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Re: [Nobbc] Andy's MGA Coupe

To: North Bay British Car Club <nobbc@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Nobbc] Andy's MGA Coupe
From: Ron Engelhardt <nobbc@sonic.net>
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:38:46 -0800
Thanks for the update Andy. I'm looking forward to seeing the car on the 
road at one of our rides in the new year.

Ron
58 MGA

andy preston wrote:
> Ron, you asked for an update on my 1960 MGA Coupe restoration.  For those
> who don't know about this car, I bought it 2 years ago this Christmas from
> some one in Grass Valley.  The car had sat outside in a farmer's field in
> Sacramento for about 20 years.  The weeds had grown through the floor boards
> to the roof.  It had been home for many small animals for many years.  The
> previous owner had "rebuilt" the engine and purchased a complete interior
> trim kit with leather seat covers.  I have always loved these cars and had
> been looking for one for many months so I thought it was beautiful even with
> the no-native plants and animal presents.  I decided to do a complete body
> off, nut and bolt restoration.  I must say that the body was relatively rust
> free with the major hidden damage being to front right hand front wing.  It
> had been in a major front side collision which destroyed the front fender
> (covered in bondo) and also bent the frame.  I had the frame straightened
> and then sand blasted and painted it with Endrust primer and chassis black.
> I've rebuilt all of the suspension with new parts and reinstalled them back
> on the frame.  I've rebuilt front the calipers, rear brakes and all the
> brakes are now installed.  The wiring harness, fuel pipes and brake pipes
> are also new and installed.  With the help on Norm's Auto machine shop we
> rebuilt the previously "rebuilt" engine, and this time magnafluxed the
> block, installed new camshaft bearings, cleaned all the grinding paste left
> in all the oil ways, polished the journals, honed the bores, on and on.
> I've bought a five speed gearbox kit from Pierce Manifolds and just
> installed it with the engine last weekend.   So the frame is almost complete
> just waiting for the transmission tunnel and floorboards, which I'll
> probably install this weekend.  I started doing all the bodywork myself but
> finally found an expert body guy and painter in Cotati.  He took the body
> tub, wings, doors, bonnet and boot and all other items that needed painting.
> He stretched both front fenders 3/8" to make them fit, and re-did all the
> work that I had done.  He said "who did this body work, it's terrible".   I
> reluctantly admitted it was I.  His work is superb.  The body work is all
> finished and just waiting for me to put it back on the frame.  The color is
> my version of Chariot Red, or what I think Chariot Red should look like.
> Brilliant!  I've had all the chrome re-chromed by Chico in Santa Rosa and
> his work is great, and fairly reasonable.  Hopefully I'll be able to get the
> body back on over Christmas and then it's onto the inside trim.    My goal
> is to have it back on the road in the new year.  
> 
>  
> 
> Andy
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