Be interested in seeing how your crossmember turns out. I need to get my Morris one blasted.
Will keep you posted and see if I can get some pics... although if you're attending the NEC you'll be able to see for yourself hopefully
Ribble Technology who undertake the shell dipping / paint & rust removal have a sister company who recently relocated to new premises in Preston that specialise in industrial coatings - powder coating process on all component parts / alloy wheels etc - the work is is of the same high standards offered through the dipping process 'North Coat' details are listed below
Post by toomanyprojects on Feb 24, 2022 18:46:12 GMT
So yesterday was D-Day... in this case delivery day. Which meant a 4am start
I'd already got the shell and all the panels out of the now very empty looking workshop
and loaded on the trailer ready for a prompt departure
Not a bad journey to begin with and I made it to my first scheduled stop on the M6 toll for a pitstop. That's where the fun began...
First was this
Which I attempted to put some air in to no avail. However as the spare wasn't with me and the load was light I wasn't too worried about continuing and letting the other three take the strain.
Next, upon reaching the end of the M6 toll it was soon apparent that the main M6 north was closed due a nasty lorry accident, a bit of swift redirecting thanks to google maps and I was able to circumnavigate things, albeit down a couple of narrow country lanes near Cannock, that got exciting for a while as I met every horsebox in the area
Back on track once more I eventually got to Preston around 9.45
Where Rob and Phil, who I've come to know quite well over several trips helped me unload and took plenty of pics of the 'before'
As is always the way when I visit, there are always plenty of interesting things lying about
After the rest of the panels were emptied and safely tucked out of harm's way
It was time to head home, thankfully a little less adventurous than the journey up, although the wind was gusting nicely at this point so was glad I decided on an early start.
I eventually arrived home at 3.30, so not too bad. In fact that gave me just enough time to remove the offending wheel and take the also flat spare to the local tyre fitters for two new trailer tyres, as I discovered when pushing the trailer into the yard the reason as to why my efforts to put air in were in vain
Yup, no hope for that one!
So while I await the outcome of the shell treatment and it's trip to the NEC, it's on with a few ancillary jobs such as rebuilding the steering rack, tightening the rear axle, stripping the front subframe, wiring, oh and a spot of buttoning up that engine one final time...
Post by toomanyprojects on Feb 28, 2022 18:34:36 GMT
On to the engine then.
A day trip to the depths of Norfolk for fellow forumite nrwilliams1975 so I could pick his brains on all things V8, resulted in a very productive day with a number of potential issues swerved/overcome.
Not too many pics as we just cracked on at pace. The starting point and sort of plan was to strip everything back to basics, then check and refit as we went
As the engine hadn't turned for a while, freeing it up and ensuring all the cam lobes were still in good order was the first challenge. Once some oil was applied and we were happy it was turning freely once more, it was on with sorting out the dipstick/sump issue, time to invert things
it was at this point we spotted something I'd not seen on the sump before now despite being underneath it enough times - there was a cut out. A bit of research revealed this to be a Land Rover defender mod, but it wasn't going to help matters in our search to get the right dipstick and subsequent calibration.
I'd already got a few potential dipstick and tube options in hand as the more you read up on these, the more confusing it gets, well for me anyway. However on discovering the cut away on the pan, it rendered a few of these irrelevant and after a quick check of my spare engine to see if it too had the cut out the decision was to use the sump off that instead, this also meant we could use the dipstick from it which also happened to match a tube I'd already purchased
So far so good then. Time to go raid the spare engine and play sump swaps, you can see the extent of the cutout on the below
which resulted in a non-defender sump coming off
No pics for what followed as I got covered in muck cleaning bits, but essentially a good cleanup of the acquired puzzle pieces, and while I was doing that everything that could then be refitted to the engine was. The front timing cover and inlet manifold were torqued down for the final time and a list was drawn up of things to source/finish.
Other jobs ticked off including checking that the distributor seated and meshed correctly with the drive, removing the rocker cover breather pipe fittings and lastly loosely bolting the freshly cleaned sump back on while I source some proper sealant as didn't have any to hand. Once that arrives the sump can go on and then it's a case of dealing with the other things on the list.
I've finally sourced and ordered a flywheel, but before that can be fitted the dowel needs to be removed from the flywheel end of the crankshaft (see third pic from top above). I also need to either source or make up a spacer for the front pulley as at present when you do up the front pulley bolt, it doesn't actually come into contact with the pulley and therefore the pulley will be loose (hence the use of packing washers in the first pic above).
Lastly there is also the recommendation to fit a blanking plate in place of where there is currently a hole left bu the crank angle sensor (see bottom right of block on third pic above).
Felt like a very successful day and a lot of the queries in my head were answered. Few parts on the shopping list once more and then it's on to fitting flywheel, clutch and finishing the headers.
Post by toomanyprojects on Mar 9, 2022 19:12:22 GMT
Another piece of the puzzle has finally arrived
Found some time to briefly unpack it but not to fit it (this weekend hopefully)
Then it's on to solving the front pulley spacer issue as four packing washers isn't ideal!
There's also the minor distraction of the upcoming NEC restoration show the following weekend for which I need to prep and take various parts and then collect parts while there, more on that in due course though
Post by toomanyprojects on Mar 17, 2022 13:03:53 GMT
I suspect like other members of this parish there's a fair bit of running about going on today sorting bits for the Practical Classics Restoration show at the NEC weekend. Even though I'm not 'exhibiting' per se I do still have a few things to sort, namely to get some parts across to the show, as well as take a dolly for the MG so it can make it's onward journey as Ribble are bringing it down on one of their shell movers.
A few bits are subsequently being thrown in the back of the disco
and just in case, I'm also re-making the brackets to go with the CJ autos mobile axle stands as they might be an easier option - least there is then a choice for someone
Some of you may also have spotted the radiator for the Celica in the first photo, I've long been in discussions with Coolex about getting a new ally rad built that wasn't a cheap chinese copy, so am lending them mine so they can pattern it. They just so happen to be attending to show so that saves me a seperate trip to Nottingham.
Oh and anyone wondering about the Celica scuttle, that's off to Scotland to help with another rebuild.
Should be a good, if rather expensive, weekend. More on that another time however!
Just don’t leave it in a damp shed for too long. All primers are porous and need to be overcoated sooner rather than later….but I am sure you knew that already 🤣🤣
Just don’t leave it in a damp shed for too long. All primers are porous and need to be overcoated sooner rather than later….but I am sure you knew that already 🤣🤣
2 pack epoxy primers and good quality powder coat primers are not porous and never have been - cheap rubbish water / solvent based primers are and always will be
Just don’t leave it in a damp shed for too long. All primers are porous and need to be overcoated sooner rather than later….but I am sure you knew that already 🤣🤣
2 pack epoxy primers and good quality powder coat primers are not porous and never have been - cheap rubbish water / solvent based primers are and always will be
Think we will have to agree to disagree with that statement Chris. 😊 All primers are porous to an extent,to promote paint adhesion. 2k primers are no different. Speak to any paint manufacturer and they all recommend top coat over primer in short order.You will not find a single paint manufacturer that will recommend leaving a primed panel devoid of a topcoat,( to seal it) for any period of time.
2 pack epoxy primers and good quality powder coat primers are not porous and never have been - cheap rubbish water / solvent based primers are and always will be
Think we will have to agree to disagree with that statement Chris. 😊 All primers are porous to an extent,to promote paint adhesion. 2k primers are no different. Speak to any paint manufacturer and they all recommend top coat over primer in short order.You will not find a single paint manufacturer that will recommend leaving a primed panel devoid of a topcoat,( to seal it) for any period of time.
JB - Paint products have moved on significantly over the last 5 years - purchase the right product from a good quality manufacture and you will achieve the correct results - that aside the MG shell has been treated with a powder coat Korroprime electrostatically applied then oven cured - it withstands 1,000 hour salt spray testing - I'll let the results speak for themselves
Post by toomanyprojects on Apr 11, 2022 16:19:56 GMT
After a bit of a hiatus thanks to the NEC, a couple of new arrivals (one four-legged the other four wheeled) and the warmer weather meaning a few garden projects to appease SWMBO were on the cards, it was finally back to some workshop time at the weekend for GT, or rather GT related ancillaries to get some attention.
First job was to sort the output from Ribble that came back with me from the show.
Be interested in seeing how your crossmember turns out. I need to get my Morris one blasted.
To answer your question, here is said crossmember looking very different to the state I dropped it off in along with all the other hinges, brackets and parts I have treated in either a korroprime or satin powder coat finish (those in black)
The reason for having all the brackets back is that I stupidly forgot to take all the corresponding nuts/washers etc. with me to the show, so I spent some time carefully adding the relevant bits back on
Before bagging and labelling everything ready for a trip to Hampshire at the end of the month
Back to the crossmember, I now need to transfer everything across from the previous (original) chrome bumper version onto the now treated RB version thanks to the slight differences with how the steering rack mounts, meaning it was time to wheel out the existing set up
Then benches were cleared and I've now got them side by side
In other news, the engine has also come off the stand in readiness for fitting the flywheel and clutch, a minor task before then is to remove the dowel from the crankshaft so the flywheel can locate correctly
I also need to fit a blanking plate to the hole left by the crank angle sensor that I won't be using and a spacer to the bottom pulley instead of four rusty washers. Last job will be to seal the sump before adding the gearbox etc
Here's hoping for some more tinker time over Easter
Post by toomanyprojects on May 3, 2022 17:04:35 GMT
Well Easter came and went and no tinker time thanks to a myriad of other distractions and visitors, similarly with the weekends in between and work getting in the way of any eves . However with yet another long weekend on the radar there was some renewed hope and it didn't disappoint, well to a degree...
The Friday started positively enough, an impromptu trip to my bosses place in NW London meant that I was mobile and I had time to kill to avoid the evening rush, as I like to try and make the most of any long journeys (you need to these days with the cost of fuel ), I decided to see if the parts I'd been waiting for were ready, sure enough they were and even better I could collect on my way home. Don't you love it when things just work out? I therefore came home with a full boot and a much lighter wallet
So channelling my inner magpie, here's what was in the haul. Obvious ones first then
A nice set of re-chromed original bumpers, not the horrendous chinesium copies where the ends aren't turned in properly meaning they catch all the rubbish thrown up by the wheels and then dissolve from the inside. However these are also slightly different and a bit rare, well one of them is. Look closer at the above, and you'll notice that the front simply has the overrider holes deleted, the rear is the special one; a one year only bumper where the rear plate lights were in the bumper, not on the overriders, another small touch I was after for a slightly cleaner look. Those who know, will notice
Even better was that as I went armed with a few spares for exchange, I got a set of the hens teeth lights too. In addition I also picked up a pair of newly chromed and freshly rebuilt quarter lights
I just need to sort my rear windows now as they will need some attention to match!
The rest of the weekend didn't yield much tinkering time but more tidying and getting on top of things in the garden instead, partially to appease SWMBO enough to allow the aforementioned in future .
One of my other jobs was to get myself a clean build space for when the shell comes back once again. It's all very well having the main workshop with both cars in as before, but as I want to get on with some metalwork on the Celica it's not really ideal having a freshly painted car with sparks, metal and dust about. As I'm rather spoilt here and have other options (hence the move!), I decided it was time to tidy the spray booth as I'm unlikely to be doing any painting just yet. So the cousin's mini shell got kicked out
Which left me with a few other easy to remove remnants (convertibles are great but storing their hard tops is a pain!), I could also start moving in the 'ready' parts.
Overall it should be a nice light space to put bits together in.
This then meant the mini joined the Celica in the 'metal working' area
but rather than trip over it in the short term, I relegated it to the corner for now
So that's the faffing out the way, I might make some more progress soon
. 
