MGB V8 Roadster restoration project

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Solomon Harmon
5 years ago
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21st October 2016. It is now Friday afternoon and my friend Dugald has gone back to North London in his MGBGTV8.

We managed to get most of the work done, that needed two people, in the first couple of days, Dugald was a great help.

were originally. REBUILDING THE HEATER Continued. The heater parts all painted and ready to assemble.

through the heat exchanger. Testing the ohms of the heater two speed resistance coil.

1 21st October It is now Friday afternoon and my friend Dugald has gone back to North London in his MGBGTV8. Dugald has been up here in North Norfolk helping me since Monday afternoon. We managed to get most of the work done, that needed two people, in the first couple of days, Dugald was a great help. I find it very helpful to have somebody to chat through problems and ideas to restore or rebuild parts better than they were originally. REBUILDING THE HEATER Continued. The heater parts all painted and ready to assemble. Rubber sealing washers on the inlet and outlet pipes to try and stop the air from the fan leaking out before it passes through the heat exchanger. Testing the ohms of the heater two speed resistance coil. Closed cell foam used in place of open foam, to fill in the areas around the heater matrix to attempt to stop the air from the fan leaking around the heater matrix. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 1

This was so that we could mark the area of the top of the front bulkhead where the black vinyl was to be cut and glued

There is normally a gap between the pipe and the casing that I think looks a bit scruffy.

2 This was so that we could mark the area of the top of the front bulkhead where the black vinyl was to be cut and glued into place. Another rubber washer added to the outside of the heater casing where the water pipes come out of the casing. There is normally a gap between the pipe and the casing that I think looks a bit scruffy. Work was suspended on the heater, when Dugald arrived; this was so that we could concentrate on jobs that needed two pairs of hands. You can see the masking tape line which is the maximum that the black can fit without showing in front of the lower windscreen rubber seal. I could only buy from Moss the kit for covering this part, which also has the materials for covering the crash pad which runs along the top of the dashboard on the roadster models. Temporally fitting the windscreen. Next we took off the rear suspension so the bodyshell could be mounted back on the spit. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 2

The Panhard rod sits very close to the differential cover on the

I know a miss is as good as a mile, but there were some marks on

I will check this when I put the axle back on shell.

The left had suspension arms free just the right hand to get out.

3 The Panhard rod sits very close to the differential cover on the back axle. I know a miss is as good as a mile, but there were some marks on the diff cover where the rod had touched the cover. I will check this when I put the axle back on shell. Already to wheel out when we get the bodyshell high enough. The left had suspension arms free just the right hand to get out. We used the crane to lift the bodyshell up to the required height to fit it on the spit. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 3

Dugald removing the casters from the front spit A-frame and getting ready to bolt it to the mounting bracket that was still fixed

To protect the bodyshell and help spread the load we used an old duvet folded in four and laid over the lifting straps.

On the first lift we had the lifting strap too far forward for the balance of the shell.

4 Dugald removing the casters from the front spit A-frame and getting ready to bolt it to the mounting bracket that was still fixed on the body. To protect the bodyshell and help spread the load we used an old duvet folded in four and laid over the lifting straps. Dugald made sure that the duvet was protecting the paintwork on the sills while I operated the crane. On the first lift we had the lifting strap too far forward for the balance of the shell. We moved the strap and the duvet about 6 back and had the perfect balance front to rear. The rear spit frame ready to bolt on when the shell is lifted to the correct height. I am amazed that Mark managed to paint the rear panel with the bracket in place. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 4

In the previous photo, yours truly, wheeling the rear axle assembly out of the way.

The worrying bit lifting the bodyshell to the correct height to fit on the spit The bodyshell successfully mounted back

I had allowed a couple of days to get the axle out and the bodyshell back on the spit and Dugald and I had nearly

I told Jane of our success and said we are now off to the pub for the rest of the week she was not impressed!

5 In the previous photo, yours truly, wheeling the rear axle assembly out of the way. I did not realise how thin my hair was on top! Which reminds me I need a haircut and a beard trim! The worrying bit lifting the bodyshell to the correct height to fit on the spit The bodyshell successfully mounted back on the spit. I had allowed a couple of days to get the axle out and the bodyshell back on the spit and Dugald and I had nearly completed it by lunch time on the Tuesday. I told Jane of our success and said we are now off to the pub for the rest of the week she was not impressed! Just to prove that the shell does go upside down on the spit. Daughter Fay must have bought in some BMW part to ask me about it. I can t remember what it was, or anything about it. I don t like this getting old bit! The Jaymic Workshop not only made a good job of top paintwork, the underside looks great as well. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 5

Dugald and I decided that we needed to be able to fit the fuel tank to enable the fuel

Therefore we decided to make yet another set of brackets for the rear spit mounting.

Mark or James can be contacted at The Jaymic Workshop, Cromer.

6 Dugald and I decided that we needed to be able to fit the fuel tank to enable the fuel lines to be fitted. Therefore we decided to make yet another set of brackets for the rear spit mounting. Mark used thirteen bags of 3M s anti stone chip two-pack on the underside of the bodyshell. Hopefully the shell should last a good number of years before any rust appears. Mark or James can be contacted at The Jaymic Workshop, Cromer , the-jaymic-workshop@btinternet.com To this end, Dugald used the lathe to make some alloy pins to go through the rear spring hanger holes while I welded up the 50mm x 25mm box section. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 6

Dugald bolting the drilled angle brackets onto the spit s swivelling part.

Mike, MIG welding up the new rear spit frame. Tacking the bits of metal together.

Just in case of weld failure we left the original rear spit brackets bolted to

We then carefully unbolted the old mounting frame from the bodyshell, bolt by

7 Dugald bolting the drilled angle brackets onto the spit s swivelling part. I don t know why he looks so miserable I wasn t that horrible to him! Mike, MIG welding up the new rear spit frame. Tacking the bits of metal together. Note the leather aprons to protect the paint. Just in case of weld failure we left the original rear spit brackets bolted to the boot floor while we tried turning the bodyshell. We then carefully unbolted the old mounting frame from the bodyshell, bolt by bolt. Eventually the old mounting came away leaving the new mounting bracket to hold the bodyshell. V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 7

It works! With this set up of brackets on the rear of the bodyshell, we should be able to fit the petrol tank. Problems!

the petrol tank is just fouling the Panhard rod mounting bracket.

floor. The alloy pin that Dugald made can be seen. This was another first for him in fifty years.

Out came the trusty Dremel to cut the offending bit of bracket away.

8 It works! With this set up of brackets on the rear of the bodyshell, we should be able to fit the petrol tank. Problems! Because the tank position has been changed to the middle of the boot floor, rather than to one side, to fit exhausts each side, the petrol tank is just fouling the Panhard rod mounting bracket. Dugald concentrating on touching up, with Teal Blue, the areas where the bolts were holding the old spit brackets to the boot floor. The alloy pin that Dugald made can be seen. This was another first for him in fifty years. The last time was when we were doing our OND at Southgate Tech. Out came the trusty Dremel to cut the offending bit of bracket away. Problems like these come up when you are doing a rebuild project like this. It s part of the fun, having to find ways to get over problems. If you have any comments, suggestions, or tips I can pass on through these reports you can me at: mikemacartney@btconnect.com 22nd October V8 Register MG Car Club V8-restoration-Mike-Macartney-Report-82 8

MGB V8 Roadster restoration project Report 138

MGB V8 Roadster restoration project Report 138 24th May 2017. FITTING THE CARPETS - continued I have included quite a lot of detail and photographs on the carpet and trim fitting, as it may help those who decide to do this job on their own car. The