MGB GT Restoration

[KICKSY]

the new tray cost about £20.00, the original is probably thicker metal and although rusty is solid - Its the restore or replace dilema. A new one will be easy to fit and will be nice and straight.


For the sake of 20 quid i'd cut one out and weld a new one in, be easier.

 

[octo0072000]

anti roll bar is bent tyre fitter or garage in the past short jack not long enough to get to the cross member seen it so many times

 

[droopsnoot]

A new one will be easy to fit and will be nice and straight

Maybe. I don't hear good things about some of the remanufactured panels for MGBs. (And probably for other cars, just that the people I was hearing from were both working on MGBs)

 

[Springerdinger]

Decided I will change the cooler support - Hopefully pick it up with the new roof skin in the next few weeks.

Now today was one of those days when I just couldn't get going so I decided to work on the doors.

 

[Springerdinger]

I picked up two doors at the recent MG show near Kenilworth.
The Blue door was £40 good frame rotted corner of the skin
The Green door was a cheeky £20 with a big dent in the skin but an ok frame.

 

[Springerdinger]

Never took off a door skin before but actually found it pretty straight forward.
You grind the radius off the edge until you see a dark line appear, then pop and away it comes
The blue door had been welded down one edge, however carefully grinding the skin away left the edges nicely intact

The next two pictures show the line start to appear and then the folded edge seperates - hopefully help any other first timers

 

[Springerdinger]

Door skins removed the frames have found there way into the electrolyte tank for rust removal and paint stripping, the green door was rusty around the edges and in the usual places the blue frame is better but the flanges need a good clean

Going to spend some time now getting the door frames nice and clean before they get new skins

 

[Springerdinger]

With the rain over the last couple of weeks halting progress it was time for plan (b) so...........

Spent the weekend stripping in the greenhouse

Two door frames now with a flash of primer to protect them
and the dashboard. Also got the two front wings mostly stripped

 

[Shox Dr]

You're not messing about are you

 

[Macleesh]

Would be interested to see what the doors looked like after stripping. Any pics of that stage ?

 

[Springerdinger]

You're not messing about are you

Hi Dr Shox.

Trying to do an honest job but having fun as well in a sort of rocking in the chair sucking my thumb kind of way.

 

[Springerdinger]

Would be interested to see what the doors looked like after stripping. Any pics of that stage ?

Hi Macleesh

Sorry I forgot pictures. What I wil say is it does work well in particular pulling rust out of pits, followed up with a quick wire brush, Paint is also removed but not underseal.

That said after the heavy rust was removed in the electrolyte tank I used some DYCHLOROMETHANE and PHENOL paint stripper. Amazing stuff took about 8 layers of paint including two pack off the wings, stripping the dash in under 15 minutes. 5 litres was £35 from the car paint store but worth it. Much cheaper than nitromors and worked better as its seems more concentrated

It does stink and should be used in plenty of ventilation and Mask etc. Can also be bought in 1 litre cartons.

On balance if you have lots to do the electroltye tank, paint stripper scotch pad type wheel on the angle grinder have mean't shiny metal. without aggressive sand blasting and for a fraction of the cost but plenty of elbow grease and tea.

Cheers

Chris

 

[Springerdinger]

Would be interested to see what the doors looked like after stripping. Any pics of that stage ?

Just found this - bottom inside of a wing - note the rust pulled out of the pits
hope its clear enough.
the black carbon type covering needs to be wire brushed of, takes but a few seconds leaving shiny metal. The process did not touch the underseal
This area was thick rust and has not been wire brushed yet to stop it flash rusting

I will post a pic of this panel after a proper clean before I paint it

 

[Springerdinger]

Gotta love that big auction site
no oil cooler trays for weeks then wham £12.50.
Lady luck shines again even if the sun doesn't

 

[Wendelspanswick]

How's the MGB progressing, just come across your thread and have found it really interesting as I am rebuilding my son's rubber bumpered MGB GT for hillclimbing.
Welded the sills, wing bottoms, floors, headlamp surrounds, windscreen bases and rear window corners on both sides. No new panels used just butt welded patches and homemade repair panels as this car is unlikely to last that long the way my son drives!!!!
We have replaced the front crossmember with a chrome bumper one and lower springs to drop the front by 5"s. Polyurethane bushes all round apart from the crossmember pads which we removed completely to drop the car by a further 0.5"s (not for road use, incredibly harsh ride).
Front anti-rollbar replaced with a 3/4" one.
Rear suspension has a 5 leaf spring with the short springs moved to the top, 60mm homemade lowering blocks with longer U bolts and re-drilled the front spring hangers to lower the back by 4.5"s. Can't think how to lower the back to match the front without spending lots of cash on flat springs. Again polyurethane bushes all round.
All this has been done on a budget as my 17 year old son is paying for the parts from his limited income.
I will try and post some pics.
John

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Where did you get your paint stripper from, the car paint store???

 

[Springerdinger]

Hi John

Nice to here from a fellow MGB restorer. Work has continued I have been working the oil cooler tray, wings and side of the scuttle.
Decided to test fit the front wing etc to make sure it all lines up in a mock form before I fic it in.

As coincidence would have it I spent today striping down the rear axle.
Springs off, hubs, back plates - Pictures on the way

The paint stripper came from my local paint shop - 5l of a methylene chloride based stripper- It takes paint off layer at a time but is great.
5l was about £30.00 though but has done a lot of work.

 

[Norm]

great job fella, love following this thread, it's what a home restoration is all about using what's at hand, utilizing the greenhouse, gonna be a really nice motor when you've finished. Keep the updates coming

 

[Springerdinger]

Its been a while since my last update. Basically because of making sure panels will all fit

The Green house is 10ft by 14ft so plenty of room. No crops this year though to allow some MGB progress.

The back axle was suffering from tramping when the car came off the road. With the recent rain and wind slowing down the welding I decided to move the axle into the " Surface technology centre" - or " Greenhouse"

Before with brakes removed

 

[Springerdinger]

I have taken the cover off the diff and found some play in the smaller planet gears so I am going to replace the shims etc inside.

Today was spent cleaning the metal work up - Its was the dirtiest job so far.

The wire brush on my grinder is down to nothing and I pulled half a dozen wires out of my self as it fell apart. But what a great day

The wheel bearings are good so they can stay put. The teeth on the diff gears all look good.

Any way this is the axle in Primer so I dont get so dirty doing the shims