Quote from
Colin on 6th November 2009, 2:11 pm
Well Folks. The engine/gearbox is out and as you will see the engine bay is now empty and awaiting the second half of the heart transplant-a case of remove the heart of an asthmatic 60 year old and replace it with one from a 20 year old olympic athelete.
Anyway as the engine is sold then there really is no going back now. Next job is to empty the engine bay/degrease ready for a fresh coat of BRG.
Incidentally if anyone out there is interested in the gearbox (and the axle and a very good set of rear springs in a few months), which are both in excellent condition, then I'll sell at a special members price of £65,£55 & £30 respectively.
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/engineout.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/emptyenginebay.jpg[/img]
Well Folks. The engine/gearbox is out and as you will see the engine bay is now empty and awaiting the second half of the heart transplant-a case of remove the heart of an asthmatic 60 year old and replace it with one from a 20 year old olympic athelete.
Anyway as the engine is sold then there really is no going back now. Next job is to empty the engine bay/degrease ready for a fresh coat of BRG.
Incidentally if anyone out there is interested in the gearbox (and the axle and a very good set of rear springs in a few months), which are both in excellent condition, then I'll sell at a special members price of £65,£55 & £30 respectively.
If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 28th February 2010, 8:12 pm
Well after spending most of the winter languishing outside (as I needed to use the garage as a workshop to assemble all the V8 parts) and after virtually killing Charlotte & I trying to push her in the snow and with the aid of a push by my Shogun she finally got in the garage last weekend.:D
So this weekend I have finally been able to tackle her front suspension. I am rebuilding it to V8 spec. and whilst I have it all apart I am replacing the kingpins and track rodends and waxoiling everything. Generally speaking things came apart quite easily-amazing what a long bar and hammer can do. So the state of play, as of today (pics to follow), is that the new kingpins,wishbone arms and wisbone pivots are in place (loosley) as I need to get new anti-roll bar link arms (the old ones wouldn't undo and upon closer inspection have seen better days). So some more money to be spent tomorrow and then I can fit the new wishbone pans & springs/tighten everything up then that bits done.
Then I can move onto emptying the engine bay and replacing all of the brake,clutch and possibly fuel lines etc.etc.etc.etc.:(
Well after spending most of the winter languishing outside (as I needed to use the garage as a workshop to assemble all the V8 parts) and after virtually killing Charlotte & I trying to push her in the snow and with the aid of a push by my Shogun she finally got in the garage last weekend.:D
So this weekend I have finally been able to tackle her front suspension. I am rebuilding it to V8 spec. and whilst I have it all apart I am replacing the kingpins and track rodends and waxoiling everything. Generally speaking things came apart quite easily-amazing what a long bar and hammer can do. So the state of play, as of today (pics to follow), is that the new kingpins,wishbone arms and wisbone pivots are in place (loosley) as I need to get new anti-roll bar link arms (the old ones wouldn't undo and upon closer inspection have seen better days). So some more money to be spent tomorrow and then I can fit the new wishbone pans & springs/tighten everything up then that bits done.
Then I can move onto emptying the engine bay and replacing all of the brake,clutch and possibly fuel lines etc.etc.etc.etc.:(
Uploaded files:If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 7th March 2010, 6:59 pm
Well progress was made atlast this weekend and the front suspension has now been completely rebuilt to V8 spec.
Unfortunately due to some ***$%^"( from eBay I am still waiting for the new track rod ends and front anti-roll bar link arms (the latter was a pain because I had to cut the old ones off so that I had a temporary bolt for the spring pan) won't be here until Tuesday but aleast it is a case of just bolting them on.
Not a lot to see but as anyone who knows what is involved this is a long job. Another problem that I had not encountered before was the fact that without the weight of the engine in the shell that it is impossible to compress the springs far enough to attact both ends of the kingpin. However with a bit of head scratching and the use of an angle grinder on my spring compressor plus the use of two jacks I found a resolution-phew!!!
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/SuspensionrebuildRH.JPG[/img]
Well progress was made atlast this weekend and the front suspension has now been completely rebuilt to V8 spec.
Unfortunately due to some ***$%^"( from eBay I am still waiting for the new track rod ends and front anti-roll bar link arms (the latter was a pain because I had to cut the old ones off so that I had a temporary bolt for the spring pan) won't be here until Tuesday but aleast it is a case of just bolting them on.
Not a lot to see but as anyone who knows what is involved this is a long job. Another problem that I had not encountered before was the fact that without the weight of the engine in the shell that it is impossible to compress the springs far enough to attact both ends of the kingpin. However with a bit of head scratching and the use of an angle grinder on my spring compressor plus the use of two jacks I found a resolution-phew!!!
Uploaded files:If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 9th March 2010, 9:19 am
[quote]Is the big nylock nut on the top of the kingpin how it's done these days? Seems like a good idea rather than messing around with split pins.
[/quote]
They've been that way for a while now, makes it much easier for getting the right amount of tension.
Now that the evenings are getting slightly lighter and warmer, once I've adapted the new back plates to the V8's calipers, I'll re-assemble the hubs and brakes before attacking the brake pipes and engine bay.
Is the big nylock nut on the top of the kingpin how it's done these days? Seems like a good idea rather than messing around with split pins.
They've been that way for a while now, makes it much easier for getting the right amount of tension.
Now that the evenings are getting slightly lighter and warmer, once I've adapted the new back plates to the V8's calipers, I'll re-assemble the hubs and brakes before attacking the brake pipes and engine bay.
If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 28th March 2010, 9:03 pm
Hi
Finally got back into the garage today and after refitting the front hubs I fitted the wheels and sat her down for the first time-I don't think speed bumps will be a problem but like Ken's L.E. things will be different with the engine/box & bumper fitted.
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/sittinghigh.JPG[/img]
After I had got her outside I proceeded to empty the engine bay ready for degreasing tomorrow evening-weather permitting. It is amazing as to how long it takes to remove things like temp gauge/pipes,choke & accelerator cable not to mention the clutch pipe which was original and took the help of my angle grinder to remove. Anyway once it is clean and after spending another £350 on parts (don't tell the Mrs.;)) atleast I can enjoy putting some nice new/clean shiny bits back on.:D (you'll also see in the pics. that I have trial fitted the remote oil filter housing and movedthe expansion tank/coil to the other side of the engine bay-the latter necessitated removing the old radiator mounting points).
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/emptybay1.JPG[/img]
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/emptybay2.JPG[/img]
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/emptybay3.JPG[/img]
Hi
Finally got back into the garage today and after refitting the front hubs I fitted the wheels and sat her down for the first time-I don't think speed bumps will be a problem but like Ken's L.E. things will be different with the engine/box & bumper fitted.
After I had got her outside I proceeded to empty the engine bay ready for degreasing tomorrow evening-weather permitting. It is amazing as to how long it takes to remove things like temp gauge/pipes,choke & accelerator cable not to mention the clutch pipe which was original and took the help of my angle grinder to remove. Anyway once it is clean and after spending another £350 on parts (don't tell the Mrs.;)) atleast I can enjoy putting some nice new/clean shiny bits back on.:D (you'll also see in the pics. that I have trial fitted the remote oil filter housing and movedthe expansion tank/coil to the other side of the engine bay-the latter necessitated removing the old radiator mounting points).
If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 28th March 2010, 11:00 pm
[quote]It's great to see the progress your making. Are you going to re-paint the engine bay first before putting your new bits on? You may regret not doing it later[/quote]
Hi Phill...
That was my original intention but due to lack of time coupled to my inability to paint I will have to leave it until she needs more bodywork/afull respray. As I have found that oneof the castlerails needs patching I guess it will only be a year or two and I will be stripping the shell bare for that one to have it blasted and dipped.
As it is I have only got 4 weekends & evenings to finish the conversion and get her back on the road and tested for May's run.
That means-
Replace castle rail
Waxoyl the complete underside
Replace all brake and fuel lines
Alter wiring loom
Rebuild engine
overhaul gearbox
replace tyres
nick the axle from my roadster and re-fit the MGC axle back to it-which I also need to finish rebuilding.
rebuild rear suspension
fit V8 gauges & controls
install engine & box
road test
MOT
get engineers report for insurance company
I think I preferred it when I hadn't written it down
Don't think I'll be down the pub much this month then:(
It's great to see the progress your making. Are you going to re-paint the engine bay first before putting your new bits on? You may regret not doing it later
Hi Phill...
That was my original intention but due to lack of time coupled to my inability to paint I will have to leave it until she needs more bodywork/afull respray. As I have found that oneof the castlerails needs patching I guess it will only be a year or two and I will be stripping the shell bare for that one to have it blasted and dipped.
As it is I have only got 4 weekends & evenings to finish the conversion and get her back on the road and tested for May's run.
That means-
Replace castle rail
Waxoyl the complete underside
Replace all brake and fuel lines
Alter wiring loom
Rebuild engine
overhaul gearbox
replace tyres
nick the axle from my roadster and re-fit the MGC axle back to it-which I also need to finish rebuilding.
rebuild rear suspension
fit V8 gauges & controls
install engine & box
road test
MOT
get engineers report for insurance company
I think I preferred it when I hadn't written it down
Don't think I'll be down the pub much this month then:(
If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
Quote from
Colin on 9th April 2010, 11:17 pm
The next task is to replace the front section of castle rail as the old one (which as far as i can see was original) had seen better days.
Thanks to Cliff (Squeaky Ted) this was done in about 3 hours last Tuesday. As you will see from the pictures it was quite an art to cut and fit a replacement section but Cliff did a stirling job...Thanks..
Here's a pic showing the state of the old rail-apologies for the poor quality photo but I think you can see the hole well enough
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/rusty_castle_rail.JPG[/img]
Cliff hard at it cutting all the rot out
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/cliff_and_his_grinder.JPG[/img]
Rot now removed and what seems to be an otherwise very solid 35 year old sill-amazing
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/rot_removed.JPG[/img]
After a lot of measuring and trial fitting (plus a BIG hammer) the new section is in place-just got to protect and seal it now.
[img]https://www.mgbjubilee.com/images/newcastlerail.JPG[/img]
The next task is to replace the front section of castle rail as the old one (which as far as i can see was original) had seen better days.
Thanks to Cliff (Squeaky Ted) this was done in about 3 hours last Tuesday. As you will see from the pictures it was quite an art to cut and fit a replacement section but Cliff did a stirling job...Thanks..
Here's a pic showing the state of the old rail-apologies for the poor quality photo but I think you can see the hole well enough
Cliff hard at it cutting all the rot out
Rot now removed and what seems to be an otherwise very solid 35 year old sill-amazing
After a lot of measuring and trial fitting (plus a BIG hammer) the new section is in place-just got to protect and seal it now.
If it ain't broken don't try to fix it as if you do it will definitely break
