MGB GT Restoration

[Springerdinger]

A little update
The roof skin and two doors skins have arrived
Its like Christmas day

I expect it will rain now for the next two months

 

[marlinspike]

I've just read this thread through for the second time. Great work, quite inspiring. I wish repro parts were available for Saabs like they are for mg's. I feel a bit overwhelmed with my old 900 sometimes, but seeing threads like this makes me realise how much is possible.

 

[Springerdinger]

Thanks Marlinspike
it is amazing what you can do with a cardboard cereal box.
the bottom of the door post was made from card first the reproduced in sheet steel.
seem to spend a very small amount of time actually welding. Most of the hours are planning, templates and mocking the parts up for fit

Tuppers mini thread and the escorts have been an inspiration for me
I will look out for your thread on your saab. they deserve to be restored so best of luck

cheers Chris

 

[Springerdinger]

So I decided to break out the grinder for an hour or two today and start taking that rusty old roof off

The flange from the skin sits in the gutter rail - I can't easily find the spot welds so rather than damage the gutter I am going run the grinder along gently to just cause the skin to crack away for now then I will grind of the remaining metal

 

[Springerdinger]

You can see by gently skimming the grinder along the gutter and the the top of the windscreen flange it gently causes a split to appear.
I am hoping this will help keep the gutter shape - May grind off the spot welds rather than drill them

You can tell when your almost through the skin because the thin metal remaining turns blue. Its because it gets hotter than the surrounding thicker material - when you see the blue appear take it steady so you don't damage the frame beneath.

 

[Springerdinger]

So the main skin came off faster than I thought it would and the frame beneath looks nice and solid which is great news

there is still some material to remove around the windscreen pillars and the rear quarter but as they say you can take more material off easier than putting it back.

Did a similar cut around the boot section right where the skin folds down so that I missed the frame.

 

[Springerdinger]

A quick test fit shows me how much work remains getting this to fit nicely
Its early days yet on this panel however its my main objective for this month

 

[Angusdog]

Tricky job indeed but it looks like you're on the right track and it will make a huge difference to the end result.

I often think british cars should come with a mig welder in the standard tool kit. (I'm into minis, if you think I'm being mean...)

 

[Springerdinger]

ha yes and a hydraulic lift and spray booth.
my first car was a mini clubman which was a rusty bucket.
still have a soft spot for them

 

[jpmillermatic]

awesome work on that roof panel....very glad for you that its solid underneath....thats great news!....I just keep chasing rust on my project!...

JP

 

[Springerdinger]

hi JP
when I started this I tried not to think about the huge amount of rust just the next job.
thankfully im now looking at more car than rust.
I always try to leave the car at a good point so I don't dread going back to it.
best of luck with yours

 

[Springerdinger]

finally got around to fixing the roof down

I decided to bond and weld it in the end.
The main reason was to keep distortion down to a minimum. I don't have a spot welder and although my plug welding is reasonable it would still have caused some deformation along the gutters.

The adhesive of choice was Bondtech 60 minutes metal to metal. A two part black adhesive. they do a 20 minute version but on a hot day with lots of lining up and clamping that's not enough time.
You basically have 60 minutes to position and clamp the panel. You can't lift off the panel but you can slide it around.

The adhesive seam seals and rustproofs as well

To aid clamping the pillars were tack welded in a few places and will be seem welded over the next few days.


First few pics just show test fits on the windscreen and rear quarter pillars
a slow process but time spent at this point pays off when the clocks ticking on the gluing

 

[Springerdinger]

So the process was to clean up the areas to be bonded and drill the skin where any plug welds will be. They say don't get the glue where the plugs will be if you plan to spot or plug while the glue is curing.

I bought 5 off 50ml tubes, tips and a dispenser. The glue goes on the skin and the frame areas where adhesion is required.

I actually used 3 tubes in the end which gave me a really good covering.
the MGB GT is not a big roof, although the undercut part of the panel at the back of the car is a good size area.

Once the glue is going on you have 45 to 60 minutes so make sure you practised lining up and clamping before you do the real thing as this stuff does not clean of easily. Wear gloves as well because it stains your hands
don't ask how I know that - I said don't ask. can't clap anymore from scrubbing my fingers so much.

So here's a few picks of the clamping - how many clamps - many clamps.
I tack welded the back down and a couple of plug welds where you can't clamp.

 

[Springerdinger]

Not sure how clear this picture is of the gutter. you may be able to see the adhesive sealing the seam up.

Once everything is clamped down you wipe off the excess which helps seal ends and seams
Total curing time is about 8 hours at 20 degrees and about 4 hours at 60 degrees. once its set it can be ground or sanded.

 

[Springerdinger]

A pic of the car - the bit when you stand back and either cry or breath a sigh of relief.

This was the first time I have glued a panel and the MGB GT is a good tester as the roof is not really structural. As the vehicle strength is in the floor and sills.

The tailgate lines are good and everything lines up with the body shape and windscreen rubber.

So a bit more welding to do but nearly there.

The car is starting to look like a body shell again.

 

[Springerdinger]

Earlier in the thread I cleaned up the rear axle - well that axle always troubled me as it was intended for disk wheels (not hub, spokes and spinners)
This means it was a wider tube axle and that meant with spoke wheels they fowl the wheel arches or the car has to sit higher

So a few months watching an auction site and hey presto
a narrower rear axle - in need of a clean up but looks like it was refirbed to some degree. Not used much and left to go rusty.

What it means now is the rear wheels will sit inside the arches and the car can be a bit lower than it was. - If you watch fast and loud - it really can come down another 1/8".

 

[Angusdog]

I've been following this thread avidly, just in case you thought the absence of comments was absence of interest.Great work you're doing here; the adhesive for the roof looks very interesting indeed.

In fact the whole project makes me want to find a BGT as a project. Keep it up.

 

[Springerdinger]

Not at all Angusdog - reading peoples blogs and threads on the net and on this forum has been a great source of info. Have to agree Some of the car resto threads on here and the quality of the welding is verging on art.

I'm a big fan of Tupers thread and some of the rally car threads

Cheers
Chris

 

[RTspray]

Looking good matey, if you need any spare mg parts let me know I'm getting rid of all of it, to start a new project.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Looking good matey, if you need any spare mg parts let me know I'm getting rid of all of it, to start a new project.��

Do you have a half decent n/s door, the door on my sons MGB GT is beyond saving, previous owners have put so many patches and skins on it there can be minimal amount of original metal left!