When enthusiasm flies

Yet more wet and cold weekends have halted the frenzied pace of restoration.
Last attempts saw the removal of lots. Hope I can remember where it goes back and where I've stored it.
Frenzied is a term I've heard lots of lately.
Wifeys attitude to plotting a new bathroom......Frenzied.
Kids obsession with MSN and chats with mates.........Frenzied
Wifeys cajoling of me to make a start on said bathroom.......Frenzied
My resistance to do anything remotely interesting of a weekend........Frenzied
My boss's attempts at getting the sales team to sell more..................Frenzied.
OK you get the picture, there's some element of frustration embedded in me at not having a garage in which to work or store the items removed so far.
I guess I'm feeling guilty too of not having started on bathroom.
Well I did actually start and that was the prelude to.......well, P***edofness.
Like all males of the species I know best when it comes to DIY.
So tiling the bathroom floor should be easy. After all I'd done the toilet a few months previously ( 800mm x 1.4 meters, with 300mm square tiles)= 15 tiles including 5 cut tiles)that took best part of 2 days due to the awkward shape of the toilet base.
Under the tiles was regular hardboard. nailed every 2 inches ( just to be sure)
So they stuck fine and only one had to be uplifted and re glued.
Shaving an extra half inch of the door bottom made the largest contribution to the buggeration factor. ( undo 9 screws that have not moved for 45 years) move door downstairs, set up workmate ( all day job to remove MG bits from shed so I can see workmate, rest of weekend doing MENSA puzzle on how to extract workmate)
So work started in earnest. Except that I forgot brother in law had the electric tile cutter of mine ( I mean mine in the biblical sense, as it belongs to mate Chris. I borrowed it 5 months ago and he's forgot )
B in L used machine to do his whole bathroom and floor so its had some use and he says in need to cool down every now and then.
Frenzied comes back to haunt me again. That must have been B in L 's
F*****ed attempts at cutting at least 55mm thick cast iron tiles on a hobbyist machine.
The first cut I made the machine lasted exactly 2 inches before it conked ( sorry, overloaded the thermal protection device)
This required a wait of approx 30 minutes, still I could get on with measuring and gluing.
Things got decidedly worse.
After gluing and leaving the floor 80% tiled, the following morning displayed the tiles loose and wobbling like a see-saw.
Crap cement. Heating left on and little feet walking on them did not help.
However, my expert opinion is that I did not listen. I thought I knew best.
I used regular hardboard under the tiles. I needed to use at least 12mm thick chipboard.
So last weekend was spent chiseling off the cement from the tiles, cutting chipboard and laying tiles properly, leaving cutting tiles till the end.
By the way the cutter cuts exactly half an inch now between 2 hours cool down.
Should finish by Christmas then. Unless I ask Chris what's happened to his cutter and he buys a new one for me to borrow.
With luck the weather will improve and the bathroom finished in time for spring.
I hope the solicitor pays out by then, but that stories for next time.

When sparks fly

Well what a productive weekend. Well only Saturday actually.
After spending what seemed like ages without so much as lifting the Poly cover something actually happened according to plan...........almost.
Full of the joys of spring and having a Saturday not P***ing it down with rain I set about tackling the wing with gusto. Gusto may not be the right word as I was planning to use my new grinding machine. ( Thanks Ma, great x-mas prezzie)
I was petrified, I had visions of me in Casualty with it wedged in the middle of my forehead, or worse still the whole car going up in a fireball as I determinedly ground down the fuel filler spout.
Logic dictates that the Interior and seats should be removed but I still have no garage
in which to work or store said items, so they stayed put.
Donned in a XL disposable white paper suit I looked the strangest mechanic/repairman ever.
It is only as I write this I realise I was wearing a paper suit and would have made an excellent piece of tinder. As a practice I started on a screw on the lower valance.
He hehee....................................What sparks and noise !!!!!!!!
Positioned awkwardly under passenger footwell with grinder ready. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Nothing touched. The handle of the grinder fouled on the tie rod of the dash.
Remove handle and start again. He he heeee..........................
Sparks everywhere, heart pounding, mouth dry, very loud grinding noise.
I was actually grinding something.Exactly what I could not be sure but this was a sign that serious stuff was actually going to happen. Hope its to the car and not me.
Fed up upside down, I repositioned to the valance again. Still rather awkward to get behind the
headlight under the wing, so a moment of common sense hit me. Jack the bloody car up full tilt
and access will be better. And so it was, the two frozen nuts mentioned last year disappeared into a mass of sparks and blood red molten metal.
I have a feeling this car is going to be very much like a good woman.
Since I was highly delighted with the removal of two very rusty and awkward nut cages in a very inaccessible place it was then I noticed.........Horror.
I had accidentally ground a disc shaped hole of about 1" long into the front of the radiator support frame. Pants.........just when I thought I thought I was doing well. Still It can easily be repaired, sometime.
Then I realised all the wing bolts were free. I tugged the wing but it seemed still fastened somewhere. Tugged, tugged, no it must be fastened somewhere. I've missed a bolt.
Further check. Much tugging, some pushing then a quick jerk upwards and success.
I'm free....I'm Free.
Well not actually, the wiring was still attached to the headlight. Quick label job then it was well and truly free.
Only prob now is where to put it. Its only rusty on its bottom edge. Its actually wedged under a giant kids slide down the side of the shed at garden bottom.
Inspection of the new area and now exposed sill showed much rust. Only remnants of a sill visible, still the inner wing area is in sound condition.
The valance was unscrewed partially and ground down partially and it came away easily
again with only minimal rust, although it was a bit bent in one area.
I even had time to remove the other wings bonnet bolts and squirt my old friend penetrating fluid on the passenger footwell bolts. It would appear the right side is not as difficult as the left.
Hopefully.

Well...same old same old... nufin new there then

A new year dawns and time for some light reflection.

Yes its still raining each Saturday and not a jot has been done to the poor old MG.
All she can do is flap her makeshift polythene cover listlessly in the wind.
I can't even be bothered to re-tie down the noisy thing. I just peer at her each morning and pray for summer and cash.
The new year started like the old one finished, seamless and without fuss.
I fact I think I was first into bed before the missus, and asleep and snoring soundly before the appointed hour.
Made me laugh later on though recalling last new years eve to wifey.
We had ma- in- law staying overnight.
A fine woman and in full control of all her marbles. But..................
of all the towns etc. She decides that at 10.30 her waterworks are not functioning as they should. By 11.15 it was time for immediate action so off goes wifey an said ma-in law to local clinic/casualty..............credit to our good old NHS. They had her sorted and back ensconced in front of TV by 11.45.
I was Incumbent on sofa with leg in plaster, so that's a fair excuse. Besides, I needed lots of whisky to dull my pain. One visit up 15 steps with leg in full cast is enough to make anyone grumpy.
Work seems to have taken priority since the hols with my area almost doubling.... not the pay though. Still, I imagine I'll get more nights away and see a lot more of this fair and sceptered Isle.
I have seen more cardboard boxes though this year already!

No turning back......The project gets serious

Well the removal of the dashboard proved an enjoyable event.
If swearing, cursing, cramp in arms, cramp in neck, damp, cold, confusion and frustration can be called enjoyable.
Of course I'd read the book many many times on how to do this. In fact I'd read the book so often we needed a new toilet seat. So I was thoroughly prepared if not a little inexperienced.
More good news was that in the evening previous another cardboard box entered the house, it only cost £215 too, a bargain at half the price.
Don't know what to do with the new microwave that was inside though.

Before I embark on this new episode of no turning back let me pontificate on the dearth of cardboard boxes in our modern society. We all know what they are and what they are used for. We have all seen them many times. They are always free when you want one of them.
But let me warn you................Just try asking at a supermarket for one !!

My local 24 hour shop used to have thousands in the doorway at one time. Just take one sir, take thousands, build a new estate in Bulawayo sir, we just don't care, they are there for you because we don't want them.
Same went for the large multi nationals, Sainsbugs, TrespassCo, MoreReasons ect.
These often used but mainly Ingored items were there in their thousands ( hope the grammars good or Dave the teach will frown)

But like some Alien conspiracy now they have all GONE !!
Remember the rules on the wall in Orwells Animal farm, every time the downtrodden referred to the rule it had somehow mysteriously disappearedd.
Well supermarket cardboard boxes are like that.
First they were huge regular sizes and weird shapes that no-one ever took home.
Then they went to rectangular and square that were very handy. We all loved these.
At some point in the dim and distant past they began to get smaller and smaller till now they have disappeared completely.

Apparently they are a fire hazard and must be disposed of Immediately.
Disposed of by squashing flat in a regulation box squasher flatter , then Incinerated.
All by trained and certified supermarket staff courtesy of our wonderful H&S legislation.
I dare you, ask for a box near the large plastic doors next to the Deli counter and you'll get a look like Greek taverna owners reserve for German tourists.

On with the Dashboard.

Left hand upper bracket removed with socket set ( 1/2")
Cardboard glovebox liner removed frontwards by squashing slightly.
I must have spent 40 mins trying the former before latter occurred to me.
Removed both centre air vents easily. Dash showing signs of freedom as left side moves slightly.
Undid steering column bolts easy peasy. Whilst down there, upside down, head in footwell, feet splayed at odd angles out of window and out of sun roof I made a discovery.
previous owners of this vehicle lived like pigs. Nuff said.
I did find the trip re-set though and a "secret" switch which I will investigate sometime.
From this position of recumbent tranquility I also removed Right upper bracket.
Dash loose at both ends slightly but solid in centre.
40 minutes later it occurred to me as to why the centre vents should be removed.
" They hide the last remaining bracket holding the whole thing in position"

But that's when the serious stuff started.

Presented before me was a giant multicolour mess of spaghetti.......God what have I done.
It looks too difficult to but back quickly and run away, and its getting late.
Be brave Potter Pig.....Onwards and upwards.
To be fair the only tricky bits were the vent connections. Small nuts high under the padded top.
All the wires and cables were well colour coded.labelled them though just in case.

I have a feeling this statement will come back and haunt me later on.


Disconnect choke cable - both ends.
Disconnect & label up -:
Interior light
Cigar lighter
Ampmeter
Oil gauge
Fog light switch
Heated rear window switch
Speedo
Rev counter

And then it was lifted clean away...........Thus no turning back.

I'm sure I broke some switches or maybe they fell apart and disintegrated.
However boxed and labeled both ends and feeling rather smug.

Next job. Padded Dash top and heater pipes/vents. Maybe this can wait till after x-mas as yesterday we discussed wallpapering the bathroom this weekend.
Sacrifices. Sacrifices.

Oh yes I almost forgot..........I still need somewhere to store the bloody stuff.

Into each life a little rain must fall.......but not every bloody Saturday

Duties and responsibilities first. After suffering all week with a heavy cold ( Man cold......much more deadly than the "other" type which affects females mildly) I/we decided to get the house ready for Christmas.
This means I have to scramble around the loft space looking for unlabelled boxes of tree's, decorations etc. Fortunately last year at tidy away time I was rather disabled ( Broken Leg )
so they were just pushed into the hatch and were easy to retrieve.
I set to with a front room spring clean. The rest of the family pottered around attempting lots but accomplishing nutin'. Luchtime over I set too an the MG.
Yes I am actually going to drop the dashboard in order to get at those pesky frozen and spinning bolts holding the front wing solid.
Easy Peasey removing the gearstick gaiter. Not so untangling the wires for the overdrive and removing what must be 25 year-old Insulation tape............Not looking good methinks.
Bugger..........someone has soldered the wired together hence the tape.
Looks like Bodget & Scarper did work on this car sometime, hope it wasn't often, or a sign of things to come. Centre armrest removed to driveway. NOTE armrest well contains a small shops-worth of misc screws, fuses, bulbs etc.. all used/abused. Must keep them though, who knows where they came from. I must add at this point It was around 3pm and getting a little dark and cold to add to the already very damp driveway.

Removed the centre console after labelling the wires from the heater controls. I even had a box in which to put all the things in.
Then I noticed the rain. Absolutely P****ng down. And my feet and bottom half was also wet through.
NO......................................NO...........................The box and more Importantly the newly found "Kamasa" tools were wet through. The "dry cover" wet. The wet cover very wet and me wazzed off.

Fast paced was the next operation. Box in car. Tools into kitchen. Dry cover on. wet cover on.
Elastic thingies with hooks on on. Man In house very wet.

I decided to do the sensible thing and change clothes then settle down to a dark room lit by a warm fire and listen to the footy results ( Big match for me. Owls v Blades )

Then it all went wrong.
I'm putting the tree up in the room said wifey. Other room looks like an explosion at WH Smiths.
Bedroom same.
Time for some macho posturing.......................not a chance, guilt of happy families putting up the tree and smiling, Christmas records playing, chocolate being passed round.
Yes you can be happy when you think your world is crap.........thank heavens for marriage.

So it did end happily, almost. Room dark and fire lit + tree lights. Me on sofa Horizontal with remote control and quiet peace.

Except my team lost 1-0.

Never mind Toto, well always have Kansas.

The last person I expected to come to the rescue......

The Wife....!!..( said like Peter Kay repeats " Garlic bread")

Yes her Indoors. Overlapping domestic slave. The boss and giver of all things nice.

After another weekend of rounding off the incredible putty-like sockets whilst attempting to remove the left front wing she actually came to the rescue.
Here's how it all happened.

Mid week at ma in laws. Nice lady who looks after the kids and all her daughters and sons in law too.
So in a never ending attempt to get her daughter to take some of her "stuff" from her old bedroom she pipes in ..........................There's some tools upstairs you might use , let me find them this week.
Me "yes Please".
Several days later at Ma in Laws " here's them tools "
"I thought they were Bills" ( deceased Pa in Law) but they have Sue's name on the outside of the tin"
Tin !...........Sue' name on them ( Wifeys name) KAMASA HIGH QUALITY SOCKET SET .............AF...............HALF INCH DRIVE.........WITH PLUG SPANNER !!!!!!!!!!!
It did take some time to sink in. And is has rained every day since the epiphany but well........
who'd have thought that !

Wives are like elephants
Wonderful to view, they never forget and can be surprising....But choose your time, place and proximity with them carefully. Keep quiet

Frozen nuts...........is there a cure ? Will the captive nuts ever stop turning ?

Well never a truer term was invented. Simply remove the bolts highlighted inside the passenger footwell, bonnet gutter, front apron and inside engine bay front. ( 1/2 bolts ) p.s the upper ones are rather awkward.

After seven and a half hours interspersed with bleeding knuckles, cramped knees, aching back and a pair of broken glasses approx half of the bolts are removed.

The remainder either spin in their captive nuts or are rusted solid.

I did manage to remove the front bumper ( Rubber - but very heavy ) as the previous owner
had only fastened two of the four and obviously removed it recently as a socket did break when
pressured.This was a welcome diversion due to the above frustrations.

At this stage I must confess I did the macho male thing and Ignored the normal advice and bought the largest & cheapest socket set on sale at the auto shop.
How I wish I was Intelligent and experienced.
Still, why is experience is something you always get after you need it.

Keep in touch for a blow by blow account of my MGB-GT restoration on a budget and clueless as the weeks unfold and the wife see's less and less of me.