313 replies to this topic

[JDImini]

Hi Ben with the axle, fuel tank and leaf springs off do they need anything more than a good clean and some nice black paint?

[JDImini]

I've been trying to look at seats and steering wheel and getting no where fast, but there is an MG event at Silverstone this weekend, so i'm going to see if i can get there for some inspiration

[Ben_O]

Hi Ben with the axle, fuel tank and leaf springs off do they need anything more than a good clean and some nice black paint?

Everything seems to be in good order. Obviously the bushings etc will be replaced.

 

The leaf springs look like they will take a while to clean up as they are quite heavily corroded but I don't see why they won't clean up well.

 

Did you want it all gloss black?

[Ben_O]

I've been trying to look at seats and steering wheel and getting no where fast, but there is an MG event at Silverstone this weekend, so i'm going to see if i can get there for some inspiration

I have had a nose about, particularly at re-trim kits for the vinyl parts as the funny brown colour won't go with new seats unless they are brown too.

 

There seems to be some quite good kits out there.

 

Good call on attending the show for inspiration. If you see anything you like, perhaps get a snap of it and we can have a look.

 

Cheers

Ben

[Ben_O]

I finished the n/s quarter panel repair today.

 

I welded the seam up to where it meets the back panel

 

 

It looks like there is a crease there but it must be the light...

 

There were a few areas near the rear lamp that resembled splits. There was no rust or pitting around them so i'm not sure why they are there but the other side doesn't have them

 

 

So I welded them up

 

 

And that finishes this side

 

 

 

Ill go back to that when i do the prep and finish it off.

 

Onto the other side..

 

 

Once cut off, I could see the damage beneath

 

 

After a clean up and some repairs, it was good to go

 

 

 

Next, I made up a repair section

 

 

and trial fitted it

 

 

Before cutting it in and tacking 

 

 

And then after weld weld, grind grind it was finished

 

 

The next job is to repair the rear deck as there is some quite serious pitting

 

 

 

More on that tomrrow

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[JDImini]

More brilliant work

[Ben_O]

It's getting there.Just the deck to go now and then onto the prep

[JDImini]

 

Hi Ben with the axle, fuel tank and leaf springs off do they need anything more than a good clean and some nice black paint?

Everything seems to be in good order. Obviously the bushings etc will be replaced.

 

The leaf springs look like they will take a while to clean up as they are quite heavily corroded but I don't see why they won't clean up well.

 

Did you want it all gloss black?

 

Hi Ben

gloss black or satin black whichever is the right colour

is it a waste of time cleaning the springs?

Thanks Darren 

[JDImini]

 

I've been trying to look at seats and steering wheel and getting no where fast, but there is an MG event at Silverstone this weekend, so i'm going to see if i can get there for some inspiration

I have had a nose about, particularly at re-trim kits for the vinyl parts as the funny brown colour won't go with new seats unless they are brown too.

 

There seems to be some quite good kits out there.

 

Good call on attending the show for inspiration. If you see anything you like, perhaps get a snap of it and we can have a look.

 

Cheers

Ben

 

Hi Ben,

 

The funny brown colour is autumn leaf   I think black re trim kit would look good but I haven't really thought about it - Moss  Europe or Rimmer  Bros maybe? Do you know of any others?

 

Thanks Darren

[JDImini]

It's getting there.Just the deck to go now and then onto the prep

If I'm looking at different seats is it likely that they'll need different fixing points?

[Ben_O]

 

 

Hi Ben with the axle, fuel tank and leaf springs off do they need anything more than a good clean and some nice black paint?

Everything seems to be in good order. Obviously the bushings etc will be replaced.

 

The leaf springs look like they will take a while to clean up as they are quite heavily corroded but I don't see why they won't clean up well.

 

Did you want it all gloss black?

 

Hi Ben

gloss black or satin black whichever is the right colour

is it a waste of time cleaning the springs?

Thanks Darren 

 

I would say that satin is correct but many people do gloss. It's up to you what you prefer.

I wonder if it's worth looking into replacing the springs rather than repainting worn ones?

 

 

 

I've been trying to look at seats and steering wheel and getting no where fast, but there is an MG event at Silverstone this weekend, so i'm going to see if i can get there for some inspiration

I have had a nose about, particularly at re-trim kits for the vinyl parts as the funny brown colour won't go with new seats unless they are brown too.

 

There seems to be some quite good kits out there.

 

Good call on attending the show for inspiration. If you see anything you like, perhaps get a snap of it and we can have a look.

 

Cheers

Ben

 

Hi Ben,

 

The funny brown colour is autumn leaf   I think black re trim kit would look good but I haven't really thought about it - Moss  Europe or Rimmer  Bros maybe? Do you know of any others?

 

Thanks Darren

 

Ill look into the retrim kit again and e-mail you some options.

 

 

It's getting there.Just the deck to go now and then onto the prep

If I'm looking at different seats is it likely that they'll need different fixing points?

 

It depends on which seats and if they are designed to fit to the existing mounting points.

I would imagine that the MG suppliers would at least sell a fitting kit for most popular seats but if you decide on a seat that doesn't simply bolt in, then we would need to sort out a choice before too long so that i can make sure any new mounting points required are in place

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[Carlos W]

I've heard of mx5 seats going into an MGB.

Not sure how they mount though

[Ben_O]

So on with the rear deck repairs.

 

It may not look it but the shape of the deck is quite complex in that it curves back and over across the width of the car so with this in mind, I decided to replace the affected areas in sections.

The pitting looked fairly deep but the steel is thick so no strength was really lost but I wanted to be sure that it wasn't crusty between the skins.

 

Here is the first section cut out

 

 

As you can see, there is only very slight corrosion around the spot welds

 

New section made up

 

 

And then seam welded and spot welded

 

 

Then the next section 

 

 

 

Then the final piece

 

 

 

Then i reinstated the holes for the screws that hold on the rubber trim and gave it a spray up

 

 

Before trying on the trim

 

 

All the screw holes line up fine so job's a gooden.

 

As usual, ill go back to the final finishing during prep.

 

I went back round the car checking for any other welding and finished that off 

 

here

 

 

and here

 

 

And then I plugged up the extra holes in the boot floor from the panhard rod that are not needed

 

 

 

I think i shall make up some reinforcing plates to go around those mounting points. I don't like the idea of the panhard rod being mounted to a single skin panel.

 

But other than that, the welding is finally complete.

 

So onto the prep...........

 

The old sound deadening needed to come out which was rock hard 

 

 

 

Which leaves a nasty sticky mess behind. I have a plan for that though.

 

The smell of the sound deadening when i was heating it had notes of burnt pizza and oddly a strong smell of old peoples homes....

 

Weird.

 

More on the prep tomorrow

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[panky]

Ahhh pepperoni and dried pee, cant whack it

 

Brilliant job going on there

[Ben_O]

Ahhh pepperoni and dried pee, cant whack it

 

Brilliant job going on there

It was more the smell of burnt pizza base...

 

Made me feel quite hungry