Thread: 51 MG restoration.

The smart phones have an app for speedometer. You cannot change the driven gear at the trans to change things?
There are also little gear boxes to be installed in the speedo cable to compensate.
I usually don't worry about that as long as I know how fast I am going at (legal) highway speed in relation to speedo.
Does not seem to matter much at lower speeds.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

On old smith gauges it’s a matter of pushing the car a measured distance, counting the cable rotations while you do, figure the math out as cable rotations per kilometer, do the math on what your car’s cable does, then send the speedo out, with that info to an instrumentation shop that changes the internal gearing to match your car..
Should have been done when they installed the triumph gauges in the mg, and certainly after the new rear diff and tyre upgrade. So I will wait till the proper tyres for the car are installed and revisit the math.
I may have mine sent away over the off season, depending on how off it is then.
Rain for the next day or so, so no driving, all shop work. Focus on the weather gear now.
Cheers.

....

I’ve got the convertible, and window frames stripped, repaired and repainted. Gave the wooden nose a coat of epoxy as all other wood received and awaiting the cure to start to get the top frame figured out.

Both window frames on the doors were cracked at the lower base in the same place so a quick mig repair, then some hammer work trued up the frames.

Also gave the steering wheel a coat of the penetrating epoxy while it was mixed to help tighten up the pieces even more. A wet sand tomorrow and then I can strip away the remnants of the black overpaint.
Regarding the speedo, I realized when I had it apart, I may have reset the needle wrong, so am going to pop and reset it, at a higher pin point and see if I can get it closer, or at least have 100 correct, our hiway speed limit up here.

My Goldwing was off by 10%. I always figured 10% was easy to figure out plus everyone drives faster than the speed limit so i just learned to deal with it. 66mph was 60. 44 was 40. Easy.

A fussy but satisfying day installing the convertible top.
Started with the frame and retapping for the original chrome thumb sets.

Aligning everything as required etc, then applying the nose piece which protects the top edge from water ingress, an important part.

Drawn tight so the flap is tight to the windscreen then stapled in place tucking things at corners etc.

Then basically you start from the finished back edge, attach it there and draw everything forward, taut and neatly, and staple in place, being conscious of how the material overlaps and wraps. No raw edges is the key, and goal.

Finish with a trim strip and some corner caps, done!


Took a lot longer than expected, about 16 hours total. But I like the results and it should only tighten up as it weathers. Tomorrow the side windows, and maybe the tonneau.. then I’m cruising around the rest of the weekend. Hehe.

Nice work, Mike.

Noddy looks so beautiful

Hell yeah.!

Wow, that black top looks snappy with the black fenders. Really sharp.

Thanks, I’m really happy with the look as well.
Another all dayer today. Frames had to be straightened for the windows, as well as rewelded in spots but dialed in.
Doors have adjustable height insets that set the frame. So it’s all about parallel lines to the hood.

Then a real use for my 50lb rare earth magnets holding everything true to dot up for the holes.

And on to punching the holes.

And adding the hidden hardware to the outside trim strips.

Then carefully remove the canvas protecting the windows.

Install them and be a little closer to a finished car!

Yeah, really digging the two tone effect! Even with the top up!
On to the replaceable rear snap install along the back, and maybe the tonneau tomorrow if the tires and exhaust are still shipping.
Cheers gents