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Hello Peter,<br><br>
I may be being too chatty but I have done a few cars the latest being a
1957 Aston Martin. The one before was a build of an MGB GT V8 which
started as a "driver" but ended up as concours - but
still driven all over the place except in salt strewn winter. If you are
going to do the car up as a fun driver then I have the following
suggestions<br><br>
1) Take hundreds of photos (thank heavens for digital cameras). File in
separate directories/folders such as Engine, Brakes, Front Suspension,
Dash, etc etc. Photograph routes of wiring, brake and fuel lines as
well as connections to things such as heater hoses, brake cylinders and
electrical blocks.<br><br>
2) Never throw <i>anything</i> away. Keep a special box for all the
bits<br><br>
3) Replace the wiring with a "point to point" wiring
system. They are many suppliers of such systems. I used one
from Dan Masters for the MGB and I am delighted. Such a
system makes trouble shooting a breeze - and provides high reliability.
Unless you want to go 100% concours then chuck the original wiring system
(but keep in "old parts" box<br><br>
4) Do not have your chassis chemically cleaned <b>unless</b> you are
satisfied that the company <b>really really </b>undertakes a proper
rinsing. Sand blasting is a safer bet.<br><br>
5) Before you put anything on the cleaned chassis squirt stuff inside.
The best is Dinitrol which is not available in NA as it is too expensive
- it lasts 10 times longer than other stuff but NA customers go for cheap
not for good. I bought a case from an aircraft supplies company (it
is used in the aircraft industry!).<br><br>
6) Buy a rotary tumbler. I had a few and Harbor Freight had
the best. Buy sharp sand from a building supplies place and
ground walnut shells from a pet store - it is sold as kitty
litter!<br><br>
7) Collect all you nuts, bolts and funny little metal bits - Run them in
the tumbler for a couple of days (longer the better) using the sharp
sand. Run any electrical parts and other such delicate parts
such as fuse holders using the kitty litter. Block any holes to
stop ingress of cleaning media.<br><br>
8) Take all nuts and bolts and small metal parts to a cadmium
plater.......if you can find one !! If you so desire cadmium will
polish up with a brief touch of the electric grinder wire brush- Wear a
mask as cadmium is regarded as toxic.<br><br>
9) When you have dismantled all the suspension etc take them to be powder
coated. This is not inexpensive but if you are going to use
the car it will pay off. ALL my parts on the MGB and Aston
were done - even brackets, brake fluid container, master cylinder, rear
axle, front suspension etc, and all inside stuff..<br><br>
10) Buy a whole pile of those plastic containers with dividers, label and
put parts in according to their use. Nuts and bolts are easily
sorted. I found that the best were the least high,1-2" ,
were the most useful. I also got single higher ones for the fuel sender
and reserve petrol off-take thing but that may be an overkill (but it has
proved useful!!)<br><br>
11) Check out what suppliers are out there - I have found sources
that will willingly sell direct to enthusiasts and one can get 50%
discounts sometimes - Mind you having a club name helps - got a 50%
discount on rubber parts buying as the AMF Club. I found a
good place for BSF nuts and bolts, engine mountings and there are good
Lucas bits suppliers.<br><br>
12) Last and not least - ask around as there are far more erudite blokes
on the list that know far more than I do !!!<br><br>
I had a chuckle at the comments about bondo - Both my "classic"
Maseratis had bondo ! Apparently the factory was not too shy in
using it !! Also never understand the view taken on costs of
restoring. My next door neighbour looked at my MGB GT V8 and
was aghast when I told him the resto cost - He said I would never get my
costs back. I pointed to his now 2 year old superb European
car and asked how much he would get for his car. So his could
depreciate like mad but mine was all wrong because it also lost
"depreciation". Huh?<br><br>
Oh! One more thing !! Manuals are sometimes wrong - rarely
admittedly, but it does happen.<br><br>
<br><br>
At 05:57 PM 2/19/2015 -0500, Pete Ryner via Mgs wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">I wouldn’t be concerned with a
bondo job from a reputable shop, but if you need rockers and other major
parts replaced, not just repaired I’d only take it to an experienced MG
shop. You have a great looking survivor that is worthy of a good
restoration. Wish mine was that clean. <br>
<br>
Of course it isn’t my money and a good shop will cost thousands,
typically more than what a completed MG is worth. You didn’t
mention where you live. Is there a club in the area that may be
able to help? <br>
<br>
Good luck with the project<br>
Pete<br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:mgs@autox.team.net">dave n via Mgs</a> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 19, 2015 11:04 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:mgs@autox.team.net">MG List</a> ;
<a href="mailto:mg-mgb@yahoogroups.com">MGB Group</a> <br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Mgs] '65B Restoration Status, How to Proceed<br>
<br>
do not take it to a shop that has not worked on old british cars.
they don’t have a clue and won’t do it right. your car will be
bondo’d and a mess. it is well worth taking to someone who has
experience. <br>
<br>
<b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:mgs@autox.team.net">Dan DiBiase via Mgs</a>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 19, 2015 8:52 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:mgs@autox.team.net">MG List</a> ;
<a href="mailto:mg-mgb@yahoogroups.com">MGB Group</a> <br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Mgs] '65B Restoration Status, How to Proceed<br>
<br>
I apologize for the length of this note.....<br>
<br>
My '65 B has been stuck in limbo for a few years now, as circumstances
have made it difficult for me to free up any time to work on this
project. But I expect to have some<br>
time this coming year to re-start.... Here is the background -<br>
<br>
I purchased this car in 1999 with the intention of restoring it to
(mostly) stock condition, not to be a concours car but an enjoyable
driver. 'Mostly stock' meant, in my mind, <br>
that it wouldn't necessarily be as it came from the factory - I want to
put an O/D in it as well as upgraded tires, etc. The condition of the car
was pretty darn good for a $600,<br>
non-running example. There is one rust hole in the passenger's side
rocker, so I assume that there is additional inside and on the other,
although frankly they are in better<br>
shape than the ones on my '76 B! Also some rust in the rear fender. But
overall, the body is in good shape. Mechanically, the parts are all there
but the engine accessories<br>
were all removed when I bought the car and the engine itself is seized.
It is probably the incorrect engine for the car, being a G-series 3 main
bearing car - it should be a GB<br>
5 main bearing engine based on the build date. I have a couple of GB
blocks that are rebuildable. I may also just take the '75B engine out of
my '76B and use that, as I expect<br>
the '76B - being pretty rusty - to only have a few years of life left in
the body....<br>
<br>
Current status is 'mostly' stripped. Wiring loom, engine/trans, steering
column all remain in the car. Everything else has been removed and stored
away.<br>
<br>
I'm at the point where I need to make a decision about proceeding. I am
assuming that my next step would be to remove the engine/trans and
wiring, and I can proceed to have<br>
the body looked at...? I don't really have the skills/tools to do the
welding work necessary to replace the rockers, nor am I really that
interested in learning... ;-) The nearest MG <br>
'specialists' are over an hour away but there are several reputable body
shops in my area (at which I have had work done on my 'regular' cars).
I'm wondering about thoughts on <br>
using a regular shop. And also what sort of things I can do in terms of
prep to reduce the cost of this work. <br>
<br>
Other comments appreciated.<br>
<br>
Oh, and lots of pictures are here =>
<a href="http://s24.photobucket.com/user/ddibiase/library/1965%20MGB?sort=3&page=1">
http://s24.photobucket.com/user/ddibiase/library/1965%20MGB?sort=3&page=1</a>
<br>
<br>
Thx,<br>
<br>
Dan D<br><br>
<hr>
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<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Regards, <br>
Barrie<br><br>
Barrie
Robinson<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab><x-tab>
</x-tab>Go with the flow
- but paddle hard<br>
MGB GT V8 in concours condition<br>
Aston Martin DB 2/4 MkII under restoration<br>
<a href="http://www.amfclub.com/" eudora="autourl">www.AMFClub.com<br>
</a><a href="http://www.britcot.com/" eudora="autourl">www.britcot.com<br>
</a><a href="http://www.vectisgroup.ca/" eudora="autourl">
www.vectisgroup.ca<br>
</a>barrie@look.ca<br>
Barrie, Ontario<br>
705-721-9060</body>
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