How I spent my winter--THE MGB RESTO FROM HELL :)

I few of you guys have been interested in Jay (B-26) and my crazy MGB project so I thought I would post it here.

As some of you know, in October of last year Don B., Jay and I went for a drive. At some point, I switched cars with Jay and he drove my TR while I drove his pristine 1979 MGB. Within 5 minutes I was hooked. I had to have one. A week later, I drove Jolene, a 1973 MGB. Breaking every car rule I have learned over x many years of buying cars, I bought the car purely with my heart, while turning a blind eye to what were obvious signs of trouble ahead. Soon after purchase she began leaking oil like the Exxon Valdez. It was at that point we realized the previous owner had overfilled the engine by over 4 quarts!!!!! On top of that, the car had balloon tires on it. However, as if that wasnt enough, the two rear tires were the same size but somehow one was a full inch higher than the other! It became clear within days that repairs would need to be done. However, my intention was just to keep her roadworthy and live with the plethora of cosmetic flaws from dents to some rust spots, because she had a ton of character. Most importantly, I didn't want another flawless car like my TR that I was afraid to drive.

One weekend, Jay and I were at C&C and he said to me, "why don't we repaint her this winter and take care of the rust" We agreed it would be a simple respray, nothing else. What we didn't know is that we both had similar levels of OCD. At first things progressed as we had intended, but 1/2 through the wheels came off the bus, I have put together a photo album of the madness that followed. I will try to post some old pictures throughout the day. Please note that many of the pictures are crappy and we did not cronicle the resto as Braden would because we didn't realize we were going down the rabbit hole until we were 1/2 there!

Off the top of my head, to date we have:

Mechanicals:
1. completely new brake system, including all lines, pipes,master cylinder, etc
2. Resealed the engine and transmission, replaced clutch assembly, resurfaced the flywheel, replaced all linkages
3. Rebuilt front suspension, bushings and kingpins
4. replaced hoses
5. installed new electronic ignition
6. In process of installing modern electrical system with relays
7. New Clutch Master Cylinder
8. New heater control valve
9. New air boxes
10. Tuned carbs
11. replaced clutch and throttle cables and rebuilt mechanical linkages
12. installed new speedometer cable and mechanical gearing
13. Installed new hub extension

Exterior Cosmetic
1. Block sanded/primed/painted car
2. Rust repair
3. repaired old crappy Accident repair-- removed 1 inch thick of bondo and massaged metal to proper form
4. Installed all new chrome and trim
5. welded and repaired cracks in trunk lid and doors
6. installed new bumpers
7. replaced all rubber gaskets and seals
8. Had wheels refurbished and powder coated
9. painstakingly aligned door panels (5 hour job!)


Interior Cosmetics
1. purchased an industrial sewing machine and fabricated and stitched all new interior panels
2. installed new dashboard, with vintage Smith gauges
3. installed new carpeting
4. built custom accessory panel
5. more yet to come


---this is what happens when you let the inmates run the asylum.



Here is the first photo of her in my garage. Notice how she has the ground clearance of a pickup truck. To this day, the tireshop has yet to figure out how the owner got such massive tires on these little tiny wheels!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Oil leak anyone?
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

So out the engine and tranny go!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

With the engine and tranny work completed and back in the car, the cosmetic work began...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

At first we thought the car had only been repainted once…boy were we wrong!

She had actually been repainted 3x as we discovered while sanding the front support and unveiling this factory sticker…

FWIW, with each repaint the owner apparently got more and more comfortable replacing factory nut and bolts with whatever was lying around his house. It would have been hilarious…if it was someone else's car!
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The exact moment the wheels fell of the bus occurred when Jay asked me to remove the seats. As I did, I pulled a brand new Target Pillow out from where the seat bottom would be!!! WTF!!!!! Are you kidding me. At that point, we were so disgusted with the crappy quality of all the previous owner's "repairs," we both agreed to throw out the rule book and just do whatever we wanted with the car. Unfortunately, by then it was too late to go back and do a bare metal respray as the car had to be finished by May (something that would come back to haunt us later), but we were determined to just throw whatever we wanted at the car.

It began with these handmade bomber seats we found on EBAY...
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Next, we ripped out the entire interior…and I mean everything.

Meanwhile, despite my family wanting to kill me, we managed to prime the car---IN MY ATTACHED GARAGE


Don't try this at home kids!!!!!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The new interior would necessitate building custom seat frame rails
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

as well as rebuilding the dashboard...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

…and then Jay got the crazy idea that we should buy a commercial sewing machine and figure out how to stitch custom patterns. So we did…and then we went and bought materials.

The thing about Jay is that he cannot be intimidated. So many times I wanted to throw in the towel and just send the job out. Each time he would bring me back to the island. If not for his skill and determination, I don't know where we would have been.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

and so it began!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

and so it went...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

and now the seats… as for the photo of the completed seat…it as just a demo run. The seat has since been powder coated and new a new upper support fabricated with quilting to match the bottom---but this gives you an idea of where we are going.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

and the glovebox...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

With a buddy's help we were able to get the use of a professional paint booth after hours… Here she is on the trailer coming home. The paint looks great, however, because we didn't have time to do a bare metal respray, it is far from flawless.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

While the wheels were out being powder coated, we began reassembly of the exterior. Yummy new Smith Gauge and hub extension.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Finally, the newly painted wheels arrived to replace the spray can blueish crap that was there before. Carpets finally installed---we thought we were well on our way when...
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

We thought we were well on our way to wrapping her up on time. However, as we attempted to reconnect the wiring, it became apparent that the previous owners had so badly rigged it in the past, that it was unsalvageable. Rather than simply buy a new system, we opted for a modern electrical system made by a company called auto advance. We are now knee deep in this project, where we will be for awhile. The last photo is a schematic, the red lines are what has been completed so far…


So this gets those who care up to date… for those who are interested, I will update this thread as I can. Hopefully, the car will be completed by May.

I really want to thank Jay for his incredible kindness and perseverance in making this the most enjoyable car project I could have imagined. This car can never be close to perfect, but thank to Jay's help, it is far better than it has any right to be.

Jay and I also want to thank Don Butler for his assistance and guidance as well as Nick Oakes who did a fantastic job powder coating the wheels.


Thanks!
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I have been following this project like a Hawk. But to see the whole thing in one thread with the list you provided of your accomplishments is just fantastic . Well it is just astounding. You two are now Ferrarichat famous. I can now say I remember when I first uttered the words " Joe be careful. You might find yourself saying one day Well we already have this apart we might as well....."

Congratulations Boys!!!
Jon in Delaware

 

nice!

 

Nice job guys!

 

Joe and Jay, I am impressed. As one who is only capable of doing very minimal work on a car (and that is under the watchful eye of my buddy Steve), I think you two have something to be proud of. Looking forward to her C&C debut soon.

 

Joe, you acted like you were seventeen when you bought it and you'll feel eighty-seven before you finish, but once you start driving it you'll feel seventeen again.

Great job Jay!

 

Haha! Btw, Jon told me a great quote from you regarding the car... Something like "it would have been easier to build an MGB if they had just started with a garage" I don't know about that, but it would have been easier if they had just shoveled in a pile of parts...the way the previous owner had hobbled that poor MGB together just made it worse!

Btw, who would have thought reinstalling the windshield would have taken 10 hours! Of all the things you helped with, I bet you wish you could have those hours back!!!

 

I think it was: It would have been easier to start with an EMPTY garage. . . and a parts catalog.

And I didn't mind helping because I knew I could go home and not worry about the next part of the project.