A lot of progress on the 1963 MGB restoration on the past week.
Took a day off work and drove up to Moss in NJ with a LARGE list of parts
to aqcuire. Decided to purchase new Rover fenders and hood, instead of
putzing around with some old fenders I had. Bought a new windshield and
gaskets as all my spare windscreens looked like they had been through desert
sand storms. Other bits and pieces were also aquired so that I could
return the car back to the paint shop for its final coat of paint.
Spent most of Saturday fitting the fenders/doors and hood. after some hours,
we managed to get everything lined up with even door gaps and even gaps on
the hood.
Spent another couple of hours doing an R&R on the engine and gearbox and
putting new u-joints on the driveshaft.
Sunday morning managed to wiggle the whole engine/gearbox assembly into the
car WITHOUT a single scratch on the engine bay paint. Anothe couple of hours
buttoning everything up, installed radiator, starter, clutch cylinder etc.
at 6pm last night, with a syphon feed from a gas can, we fired the engine up,
did some tweaking on the Weber and exhaust.
Lowered the car onto the ground, did some double checking of the fluids.
Eased myself onto the driver;s seat engaged 1st gear and drove round the
driveway. This is truely a watershed moment. This was the first time in the
bodyshell's history that it has moved under its own power.
I still have to pick up a gas tank from Moss at some point in the next
couple of weeks, but I can definately see the light at the end of a VERY
long tunnel.
,
Tonight the doors come off again and then then are going to be bead-blasted,
along with the trunklid. By next weekend they should be painted and be
reunited with the car.
I was suprised how quickly this project has progressed. It was only 5 weeks
ago that I received the bare painted bodyshell from the paintshop. It looks
like I will be able to drive it by the end of the month.
After that comes all the silly niggly things, like installing guages,
installing a heater system and wiper system. The interior still has to
be comleted but I shall do this once I have sorted out all the mechanical
maladies that I am sure will crop up.
gerry
|