Joe:-
Get two things: A really, really, really good machine shop and a Haynes
MGA manual (if you can find one).
I rebuilt my 1962 MGA (1622) engine a few years ago with no experience
and no one to help me. By interviewing a few machine shops and asking
around the MG and old car community, I found an excellent machine shop
(SFD Engines in Dallas) with an owner that really knew engines in
general and LBC's in particular and was willing to talk to me about my
project. He was of great help in making decisions about what parts to
use and kept me from making mistakes, including installing a set of
lifters that I showed him that he said would not have lasted 3,000
miles. For the most part, he was willing to use parts that I had
brought him, instead of attempting to increase his profit margin by
insisting on purchasing the items. The most frightening part of my
rebuild, to me anyway, was installing the pistons and timing the
(slightly hotter than stock) camshaft. I had the machine shop do those
tasks, particularly as they had the appropriate tools and expertise and
didn't really charge that much extra. The manuals will tell you to rely
on the dimple marks in the timing gears-- well, I would rather have
someone with the right gauges do it, particularly since those dimple
marks often turn out to be jes' a leeettle bit off (according to Bob at
SFD and apparent in my case once the job was done). The rest of it was
actually pretty easy, just a matter of replacing parts and following the
directions (I used the Haynes manual almost exclusively, referring to
the BMC shop manual only when I was stuck or confused), be sure to read
them over a few times before going too far. The Haynes manual is more
practical and will tell you things that the factory manual doesn't
consider important, such as how to remove the engine from the car
without removing the transmission. The Haynes manual is written by
someone actually disassembling and reassembling the part himself.
One last suggestion, do it right THIS time, regardless of the cost.
Unless yours is going to be one of those rare daily drivers, this will
likely be the last rebuild you will ever do (assuming it's done right).
I had hardened valve seats, stellite valves and bronze valve guides put
in and the whole lot balanced and "blueprinted". The engine now has
about 9,000 miles with nary a hickup. It also runs very smmmooooothhhly
and quietly will rev happily without shaking. A friend of mine is
rather proud of the VW shock absorber he installed between the engine
and the heater shelf to steady his engine-- well, I don't need it! The
slightly hotter cam has not harmed drivability and has given a little
extra oommph that is quite apparent when passing Triumphs and Austin
Healys. Of course, the 1622 had about 97 bhp to begin with, I think I
am probably running about 110 to 115 bhp with the oversized pistons and
cam.
Good luck!
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