Sorry to have been absent for such a long time, but I did almost nothing on my own projects this past year, instead helping an E-Type owner reassemble his 4.2 fixed-head coupe, as seen above. We’re not quite done yet, but hopefully another month or so will see it drive away under its own power.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-01-05-20.04.58-676x507.jpg)
The car arrived as a bare, painted shell, more-or-less. A few things had been installed, as seen above, but I had to put the puzzle together. Sadly, most of the original nuts and bolts had been misplaced, so we had to use new throughout.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-01-17-21.57.52-676x507.jpg)
This started with putting the brand-new framework in place (which had not been fit before painting–we got lucky in that it went right on, unlike the struggle on my own car a decade ago).
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-01-25-21.50.40-676x507.jpg)
Adjustable reaction plate and other gubbons slowly going in. Not a huge fan of adjustable reaction plates, they seem more trouble than they are worth, but I’m pretty old-school (actually, I’m just pretty old!).
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-02-03-22.13.43-676x507.jpg)
Front suspension and brakes, minus the shocks and torsion bars at this juncture. Brakes are upgraded vented units; look good quality but the standard brakes work pretty well for road use, too.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-02-26-20.33.39-676x901.jpg)
Pedal box, servo and brake piping went in. Brake piping kit was provided with car and was at best “approximate”, necessitating a couple of hand-bent replacement pipes. You can also see a custom “upgraded” heat shield, not my favorite bit of kit, but it proved to be OK at end of day.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-03-02-22.38.26-676x507.jpg)
The rear axle had been rebuilt previously, and it made it into the car, not without a struggle, not sure why. Warm butter, various ropes and the help of a donkey saw the job complete.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-03-11-21.42.31-676x507.jpg)
Wiring had to go in…this harness set was new but slightly wrong for this particular car, but got there in the end after much cursing. Everything involves cursing, of course.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-05-11-14.46.21-676x507.jpg)
Just about ready for the engine to go back in…spent a fair while waiting for it to get back from machine shop. I used a small power supply to test electrical system as things got wired up.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-05-28-22.17.12-676x901.jpg)
I put the engine in from the bottom, which I had never done before. Advantage is slightly less fuss and slightly less chance to damage the paint; disadvantage is reaction plate and torsion bars have to be out, which you can get away with not doing from above if you take the top cover off gearbox.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-05-29-20.33.33-676x507.jpg)
Clearances are still very tight!
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-05-29-23.18.48-676x507.jpg)
But you get there in the end.
![](https://www.rustyheaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-11-11-20.14.32-676x507.jpg)
Which is where we are now. (The owner took away the valve covers to polish them and I put on my spare set, from a 1968 car, for now.) Interior needs to go in, glass too, and the bonnet needs to be delivered. We got rid of the too-wide worn-out tires and got a set of proper tires as seen here.
Anyway, hopefully getting close to seeing this car back on the road. If you want me to general-contract your resto, I’d consider it, work has otherwise been slow. If you want a Morgan body constructed for your Moggie, I’d definitely be happy to build you one for a fair price. I enjoyed that project a lot.