wheel clean

So another post, in fact two in a week. Must be a record.

Actually wifeys painting kitchen door and I've just cut the grass and done two sets of taxi -ing( Depositing kids where they want to go) so I had an hour or so pottering with the MG.

There were two reasons I tackled the spare wheel.

1/. Each time I venture into the shed at the bottom of the garden ( frequently) I see the forlorn spare wheel resting gently against the fence by the shed door. It sits there gathering leaves and fir debris as well as pine cones and general crud. Its still well inflated after years, and has been subject to a pretty poor refurb some time in its past.

2/. During said taxi-ing I deposited old newspapers in the town centre car park recycling bins. There opposite parked on the road was a lovely Red BGT with black roof, "T reg" and looking splendid with shiny Rostyle wheels.

So despite the plans I had originally made ( Fix hole in tailgate gutter & red lead floors) I set to with the wire brush in angle grinder.

Here are the before pictures.

Then some time later, after a visit to local motor factors ( I needed more primer and new goggles) a newish looking wheel was beginning to emerge.

Behold,

A little panic set in since no sooner had I finished the outside wheel to nice an almost chrome-ish finish the clouds came over very black and it started spitting with rain. So wifey was pressed into service shaking the can for the regulation 2 minutes ( She's excellent at making a noise) whilst I tidied the tools away and got the car cover/s back on loosely.

Only a few spots fell and I managed to get a good coverage of primer on as you can see.

Its by no means the finished article yet. I just wanted to see how far I could go without removing the tyre. In fact very far. The tyres whilst fully inflated and kept that way for the last three years, need replacing as the sidewalls are all cracked. I did manage to mangle the valve a little

with some not so subtle touches from the grinder/wire brush anyways.

The plan is when new boots all around are required for the m.o.t they will be removed then the wheels can be prepped and spray painted the correct silver and black with a clear lacquer for good measure. I'm not sure yet if i will attach some chrome surrounds for the wheels. I may have to depending how happy I am with my efforts at wheel re-finishing.

I also bought some correct type fuel hose and attached it to the pump & fuel tank unit.

Gosh wash it tough. Its very thick and the hole seemed very small compared to its wall thickness. Even after a good steep in boiling water ( whilst I cleaned kitchen floor, ahemmm

I spilt a whole cup onto the floor attempting to carry the hose in cup + my own coffee)

So. twenty minutes later the hose was on and I,m ready for fuel.

Not yet really, I need to weld the gutter patch directly above filler spout in boot.

But soon............................very soon !