853 replies to this topic

[Steve220]

Bit late now but when i drill hinges, I take a grinding stone to the weld on the other side and grind it flush with the hinge body before drilling.
 
Makes it easier
 
Cheers
 
Ben

Hi Ben, that's what I did, still a pain!

[Steve220]

Floor and door surrounds in!

[Ben_O]

Coming along!

[Haygate]

Looking good.

[Steve220]

Thanks guys!

 

Well one of my final order of parts from minispares made last night. Hopefully that'll be with me this week. So moving on, I got the engine back from Rob walker and immediately got onto stripping the rust off and painting.

 

 

 

Put 2 very thick coats on and it'll have another before I fully reassemble it.

 

Next was onto piston rings. These were done in the standard method - Rings individually put into each bore and straightened using the piston. I got the following results

 

 

 

From the research i've done, these all sit well within tolerance straight out the box so i'm extremely happy I don't have to file them! With that, all rings were fitted to pistons.

 

 

Onto a controversial topic - I've reset my speedo to account for the almost total rebuild of the car and engine. I took a photo of the mileage before hand and then reset it to zero. To make sure it's working, I attached the speedo drive to a drill and put on a few miles to see if it was all serviceable. 

 

 

 

I need the new bearings and ring compressor before I continue with the engine. Hopefully i'll get all of that this week so it'll give me something to do!

[jamesquintin]

NIce. What work did you get Rob Walker to do to the block? I need to have mine looked at as well and have been quoted £2.5K to do the whole engine/gearbox, which I just can't afford

 

I'd be wary of changing the speedo millage, will cause problems at MOT time and if you want to sell it...

[Steve220]

The speedo is more controversial than it is a problem. I've done this to a few rebuilds in the past. The only illegal part is to sell the car falsifying its mileage.

Rob re-bored to 1293, installed cam bearings, reground the crank, balanced the entire bottom end and fully degunked/cleaned the block.

[timmy850]

Don't think of it as winding the miles back to zero, think of it as increasing to 100,000!

[gadget555]

Just spent the last 2 nights (at work) reading through your whole tread, keep up the good work and I look forward to your updates.

[Steve220]

Just spent the last 2 nights (at work) reading through your whole tread, keep up the good work and I look forward to your updates.

Thanks! There's a few more coming. Had my first dealing with deox C and it's amazing!

[Steve220]

Updates continue as parts slowly come my way.

 

Bearings turned up from MED and got them fitted and plastigauged, all well within tolerance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst the block was upside down, I fitted my new light weight followers.

 

 

Also had my bilt hamber turn up, Deox C and electrox, so got started on that!

 

 

 

After 12 hours I brushed the rust off and resoaked over night. Did it until all rust was gone then sprayed 2 thick layers of electrox on all parts.

 

 

 

Also had to repair one of my trailing arms as rust was starting to come through the paint.

 

 

Awaiting a minispares delivery so I can finish the engine and get it built up! Also looking into replacing my cam with something a little more suited for a turbo application. Got a lot of recommendation for the Kent 274, but also keeping my eye out for an MG cam!

[Steve220]

Time for an update

 

Shiny DSN stuff

 

 

Installed crank, found out the tolerance for end float was tiny! Need to linish the thrust bearings.

 

 

 

 

 

Oil pump and piston installation

 

 

Although I cracked a ring getting it in because the ring compressor I have is crap.

 

 

Primary gear in and tolerance is bang on still (not sure why I was so surprised)

 

 

 

Rockers needs a good clean up, so stripped, cleaned each part, oiled and rebuilt again

 

 

 

 

Rear subframe built up for Jez to do alignment on the boot floor and brackets

 

 

And after a visit to the man himself, a few pics of the bodywork!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He admitted himself the clean up of the welds isn't complete and there's a few touch up areas he wants to re-attack, so letting him just crack on with it! Going over tomorrow to take more pics as apparently the inner wings and front panel is on! He's also been given the doors as I want them painting inside before assembly. I've overloaded him with work! But he's definitely the man in the know!

 

Next on the list is getting the camshaft in the engine, linish the thrusts to get the right end float and get ready for the cylinder head and gearbox! All the brackets etc that have been in electrox are now painted satin black.

[Jared Mk3]

Nice progress 

[Steve220]

Dropped the rear subframe off with Jez and had a nice surprise of the front end being on!

 

 

 

He said there's a fair bit of wiggle work to do to make it perfect and for the bonnet to fit against the wings, but i'm sure he'll get there! Only the doors and rear valances to do i think!

[Haygate]

Looking good, can I ask whos doing the work on the panels etc? Save reading back through the thread. Cheers