliable. They also offer a benefit of a lighter pedal from their internal generation of what is called a self-servo effect, but without any