1971 MGB GT - Sorting out the Sierra’s mess - see page 41

[Westbay]

or you've saved enough to buy the fitting kits and do a proper job !

 

[Matty]

I'd imagine you will end up fabricating some sort of subframe even to be able to mount the seats solid. Obviously you will need them at the right height and in the right position. Then maybe the inability to adjust them may be an irritation in the future. 

I think for usability it would be better to mount them properly and it doesn't need to be a big job. I had to do this to mine to get the current (awful) seats in at a good height but when my new ones go in next week I can just re drill my subframes.

[Peter C]

@Westbay & @Mally 

There is more than one way to skin a cat!

Fixing the seats directly to the floor isn't an issue for me. The B's interior is cramped and I would want both seats fixed as far back as possible. I'm 6ft2 with relatively long legs - I need all the legroom I can get. 

The bucket seats came with agricultural but potentially useful brackets, which would enable me to secure the front of the seats directly to the floor. Making up brackets to fix the rear of the seats to the floor wouldn't be difficult.

As advised yesterday, my Plan A is to make use of the original runners.

I removed a runner from the original passenger seat and once I bent the adjustment lever out of the way, the runner fits the bucket seat nicely. Note red dot on the runner, that's where I will need to drill a hole to secure the rear part of the runner to the seat.

I put the bucket seat with the runner loosely fitted inside the car and it looks like installation of the runner to the floorpan should be fairly easy. I will try to avoid drilling though the crossmember to get the front bolts through but if I can't, I will get longer bolts to fit. Fixing the front of the seat runners to the crossmember will increase the robustness of the installation. 

I am definitely not spending £50+ on new runners if I can get the old ones to work. I've massively overspent on the Sierra and I want to avoid doing the same with the MG.

The final jobs that I wanted to do before I put the MG into my workshop was to remove the radiator and flush the cooling system.

I removed the radiator and the metal surround.

I removed the thermostat, fired up the engine, which is running nicely now and flushed the cooling system both ways (via the upper and lower hoses).

I did the same with the radiator.

I got the paraffin out and cleaned up the inner wings and the panels around the radiator.

I still have plenty of work to do but the engine bay is looking tidier.

A bit of surface rust aside, the inner wings and front panels are nice and solid. 

I left the B outside for an hour to let it drip dry, then put it back in the garage. These VERY short drives have revealed that the clutch biting point is nice and low and the clutch take up is smooth. 

More soon.

 

[Christine]

You'll soon get fed up with getting in and out of bucket seats in a low car .. 

[Peter C]

2 minutes ago, Christine said:

You'll soon get fed up with getting in and out of bucket seats in a low car .. 

The MG won’t be a daily driver, I’ll be fine.

[Mally]

23 minutes ago, Peter C said:

@Westbay & @Mally 

.

More soon.

 

Although me and my mate @Matty are almost twins, and the error has been made before, we are not in fact identical.

Maybe you got the wrong one? but as twins do, we think alike.

If only I was his age!

[Peter C]

@Mally Apologies!

@Matty See above!

[camryv6]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/559209403350041/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_general&referral_story_type=general&tracking={"qid"%3A"-1099101025969099676"%2C"mf_story_key"%3A"5574426755074303737"%2C"top_level_post_id"%3A"5574426755074303737"%2C"commerce_rank_obj"%3A"{\"target_id\"%3A5574426755074303737%2C\"target_type\"%3A6%2C\"primary_position\"%3A3%2C\"ranking_signature\"%3A6845862322002388829%2C\"commerce_channel\"%3A501%2C\"value\"%3A0.00026786198480445%2C\"upsell_type\"%3A3523%2C\"candidate_retrieval_source_map\"%3A{\"8648365418579663\"%3A3002%2C\"28107729132159986\"%3A3001%2C\"26295898483358275\"%3A805%2C\"8433477503407864\"%3A3020%2C\"26743088972005113\"%3A701}%2C\"grouping_info\"%3Anull}"%2C"lightning_feed_qid"%3A"-1099108791398685301"%2C"lightning_feed_ranking_signature"%3A"6845862322002388829"}

These would save you the hassle of having to have sex lol

[Peter C]

2 minutes ago, camryv6 said:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/559209403350041/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_general&referral_story_type=general&tracking={"qid"%3A"-1099101025969099676"%2C"mf_story_key"%3A"5574426755074303737"%2C"top_level_post_id"%3A"5574426755074303737"%2C"commerce_rank_obj"%3A"{\"target_id\"%3A5574426755074303737%2C\"target_type\"%3A6%2C\"primary_position\"%3A3%2C\"ranking_signature\"%3A6845862322002388829%2C\"commerce_channel\"%3A501%2C\"value\"%3A0.00026786198480445%2C\"upsell_type\"%3A3523%2C\"candidate_retrieval_source_map\"%3A{\"8648365418579663\"%3A3002%2C\"28107729132159986\"%3A3001%2C\"26295898483358275\"%3A805%2C\"8433477503407864\"%3A3020%2C\"26743088972005113\"%3A701}%2C\"grouping_info\"%3Anull}"%2C"lightning_feed_qid"%3A"-1099108791398685301"%2C"lightning_feed_ranking_signature"%3A"6845862322002388829"}

These would save you the hassle of having to have sex lol

That’s CHEAP but Derby is too far away from me.

I like my seats and I don’t mind spending three hours in the boudoir with my wife.

[camryv6]

Three hours !!!! are you going to repaint the room too ?

[Peter C]

8 minutes ago, camryv6 said:

Three hours !!!! are you going to repaint the room too ?

[Matty]

1 hour ago, Mally said:

Although me and my mate @Matty are almost twins, and the error has been made before, we are not in fact identical.

Maybe you got the wrong one? but as twins do, we think alike.

If only I was his age!

Young as you feel Pete 😁

[Matty]

They look more than useful. A bit of a going over with a wire in a drill and a coat of black spray they'll be grand. Well impressed with progress on this. Also, I've no doubt you'll like it. I driven one or two through my Uncles garage and they really are a nice thing.

[bigfella2]

What happens with these bucket seats when you need to get into the back for something?

[Peter C]

6 hours ago, bigfella2 said:

What happens with these bucket seats when you need to get into the back for something?

I open the rear hatch.

 

[Christine]

I fixed mine !  

 

[andy18s]

Bit late to the party....

[Peter C]

Rather than spending money on a universal puller (if it fits everything it fits nothing) that I will probably never use again, I decided to make my own tool. I made use of a surplus to requirements Mercedes Benz W124 gearbox mounting bracket, four bolts that fixed into the boss and one large bolt and nut to apply pressure to the centre of the steering column.

I adopted the same technique as @SiC but with a bespoke home made tool.

So not to overstress the steering lock mechanism, I braced the mounting bracket against the driver's door sill with a length of two by four.

 

Laugh all you like but the tool worked and I've got the boss off without causing damage to the steering column.

That's a win.

 

 

[Peter C]

3 hours ago, andy18s said:

Bit late to the party....

 

In this case better never than late.

[SiC]

If it works its not stupid 🤷‍♂️

I can't even find the puller set I have. I'm not even sure I bought it for this job, it just happened to be something I had kicking around to do it. If I had some scrap like you had, I'd likely have done it in the same way. 

I just had the ignition on to not stress the steering lock.

[Cheezey]

I’m following this thread with interest. This is my pretty much my ideal second car. A useable MGB GT in a good colour, chrome bumpers, upgraded seats & steering wheel. 
Has anyone else called dibs yet?!

[Westbay]

14 hours ago, Peter C said:

Rather than spending money on a universal puller (if it fits everything it fits nothing) that I will probably never use again, I decided to make my own tool. I made use of a surplus to requirements Mercedes Benz W124 gearbox mounting bracket, four bolts that fixed into the boss and one large bolt and nut to apply pressure to the centre of the steering column.

I adopted the same technique as @SiC but with a bespoke home made tool.

So not to overstress the steering lock mechanism, I braced the mounting bracket against the driver's door sill with a length of two by four.

 

Laugh all you like but the tool worked and I've got the boss off without causing damage to the steering column.

That's a win.

 

 

 

"nesessity is the mother of invention"

Well done - well in keeping with your ethos and the wider AS approach ! 

[Peter C]

According to the government website, the logbook was issued yesterday. Hopefully I will receive it before the end of the week.

Which owner number will I be? Place your bets.

 

[EyesWeldedShut]

42 is the answer, shirley?

Proper answer - I'd go for 17

[SiC]

Currently at 8 previous keepers, so 9 owners so far. Hence you should be number 10. 

[Peter C]

16 minutes ago, SiC said:

Currently at 8 previous keepers, so 9 owners so far. Hence you should be number 10. 

You know this? 

Or are you guessing?

[Peter C]

I found a bit of time to complete a couple of tasks this afternoon.

The radiator surround needed repainting and the radiator header tank wanted polishing. I tried two different cleaning products and Brasso and nothing would shift the white staining.

I still had a can of this stuff from my Sierra refurb.

As it was warm and dry this afternoon, I created suitable working conditions under the car port.

Much better!

I used Brasso to polish the bumpers and grille. The chrome came up ok. There is a bit of pitting and the front bumper has a small dent on the upper side but the bumpers and grille are more than good enough to go back on the car, when the time is right.

[666jjp]

https://www.checkcardetails.co.uk/cardetails/uuo622j

[Peter C]

I've completed another couple of jobs today.

The air filter covers were looking tired and the dashpot covers were just wrong.

That was easy! No more bling SUs here.

I wire brushed the air filter covers and gave them a squirt of gloss black.

A recently* fitted clutch master cylinder. Nice.

I spent about an hour cleaning up the engine bay, not that you can tell.

That's probably it for the next few weeks.

 

 

 

 

[chadders]

Is that a non standard variable pitch fan?