Front Suspension Modifications
As of: 2 September 2002

        When I actually jacked up my '79 to climb under and look around before starting to convert her, my first phone call was to my friend Dick who owns MG Ltd in Greenfield, WI (414-529-3200).  He's always told me that my prime directive when it comes to modifying or improving MG's should be: "Ask Dick." 

        If anyone knows how to get more power or handling out of a little MG, its Dick.  He campaigns MG's on racetracks all across the country, and has learned from track experience how to squeeze everything possible out of a 4-cylinder MG.

        "Okay, Dick,"  I said into the phone.  "I'm asking. How do I easily and quickly drop the front end of my '79 to chrome bumper height?"

        "Tony, I'm putting a set of vertically offset swivel axles in the mail to you today," was Dick's reply.  "Just set them in place over your kingpins and your car will be 1" lower."

        Is that easy enough, or what?

        When they arrive, I'll completely rebuild the stock rubber bumper beam and steering at the same time as Dick's lowered swivel axles are installed.  

        While the front beam is out, I'll also install a Hawk Cars coil-over telescopic front shock conversion kit that allows me to completely eliminate my OE shocks using Hawk's purpose-designed upper and lower wishbone arms.  I'll also install a Ron Hopkinson's front 3/4" anti-sway bar.  And, I'll convert to Rover SD-1 4-pot calipers and original equipment MGB GT brake rotors.

        The following articles detail the work required for the conversions/modifications.