Project 1974 MGB GT - The Mustard (Mit) Mobility Scooter - 6yrs ownership & the end is potentially nigh!

[mrbenn]

Nice work on the fuel leak!

 

I had to do similar on the Minor a couple of years back. The tank outlet developed a leak, naturally this came to light just after I'd filled the tank right up. Sorting it out eventually involved pumping all the fuel out (thankfully only about 25 litres) and a new tank and fuel line, but not before I spent a substantial amount of time underneath the thing covered in petrol. Makes me wretch just thinking about it - miserable!

[SiC]

I'm tempted hold off on the MOT until payday next month, which handily will be when its exempt. Mostly because I've spent a obscene amount on cars & stuff for my garage already just after being paid. Worried that I'll just end up with an even bigger to-do list (probably brakes, as discs look very glazed) and hence more expenditure.

[Noel Tidybeard]

maybe not a bad idea as you can then go around the car in a more relaxed manor with the spanners and sockets and check everything is as tight/loose as it should be with the old HBOL mot check list open as a guide- its easy to overlook the simplest of things when up against time- my first mot i just absently pressed the washer and realised they were empty good job i had a bottle of water in the boot!

[Junkman]

Anyway the weather was great and I had a good time. However one thing really bugged me during the trip. I was driving around in the wrong car. Our A4...

 

Too bad it didn't fucking grenade in a fashion that leaves a big crater.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Your MGB is the same model and colour as Margaret Thatcher's.

[Junkman]

Yeah, but she's dead, remember?

[SiC]

Your MGB is the same model and colour as Margaret Thatcher's.

TIL she had one. Any pics of it?

 

If this is true, I'm tempted to send it to scrapyard...

[Dick Longbridge]

TIL she had one. Any pics of it?

If this is true, I'm tempted to send it to scrapyard...

This is Mags, the day after she bought it. She hadn’t had to break out her MIG at this point, hence still smiling.

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yeah, but she's dead, remember?

 

 

No she isn't.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

In your face m8

[SiC]

 

You've ruined the car for me now. May have to be up for sale.

 

Different front grille - actually the style I like more too.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I like the 1969/70 recessed black grille.

[SiC]

Googling "Margaret Thatcher MGB" and looking on Google Images inexplicably brings up this photo:

 

Not quite what I was expecting from that search result. I don't think that's a picture of Maggie washing hers.

[SiC]

Hey SiC it sounds like we were both on the IOW at about the same time! Did you get caught out by that weird road "closure" on the west side of Ventnor like we did?

I forgot to reply to this. Yeah I did see that closure. To be honest, after living in a city for so long and being used to random road closures, I didn't even think twice why it might have been closed! I assumed it probably an emergency water/gas leak repair or pothole fixing. Quite a long stretch of road was closed.

[DodgeRover]

In your face m8

 

I may never be able to buy or ride happily in an MG now what has been seen can not be unseen....

Certainly if that fact was widely known around home in the 80's then the survival rate for them would have taken a steep dive... 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I like the 1969/70 recessed black grille.

 

I particularly like how they didn't bother to flatten out that little bump on the bonnet from the old grille. 

[SiC]

Not much has happened with this, this month. I was hoping to get it MOT'd and checked out by a local garage. Unfortunately the gift that keeps on giving (TT) has sucked my wallet dry instead. It's now MOT exempt so I technically start driving it again.

 

One thing that has been bugging me since I've bought it is the wipers don't work on full speed. The few receipts I had with the car did mention a replacement brushset for the wiper motor, so it's obvious must have had trouble before. I've been trying to get into work earlier so I can leave earlier and give me more time to do stuff in the evening. Today was one of those days.

 

Wiper motor isn't terribly difficult to get to, just a bit tight and fiddly.

 

The two bolts on the side come off which releases the motor. You need to then pop the lid off the top for access to disconnected the mechanism.

 

Then on the back side you unplug the wiring connector.

 

Wait!? What's that??

 

Well that spade terminal missing the connector won't be helping in the troubles.

 

As I was here, I decided that I might as well finish removing it completely and inspect the insides. Which is a good job I did.

 

This fell out of the motor end.

 

Whoever put this back together last managed to completely hamfist and break the brushes. When reassembling you need to use a screwdriver to push the brushes back so the commutator can clear them. Looks like instead of doing this, the last person simply jammed the motor together until it closed. Except they managed to smash the brushes and mount in the process.

 

Luckily the commutator was undamaged.

 

I gave it a quick clean up with some 600 grit then a fibreglass pencil. Came up pretty well.

 

Handily the last owner kept every single part he replaced. I grabbed the old mount as it was a lot stiffer than the newer one and popped the red, non completely knackered brush onto it.

 

The yellow brush is still pretty worn on this though. I'll get another brush set and replace this at a later time.

 

Finally I cleaned out the old gunk and went crazy with the grease gun.

 

No wiper action video tonight unfortunately as I ran out of daylight.

 

At the weekend I also took the opportunity to recalibrate my fuel gauge. It originally read 3/4 when it's actually full. On the back of the gauge there is two adjusters to set max and min. 220 Ohms on the sender is minimum, 20 Ohms is maximum. The tank was reliably reading 20Ohms when full which was reassuring.

 

Using the old sender as a potentiometer, I could set the min and max. Very satisfying for my OCD to have this line up pretty much perfectly.

 

For added accuracy* I put in a new solid state voltage regulator to give a constant 10v. I like the idea and cuteness of the bi-metalic strip as a solution, but I also would like a half decent accurate gauge! The new regulator isn't as precise output voltage as my bench supply so, despite me getting the gauge bob on while on the bench, it's out again.

 

Being summer, the car had bird crap down it again. Requiring another wash. I also gave the bumpers a quick polish too.

 

This is where I shamefully admit that I've pretty much turned into a stereotypical MGB owner. I spent so long cleaning the car, it got late and I didn't even get a chance to properly give it a drive. Despite it being the first day of the MOT exemption and so road legal* again!

 

At least I've pretty much run out of things to fix for now! I'm sure it'll find something else to keep me busy with though. Hopefully not too much however, as I have a certain car coming which will need a fair bit of ol' work and focus.

[Noel Tidybeard]

could you not use the unfucked spare blue brush for the wiper motor?

[SiC]

could you not use the unfucked spare blue brush for the wiper motor?

Good question! I did contemplate this, however the yellow brush is a weird shape. I don't know why it is but as Lucas went to the trouble to do it, I guess it is important. I could have filed it down to fit but to be honest the other brushes are pretty worn already anyway and so could do with being replaced soon.

 

[SiC]

Finally got on with replacing the drivers seat foam. Only 6 months since I bought the replacement foam! This is something I should have done ages ago and when I got the car. The foam is very flat and the back is so worn out, the metal bars press into my back. This gives me bad back pain and really puts me off driving it.

 

It came out easy enough. All 4 bolts were not siezed or rusty.

 

 

Proper bodging going on here. You think if someone went to the effort of doing this, they'd actually do it properly. Replacement foam isn't even that expensive.

 

I can't remember (or find) who said it (I think Busmansholiday?), but it was mentioned about checking under the carpet to see the floor condition.

 

Unfortantly the floor still contains the factory (well I guess it is) lining. Not sure what it is, but it's thick and I assume it's for sound deadening. Doesn't feel like rubber and certainly doesn't flex very well. Maybe it's lead?

 

There is a section in the middle that looks like it has been replaced at some point. It looks around the main chassis cross rail and I would hazard a guess thats had some minor welding at some point?

 

So I'm guessing you really want to see under it?

 

I couldn't resist either!

 

Looks absolutely fine to me. I guess that black stuff is seam sealer after some minor welding work?

 

Now at the stage where all the foam and fabric is off. Fabric is going to need a bit of sowing work to prolong its life. I'm trusting that to Mrs SiC, who is way better with a needle and thread than I am. I have been tempted to change the covers as I'm not a massive fan of them. However it felt wrong to as they're obviously original and in very good condition otherwise.

 

The base foam wasn't too terrible. Very few and no squidge but not disintegrated. Back foam was completely had it.

 

No wonder it hurt my back and the metal bar pressed in!

 

Spent the rest of the evening cleaning off the old adhesive from the frame. I'll probably give it a quick lick of paint to stop any exposed bits from rusting away and last longer. I forgot to take pictures of the bare frame, but it's in very good condition.

[Saabnut]

I am fairly sure that the sound deadening is the original style bitumen stuff. Very effective and can still be bought.

[captain_70s]

I am fairly sure that the sound deadening is the original style bitumen stuff. Very effective and can still be bought.

Yup, I've got the same stuff on the floorpans and in the boot of the Doloshites. If you start chipping it off it'll be black and tar-like on the inside.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Will you be doing both front seats? If one is knackered chances are the other isn't far behind, especially if they are not expensive.

[purplebargeken]

Less back pain = more inclination to drive the car, even if MGB

[HillmanImp]

If you have any problems with this, I've found a recovery service on one of the t'interwebs that seems to specialise in towing MGs.

 

Heres one of their representatives canvassing in the street.

 

 

Advertising campaign is slightly leftfield but they all are these days aren't they.

[SiC]

Not sure to like because it's of the irony or to not click like because of the sign message and the meaning of the sign...!

 

Edit: just looked at the website, it's certainly not a very nice organisation.

[anonymous user]

Not sure to like because it's of the irony or to not click like because of the sign message and the meaning of the sign...!

 

Edit: just looked at the website, it's certainly not a very nice organisation.

True, but on the other hand it's nice to see that Pugsley Addams looks just the same

[Mally]

Will you be doing both front seats? If one is knackered chances are the other isn't far behind,

Nonsense, no one wants to be a passenger in an MGB.

[stuboy]

Nonsense, no one wants to be a passenger in an MGB.

 

 

... as standing at roadside with there driver awaiting recovery....lol

[busmansholiday]

 

Apologies SIC, I missed this bit.

 

Floor looks good but hopefully, if you've not put the seat back two bits to check.

 

Bottom left of pic where seat belt mounts are. Tend to rot there under that bit of carpet oftern from inside due to door seal leaks.

 

In front of handbrake as well about where the bottom of the steering wheel crosses that bit of carpet is where I found problems on mine.

 

Sorry if you've put it back together.