The romance of sandpaper and filler is over

How long did it last you ask. Well not very long. A few years ago when I started I managed to fill and sand the odd "ding" around the car. This was very satisfying and I was in love instantly. A few deft and lingering strokes from the plastic spatula, some gentle stroking of the lovely curves with 80 grit and a gentle caress of 120 grit  left my heart and spirits leaping with joy. How wonderful the world is.

Next up was the welding of new lower sections to the front wings. It needed a lot of filler and even more sanding. It needed several " attempts" to get a smooth curve. I got a little tired and it was beginning to be hard work, if not difficult. To keep things moving I looked elsewhere ( engine bay) and I began to feel a little guilty leaving the filler and sandpaper forlorn in the boot space. At least they were with all their other friends like " Red Lead", "Stopper Filler" and "Cork sanding Block". After what seemed ages I was ready to renew the romance. But alas filler had become cold and hard with time and 80 grit was torn, wrinkly and in shreds. I was skint and unable to frequent the haunts of similar acquaintances for a long time ( Halfords).

It was mid summer some years later when a breeze of opportunity ( some spare shifts in pub) came along  we had the opportunity to become very familiar again. But  where could we be together, alone and doing what were were made for. The Front Lower Valance of course. This was an Item long forgotten and abandoned in the depths of the shed, ignored and replaced in my dreams, head and heart by a ST spoiler.
How fortunate fate can be. Just when I was at my lowest ebb and resigned to re-using as many original as possible parts ( due to being unemployed ) we became entwined once more.

After several coatings of filler in strategic areas and sanding with 80 grit I again became a little weary of the elbow and wrist  work required to be well satisfied. I again looked elsewhere. The RH door skin was the obvious choice. Coated in a heavy layer of "Red lead" with a dusting of primer, it had been in my vision every time I lifted the car cover. I always thought it would be a big ask to get it something like ready for final paint prep but the challenge was there let alone serious temptation !  what else can a man do  ? So I did .

Here it is just after starting

A close up will show that the red lead looks like it had been applied with a very stiff bristle brush. This outlandish sight ( done by me years ago in the first flush of Restoration youth) is what had been teasing me for years almost saying " come on and tackle me if yer dare, I'm deep and streaky and cover a huge curved area". The grey primer acting as a guide coat, it took ages and ages. Almost 2 hours in fact and my shoulder was aching, fingers were sore and hands stiff.
Look done ! I was well spent though and I'm sure I heard the door ask me what I was thinking !

Just about 90% of the red lead had to be removed. What was I thinking all those years ago. Still it had been protected from the ravages of the dreaded tin worm and needed very little filler. The romance was already fading for the filler at least and the sandpaper and I needed a break too !.

We (The front Valance and I ) were all re-united through a rather unwelcome but now oft frequent bout of skintness and restlessness.The door had to be left abused and part naked due to the fact I had only a little grey primer (and no money to buy more) the hammerite KuRust was almost all gone but lasted to serve one more time.

The Valance, originally abandoned due to many small but heavy impacts low down and lots of rust patches deeply ingrained. Fortunately I did give it a coating of heavy grey primer all those years ago, but oh the filling and sanding. I so far have had about 5 attempts of filling and sanding and its still not perfect. I don't want perfection I just want it all to end because I'm thoroughly fed up with it all. And the romance is dead in its tracks..........for now at least.

I could not even be bothered to take a photo. Maybe I will next time..if I can afford some primer.



Taps, dies and poverty

Well. we'll start with the poverty bit first.
Since I've qualified as a Radiographer, guess what ?  there's bugger all jobs about. So the household is really living on reduced means, Heinz beans, shouts and screams and shattered dreams. So the MG fund is at minus lots and lots. The front suspension is assembled and waiting for cash to buy split pins ( of the correct size MGOC !!!)  Two new pistons for the brake calipers, seal kit for both calipers, pads, pins and brake disc+ bolts/nuts, inner bearing seals, shim kit and brake/clutch fluid.
The fund is so low that I'm going to have to re-use the rear brake shoes I removed years ago ( still plenty of material on them though) and not replace the rear brake adjuster/cylinder, just clean up and re-fit. That should see the car back on four wheels and mobile-ish !

See the suspension looking new and wanton for discs and wheels.

Taps and dies bit I referred to relates to the front wings where they attach to the bonnet gutter, front valance and inner footwell mountings. The front valance mounting points on both wings is a mish mash of removed bolts ( leaving perfect but rusty 1/4" UNF tapped holes)  large 3/8" hole where captive nuts have been ground away ( done years ago in deep mid-winter ) and broken 1/4" UNF bolt stuck in-situ ( I must have given up or got too cold and frustrated). Either way ,not having any cash and plenty of time I decided to tackle the RH wing first as its not attached properly ( One bonnet gutter bolt and a mole grip on the front sill). A wander into town on market day, Thursday, saw me trawling the flea market for the tools stalls. Normally they sell all manner of cheap imported crap tools, however I use them lots and know where to go to get the oft used/broke last time type of things like 1/8" dia drills ( 5 for a £1) flappy grinding wheels (£1.50) and 5 sizes of boxed mm drills ( also £1). They had taps and dies too... all new and metric and expensive for me.
I knew that there are other stalls offering used engineering tools like micrometers, wood turning chisels (lots) vices, planes, end mills and other stuff generally that belonged to some long dead proud engineer. Trouble is its all usually rusty, very rusty.  But I knew there would be taps and dies on at least two stalls somewhere. I just had to root around amongst the masses of other "stuff ". "Stuff" being what I don't want. Myriads of 1/4" BSW taps and dies. Same for 3/8" BSW and UNC for that matter. I must have spent a whole hour rooting in rusty boxes and trying to read long since stamped ID markers or "etched" markers ( even harder).
Persistence paid off and I think I got the only 1/4" and 5/16" UNF taps in the entire country. I also got the dies too !  for a grand total of £ 4 ( from two different stalls though ). A good day was had as I usually spent a full ten minutes with wifey looking round the market Thursdays.
These purchases allowed me to open up the RH bonnet gutter threads ( 5/16" UNF ) and with some really expert drilling remove the three broken 1/4" UNF bolts at the lower valence. I also did the four inner footwell mounting holes and the two wing top/scuttle threads.

Before I forget, above is a photo of the front slam panel with both in primer, promised from last entry.

Below is a close up of the slight "oversight" I had with the oil cooler pipe meeting and getting intimate with the alternator fan,

When I get fed up with bodywork I'll re-fit the old hose which was in fairly good nick as it came attached to the oil coller which I bought on E-bay three years ago. I'm gald I saved it now.

Since I'd got the wing at least ready to be fitted I had to dug out the wing attaching bolts from the shed. I was going to buy a new set like I did for the LH side from the MGOC, but I remember the lower sill bolts not being long enough, or at least a struggle to get the nut and washer on the back so I only fitted two.
Strangely enough I found the wing bolts first time and bagged up and labelled ( for both sides).
So 3 hours later I'd ran the die down the gutter bolts, cleaned up the washers and split washers and was ready to do a test fit.

One major issue was that of the RH door, or where the door and wing rear edge meet. Every time I opened the door it caught on the wing roughly in the middle of the edge. It had done it since I re-skinned the door ( another purchase from E-bay) and bearing in mind I'd also welded a repair panel to the base of the wing I expected major alignment issues. I still have alignment issues. The base of the door is outwards a little particularly towards its rear lower edge.
But what i did do was fit the fiddly under scuttle bolt to wing to get an idea of how much to trim the wing rear edge.

See. I'm dead chuffed with it. The gap is nice and even. Still need filler on the mid wing section where the weld is though. But not bad for a beginner and it cost next to nothing to do, only time and a little frustration. I have to do the LH wing too but thats a longer job as all the (new) bolts are in and have been sice I fitted it a few years ago.

I also fettled the top scuttle a little. This must be the 7th attempt at filling, sanding and primer done long long ago. If left long enough you can attack it with new vim and vigour. Its just what i did.
Must go now as Sunday tea is almost ready and a wine bottle is calling.

More progress

Since I'm now officially qualified ( almost, but as yet jobless) I've got a little spare time and a small amount of cash so I tackled the front suspension rebuild.
Last week saw me drive to Mechspec to get the suspension bushes and new oil pipe to complete the long drawn out overhaul.
Trouble was a few days later when I'd set the day aside to do the job I was several small items missing.
Namely the lower fulcrum rubber bush/washer set and two low profile castellated nuts and misc split pins.
A quick call to the MGOC and more parts ordered.
They arrived the following day and the job was back on. It took all day and not without frustration.
Firstly the extra bits from MGOC ( split pins and castellated nuts) were too big. I should day the nuts were too long and the split pins too bigger a diameter. What a balls ache I had to undergo before reaching this conclusion. Lots of hard and tedious spannering in awkward positions on the hard and uneven floor. Come 7pm-ish I was shattered, arms,shoulders and knees all aching. Twas then I discovered a strange fact. The RH stub axle was different from the left ?? Where was the lower grease nipple or hole ?
I had found an excellent You-tube video from Brewer58 showing how the jobs done and which way round to assemble the lower fulcrum bushes/washers. He did say in his vid the earlier done RH side had been done incorrectly whilst showing how its done on the LH side, and he'd have to re-do the RH side which meant jacking up the spring pan, removing fulcrum pins etc.
Well guess what, after some checking and mild panic re said stub axle I found I'd assembled the RH side with the top and bottom fulcrums inwards not outward ( or out and not in, forgot now) !!!
So, with tired arms and legs, and  fading light I had to do the same. However I managed it in double quick time and did not have to separate too much, I even left the steering ball joint attached.
         Initially I was very apprehensive since it meant jacking up the A arm with spring in and lots of potential energy waiting to go "ping" when the jack collapsed or slipped. But it was a doddle with the jack correctly placed and sandwiched with a block of wood.

The following morning I set too aligning the nuts and split pin holes I'd left the night before and turned my attention to the engine and oil pipe gauge/engine connection. This again was relatively easy with access a little restricted but job done.
That meant I could fire up the engine....Yay !!!

Faffed around with the lower water hose as there seemed to be a slight leak ( cured by cutting 5mm off the end of the hose at radiator end) It now seats correctly but is still very close to the steering rack mounting bolt end.
Filled up with water, checked oil level, then panic !!
The oil cooler hoses were not routed properly and oil cooler resting on the side firewall.
So, after some oil spillages from said hoses it was all ready to roll.

Connected jump leads to Renault and after about 1 minute....couch, rumble ROAR !!
AND............no oil or water leaks !!! The water was getting very hot but Oil pressure good at 75 psi

So,I fitted the fan and motor which impeded on the oil cooler pipe/ fan rotor so I pushed them a little way into the engine bay. Connected the fan to the (incorrect at the time) wires to see if the fan kicked in to cool the water and fired her up again.
She started on the button without the jump leads.
Then disaster, a cloud of oil mist and a flying spray of oil in a fan shape across the engine bay, up the wall and on the pantry window !!!!
After moving pretty quickly to turn off the engine the cause was very obvious.
By pushing the oil cooler pipes from the front oil cooler into the engine bay one had been bent slightly and was touching the alternator fan blades, which had eventually worn right through the pipe, and at 75 psi left a right ****ing mess to clean up.
So that was done with a heavy heart on a lovely sunny day using lots of wifeys kitchen roll and a nice coating of oil on some of the engines rustier places.
It was mid morning and I decided to call it a day, I still ached and felt tired and annoyed at my stupidity and the fact I have to buy another hose to make it leak free. I'm sure it has a master plan and enjoys thwarting me.
Next up ( after the hose replacement) is to buy and fit new front discs and hub ( needs sets of shims and inner grease seals) buy two cylinders for brake calipers and set of seals, pads and pins, fit then I can attach wheels and lower down to earth to see the actual ride height.
Then fit rear brakes/shoes fill with fluid, bleed and maybe go on a test run up the cul-de-sac.

p.s I will post pictures when errant daughter is back from hols as she's taken the camera.



 

two steps forward... etc

Where can I begin. The shortage of cash and other domestic/professional issues have slowed things down to a less than walking pace.
I purchased a new flat wheel/wire brush thingy for the grinder to finish off the last two wheels.
However, since there is no front suspension fitted I didn't feel like using the jack on the diff to totally raise the car from the ground. The way things have been of late I'd probably drop the car and be unable to raise it again. So that was out. It'll have to wait till the front suspension  is finished.
What else has been done then ?
Not much. Ground down the RH front bumper chassis front in readiness for the chrome bumper mounting.
The brake calipers got my attention next.
The RH side caliper was split and it was impossible to remove the cylinders. They were almost fully in.
A quick trip to the local filling station to use the air line to try and blow them out was a miserable failure. The air line end only accepts tyre valves.
Nearby was a local garage on a run down industrial estate. I'll try there I thought.
Big mistake. I only needed a quick blip of an airline on the brake hose and job done, but.
The reception was very swish. Round about there was evidence of high performance cars, Porsche, BMW, Jags and a very nice pristine MG midget. At least they might help.
The elderly snooty receptionist greeted me with a curt "Yes". I explained and she replied " are you a customer of ours ?".
Needless to say after 5 minutes of waiting I gave her a get out clause on her return " They're too busy ?" Yes she replied.
So I hot footed to my local repair man who was very obliging. I must add I'd just paid him £350 for the MOT and stuff on the Renault runaround ( Wifeys car).
The LH caliper/cylinders were in a much worse state. Crusty with rust and oily gunge. There was no way a blast of air was going to remove them.
Despite three soakings in penetrating fluid there was no movement, not even round ways let alone outwards.
I desperately ground a clean face onto the ends of the cylinders and welded a steel bar to them so I could apply some leverage.
Well after three attempts, all resulting with the steel breaking free of the weld I resorted to a more logical engineering solution.
I drilled and tapped an M6 hole in the centre of the cylinder and tried using a screw to force it out. Trouble was I wasn't sure if the threads were stripping or not. So, I drilled/tapped three more holes on the inside of the cylinder and tightened in a circular sequence. Bingo, out it came.

top left is the offending cylinder ( with prising out bolts still in situ. Just look at the rust and crud on it though. Bottom right is the same caliper. Rusty but not too bad and should clean up nicely.


The seals were easy to remove and these will be renewed, but also the cylinders need replacing = more unexpected cost, plus the hoses could do with new ones + £ !!.
Eventually in a pit of despair I removed the bump stops. Not easy at all. They were thankfully in good nick so i painted them and the following day re-fitted. It took the best part of the afternoon to attach the 4 nuts per side. The access was fiddly and restricted and not easy with baggy latex gloves on. let alone trying to get the bracket in place and thread the nuts through. I eventually had to drill one of the mounting holes on the end of the cross member out to M10 from M8 to allow the bolts in and the angled top seat properly. I must say its a crap design and allowing bolts to pass through aluminium and steel had corroded the bolt un-spinnable, hence the need for drilling.
The painted Armstrong damper were fitted next. The LH side went on no probs, if a little fiddly with the two bolts nearest the inner wing. The access was again restricted and very little room to swing a spanner. The wifeys kamasa knuckle wrench helped though.
The RH side was a different matter. The inner bolts would not seat and "grab" the threads. I removed them several times and each time with little movement possible failed.
I left it for another day. This time with some gentle persuasion ( hammer) and only attempting one bolt at a time in it ( they, the two nearest the inner wing) went in. TFFT. It still took two hours though !.
Until more money comes my way I'll be concentrating on the bodywork. There are lots of little rubbing down/filling/sanding/wet/dry-ing to do and this is definitely cheap to do, but very boring.
Uni has a few more weeks to run on placement before the final one day assessment ( I failed the last one in unusual circumstances -  along story and very depressing ). I did have a job offer which made the episode bearable, but as of a few days ago this was withdrawn. Real bummer, and not much on the horizon either.
Still, I'm trying to remain positive. If I don't sink into a deep depression first.