Just a quick note to show a bit of progress…waiting for some pieces, now. I have a few things I can do in the meantime, mainly rebuilding the generator. The spark plug wires are a bit of a disappointment…I mean, green? Whatever. (more…)

The engine is back in the GT as of this evening, which feels like progress. I’m also going to have to replace the exhaust system (alas), as the downpipe will not give up its exhaust donuts, or what remains of them, anyway. Budget is super-tight, so this is unwelcome, if not unexpected. I’ll probably buy one of the “cheap” stainless systems offered by Moss resellers. If I get it from Northwest Import it will be here Friday (I think). (more…)

The front suspension is done, awaiting lowering to the ground to tighten the A-arm nuts and pin them. I also need to bleed the brakes–Mrs. Rusty Heaps has agreed to help. (Don’t be surprised to read about a divorce in this space shortly thereafter!)
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I think this is an improvement, though it’s best not to look too closely at some of the details. (I have no budget or time for having the fasteners plated, etc, so opted for some copy-cad paint where appropriate and called it a day.) You can see the exterior base/clear grey is slightly different than the single-stage grey I used to touch up the inner fenders and such…but it’s not as apparent in person, and once the engine, carbs and radiator are in it will be pretty hard to tell. Not to mention a summer’s driving will have made it dusty and oily enough to make all subtle differences moot! (more…)

I’m still waiting for my friends at the machine shop to get to my engine, so I’ve been slowly working on the myriad other MGB GT tasks underway. I’ve been concentrating on detailing the engine bay, though “detailing” in this case is code for “make it look a bit less shabby.” Wrenches have also been twirling on a front suspension rebuild, new rear brakes, and various other small fixes. I’ll post a more detailed post (or posts) once I’ve made some real progress–in the meantime, I give you this photo. Click for a larger view on Flickr.

I took “Reg” the 1963 MGB across the pond to a business meeting on Saturday, and the car ran great, as usual. The only real issue recently has been the carburetor dashpot plungers unscrewing themselves every 20 miles or so…once they’ve come undone, the car doesn’t accelerate very well at all. The front carb is worse than the back, but they both do it. Very odd. I’m used some blue locktite to see if that helps, so far it seems to have done the trick, but it’s only been about 60 miles.

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I dropped the Rover off with the gentleman who will be hauling it back to New Jersey today…sad to see it go, as it is actually a fine car. But I need the space! Hope the new owner enjoys it. In a typical Rusty Heaps turn, though, the title I mailed seems to have gone missing. Ah, well, I only had to make three visits to the Department of Licensing–which, in all fairness, has exemplary staff in their Freeland, WA outpost–last week to (finally!) transfer the title on the E-Type to my name, after twelve years of ownership (best not to rush these things, I find).

What’s another five or so trips there among friends?

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!
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After cleaning the engine and undoing a few of the external gubbons, I’m going to abandon the hasty efforts to get to Canada this week, and have the engine rebuilt, instead. The mill is fairly well silted-up, and the flywheel ring gear is pretty bad. I don’t want to put the works back in only to have to pull them out next year, so it’s now a rebuild–with a good running engine, this probably means new bearings, camshaft and oil pump and hope it doesn’t need a grind or new pistons/rings.

This will give me time to rebuild the front end, as well as pull the heater box to restore it properly, clean the speedometer innards, etc. The goal now will be to be done before the E-Type arrives in July. (I’ll take the BSA to Vancouver instead, which means I need to spruce it up a bit.)

My schedule has been so hectic that I have been reduced to trying to swap the transmission and clean up the engine bay with only a week until the Vancouver All British Field Meet. I’m not sure whether I’ll make it, frankly, but I’ll give it a shot. Seen above is the car Thursday night, just before my spanners and ham hands descended on it.

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