Andy's awful autos: ITS ALIVE!

[Andyrew]

9 minutes ago, SiC said:

Does it have a brake servo? Iirc that is the tee-off (haha) for it.

I also say as a failed diaphragm in a servo can suck all the fluid out of the master!

Has what appears to be a retro fitted remote servo in the n.s corner of the engine bay

[SiC]

32 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Has what appears to be a retro fitted remote servo in the n.s corner of the engine bay

Could be factory fit - it was a paid option and standard fitment depending on the year. 

My '74 Chrome Bumper had one factory fitted.

[Andyrew]

Tanked!

With the clutch and brakes now functioning. It was time to have a look at the fuel tank, it sounded mostly empty so I knocked out the sender unit and peaked inside. Alot of varnishing and some rust so decided a drop and clean out was in order.

Another bonus is that's its a replacement tank 

Floor looks good.

It smells just as awful as you are thinking it does.

Random mix of nuts and bolts swished around knocked the worst off, then rinsed out with some skanky petrol that was at the back of the workshop. Good enough for me.

 

 

[Andyrew]

Back to earth

As you can imagine the sender unit was pretty nasty, so I popped it open, cleaned it up, I also cut a wee bit of sheet steel to tack on as the earth spade snapped off when wiggling the connectors off.  

[Andyrew]

Found this when working in the boot,Love it 

[Andyrew]

The MGB GT then

I've always been partial to the styling of the GT, however I will be honest. From Working in a parts shop or interaction at the  occasional car show I've always felt the people into these cars were tedious bellends and the cars were probably shite. 

However years past by and I met some normal people who ran them and curiosity to see why people like these cars kept niggling away. But as you'll have seen reading this thread, I like cheap fun and MGBs were more than I wanted to spend.

With the car market for 70s crap dropping and scruff bag cars dropping even more when this car came up on ebay at I think 2 or so grand I felt it was a bit much but over the following weeks it dropped and dropped. When it got to a grand I decided to take a look. 

A copart car picked up by a trader to flip for a hoped big profit. I'm sure he still made a profit and that's fine with me.  The seller was a top chap (kept the car for two weeks untill dave at Windmill towing could collect it for me) and I was happy enough with the potential in the car that I didn't bother to haggle.  Before viewing the car I looked up what the car would be worth if I parted it out and it seemed I'd get my money back and more fairly easily should it be a basket case. 

The car then, Im assuming it's been off the road 10 or so years but this is purely a guess.

A converted rubber bumper car which was originally red looking at the floor pans. It's had alot of welding, but sections cut out and replaced rather than mot patches. The car must have been stripped down at some point as the engine bay and jambs are also painted. 

What struck me about this car was the rear shocks, Avo adjustables and conversion brackets at the rear. There is also a panhard bar bracket bolted to the floor pan.  With these shocks being such an expensive item (£400 plus) I felt that someone has liked the car enough to splash out on it with the intention of giving it some shit on the road. Since looking over the car the past 2 days, I've found this to be true. 

Braided lines throughout, all brake pipes in copper, fuel line in copper, new shoes and drums, braided clutch line, electronic ignition set up, oil cooler, replacement fuel tank, large kenlowe fan, rear lowering springs and lowered fronts, brake servo kit cheapy stainless ish exhaust.

While it looks like a shed I'm quite happy with this purchase. Going for a first start on Friday so fingers crossed! 

 

 

 

 

[SiC]

Hopefully it'll run just fine. The b-series is a tough old lump that takes serious abuse before it has any issues. Even if there is, they're ten-a-penny and dirt cheap (for a classic).

[MorrisItalSLX]

20 hours ago, Andyrew said:

PO was a bit of a golfer it seems

 

Must have been a friend of the previous owner of my Jag.

[grogee]

13 hours ago, Andyrew said:

The MGB GT then

I've always been partial to the styling of the GT, however I will be honest. From Working in a parts shop or interaction at the  occasional car show I've always felt the people into these cars were tedious bellends and the cars were probably shite. 

However years past by and I met some normal people who ran them and curiosity to see why people like these cars kept niggling away. But as you'll have seen reading this thread, I like cheap fun and MGBs were more than I wanted to spend.

With the car market for 70s crap dropping and scruff bag cars dropping even more when this car came up on ebay at I think 2 or so grand I felt it was a bit much but over the following weeks it dropped and dropped. When it got to a grand I decided to take a look. 

A copart car picked up by a trader to flip for a hoped big profit. I'm sure he still made a profit and that's fine with me.  The seller was a top chap (kept the car for two weeks untill dave at Windmill towing could collect it for me) and I was happy enough with the potential in the car that I didn't bother to haggle.  Before viewing the car I looked up what the car would be worth if I parted it out and it seemed I'd get my money back and more fairly easily should it be a basket case. 

The car then, Im assuming it's been off the road 10 or so years but this is purely a guess.

A converted rubber bumper car which was originally red looking at the floor pans. It's had alot of welding, but sections cut out and replaced rather than mot patches. The car must have been stripped down at some point as the engine bay and jambs are also painted. 

What struck me about this car was the rear shocks, Avo adjustables and conversion brackets at the rear. There is also a panhard bar bracket bolted to the floor pan.  With these shocks being such an expensive item (£400 plus) I felt that someone has liked the car enough to splash out on it with the intention of giving it some shit on the road. Since looking over the car the past 2 days, I've found this to be true. 

Braided lines throughout, all brake pipes in copper, fuel line in copper, new shoes and drums, braided clutch line, electronic ignition set up, oil cooler, replacement fuel tank, large kenlowe fan, rear lowering springs and lowered fronts, brake servo kit cheapy stainless ish exhaust.

While it looks like a shed I'm quite happy with this purchase. Going for a first start on Friday so fingers crossed! 

 

 

 

 

I'm with you on this, the whole 'beards & real ale' stigma of MGB put me right off. There's a faint hint of gammon about them as well. 

But @Peter C s one changed my mind, and they do sound good - rorty and fatty but in a good way. 

The two things that really piss me off about them are 1) lever arm dampers and 2) live rear axle. Sounds like yours has fixed these 'characterful' flaws. 

[Peter C]

@grogee

Whilst my MGB GT is now relatively well sorted and benefits from a telescopic damper conversion on the rear, I still only intend to use it for local journeys. It's not a bad ride but I'm getting old and there's only so much discomfort that I can put up with.

[Andyrew]

Crusty back end

The tailgate on the B is a little rusty if you look closely just can see some in these photos along the bottom lip.

I'd been looking for a tailgate after agreeing to buy it. A cheap one came up but in the ulez zone so made it not so cheap, so I skipped that one.

They appear to be between £50 for a crusty knocked about one and £250 for a tidy one. Not wanting to spend out on an untested car I felt I'd just bash and tack a new lip on the existing one. I was Thinking of using an old bonnet as that could have a similar curve across it. So popped to the painter at the farm but his scrap had been taken recently.

Tonight he sent me this

I don't use Facebook but a phone number was obtained and 2 hours later we have a very tidy tenner tailgate. Absolute bargain. 

 

[Andyrew]

Sparkle sparkle

It's easy to see the paintwork is flatter than a witches tit, now I do like a scruffy car but the flat paint looks crap and greasey handprints that won't clean off is a pain. Todays task then was to brighten the old shed up.

Wherever this cars been dragged out of it clearly put up a fight leaving as the door and wing both took on some battle scars and a substantial dent

[Andyrew]

Much better! Now the shine really brings out all the imperfections. Love it.

[High Jetter]

Now, that numberplate...?

[Andyrew]

Today was the day of the first start (attempt)

Did it start? No, now this isn't a surprise to me as there was something on the car that would have been a nice upgrade at some point in the cars life but now I see it as a liability. 

a friend popped over who's better with electrical magic than I am and the fault seems to be with this unit. 

Even if it had worked I've have looked at getting rid. As they are local I'll pop to accuspark on Monday and see what direction I go from there. 

First start Monday? Fingers crossed

[Andyrew]

12 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Now, that numberplate...?

It's not far off making the car fuel cost exempt too 

[High Jetter]

16 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

It's not far off making the car fuel cost exempt too 

Huh?

[Andyrew]

10 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Huh?

Sorry a shit joke! 

I'm trying to find some suitable sticky numbers to replace the peeling ones. It looks like it's been on there decades and if I peel it off I'm certain the paint will come with it. 

[High Jetter]

 

3 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Sorry a shit joke! 

I'm trying to find some suitable sticky numbers to replace the peeling ones. It looks like it's been on there decades and if I peel it off I'm certain the paint will come with it. 

I used to sell those plates & numbers. Am sure you can still get them

[SiC]

Black Sharpie?

[Talbot]

I love the fact that one of the front over-riders on the front bumper is clearly a rear one, as it has the hole and mounting for a number plate lamp in it.

Absolute quality!  You could fit the missing illumination and light up a grille badge at night.

[Andyrew]

Bargain Bling 

As can be seen in the photos, the wee B has been stripped of its side trims. I figured These must be common as flip so I'll find some cheap on ebay and the fitting kit. 

Ahhh get right in the sea with that!

Used minus the clips are between 25 and 50 quid a set plus postage. But would you believe I found some brand new ones for 7.99 a side delivered including the fitting kit! 

[Andyrew]

Tailgating

Carefully Remove one of these

Which was held in with this silicone covered, shrunken torn and fully of rusty chunks of bootlid rubber seal

Look at this rusty heap of shit, and the tailgate is bad aswell

The showering of rust chunks was immense. I was covered in it

many hours later when have a nice tailgate fitted. It was way more difficult than I expected it to be but it's done now. Maybe one day I'll paint it.

[jim89]

23 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

Tailgating

Carefully Remove one of these

Which was held in with this silicone covered, shrunken torn and fully of rusty chunks of bootlid rubber seal

Look at this rusty heap of shit, and the tailgate is bad aswell

The showering of rust chunks was immense. I was covered in it

many hours later when have a nice tailgate fitted. It was way more difficult than I expected it to be but it's done now. Maybe one day I'll paint it.

👍🏻👍🏻 Loving it 🙂

Correct* gold/beige/shite colour combo too...

DO NOT PAINT!

[beko1987]

40 minutes ago, jim89 said:

👍🏻👍🏻 Loving it 🙂

Correct* gold/beige/shite colour combo too...

DO NOT PAINT!

Buy matching colour doors and a bonnet 👌

[juular]

1 hour ago, Andyrew said:

Maybe one day I'll paint it.

I like that exactly as it is.

[jim89]

29 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Buy matching colour doors and a bonnet 👌

😱 What's this "matching" business? Nooo

[Mrs6C]

On 01/02/2025 at 20:21, Andyrew said:

The VP1500 that belongs to @Mrs6C 

Single colour cars are so last season...

[beko1987]

52 minutes ago, jim89 said:

😱 What's this "matching" business? Nooo

Matching to that boot lid! Make a werthers original harlequin

[Andyrew]

Manual override

Over riders, some cars look wrong without them and some look so much better plain. 

I'm sure some will disagree but I think the ones fitted to Bs are way too big for the area they share. It's all too cluttered.

Right then, off you fuck. I'll keep hold of you

Bit of cleaning and polishing, and a few holes drilled in the centre of the bumper later.

Much better (IMO)