START-UP PROCEDURE

My friend John Lacombe came by the shop today to help me adjust the intake and exhaust valves prior to start-up.  They had been adjusted when the engine was rebuilt but I chose to check them.  They were a bit off.  It's a good thing I double checked.  A valve that doesn't seat properly can malfunction.  After we start the engine and bring it up to temperature, the head will need to be re-torqued and the valves re-adjusted.

John is a race car builder and driver.  He holds several titles.  It is so nice to have access to his talents.  However, the first thing he did was make fun of my fuel filter...picky, picky, picky.  He advised me to use aircraft fuel filters with replaceable filter cartridges; a much better design.  I will still use the filter I bought from Napa between the fuel tank and fuel pump.  

The archive listing of this blog contains detailed step-by-step photos and narratives regarding this restoration since it began late last December.  Please direct any comments and questions to tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com.

Y'all come back now...

Tom McCurry 

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

WEBER 45 DCOE CARBURETOR INSTALLED

Fitting this Weber carburetor was a bit difficult because all I had was the carburetor and manifold.  It was necessary to fabricate all the linkage.  

I bought the accelerator cable from a local bicycle shop.  It's the same material, only less expensive.

You will notice the fuel filter installation in the photo above.  It is a generic filter from Napa Auto Parts, cheap and effective.  I also plan to install one between the fuel tank and the fuel pump.

It appears that it will be necessary to purchase another air filter assembly.  The filter I had in stock was a bit large and did not have the proper clearance between it and the wheel house.  Here we go again...buying parts.

The archive listing of this blog contains detailed step-by-step photos and narratives regarding this restoration since it began late last December.  Please direct any comments and questions to tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com.

Later...

Tom McCurry 

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

THE HEAT SHIELD IS COMPLETED

After a long sabbatical, I have resumed work on my MGB.  I had been doing a frame-off rotisserie restoration on a 1961 Austin Healey 3000 BT7 timsnewtoy.blogspot.com and my shop was devoted to it.  

Now, the Healey has been completed and it actually won the "People's Choice Award" in the Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance. I'm back!

Today I fabricated and fitted the exhaust manifold heat shield to the manifold.  The shield is fastened to the manifold with stainless steel "U" bolts and deflects the heat away from the brake lines which are visible in the foreground.

Tomorrow I will permanently install the side-draft Weber carburetor.  It will also be necessary to fabricate the accelerator linkage and cable.  

My painter, John, has made a few necessary repairs to the hood and urethane primer has been applied.  Tomorrow, it will be blocked and the final finish will be applied to the underside.

Hopefully, my MG will be on the road by early spring.  I cannot wait to drive it!

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

FABRICATION OF A HEAT SHIELD

Realizing that the brake lines are installed in the same position as they were originally, they are in close proximity to the exhaust manifold.  Much to close for me.  So, I am fabricating a heat shield from sheet aluminum to prevent the brake fluid from over heating.  

I have two options.  One, is to fabricate a shield mounted to the frame shielding the brake lines; the other is a shield attached to the header accomplishing the same.  Attaching the shield to the frame is a bit more complicated.  Attaching it to the header is less attractive.  So, I plan to fabricate both styles and choose the one that will be the most effective and the least obtrusive. 

Ya'll come back now...

Tom McCurry

REBUILT WEBER 45 DCOE

I admit,  the thoughts of rebuilding a Weber 45 DCOE was a bit intimidating.  After reading several internet articles about this subject, I was a bit more confident.  

The rebuild kit cost less than $30 and consisted mostly of new gaskets and "O" rings.  Including cleaning the carburetor, the rebuilding process was completed in less than two hours.  

After rebuilding the carburetor, I mounted it on the manifold so the fuel lines, throttle linkage and choke cable could be fitted properly.

Looks great doesn't it...

Tom McCurry

FITTING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD

After bead blasting the aluminum intake manifold, I applied a very thin coat of high temp silver paint.  The paint will prevent the raw aluminum from oxidizing.  

The flange thicknesses of the intake manifold and exhaust manifold vary by 3/16 of an inch.  To compensate for the difference, I attached a shim to the thinner flange.  Now the washer and nut apply the proper pressure to each flange preventing leaks.  Why can't these manufacturers engineer these parts to fit.  It isn't "rocket surgery".  But,  it is what it is.

Now, I am in the process of rebuilding the side-draft Weber carburetor.  As I explained in a previous post, the carburetor was clogged with dirt and varnish.  Cleaning is the first step in the rebuilding process.  This may take some time.

Stay tuned,

Tom McCurry