Project ongoing
01/11/07 09:30 |
Other
Working on the car over the summer, I have found a
great deal of rust in panels I was unaware were rusty
- I assume they are decaying from behind. As a
result, I have decided that I will go for a new body
shell - not the original plan, but one that will save
a lot of time in the long-run, and provide a more
secure future for the car.
I know that many aficionados dislike cars that fail to retain their original bodies, and try to keep as much original as possible, but where previous owners have failed to keep the car correctly, I am afraid such actions are called for. The only panel I can see that can be saved is the bonnet - the doors are rotten, and I am loathed to open the tailgate any longer in case it falls apart.
I recently had to move the car from the garage to allow a new roof to be put onto it. Given that much of the engine is no longer in place, this involved dragging it out on a tow rope, which almost burned out the clutch on my main car, especially as one rear wheel had seized. Dragging it out was less of a problem, rolling it back in, without the aid of a tow car was more problematic, especially given the slope of my driveway down to the garage.
Work has, however, now stopped for reasons other than time. My wife and I are planning to move house, moving about 150 miles away. As a result, it makes sense not to transport too many parts removed from the car. We have not yet found a house to move to, and it is also possible that the MG may not have a garage immediately, so too much work could create a liability in terms of storage.
One job I have considered doing over the winter, however, is rebuilding the engine. It should be possible to renovate the engine and rebuild it, replacing it into the car before the move, and getting that job out of the way.
I will be doing a full photo diary for the engine rebuild, decoking the engine and replacing any worn/damaged parts. I will then store it with a thin layer of oil over it, rather than filling it with oil, adding to the weight - I will still need to remove the engine when I replace the body.
I know that many aficionados dislike cars that fail to retain their original bodies, and try to keep as much original as possible, but where previous owners have failed to keep the car correctly, I am afraid such actions are called for. The only panel I can see that can be saved is the bonnet - the doors are rotten, and I am loathed to open the tailgate any longer in case it falls apart.
I recently had to move the car from the garage to allow a new roof to be put onto it. Given that much of the engine is no longer in place, this involved dragging it out on a tow rope, which almost burned out the clutch on my main car, especially as one rear wheel had seized. Dragging it out was less of a problem, rolling it back in, without the aid of a tow car was more problematic, especially given the slope of my driveway down to the garage.
Work has, however, now stopped for reasons other than time. My wife and I are planning to move house, moving about 150 miles away. As a result, it makes sense not to transport too many parts removed from the car. We have not yet found a house to move to, and it is also possible that the MG may not have a garage immediately, so too much work could create a liability in terms of storage.
One job I have considered doing over the winter, however, is rebuilding the engine. It should be possible to renovate the engine and rebuild it, replacing it into the car before the move, and getting that job out of the way.
I will be doing a full photo diary for the engine rebuild, decoking the engine and replacing any worn/damaged parts. I will then store it with a thin layer of oil over it, rather than filling it with oil, adding to the weight - I will still need to remove the engine when I replace the body.
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