Thread: 51 MG restoration.

Succeeded in getting the original springs back into the car by setting up some outrigger stands.
Will revisit the higher springs once the car is complete,etc and I can leave her ass on the pavement for the swap.
Original springs with newly tuned dampers and the newly added sway bar May provide all the improvements I need.

And this looks exciting, to me anyway.
First look at the completed disk set up on the TD! Think I need to paint those hubs now though.
Moving forward.

Looking good!

Painting things like the hubs can wait for now, that's minor detail. The main goal is to complete the car before the snow flies OR the Dick Head who bitched about your very nice extension goes back to the city and they over ride your agreement you'd made.

It is coming along very nicely my friend.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Succeeded in getting the original springs back into the car by setting up some outrigger stands.
Will revisit the higher springs once the car is complete,etc and I can leave her ass on the pavement for the swap.
Original springs with newly tuned dampers and the newly added sway bar May provide all the improvements I need.

And this looks exciting, to me anyway.
First look at the completed disk set up on the TD! Think I need to paint those hubs now though.
Moving forward.

Mike - you're such a gearhead!

No argument here John. My mom said I was ‘fixin’ my toys from the cradle..
Got the calipers on tonight. They are Lockheed brakes, and fit very tight. But solid looking things.
Tomorrow, take the rack in to work for one more round in the hot tank to try and get the one lock nut freed up. Then I have to shorten the rack by an inch on either side to account for the difference in width now for the front braking system.
Think I’d like it if the tires track straight.
I may like bow legged women, but not cars..

I believe that initially, they will be a little 'Pigeon Toe'd' I seem to recall that there's typically about an 1/8' of toe in and that changes to 0 toe once you're moving. Then it will be tracking straight.

But it's been 45 years since spending any time with a wheel alignment guy.

Ok, partial success today. Damn BSF die broke teeth on the second steering rack extension. Damn it, now I need to order, and wait for another 9/16 bsf die to ship from uk..

From this.

To this. Till this happens.

Now at best it cuts this. No good.

And yes, I was using this.

.
So I said screw it, and went on to prime these.

Should be able to install the rack, and rechase the remaining shaft bit on the car, and the after cutting and aligning. So onward ever upward..

Installed the rear body plate, and firewall onto the car permanently like this weekend and also started to add the connecting struts that go from the toe plates all the way to the front of the car. My belief was that these missing components would finally allow the doors to fit easily at the front by allowing me to open the vertical gap slightly as everything got tightened down.
As I’ve mocked up in the below picture to show.

By shortening the strut length, in blue, it alters the angle, shown in green between the toe plate and frame. This pulls the entire front of the body tub forward and down, in red, opening the door gap slightly, also in red.
The results are doors that fit, almost loose now! I only needed fractions to make all the difference, and gawd damn this car is feeling really solid now! Like I mean SOLID.


Finally confident i can get the door profiles where I want them and can move on to the next challenges, straightening and fine tuning the front and rear trim valences. Then clean up the spare tire carrier, and,, that’s it befor prime and paint!

Progress marches on!

Wish I could be there to be your 'Gopher'.

Outstanding Mike! I love it when a plan comes together! Almost there!

Did a little last minute shopping on lbcarco to the tune of around 500$.
Bunch of little items mostly, but they do add up quickly.
Chrome and seat slider assemblies new hi/low horns, some gaskets and yes, racing windscreens!

No I don’t really need these, but,, to my thinking the car will be ready to drive before interiors done, or new top goes on, or even existing cracked windshield will be replaced.
So, in a bit of a hurry now to get to mobile status again. Get the paint done, the wiring done get it running put these on and get driving again.
Next winter deal with the windshield and new top etc..
Plus the car will go faster with less windshield drag in the short term. And these just look retro cool to me!