My project MGB GT.
Discussion
Thanks Nigel.
I like Molyslip G - excellent stuff!
I'll probably replace my rear diff sooner or later and will definitely pop some in that as it works so well in my experience.
The box is a bit stiff to engage some gears, more so when hot so I'll get some new oil in there pronto. It does nto feel or sound too worn IMHO so it needs sorting before it is!
Using the car daily is helping me to pressure test it for faults; not too many so far but I may invest in new rear shocks (has some old Spax telescopic rear dampers currently) and springs and some new front suspension - probably keeping the lever arms at the front and new king pins and stub axles as I have slight play in them. I'll probably fit the ARB on the rear to firm up the handling a little and to also dail out a little of the initial understeer.
It's a fun car to drive, like a little go-kart!
Understeers into a tight corner but if you keep your foot in it oversteers
I just missed a pair of leather seats on ebay at the weekend, they looked really nice and had been rebuilt by PJM recently. When the time comes, I'll prob go to B Hive for a rebuilt pair. I don't know the date of my seats as they are later than the car and the drivers seat frame looks a bit wonky, leaning to the left!
I like Molyslip G - excellent stuff!
I'll probably replace my rear diff sooner or later and will definitely pop some in that as it works so well in my experience.
The box is a bit stiff to engage some gears, more so when hot so I'll get some new oil in there pronto. It does nto feel or sound too worn IMHO so it needs sorting before it is!
Using the car daily is helping me to pressure test it for faults; not too many so far but I may invest in new rear shocks (has some old Spax telescopic rear dampers currently) and springs and some new front suspension - probably keeping the lever arms at the front and new king pins and stub axles as I have slight play in them. I'll probably fit the ARB on the rear to firm up the handling a little and to also dail out a little of the initial understeer.
It's a fun car to drive, like a little go-kart!
Understeers into a tight corner but if you keep your foot in it oversteers
I just missed a pair of leather seats on ebay at the weekend, they looked really nice and had been rebuilt by PJM recently. When the time comes, I'll prob go to B Hive for a rebuilt pair. I don't know the date of my seats as they are later than the car and the drivers seat frame looks a bit wonky, leaning to the left!
I did everything for the service except the clutch fluid, the rear diff and gearbox oil.
However, I checked the gearbox oil tonight (clever method of checking and filling on the little B isn't it) and found the box is full with nice clean oil.
I did notice that the selector looked dry and had surface rust so I lubed that up and it is easier to get in gear now.
But I think it would benefit from a clutch fluid change as the biting point is near the floor and i can hear the drive take up a little when the pedal is fully depressed, so appears to be not fully disengaging and this of course gives the effect of difficulty in selecting gears. The box is nice and quiet though so i think it is in good condition; it has no leaks and looks quite clean and may even have been replaced a while ago.
As for bushes, yes i plan to polybush everything to tighten it all up.
One thing I have found on the B is that the steering is very sensitive to tyre pressure differences, if they vary on the same axle a little the car can wander on fast roads.
However, I checked the gearbox oil tonight (clever method of checking and filling on the little B isn't it) and found the box is full with nice clean oil.
I did notice that the selector looked dry and had surface rust so I lubed that up and it is easier to get in gear now.
But I think it would benefit from a clutch fluid change as the biting point is near the floor and i can hear the drive take up a little when the pedal is fully depressed, so appears to be not fully disengaging and this of course gives the effect of difficulty in selecting gears. The box is nice and quiet though so i think it is in good condition; it has no leaks and looks quite clean and may even have been replaced a while ago.
As for bushes, yes i plan to polybush everything to tighten it all up.
One thing I have found on the B is that the steering is very sensitive to tyre pressure differences, if they vary on the same axle a little the car can wander on fast roads.
SB - Nigel said:
Yes sorry I should have thought about clutch especially as I’ve just had my changed
Sounds like your car sat around for a while good job you’ve been using it regularly
As for tyre pressures, well ally wheels don’t loose pressure as often as wires
Yes, I'm pretty sure it is a fluid issue so will try that first.Sounds like your car sat around for a while good job you’ve been using it regularly
As for tyre pressures, well ally wheels don’t loose pressure as often as wires
It works fine and the gears do go in but it is just as though the clutch is not fully disengaged so I think that could well be the problem. As said, it's not too bad and no problem driving like it for now.
Yes, it didn't get much use with the last owner in the 6 years he had it. I think he did around 700 miles in all that time.
I've done around 1500 miles now in just over one months worth of use
Tyre pressures with wires does appear to be an issue. I think I'll put some tyre sealant in each as they are tubes after all so it will not ruin the tyres. Not that the stuff does ruin tyres anyway, that's just what tyre fitter like you to believe so they can sell a new tyre instead of repairing it!
OK, time for a quick update.
The little MGB GT has been no trouble. I have done nothing more to the car for nearly 2 months now but I have been looking for a pair of front seats to match the rear one.
I missed a couple on ebay and they went for silly money too.
I eventually spotted a pair of nice leather looking seats but a bit grubby, I bid for them and got them at an excellent price (over £100 cheaper than the previous sets).
I gave one a good clean and it looks really good. The dirty appearance had clearly put people of bidding.
I also managed to pick up a brand new pair of inertia reel seatbelts for around half the price of all the others on ebay, result!
Next was carpets, I bought a 21 piece set of quality carpets manufactured by Carelli.
I may buy a new rear seat cover to freshen up the look of the rear seat too but that will be the interior done. Mrs K wanted me to buy all new stuff but I was quite keen on buying used but very good stuff (apart from the carpets); I think a 41 year old car looking like a brand new one (or with many parts looking brand new) is not quite right, I want it to look used but loved
Oh the other thing I want to do is see how the headlining cleans up, maybe replace it if need be.
So all the interior will be coming out soon, new front footwells welded in and new castle rails and then epoxy coated inside and out and waxoiled and then primed and sprayed (the floors only).
Then new carpets fitted, seatbelts and seats.
It won't be for a while but I'll take before and after photos as I progress.
I start a one year bodywork restoration course next month so hope to do all of the bodywork myself.
The little MGB GT has been no trouble. I have done nothing more to the car for nearly 2 months now but I have been looking for a pair of front seats to match the rear one.
I missed a couple on ebay and they went for silly money too.
I eventually spotted a pair of nice leather looking seats but a bit grubby, I bid for them and got them at an excellent price (over £100 cheaper than the previous sets).
I gave one a good clean and it looks really good. The dirty appearance had clearly put people of bidding.
I also managed to pick up a brand new pair of inertia reel seatbelts for around half the price of all the others on ebay, result!
Next was carpets, I bought a 21 piece set of quality carpets manufactured by Carelli.
I may buy a new rear seat cover to freshen up the look of the rear seat too but that will be the interior done. Mrs K wanted me to buy all new stuff but I was quite keen on buying used but very good stuff (apart from the carpets); I think a 41 year old car looking like a brand new one (or with many parts looking brand new) is not quite right, I want it to look used but loved
Oh the other thing I want to do is see how the headlining cleans up, maybe replace it if need be.
So all the interior will be coming out soon, new front footwells welded in and new castle rails and then epoxy coated inside and out and waxoiled and then primed and sprayed (the floors only).
Then new carpets fitted, seatbelts and seats.
It won't be for a while but I'll take before and after photos as I progress.
I start a one year bodywork restoration course next month so hope to do all of the bodywork myself.
Tonight I have mostly been welding, or should I say ....learning to weld.
I enrolled on a one year course to learn how to restore bodywork.
I got the hang of MIG/MAG welding but my oxyacetylene needs more practice but at least I did not end up with a piece of metal full of holes
I just need to achieve more penetration
I had great fun though and I'm looking forward to the 4 hours at college next week.
I enrolled on a one year course to learn how to restore bodywork.
I got the hang of MIG/MAG welding but my oxyacetylene needs more practice but at least I did not end up with a piece of metal full of holes
I just need to achieve more penetration
I had great fun though and I'm looking forward to the 4 hours at college next week.
MGJohn said:
Hip2Bsquare said:
Tonight I have mostly been welding, or should I say ....learning to weld.
I enrolled on a one year course to learn how to restore bodywork.
I got the hang of MIG/MAG welding but my oxyacetylene needs more practice but at least I did not end up with a piece of metal full of holes
I just need to achieve more penetration
I had great fun though and I'm looking forward to the 4 hours at college next week.
Well done ... good for you. Manual skills are so under valued in the former g and p. More's the pity.I enrolled on a one year course to learn how to restore bodywork.
I got the hang of MIG/MAG welding but my oxyacetylene needs more practice but at least I did not end up with a piece of metal full of holes
I just need to achieve more penetration
I had great fun though and I'm looking forward to the 4 hours at college next week.
Been thinking of doing something similar for ages... now I'm fully retired I have a tad more time .... to be creative.
Can I ask how where and long is the course ... location ... hours .. and price details etc.
..
I'm attending College in Maidstone one evening a week for around 4 hours.
This week, I was making up a door frame with all the returns folded and ready to weld up and then make a door skin to fit using an English Wheel (for curvature) and then weld it to the frame.
I don't necessarily need to do any of this on my MGB but it is interesting to learn how to make panels and doors
The course runs for a year and was £455.
It's been over a year since I updated this thread :0
Not a lot has happened except me collecting new parts until just recently.
The B is having a new rear axle fitted and a complete front and rear suspension overhaul.
It should be a lot nicer to drive after and I'm looking forward to sorting out a few bits of the bodywork.
I'll post up some pics as I tackle the body over the coming months.
Not a lot has happened except me collecting new parts until just recently.
The B is having a new rear axle fitted and a complete front and rear suspension overhaul.
It should be a lot nicer to drive after and I'm looking forward to sorting out a few bits of the bodywork.
I'll post up some pics as I tackle the body over the coming months.
All the mechanical work has been done.
It's gone off to the Bodyshop now for a complete body restoration & respray.
I've pretty much decided to go for a bumper less racing look with Sebring front & rear valances but keeping standard wings & my new wire wheels.
Whilst its away, I'm completely refurbishing all the seats back to a more original shape for a 1969 car as mine has later seats with headrests which I'm doing away with. I'll have some good headrests & chrome bumpers to sell soon
It's gone off to the Bodyshop now for a complete body restoration & respray.
I've pretty much decided to go for a bumper less racing look with Sebring front & rear valances but keeping standard wings & my new wire wheels.
Whilst its away, I'm completely refurbishing all the seats back to a more original shape for a 1969 car as mine has later seats with headrests which I'm doing away with. I'll have some good headrests & chrome bumpers to sell soon
Good news!
My sills are in great condition and just need a tidy up where the welding when they were previously replaced is a little less than pretty
I will be needing new front wing to bulkhead box section, splash panels, front wings, doorskins, floor pans.
Around £675 worth of body parts from MGOC.
Could be worse!
My sills are in great condition and just need a tidy up where the welding when they were previously replaced is a little less than pretty
I will be needing new front wing to bulkhead box section, splash panels, front wings, doorskins, floor pans.
Around £675 worth of body parts from MGOC.
Could be worse!
Thanks John; I had been toying with the idea of a RV8 conversion seeing as new floorpans are going in but trying to do all that & source a good engine & type 9 box & adaptor on a £2k budget for the engine isn't possible so I'm keeping the 5 bearing standard B series lump & O/D box. It might get up rated a little though (cam, ports, carb jetting etc).
It looks worse in the photos than it actually is.
It is 44 years old and mostly original metal; although one section on the inner wings & both doors have been panelled over with the rusty one still beneath which has accelerated the rust of both panels.
That's all being cut out and replaced properly, spot and seam welded, ground flat, seam sealed, galvanise etch primed, stone chip protected, primed and top coated. All internal sections will be sealed inside with a lance inside the box sections and the access holes drilled at the lowest points t give the secondary benefit of being the lowest point for drainage.
It is 44 years old and mostly original metal; although one section on the inner wings & both doors have been panelled over with the rusty one still beneath which has accelerated the rust of both panels.
That's all being cut out and replaced properly, spot and seam welded, ground flat, seam sealed, galvanise etch primed, stone chip protected, primed and top coated. All internal sections will be sealed inside with a lance inside the box sections and the access holes drilled at the lowest points t give the secondary benefit of being the lowest point for drainage.
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