MGB GT V8 build. **SOLD**

[Richard Moss]

It's going to need to be rubbed back and a barrier coat applied before respraying the primer and top coat.

[3xpendable]

Yeah we are going to take it back to the bare metal to be sure.

[TerryG]

I have had that happen to a bumper I sprayed last year. I was so annoyed that I took it to a body shop and asked them to do it for me. I can only imagine how frustrating it is when it happens on the actual body.

[rich.]

thats a shame, it was a tidy job.

[3xpendable]

My brother has been busy sorting out the damaged paintwork while I have begun cutting back and polishing some of the paint on areas where trim and things need to be fitted. I'm not going to cut and polish the whole car until the final parts are painted then I can do it all in one go.

In the meantime I've been fitting the wiring loom and various appendages under the dash such as the fresh air flap, grommets and heater pipes. I had quite a lot of trouble getting the flap to latch close correctly, after some cursing I spaced out the hinges so it sat more square and it now works perfectly. The windscreen vent pipes seem to interfere with it when its open but I have to keep reminding myself that this is a 60's designed car, and you wont see these things when its built up.

I fitted the wiper linkage and motor, along with the vent trim and mesh. I painted the mesh silver and it looks ok I think. I've decided that trims and similar don't have to be perfect as I can replace them as and when I want when the car is running. There is no point having a mint car if its sitting in a garage on blocks. I had to source a used dash top, because my C/B one wouldn't fit this shell, it needed a lot of cleaning and again while its not perfect I managed to get it acceptable after a while and waxed it.



And then I fitted the dash



I plan to trial fit the dials and sort out the wiring next week, along with fitting up the rear brakes, interior trim and hopefully brake lines.

[3xpendable]

I spent a while cleaning up the tank, I scraped off any loose old paint/underseal and flatted back any rust:



After that I then primed it with an epoxy type primer:



I put a top coat of brush applied black on it today and will put a second coat tomorrow.

I also got tucked into the wiring today. My concern was that as I'm using a chrome bumper loom on a later rubber bumper car, I wouldn't be able to join the rear loom to the main loom in the place where it would meet (where the bulkhead and inner wing meet) as the later cars have an all combined aster cylinder and servo that's in the same place as the loom meeting. As it turns out, after setting all the wiring up there seems to be plenty of length to join the two and pass the wiring for the rear loom between the servo and inner wing. I need to move the 8 or so fusebox wires forward about 5 inches but that's straightforward, I also have to extend the fuel pump wires but that's no problem. I'm pleased as punch because I was worried I'd have to make an intermediate loom, but I don't now and while access will be tight I can tuck this lot nicely out of the way behind the brake cylinder and pedal box.



Next is to finish painting the fuel tank and then I can install it after finishing fitting all the rear axle parts. The 'pickled paint' has been repaired and is ready to be painted again, fingers crossed it works this time. Once that's done I can rebuild the interior.

[rich.]

the bay looks nice mate

[3xpendable]

Thank you rich.

Just to update you all, I haven't forgotten. Not much new or progress with the car lately. I finally got a new job and so have been consumed with moving house and starting that, along with a Stag party and best man at a friends wedding the other side of the country! I'm saving up for some major expenses now such as the exhausts, which I plan to fit to the heads before fitting the heads to the engine to make bolting up easier and then of course buying interior parts and things like brake lines etc. I also need to get some extra wiring for my loom to add a few things on. I'm really waiting for the weather to get better so dad can re-paint the rear wing as I dont want to refit parts that might get over spray on them. Hopefully next month now things will begin in earnest.

The car almost got damaged by a falling tree too in the storms we had here last month. Luckily an old caravan broke its fall and damage to the shed was only cosmetic, and thankfull damage to the B was zero, phew.

[3xpendable]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Well in the week before Easter I got the old rocker covers bead blasted to see if they cleaned up. I could have bought new ones but really like the retro look of the older ones and seeing as the car is going to be retro it makes sense. So here they are blasted up:



I decided to paint them red:



And then spent about 2 hours per side flatting back the raised ribs. They aren't perfect if you look closely due to pitting etc but they'll do for now:



My credit card took a heavy hit in the run up to Easter buying parts, some of which I didn't get to fit so came back home today a little dejected but I did a bit of port opening and polishing on the heads before rebuilding them:



Then got them fitted:



Unfortunately I went to fit the manifolds and they touch the body before lining up with the bolt holes, this is even before fitting the gaskets and the heat insulating wrap.



Some investigative work showed that MG fitted spacer plates on the engine mounts of the factory cars, so these are on order, so I fitted the fuel tank which has been centralised, and one of the next jobs is to make the exhaust lips in the rear valence, amongst many other things.



The main job I didn't get done this weekend was the extra wiring, so that will have to wait to another time.

[Ian]

Are you using a rubber bumper front x member mate?