My MGB GT Project ... so it’s begins

[Nick67GT]

Mileage on the speedo is this .... tempted to zero it and start again ...

Quite a few people decide to zero the speedo when they've completed a restoration, just to start their 'journey' in the car as it were.

I see it more as part of the cars history and plan to leave mine where it is (63,472)

 

[ranchero]

i know a dealer that likes to adjust speedos

 

[HopefullySoon]

The switch on the right hand side of your dash is where the overdrive switch was located on MK1 cars. So on yours, that area of the panel should have nothing there at all.

However, the o/d switch on your car (assuming it has o/d ) is located within the gear knob, which is known for malfunctioning and shorting out. It's not unreasonable to suggest that a previous owner has relocated it to the right hand side of your dash and 'adjusted' the wiring to suit. Are there any wires in place? Are they 'live'? Just trace them back......

Concerning the green looking panel next to the hrw switch, this is a space for rear fog lamp switch, if you decide to fit them.

This is how it should look:

View attachment 159305

I wasn’t sure if it’s OEM of some generation (wanted to make sure one way or the other ) but it makes sense .

I know my O/D (it does have it lol) switch should be on the gearstick but mine has a wooden gear knob on it atm.

I’ve also had a look at the shifter and I THINK someone has put a Short Shifter in (I have no groove in the shifter to accept the wires up to the switch in the gearstick) so it’s either got a S/S , or the earlier shifter without the groove (but why would you change that if not for a S/S ?)

Priced up a fog light switch, not much change from 20 quid , but it won’t be powering any rear fogs , it will be switching the 2/4 front spots on .... eventually .

Malc

 

[Nick67GT]

Seems a bit strange to put a short shifter in, but hey-ho, it takes all sorts.

Plenty of replacement ones of the correct type to be had though and the won't cost much. (might even have a working o/d switch in the gear knob )

Andy Jennings is a good source for all second hand stuff with a no quibble refund guarrantee as well.

See https://www.mg-cars.org.uk/andyjennings/

 

[HopefullySoon]

Was out with the dog for a walk out in the hills ,

Saw a car this colour and started to talk to the owner (who has a dog , and my dog in my avatar is distinctly noticeable ).

I know colour is subjective but I’ve decided on what colour I want it the MGB spraying in .....

It’s ferrari grigio titanio ( grey titanium)

Here’s a pic of an ac cobra sprayed up in the colour , should suit its lines/curves ...

 

[mylesdw]

The MG would look great in that colour, maybe with some matt black if you wanted a bit more traditional racing car

 

[Nick67GT]

This looks cool, other than the fact it's on the back of a recovery truck....

 

[HopefullySoon]

That’s is too much VERY alike one I’ve seen for sale recently nick , same colour ect ... up for 18k but buy it now on auction starting at 11 grand .

It’s a V8 so has a bit over me ... there wasn’t any pics of it on a recovery truck tho .

But if you put the FG spoiler on it , it would look more aggressive ....

 

[HopefullySoon]

And it's pea green lol

 

[HopefullySoon]

Been taking a look at the bright work , working out what will clean up to a decent standerd and what won’t .

Did a headlight as a tester but more of that at the end .

Here’s 2 sister pieces of brightwork / chrome ..... this is what I started with .

 

[HopefullySoon]

After applying copious amounts of elbow. Grease and some good old brasso ‘back in the day I rem my granny polishing up things with it ‘ I ended up here ....

 

[HopefullySoon]

And once things get cleaned up and passed ok to continue ...... this happens to keep them ready ....

 

[Nick67GT]

My trims are still packed away until I get round to cleaning & fitting them, so seeing the results achieved using something as simple as Brasso gives me hope!

Am I right in thinking they're just polished aluminium or what? Do you think they have a coating to preserve the polished finish?

 

[HopefullySoon]

If they are original , they have been chromed and are not Ali , DO NOT USE ANYTHING ABRASIVE (I’m guessing mine have never been removed since it left the factory ) as I had faint lines of yellow overspray to deal with as well it would have Shone like a beacon against the grey I’ve decided on .

But lots of rubbing furiously by hand (it took me 5 hrs to get 1 headlight and 2 x rear window bottom trims up to ‘happy with that ' with brasso’s own wadding with more brasso to lubricate ... and a few nail scratches here and there to remove anything to stubborn yielded the results above .

Cost me a fiver for the above out of Morrison’s , worth every penny .

Malc

 

[slim_boy_fat]

This is good, but a bit more pricey than Brasso

https://www.ishinecarcare.co.uk/Britemax_Metal_Twins_Polish/p1755065_10239282.aspx

 

[HopefullySoon]

The cleaning bright work continues .... It's more of the same as before so I'll not put pics up .

Now I have exterior colour nailed down I've decided to re-vamp the interior . 40 year old blue deck chair is for the purists ...

I have searched high and low for a white dial kit for it ( SOMEONE must make one ) But can I find one , closest I've found is a complete new set of dials at 350 quid ! (Not happening ) .

After doing some reading up on seat swaps , these are the most likely candidate to be fitted .

I'm thinking of respraying the dash a popping red to match the seats (if I can find some ) , black carpets and a mix of red/black trim elsewhere .

Malc

 

[Nick67GT]

Malc

MX 5 seats fit nicely apparently......

 

[HopefullySoon]

As I’ve decided on a theme for the interior , and I have the dash / dials out out time to sort them .

Start off with these

 

[HopefullySoon]

Apply three coats of primer to get to here

 

[HopefullySoon]

Three coats of satin black