David Riley's Journal

Here is what I am starting with. Its a '76 body with a '71 motor ( If I am reading the numbers correctly).

The list as it stands right now;

Mechanical:
1) Front Suspension.
a) Replace Wheel Bearings
b) Replace Bushings
i) upper fulcrum
ii) lower fulcrum
c) Replace Rotors
d) Media Blast/Paint Components
e) Replace left lower fulcrum pin.
f) Replace both swivel axles #($#)(_!$#($*% send in cores but this means donor car has no front suspension.
g) Replace rack boots.
h) Replace tie-rod ends.
i) install new components

2) Remove Rear Wheels.
a) Inspect components
3) Find what is discharging the battery.
4) Fix leaky clutch master cylinder.
a) Kit is on order
5) Check out Heater

Interior:
1) Replace Carpet
2) Fix broken gauges
a) Tach
b) Temp
3) Replace Seat Belts.
4) Recover Dash
5) Replace Center Console
6) Replace both Door Panels
7)

Exterior:
1) Replace Outside Sills (rocker)
a) cut out DS outer sill.
b) remove both fenders
c) Correct patch on both fenders.
d) Fix Right Fender
e) Replace DS pan
f) patch PS pan
g) repair/replace both inner side members
h) Replace DS outer sill
i) PS outer sill is questionable.

In August of '12 I purchased my first MGB for $750.00. The plan was to restore the car and drive it. I was looking for a project different from anything I had done previously. It was a '75 with no top but everything else was (mostly) there. The motor ran but the tires were rotted so I purchased 4 tires and dragged it home. In the fall I started classes at the Tech school to learn how to do body work. It wasn't too long before I realized this car was best suited for pulling parts off of as both front fenders were really in bad shape and the rears were quite rusty. One note, the inner and outer sills were in great shape. This would be the first of many ironies.
In October I found a deal. One '76 (my current project)that was "drivable" and one '75 that "had a great body" but the engine was in a box. Both for $1300.00. So my wife drove the '76 while I pulled the '75. That is until we got about 30 miles from home and she abruptly pulled to the roadside and declared "I shall not drive this thing another mile!". Seems the front suspension was a bit loose. Learned a lesson that day. Once I started pulling out the front suspension I found out why the suspension was loose, in no particular order;
a)Right shock bounced like a basketball.
b)Right wheel had at least 1/4 inch of side-to-side play.
c)Right hand bearings were seized onto the shaft.
d)Left lower trunion bolt holes through in the arms were not really egg shaped but more like 2 holes drilled next to each other.

My next entry will chronicle the front suspension saga.

The DS hub and grease cover came off the car with not a lot of trouble. All it took was a maul hitting the tire repeatedly until the hub freed up.
The PS hub was plenty loose but the outer bearing race was welded to the spindle. I had to cut the swivel axles off both sides with the saw. The lower trunion bolts were seized to the spacers. I had to make a grease cap puller from 5/16-24 rod and nuts to get the cap removed from the PS hub. Of course, nobody in town had that size. It was obvious that this car was neglected, quite possibly, from the time it left the showroom floor. I ordered about $560.00 in replacement parts including the PS hub and a pair of swivel axles. Things went back together rather easily but there is some technique to installing the bushes onto the lower wishbone pivot. With no torque numbers for those I went by feel.

After driving the car to its new home I discovered fluid in the DS floor board. I came to realize it was from a leaking clutch master cylinder. Rather than rebuild I bought the replacement kit from V.B. This thing is tucked tightly into the corner and I had to be a bit creative installing the new M.C. There is a rubber knockout in the firewall that must be there for the purpose of installing the clutch M.C. I started the 2 bolts that secures the M.C. to the box. I then attached the pipe to the end of the M.C. and tightened as best as I could. Then I snugged up the 2 bolts. From inside the car I reached through the hole in the firewall to tighten the bolt securing the pipe. The hardest part was putting the rubber grommet back in place.
Then came the purging. I tried the two person method dragging my son out to loosen/tighten the bleeder screw at the slave but the pedal never firmed up. I read on this site about putting plastic wrap over the reservoir and replacing the cap. Then pumping the pedal furiously about 50 times. I did that twice and it worked beautifully! I now have a firm clutch pedal and dry floorboards.

I am taking a refinishing class at the local tech college and so the bonnet is a great piece to use for learning the patience to do body work. This bonnet endured an engine fire at some point and way too much abuse. It has taken almost a semester to get to this point

Finally decided it was time to weld. After fitting the inner and outer sill, checking, adjusting, refitting, rechecking, etc. Over a two day period I welded in these pieces and so it was time to do the dogleg. I felt panel bond would be quite good enough for this task and so I cut some 18 gauge sheet metal for a tab and bonded it to the backside of the quarter panel. After that had dried I then spread the panel bond over the tab and backside of the patch panel. I then screwed the patch into place.