Pro Street Style MGB GT

[Flying Phil]

Thanks Turn7....I think...
Needless to say the front brakes are also proving to be a saga. Remember that I am using a Midget front cross member with disc brake front hubs....I knew that I had a pair of stainless front flexi pipes which should connect to the hubs. Well they are nearly a pair, one has the correct banjo end fitting, the other has the straight fitting for Mk1 Sprite drum brakes.....Although it does fit, the angle is wrong. No problem, I need some more fittings, I will get a banjo to suit. Fortunately our local motor factors were open and I shouted across the 2m gap what I was trying to do and showed a fitting with the thread that I wanted. The assistant went "round the back" and finally returned with 4 male fittings...."Its all we've got, they are imperial and no-body wants them now...." "so you can take them"...which was a good, if partial, result! I've now ordered the missing(hopefully) parts from a Sprite specialist.

Of course one of the difficulties with this sort of project is that when you go to buy some parts, they go to the computer and say "what car is it for?"..".Its an MGBGT,.... with a Jaguar engine....and autogearbox....and XJ-S rear suspension......with MG Midget front suspension......"Ohhhh....what's the registration?......"

Edited by Flying Phil on Friday 19th June 19:27

[Turn7]

[e600]

Just looking at the rear brake lines, you have the Tee pipe as the highest point on the subframe. Would that not be better place at a point lower than the bleed nipples?

[Flying Phil]

Good point e600 but as the feed pipes also come in from the top there will always be fluid above the bleed valve....also the "T" is where Jaguar placed it on the XJ-S. I did consider replacing the T with a four way and putting a bleed above but then thought it would get in the way of the aluminium sheetwork.

[Flying Phil]

double post

Edited by Flying Phil on Sunday 21st June 08:42

[Flying Phil]

Flying Phil said:

As I have been telling of the brake pipe fabrications here is my trusty "Hi-Tech" flaring equipment......

...you just have to remember to put the screw fittings on before doing the flare at the other end!

[Flying Phil]

As the pipework is nearly finished the next job is to do some wiring....and I just love electrics...NOT! However I do have the loom from the donor XJ-S and so I thought that I could reuse some parts, of course it is not quite as simple as I had cut the loom to get it out...So I laid it out to see what was there.

[Flying Phil]

The wiring on the right is the ECU and fuel injection "stuff" so that goes back in the box. The wiring to the centre console is for electric windows...back in the box. Now the rest is being stripped for identification and possible re-use.

[Flying Phil]

The other brake parts arrived yesterday and so I fitted them today and I now have a fully piped system, but I now need some more fluid to finish off the brake bleeding process. Still, it is progress.

[Flying Phil]

I've got brakes!....all round!
Well probably, as I now have a firm brake pedal with lots of travel left, so until I get it out of the garage and rolling, I won't know how good it is.

[Turn7]

Keep it up......

[sooty61]

Excellent. Rather you than me with that wiring though....

[Flying Phil]

Back to electrics and I have started with the easy bit first - just laying the wires around to the front lights. As I want to be able to remove the complete front end all the wires will go through an 8 pin connector block. Once it is finalised I will wrap it in tape.

[Flying Phil]

It is getting tidier now.

[Flying Phil]

Hold on to your hats! I've spent some more money.....yes, I realised that the wiring should really go to some working lights and so I have bought some new side/flasher light units and they arrived today. it seemed a shame to leave them in their plastic bags....

[Flying Phil]

I've got quite a few working lights at the front now! Despite losing an earth connection, stripping a bit of the loom to find it, then discovering - eventually that, despite it looking and feeling connected - it wasn't....
Then I found a fuse box with the headlamp relays so I will try to use that as well. It still needs to be tidied up.
I also had an investigation of my XJ-S instruments (last seen in 2016!) and they now have internal lights and a bit of action.

[Flying Phil]

This is the back of the XJ-S instrument cluster. Unfortunately there is no live or earth connection in that multipin plug, so I'm going to see if I can solder to the copper strip in the plastic circuit board.....and cross connect.

[Turn7]

Good luck !

[Flying Phil]

Thanks Turn7
I experimented on a scrap bit of circuit foil and then tried it on the real thing. it is a bit untidy, but is connected and should prove reliable.
The new red wire in the terminal block goes into a strip which is bridged via the short red wire to the copper strip which goes to all four gauges.

[Flying Phil]

I've now added two more wires to the block and three more bridging wires, so the four instruments are all live, together with the panel lights. The next job is to find and connect the oil pressure and water temperature sensors on the engine. I have also got a working radiator fan...steady progress.