I'm building a vintage sports racer based around MG-B mechanicals, and
as a result of delving into the murky world of MG bits, I have
inexplicably found myself with a storage shed chock full of engine
blocks, heads, steering racks, wire wheels, gearboxes, Smiths heater
units, pedal boxes, Girling discs and calipers, and all the thousand
corporeal ills the british car enthusiast is heir to. I have a couple
questions:
First, I need some suggestions on removing rust -- all of it of the
surface variety. I have a couple bare engine blocks that have a fine
protective coating of iron oxide that I'd like to remove prior to
painting and cylinder glaze-breaking. I also have multitudinous wire
knock-on wheels, all of the painted variety, that need rust removal
prior to refinishing, and some of them are still affixed to their
splined hubs, which I'm afraid may be frozen with corrsion -- any
special technique for saving the splines and threads on both wheel and
hub would be most appreciated. NB: in regard to the knock-on wheels,
all of them of the 14" variety: do the 15" wires from the MG-A fit the
MG-B hubs? I need to fill the wheel-wells of this fiberglass body with
the 15" wheels and tires it was designed for.
In addition I have several complete steering rack-and-spitoon
assemblies with accumulated crud, mud, and rust, but which are
perfectly free in movement, all boots and ball-joints intact, but with
the tie-rod-end threads surface rusted. I'm looking for any tips
regarding the safe (for the parts, not so much for me -- I'm
expendable) chemical, mechanical, or spiritual removal of rust, scale,
gunk, goo,what-have-you.
Second, in my innocent acquisition of about 2 metric tons more BritCar
parts than I could ever possibly use, I have somehow ended up with two
complete Jag (one I KNOW is from an XJ-S; the other is from a field in
Massachussetts) independent rear suspension assemblies, complete mit
diffs, inboard Girlings, the metal cages,the 4 coil-overs -- the whole
megillah. I know that many modern-day hot-ta-rod folk use these, or
variants thereof, for their projects, as do some replicar (esp. Cobra)
builders. If they wuz cleaned up and checked over for soundness of
limb, liver, and lights, would anyone hazard a guess as to what they
might be worth?
Many blessings upon you in expectation of your helpful answers.
Peace out
Bart Brown
Clinton, CT
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