I've got an early '64 Midget that I'm just beginning to work on, and the
interior and a small part of the top are covered with white overspray. I
bought it from a guy who was painting the car in 1976, wasn't happy with
the way it was turning out, and just stuck it in a barn unfinished and
disassembled. Does anyone out there have any recommended methods for
removing white overspray from red interior panels, dash, etc.? I'm hoping
in particular to save the dash - I haven't seen one for sale anywhere,
don't imagine it would be really cheap. Maybe it could be recovered? I
don't know. I'm on a shoestring budget here, I've got a wife and 3 kids
and I go to night school... I got the car for $250 with a ton of spares
from a parted out '63(?)Sprite. Also, a Les Leston wood rimmed steering
wheel, I'm sure I heard that name before, does it ring any bells out there?
A couple of cute little velocity stacks for the SUs, extra diffs, some
really old racing tires with little checkered flags in the tread pattern
(too big, judging by the chewed-up tread edge, but hardly used otherwise).
Of course there's also the black gunk in the mastercylinder(s), minor rust
spots, missing bolts on bellhousing, clutch slave disconnected (why?),
holes in the trunk floor from when the guy tried "tying the rear axle with
u-bolts to stiffen it up... it made the handling worse, though", cracked
windshield (that fix alone could cost more than I paid for the car), engine
not grounded (is there supposed to be a ground strap?), all the chrome,
interior, lights, bumpers, etc. in boxes, nasty cracks/tears in the front
suspension/frame gussets(can you say autocross?), minor bondo and rust,
etc, etc. I just received my Moss order from Skip Kelsey, early, I might
add. Radiator hoses, oil filter, fanbelt, mastercyl rebuild kit, and a
Haynes Midget restoration book. Now how am I ever gonna get caught up with
my list digests??? I just pulled the car into my garage/barn this weekend
(dead '87 Dodge Colt evicted to the junkyard) and now I can get started.
How I envy those of you who get to drive your cars, as well as the guy at
work with the bugeye! Sorry if I'm rambling, I'm kind of excitable these
days. Another thing, when I first got married 6 years ago I moved to Utah
and my dad sold my MGB for me here in NY (literally brought tears to my
eyes when he told me it sold.) Well a couple of weeks ago my mom gets a
call; the guy needs my signature, his car's ready for the road! I'm gonna
tell him no signature until I see the car first! ;-) I hope he gave it the
restoration it deserved, I sure couldn't at the time (bright yellow
split-bumper '70 w/overdrive.) Ahh, memories... I paid $300 for that car,
then drove it to NY from Utah (but that's another story). Sorry to talk
your ear off, but nobody around here will listen... Feel free to offer
advice/criticism/opinions regarding any of the above.
Scott Williams
Brockport NY
Still a long road ahead...
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