[Nobbc] Andy's MGA Coupe

[Ron Engelhardt]

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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