Pro Street Style MGB GT

[Flying Phil]

I was able to use the welder today and so worked on the Drivers side exhaust - much cutting



................and welding



.......and it ends up looking like this.




Not as pretty as some - but it should be a lot more effective than the old cast iron headers!

[Flying Phil]

Another job done, as I have welded the lower radiator support brackets to the front chassis legs. With the radiator in position, I then tried the fan shroud, which has a small electric fan and space for another larger fan.

[Flying Phil]

I did get the starter off and working today - then I put it back on the engine and it has turned over! but no ignition electrics yet.....

[Flying Phil]

v8250 said:

FP, you deserve the 2015-2016 MG Madman Award for this project. Completely crazy and will go like a dingbat. Will the car be used for general road use or for the strip?

Thanks V8250
I have told the DVLA about the BGT reg and changes but they weren't really interested until it is complete. However it is really for the odd RWYB and possible shows/garage candy so a trailer queen it may be if I cannot get some form of registration.

[Flying Phil]

Cracking on with the welder today. the drivers side floor pan cut, bent and welded in place.


Then most of the passenger floor.



Then the bracket to attach the handbrake in place.



and finally two supports for the gear lever and gearbox cover plate.

[Flying Phil]

The handbrake lever has been fitted together with its cable (which is too long but a loop works!)


I've also been sorting out the brace bar that goes across the roll cage behind the dashboard - there is still space for it and it can tie in to the other dashboard brace - providing a mount for the top of the steering column.



Other work has been on the carbs to get a possible operating system by linking the throttle butterfly bars. It is possible to buy a system with two operating bars alongside the cam covers - but £330 plus VAT is not for me and I want a simple discrete system.

[Flying Phil]

Well I have been modifying the Weber throttle linkages by welding tabs etc on, and now, the three carbs on each side are linked - so I just need to run dual throttle cables from the pedal ( to be done) to the middle of carbs two and three.


I have also made a start on the front chassis fixing point for the trailing arm link to the rear lower suspension arm. The tube will be sleeved to match the conical shape of the rubber bush centre. The rubber provides the compliance for the geometric errors (this is the standard XJ-S set up.)

[Flying Phil]

I am still thinking about the trailing arms.
However the water outlet housing has been welded.



And I have been sorting out the illumination of the dashboard?????? Well the XJ-S had a rather nifty bit of fibre opticary for that job - so I've just got to use that!!

[Flying Phil]

I have stripped the fibre optics out and the are 9 fibres connected to the source. Another surprise was that there are three colours! White, Red and a pale yellow. As the source is a filament bulb they must use coloured fibres. I have also put all the thrust washers onto the lower wishbones and bolted up the lower plate so the rear cage is now finished.

[Flying Phil]

I was hoping to fire up then realised that it would be best if I had an oil filter in place........ I remembered that I need a blanking can as I bought a remote filter, then, when I put the newly welded water outlet in place, it points straight at the oil cooler pipework........So I am having a rethink about the oil system - do I need an oil cooler anyway? Where to put the remote filter?

[Flying Phil]

Thanks V8250 As the car will not be cruising down a hot Autoroute anytime soon I think the oil cooler is unnecessary. The big hole in the bonnet will aid airflow through the radiator.....
Some more welding done today. The brace bar across the front legs of the roll cage has been put in place and it has been tied in to the bell housing frame to get a good support for the top of the steering column.

I also put in the rubber bushed trailing arms - I valued the input from various sources re the need for the arms but, in the end, I thought it looked better and it will, very slightly, reduce the loading on the lower "dogbone" arm. I have checked the suspension movement and the compliance in the bushes allows full movement.


I then attacked the oil filter!



When the two parts are brazed together it makes a short filter substitute and the oil cooler pipes will be shortened to feed the remote oil filter which will fit on the block behind the exhaust manifold.

[Flying Phil]

Big Thanks to Guy (Bigyellataxi) - I now have the pipework to attach the remote filter to the oil circuit. I will need to make a bracket to support the filter on the engine block.

[Flying Phil]

Here you go - the oil pipes in place but a fixing bracket for the remote filter needs to be made


And I am making a start on the electrics using bits from the XJ-S loom to the instruments.

[Flying Phil]

A bit of a change as I wanted to trty out a slightly different "Look" So out with the Satin Black spray cans..................





Then a bit more elbow grease on the rear hubs

[Flying Phil]

Thanks V8250 and AndamIndy,
I'm still awaiting the shortened oil filter, so doing other little jobs.

Edited by Flying Phil on Wednesday 24th February 11:23

[Flying Phil]

Thanks V8250, the hubs feel fine and I won't be doing too many miles but if I get a problem I will know where to go.
Here is the NS Rear hub - polished but more to do.


........and the oil filter has been brazed and leak tested. It will be carefully cleaned inside and checked when the engine turns over.

[Flying Phil]

A bit more progress as I have trial fitted the shortie empty oil filter case and proper oil filter.





Then I couldn't resist a bit more rattle can spraying - and yes it will get a proper spray job later!

[Flying Phil]

v8250 said:

Phil, given any thoughts as to how you're going to attache the rear Sebring valance? They can be a rascal to get right. Have a good proven technique is you're blending in to the body...

It is a slight problem because I want to have the rear wings removable to get the big rear wheels and tyres off if needed. So I think I will rivet and bond it to the rear panel and have a bolt up under the rear lights (that is what is there now), together with hidden fastenings to hold the lower front edge to the bottom of the back of the wings.

[Flying Phil]

Anyway I have been stripping the wiring loom to extract a simple wiring system......but I'm not sure if it is worth it?


So to cheer myself up I've spent money on this



from JJC Rally (good price and very good service - ordered on Monday!)

[Flying Phil]

I have had to rejig the oil filter circuit to make sure the flow direction through the filter was correct and then I filled the filter and bowl with oil ready for turn-over... start up??


Then, as I had the welder today, I put in the final bit of floor, the bracket for the master cylinder, the steering column, the top part for the trailing arm front mounts and altered the geometry of the brake foot pedal and accelerator pedal (no clutch as it is an Automatic).