Hello listers,
A brief update on the progress of my 75 B V8 conversion. Andrew (16 year
old son) and I finished dismantling the car and the body / paint shop man
picked up the rolling body yesterday. I've joined the V8 newsletter
through Kurt Schley and talked to a whole host of people. I visited Glen
Towery and Ian Pender in December to talk and get ideas and make plans.
I've spent a plenty of money accumulating parts - minilite wheels, deluxe
interior kit, new bonnet, hundreds of miscellaneous parts. I bought a TR8
engine and transmission from a local guy who used to race TR8's and had the
eng/trans as a spare for his race car. I bought an intake manifold,
carburetor, and starter from a guy up in Massachusetts that the TR8 racer
recommended. I decided to go the "full monty" and strip out the engine
compartment to get it painted with the outside of the car. The body work /
paint is being done by a local shop that was recommended by a guy here in
town that restores Rolls Royces and MG's so I'm thinking I'll get a good
job. It'll be black urethane with a clear coat on top. After much
consternation, I've finally decided to lower the car but leave the black
bumpers on it. Too much extra work / expense to put on the chrome bumpers.
While the car is in the paint shop, Andrew and I will refurbish parts that
we've taken off the car, and also work with the shop to fit the engine and
make the engine compartment the right size and shape before it's painted.
Still lots of work left to do and many things to sort out, but we're still
thinking we'll have it driving this summer.
I'm just having more fun than I ever could have imagined.
Safety Faster,
Rick Huber
'68 B daily driver
'75 B slowly becoming a V8
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