And so it begins... Rebuid - S2

[Jaye R]

Dave_M said:

Hmmm, not seen Jaye since I helped him though...!

Hi - I'm still here

Car is still in bits (2 years after your much appreciated help, along with others, Dave!!!) - things are getting straighter on the financial front now so I have removed all the junk that had piled up on the chassis and am currently in the process of removing the waxoil - horrible job

Have found out my next door neighbours Dad can do the replacement of the outriggers and the welding for me (for nowt!!!) which has given me renewed incentive to get on with things.

Looking to be 'on with the re-build' next during next year - if I can remember where all the bits go to put it back together - have lots of photos ready to be referred to

Cheers
Jaye

[AndrewS2]

Thanks for all the messages!!

S2Mike said:

I admire the bravery Andrew. To take your "S" off the road voluntarily, expecting to be without for a year or so............
Do you have something to stand-in for the TVR on those days you need a "S" Fix. ??
Im not sure I could be without mine for very long.
Good Luck !

I have a 1974 MG Midget which is SORN for the winter but will be the stand in next summer. My Dad managed to keep up (just) with the TVR boys on one run - I would maybe hope to emulate his efforts!!

Will probably be realistically looking at a full body off. Thanks for all the offers of 'lifting' - probably will require a full body off party!! Probably look to do that in Spring/Summer next year when the weather comes back and the MG isn't occupying the other half of the garage.

Cheers,

Andrew

[phillpot]

AndrewS2 said:

I have a 1974 MG Midget which is SORN for the winter but will be the stand in next summer. My Dad managed to keep up (just) with the TVR boys on one run - I would maybe hope to emulate his efforts!!

I seem to recall your late father did a pretty good job of keeping up with the "pack"

[Barry S1]

I worked out that if you did 5000 miles a year with petrol, tax, ins and all running costs is over £ 2000 so you
should have that to spend without it costing you anything
Good luck with it
👍

[Top Gear TVR]

I too love a bit if Man Maths. Nothing us beyond affordable with a few quick sums....

Good luck matey and if you plan a lift party / tell us when

[Scoobimax]

AndrewS2 said:

Will probably be realistically looking at a full body off. Thanks for all the offers of 'lifting' - probably will require a full body off party!! Probably look to do that in Spring/Summer next year when the weather comes back and the MG isn't occupying the other half of the garage.

Cheers,

Andrew

Happy to throw my shoulder in to the body lift too if you need a hand.

[glenrobbo]

Body lift party? Northwest?
Count me in, I'm local. ( League of Gentlemen? )

Just say the word Andrew.

I could do with a body lift myself, but Austin is ok for now

[AndrewS2]

FINALLY a couple of weekends in a row free and some progress. Spent today stripping the interior. Seats out, carpets out, dashboard out, all instruments removed from dashboard.

Spent a LONG time tracing and labelling wires, and I've decided that the alarm/immobiliser system that has clearly been installed as a retrofit at some point was definitely installed by an irishman when my car lived in Belfast (no offence Irish friends). My GOODNESS what a lot of wires. Eventually traced them all and CHOP CHOP goodbye semi-functioning alarm system. The siren was knackered and I've had recent problems starting so I've decided I can do without it.

Next turned to the seat belts. Both sides removed with less effort than expected. Took plenty of elbow grease and a 3 ft long wrench but they all came undone eventually. The drivers side bolt sheered in 2 pieces it was so corroded. These were the bits I was most concerned about on the chassis, and as you can see from the pictures below…I was right!!

More work tomorrow and hopefully Monday. I have the day off to take the MG for its MOT, but assuming it's a pass….should have the afternoon to work on the TVR.










Managed to get garage so that MG just about fits for overnight storage still - tight though!!

[Mr Plow]

Good work mate. Great to hear progress is being made.

[Oldred_V8S]

That is a pretty looking Midget. Look forward to seeing you both on the Eurotour.

[AndrewS2]

Well, another busy weekend!

Electrics now fully labelled (I hope) and entire wiring loom removed :


Currently labelled the wires connected to the below "plug in to white boxes bolted to drivers side behind engine"…but WHAT ARE THEY?!! They are pretty cruddy


Remainder of interior completely stripped - steering column and pedal box removed:


Boot stripped and fuel tank disconnected:


Brakes drained, master/servo removed, clutch drained, reservoir removed, mass air flow meters removed, oil drained, coolant drained, radiator removed, swirl pot removed, water pump removed….:


Source of mysterious oil puddle on top of engine - rocker cover gasket had not been fitted correctly:


These brake pipe brackets at the front are pretty knackered:


Now on to main body-chassis bolts - this one required an angle grinder and a hack saw:


Summary of damage to date…

- accelerator cable locator (at engine end) plastic bit broken:



- one of the small copper tubes on the swirl pot came off with the pipe - so new swirl pot required


All in all though, the 'easy bit' has gone well - I'm really pleased with how quick progress has been. As I say though - this is the easy bit!! Only 3 bolts to go before I'm ready for the lift I think…

Andrew

[HvdWeerden]

AndrewS2 said:

but WHAT ARE THEY?!! They are pretty cruddy

Good progress Andrew ! I think they are Ballast resistors, see topic

http://www.petrolheads.co.uk/xforums/topic.asp?h=0...

Han

[AndrewS2]

HvdWeerden said:

Good progress Andrew ! I think they are Ballast resistors, see topic

http://www.petrolheads.co.uk/xforums/topic.asp?h=0...

Han

Excellent - thanks Han, good link and link within that threat to a Phillpot mod (of course)!

[Barkychoc]

The resistors are for the dashboard lights - to get the dim & even dimmer setting.
I didn't bother putting them back on, it just changed the even dimmer setting to being nothing at all.

[AndrewS2]

THE BODY IS OFF!!!

Invested in a pair of heavy duty ratchet straps which was a good decision. Came off pretty easily, just that front section needed a bit of wiggling. Have got it up in the air such that the chassis can roll in and out of the garage underneath it. Few more pictures and my own version of the 'little shop of horrors' below. The drivers side outrigger is basically dust. The passenger side was repaired when I bought the car, but can't say I'm that happy with it!!






























So - considering…. 2 new outriggers????? Or is that repairable? I guess I need to do some poking and see if there is any good metal left. Time to make some phone calls for estimates. Thinking of giving Surface and Design a call, and Xworks service who are both near ish me to see what sort of quotes I get.

Right, bed time I think after another hard weekends work!

[v8s4me]

It’s all repairable Andrew. It’s just mild steel tubing after all. The tricky bit is finding someone with the right skill level to do it properly for you. You’ve got it all apart and you know the scale of the task so you’re half way there. Good luck!

[Stwdv]

Looks like it is all the green ones that are being rebuilt at the moment ?

[AndrewS2]

Green ones are fastest - mine must have been very fast considering all the weight it had shed!!!

Are you having any painting done? Mine has a few minor bits of crazing. Will be considering a respray depending on price/availability of funds. Will be staying Green though I think Would like a nice possibly metallic british racing green sort of a colour

Andrew

[phillpot]

AndrewS2 said:

I think Would like a nice possibly metallic british racing green sort of a colour

Good choice young man





Your chassis looks like it was white or a very light grey, what colour are you going for on that?

[AndrewS2]

Not sure Mike - very open to suggestions and inspiration!!! It was light grey originally, which seems to work with the green. In my head I've been swaying from keeping it exactly the same to going for bright red and completely changing the bodywork colour. But on balance I'm thinking of keeping it classic - not sure I want to modernise it in looks.

That said I really like the picture of Joes V8S with the 'low maintenance' wheels and smoked lights as a subtly more modern look…

Much deliberating lies ahead!!!!