Here’s the inside of the shop, as you can see I haven’t done a whole lot with the organization of the space. (You can click for a larger image.)

I hope to build in some cabinets and what-not this winter, mainly on the wall where I have a couple of ancient Ferrari posters tacked up (I found a stash from ages ago…anyone for a 1980′s Testarossa poster? I managed to put that one back in the tube). I did get casters onto the metal work tables, they’re now handy for moving close to the action or allowing access to all sides of an unwieldy project.

On the table closest on the left is a pile of junk awaiting sorting and placing into the other side of the building. Right below the posters are the camshafts from the XJ6–I’m doing a valve adjustment, and am awaiting new cam bearings and shims. In the corner beyond that is an ancient file cabinet with my shop computer on top and my elderly stereo above it. I finally have a sink for the bathroom, and hope to work on that a bit tomorrow (keep calm and all that).

Beyond my trusty Delta drill press (I think it’s circa 1956) is my toolbox; I hope to move to a couple under-bench units when I build a new bench along that wall, in about the same place and scale as this one, but secured to the wall, and wrapping around the corner towards the press. The white MGB is serving as a shelf for the dash top and a few other components of the XJ6–one of the windshield wiper wheel boxes stripped out, and I’m awaiting some new used ones. I figure after almost 40 years in Washington, that’s fair enough.

I also have the rear mufflers off the XJ6; I bought new tips, the proper curvy variety as opposed to the straight ones which this car has now. Imagine my (lack of) surprise when I pulled off a couple of standard American mufflers which had been creatively made to fit, and which will definitely not take the new tips. So I’m trying to figure what to do about that, too.

The bikes are pretty much in for the winter. I need to do a fluids change on the Triumph–oil, coolant, and bleed the brakes. Bike will be ten years old this coming year and while it hasn’t had many miles put on (just a little over 3,000 now), the oil has only been changed a couple of times and the other fluids have never been touched.

To the right is the parts washer, the blasting cabinet is beyond that, and the shelves holding the miscellaneous small bits of the E-Type. ETA on that machine returning is still a bit murky.

Looking forward to getting the cabinetry underway. Along the back wall will be largish upper cabinets, with a nuts-and-bolts organization under a 18″ deep bench. This bench will mainly be used for staging parts and stashing those small projects awaiting time, money or bits–thus allowing the main bench (by the tools) to be kept clear for actual work. The tables can be wheeled out if more space is needed (they will live on the storage side when not in use). I was originally going to build a paint booth along this back wall, in the corner you can’t see, to the left. It would be about five feet wide with an open front, but a closed ceiling and a exhaust fan utilizing the old stove chimney. This would be for spraying small parts, and I still think it’s a good idea. I need to investigate fans and theory before committing to it, though.

The short wall right by the red toolbox, is, I think, destined to be the “sit down bench”, connected with the main bench along the gable. I will have upper cabinets only on this short wall, I’m not going to put cabinets on the gable wall. This sit-down station will be the place for manuals, computer, and other reference pieces, and I’ll probably come up with a “fluids” rack for the current can of brake cleaner, penetrating oil, etc, as well as gloves and shop towels. This “short wall” bench will only be about three feet wide; the wall is five, but the bench along the gable wall will be 24″ deep. 5′ of upper cabinets, though, is just about the perfect size to hold all the stuff I mentioned, and 3′ is fine for stashing a couple of low bar stools underneath a short bench.

Anyway, given my glacial progress, I’ll probably have the valve job done by the spring, and the rest will still be in the planning stage.

The BSA took first place…out of two bikes. Can’t say I’m proud of that one. The GT, which took third last year when entered in the wrong category (MGB roadsters), this year was entered in the right category–and failed to place, out of eight GTs entered. It’s the curse of “shiny primer” and red wheels, by gum.

The shot above–featuring a slightly disgusted Your Correspondent–was taken by Peter Laurence (check out his photostream for great shots of the Vancouver ABFM) as I waited for my entry packet in the pouring rain…I had only ridden four miles from the hotel to the gardens, but I was as soaked as I’ve ever been. Friday was gorgeous, and I didn’t even think about packing leathers or rain gear. I didn’t dry out from this 9AM ride until I got back home 12 hours later!

Steve also noticed that my tabs were five months expired (!), though not until we got to the border. Thankfully I was never called on it, despite four State patrol agents giving the truck a thorough going over while checking out the BSA.

In all I had a good time, but there were times as the rain kept coming down where a fire and a pint of dark ale sounded very, very good!

Did what I could to salvage a cruddy low-light shot of the Beezer, taken this past summer. The Casio Exilim is really awful at low-light–hoping to get a new pocket camera soon.

It’s fairly surprising that there isn’t a contiguous pool of oil covering the floor entirely on this side of the new shop building, especially from the prodigiously leaking pair comprising the SD1 and Reg the MGB roadster. (The BSA leaks, but that doesn’t count; the GT doesn’t leak at all.)

Poor Reg. I took him out today for the first time in awhile, and he had the ignominy of being towed home on the car trailer–and it’s all my fault. The car has been giving me plenty of warning that something needs to be done about the fuel pump (points are sticking), and I’ve been blithely ignoring it. I had to tap the pump three times to get going today–once in the garage, once in the drive, and once at the gas station…and rather than returning home and ordering a new pump, I kept going. In a shocking development, a few miles later no amount of “tapping” would get the pump going again.

Allie rescued me (in her spiffy 2005 Outback) and I returned with the truck and trailer to get Reg–who started right up after the half hour break. Sigh. I trailered him back anyway. Hope he enjoyed the ride.

I’ll have a new pump sent out tomorrow, along with a new exhaust hanger for the GT.

The SD1 is proving to be an interesting car. It drives pretty nicely and is getting “around town” fuel economy that has a “2″ in front of it, which is at least as good as the MGs. If I could figure out what is keeping the battery warning light on despite the alternator putting out 14 volts, I’d be golden. I also still need to adjust the handbrake and get a rear silencer for it, the previous owner apparently decided the entire rear third of the exhaust was optional.

It’s been a couple of weeks (!) Since the Isle of Vashon ride. I’ve got to dig through my photos and see if I got anything decent…but someone else (user DoctorWatson on flickr) took this shot of my bike parked up on the main street. It was a good day out, and we didn’t even get rained on!

Sigh…still no shop (or even a garage) and many, many things with wheels (not all pictured). I’m thinking of selling the Ferguson–it seems pretty unlikely at this point that I’ll have a use for it…and it’s overkill for even an acre of lawn. Especially one you don’t want field-tire tracks in.

I did a tremendous amount of work on the GT today…well, OK, I got the license plate lamps working. I took a few minutes afterwards to drive the old girl outside and take some photos, including this one with the BSA. (More after the jump.)

The punch list on the GT, ignoring the installation of the stalled-waiting-for-parts overdrive transmission:

• Final buff and detail, including a bit of wet sanding beforehand
• Trim the area behind the rear wheels inside the car
• Undercoat the wheel wells
• Repaint the wheels (silver, for this set, anyway)
• Cast in resin and finish a replacement interior mirror
• Buy and install the half of the missing seatbelt

So we’re getting fairly close!

I took the BSA up to the Vancouver All British Field Meet at Van Dusen Gardens on Friday. I hadn’t really thought about it, but I suspect the combo above might just be a bit too much gold, like seeing an older couple wearing matching outfits.

My friend Jeff and I caravaned up there on Friday and overnighted in downtown Vancouver, to await the show on Saturday. The only real snag we ran into: we managed to hit the Frasier River tunnel while the reversible lane was closed against us, therefore we had the pleasure of participating as five lanes merged into one. (The F250 made it to Vancouver and back without a hitch, so no complaints in the elderly-fuel-guzzling-truck department.)

There was an excellent turnout of bikes for what is basically a car show, with at least 30 machines on display (plus they had so many cars they had to turn away some last-minute entrants, generally unheard of). BSA was the featured marque this year in the bike class, and ironically not a single BSA won an award despite some top-drawer machines. You’d think there would be a special “best BSA” nod, but I guess not. That said, I was in no danger of winning said mythical cup–my machine is no slouch but the Super Rocket next to me was truly lovely and there were plenty of other really nice beezers.

Despite a few spits of rain the weather was pretty darn nice both days. Who knows, maybe the MGB GT will be done in time to take it up next year. Given that I’m waiting on a couple of typically glacial Moss back-orders, that’s still pretty iffy.

The “new” side-stand isn’t absolutely correct, but is works and looks far better than the old one, which was from a B40. As a bonus, the bike isn’t in danger of tipping over when on it! Pictured with my prize for winning a BSA photo contest on the seat–a can of BSA engine oil.

I’m taking the BSA up to Vancouver on Friday for the All British Field Meet, drop by and say hello if you end up at Van Dusen.