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MG MGB Technical - Adaptor - Filter

As part of my under bonnet refurbishment (with the engine still in place) to a 1980 Roadster i removed the adaptor from the block to facilitate painting the inside of the wing & also replace the copper washer & rubber sealing ring to minimise overall oil leaks!I have repainted the engine block,but am not sure if the adaptor was originally painted the same colour or was it left as manufactured. Having cleaned it up it is now more or less silver, but have my suspicions that it was black to match the block.
Can anyone please let me know the answer?
Cheers
Charles
Charles9

What colour is the thermostat cover? If that's black I'd do it the same, but earlier I think they were painted bare.
paulh4

Paul,
I'm on my second if not third thermostat cover & will be fitting a fourth once i put back all the various ancillaries including a fourth water pump since i have had the car!
I think the very first one was black & i am intending to paint the latest one black (having not bothered painting the ones in between) as they are an ugly appendage when compared to pre Rubber Bumper MGBs and it will be less obvious if black rather than as supplied. I recall you displaying a late blue car (per Clausager?) which had a black thermostat cover.I think that means the adaptor should be black as well then!
Cheers
Charles
Charles9

Then someone just posts this on the MGOC forum. Enough 'patinated' i.e. crusty stuff in there to perhaps be original :o)

paulh4

This is unusual as someone has fitted a second fan to a 4 cylinder car. Whatever!!! I'm still going to paint the thermostat cover black! I'm also going to paint the top water pipe over the rocker box black as well.Mine originally came with a black pipe although I replaced it with a new unpainted one probably 20+ years ago but never got round to painting it until now.I have however removed all the black paint off the inlet manifold and am going to leave it silver as it,in my view looks better & with my new chrome dash pot covers (an Xmas present from my daughter) adds a bit of bling under the bonnet!
Charles9

This is my brother's engine, circa 1982.

T'stat housing appears black, but it's not possible to see the filter adaptor.

Dave O'Neill 2

Many thanks Dave.
Regards
Charles
Charles9

I have box of alloy late thermostat housings, another of late oil filter adapters and a third of inlet manifolds - none of them have a trace of paint on them.

Early adapters for the steel cannister hang down filters were painted, as were the connecting solid oil pipe. Steel thermo housings were also painted.
Chris at Octarine Services

Here's the 'stat housing from my 1980 B. It's the same photo as the alternator adjuster link.

It certainly appears black, where it hasn't corroded. Possibly anodised.

Dave O'Neill 2

Thanks Dave & Chris.It seems that the answer to both is very much a "flip of the coin". I believe some replacement parts are supplied unpainted (the pipe over the rocker box being an example) & I know my inlet manifold was originally black ( i have had the car from new) having scraped off the damaged paintwork to give a nice silver finish! I'm going to black on both. It's easy to alter at a later point ,but my preference is black!
Cheers
Charles
Charles9

I do have another late rubber-bumper engine, complete with most ancillaries. I will have a look at that when I get a chance.
Dave O'Neill 2

On my 1980 Roadster the thermostat housing is black, as per the photo of a 1980 model engine bay on p.79 of Clausager. The filter adaptor is unpainted.
Brian Shaw

Brian,
Thanks for the update. I have already painted both black so will have to live with the result!
Cheers, Charles
Charles9

This thread was discussed between 23/01/2018 and 28/01/2018

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