John Moore's Journal

This weekend I got to make some progress on the B. Mostly small stuff. But it's amazing how it always takes more time than you imagine. I got new lift-a-dots installed on the rear cowl as well as the rest of the convertible hardware. I bought stainless lift-a-dots at West Marine. When I was installing the rivets on the top slides, I managed to mar the paint pretty good. Bummer! Thank goodness for touch up paint. I also got the wiper motor installed. While it was out, I cleaned out all the gunky old grease and put in new lithium grease. I also cleaned and painted the assembly. Lastly, I installed the heater tubes and vents.

It was the week from Hell. Last Saturday was my birthday. We had planned a trip to Mass to go skiing, but canceled at the last minute do to the lack of snow, but mostly as our Cocker Spaniel Doogie wasn't doing well. He was 15, and a wedding present from my Mom. He had taken a turn for the worse. We did go skiing anyway at a local resort on Saturday, which was fun. Saturday night Doogie really struggled, both my wife and I expected him to pass away in his sleep but he continued to hang on. Sunday morning we were awakened at 6 AM with my little guy (6) throwing up everywhere as he had a stomach bug. While my wife attended to him, I went to fill the steam cleaner up with hot water. While doing that I noticed there was no hot water from the tap. I went to the basement and there was an inch of water everywhere! I quickly figured the bottom has rusted through. After lunch I went to buy a new hot water heater. I brought it home and installed it, but kept getting leaks. I finally gave up as I was exhausted. Doogie had another horrible night and we got no sleep. So Monday early, I took him to the vet to have him put to sleep. It was the only thing to do, how sad. When I got home, I called the plumbers, then buried my dog. The plumbers came over after lunch. They quickly informed me I had the wrong hot water heater and needed a self venting one. I paid them for their joy ride and sent them on their way. I uninstalled the hot water heater and got a new one. I finally got it installed around 10:30 that night. I finally got a hot shower Tuesday morning.

Turning 38 sucked, but doing some small stuff on the B sure did feel good this weekend!

As is often with MG's, nothing is easy! I thought this should be a simple bolt up affair, but ended up taking a day and 1/2! My original front bumper was in horrible shape so I bought a complete bumper kit from Moss. I assembled it on the car and all went well 'cept for the overriders. A 3/8" bolt is supposed to go from the back of the bracket, a spacer, bumper and to the overrider. I could just never make it work. It also appeared the build quality of the overrider was poor and the entry angle of the captive nut was off. After fighting with this for a few hours, I went to an auto parts store and bought a 3/8" stud. This allowed me to put the overrider on from the front and made installation much easier. I'm pleased with the all chrome early overriders. The grille is in the photo just for show. I won't mount it up 'til I finish wiring the head lamps and turn signals.

Next step is to rebuilt the dash. I also need to clean up my door latches as I plan on having them zinc plated.

I've been busy with several projects at one. The biggest was the windshield. I've always admired the chrome look of the windshield frames of the early cars, so I decided to remove the anodizing from mine. First with 800, 1000 then 1200 wet sand paper. I finished it off with white rouge on a buffing wheel. Mirror finish! It was beautiful. I was concerned that I needed to seal it, so after seeking advice on the BBS I chose a POR-15 clear coat called Glisten. It turned out to be a nightmare! The etching coat left the mirror finish hazy and the glisten, didn't flow every well. It looked like a mess. The next morning before it hardened I removed it with Goof Off and finally Oven Cleaner. I had to start over again with sand paper and the buffing wheel, but eventually got the mirror like finish back. I've since decided to leave it bare and polish regularly with Mother's Aluminum polish. Assembling the windshield was a BEAR! $*(@)*!# I've done a few and they are NO fun. This time I used a "personal lubricant", Astroglide, rather than soap and it worked pretty good. It was super slippery! And it's water based so it washed right off. Right now I have the windshield sitting on the car, stretching out the frame to body seal. I used all new rubber from MacGregor.

It's almost a year to the date, I started taking my B apart to get a paint job! Little did I know at that time, the odyssey before me! Well today I finished aligning the doors and other panels. The gaps aren't perfect, but OK considering how much welding I did. The RH door was a major bear, like the fender on that side, I had a good bit of trouble. Good thing I don't have to look at that side when I get in and out of the car! I'm sure it will drive me crazy whenever I look at it... Oh well... I'll know how to do it next time! Oh did I say 'next time'.... NOT!

The next step will be to polish the windshield frame. I want to strip the anodizing and give it a mirror like finish. I've got new glass and new rubber from Mac Gregors. I also went the the fabric store today and bought some new vinyl to go between the windshield and new dash. To strip the WS frame I plan on using wet sand paper and then steel wool. I've heard others have used oven cleaner but I'm concerned about damaging the aluminum.

I'll post some before and after shots.

I've been wanting to do this for a LONG time! I had my split bumpers re chromed about a year ago, when I originally thought I was just gonna strip down my car and paint! (How easy that would have been! lol!) I had them triple plated at Sandy's Bumper Mart in Rochester, NY for $350 (ouch!) I'm using Moss over riders. I POR-15'd the mounts and used a Moss hardware kit. Unfortunately, the Moss Kit does not take into consideration the 70 bumper uses an extra pair of chrome carriage bolts. But I'm VERY pleased. The photo doesn't do it justice. As a non-stock mod, I used chrome over riders. A '70 was the first year with the rubber inserts, but I thought all chrome was much nicer.

I also tweaked my engine bay a bit more. I finished the braided fuel lines. I used an Eurospec T-stat housing (w/o bracket - Thanks Mark J for that suggestion!) I also put chrome acorns on the housing and on the heater pipe. I also changed my heater pipe clamps to all aluminum.

I also added the gas struts for the bonnet, open wide and say "Aaaahhhh"

I hope to get ALOT more done this week.

I still have a few small things but it's basically done. I need to attached the Tudor bottle and tubing, choke and heater cable and I need to put straps on the oil cooler lines.

I like the copper tube for the heater box, but I need to find a way to secure it. Unlike the early cars that had this same set up, my intake manifold has a rather large bolt in the front that prevents the tube from running parallel with the manifold. Hmmm, a head scratcher....

Next step is to finish hanging the doors, bonnet and boot lid...

Update...

I put two 1 3/4", 5/16" studs in the manifold. The only fine thread ones I could find were fine thread on one side and coarse on the other, but it worked just fine. The part of the stud that sticks in the manifold I sealed with hylomar on the threads. I put a nut on bottom and top of the clamp and used slightly smaller clamps. Worked out better than expected! Perfect height!

Also, just for grins, I added chrome acorn nuts on the t-stat housing! lol!