Thread: 51 MG restoration.

I’ve also been lurking on this thread.

I could not do the kind of fabrication you have managed. Wouldn’t even know where to start. But, I can appreciate your problem solving, decision making and process planning.

It seems to me that you are replicating almost every essential part - with improvements to the original design. When you’re done, you will have something that may be more robustly designed than the original.

Good on you!

Thanks gents. Happy it’s being enjoyed by like minded folks.

Driving it around those first three seasons of ownership really allowed me to plan and decide what absolutely had to be changed for my ultimate enjoyment.
Everything done since tear down has been to achieve those goals.
My seemingly methodical work today was three years in the making in my head, hehe.

Modern stopping power, proper foot room, better handling, stronger chassis and cross supports, all the must haves, aside from being pretty again.

I recently joined an Mg forum as well, specifically to record this rebuild there. Both to garner help on key nuances, and also to share with others later lurking their site for tips.
Sharing what I’ve learned and am doing is a great way to save details, challenge goofy concepts and basically helps the build, I think.
Love this component of the internet more than any other tbh..
Cheers.

Yeah, believe it or not there are some redeeming aspects of the internet although they seem harder and harder to find these days.

Fabbed up my replacement door sills over the last few days. They are what I’d call A surface as with suicide doors, you really notice them with the doors open. Plus when reassembling the front quarters the sills are kind of integral in their flush ness of fit.

To make the rather sharp, but sexy lower curve I needed to fab a former, so heated and bent a 1/4” thick steel bar to shape and then made a wooden counterform to match.

Made it such that I could hammer out both sides with th3 one jig.

Clamp it up and gently roll the edge

Should work well.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Thanks Tim.
I’m not much of an inventor, rebuilder, sure. But a blank page scares me..
Lol..

And you say you are not an inventor????????????

Maybe a reinventor.

Thanks Tim.
I was pretty pleased with this solution. Stole inspiration from the original forming jigs used back in the day.
Mine only have to last for one car though so I could skimp on materials.
My new band saw worked well for its maiden project as well.

Very cool idea.

Very inventive. I love fabricating stuff. I don't do as much as I'd like. In a business setting it is difficult to charge an hourly for that because of what the market will bear. For hobbies you don't have that limitation. You did well there.

Cutting my patch panels.
Rough to size, easy with a plasma cutter for sure. Angle grinders are my go to for quick hacks, but for curves and panels, I’m very happy with this shop upgrade.

Decided to go 20 gauge for the quarters as it’ll make for nice crisp bends.

18 gauge for the rear wheel wells for increased rigidity back there.

It’s pretty magical watching someone that is good at sheet metal fab doing fab. I’m curious to see this all come together.