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Another restoration project thread...

Posted by Neil MG

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Another restoration project thread... #1
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:28PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Well, having seen the great work being done by others, I think I should start my own restoration thread.

This is a 1959 MGA 1600 roadster built for the home market. However, it spent most of its life in Cyprus being privately exported and re-imported by the same family. I don't have the details, but I am guessing it was a long term military post. The car was last used regularly in the mid 1990's but was put through an MOT in 2007.

The car lost most of its original brightwork and had quite a number of non original parts and fixes. This was during its time in Cyprus where MGA parts would have been scarce. As you will see from some of the pictures, the bodywork was horribly botched, but rust wise it has faired as well or better than many cars that lived their lives in the UK.

The RHS B-post had virtually rotted away and the rear wing, splash plate, closing panel and a crude plate for an inner wing were all welded together. The inner sill and closing panel had also rotted away more or less completely.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #2
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:36PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

A new F-section complete, a part rear inner wing and some home made repair panels and everything is getting back to how it should be.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #3
Bandersnatch Larry Wheeler Hillsboro, OR, USA 1957 MG MGA "Rosie 2"	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:37PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 1,144

Your frame repair looks great, can't wait to see the body start to come together!

Keep posting pics of your progress, great to see another MGA coming back from the grave!

Larry

Edit - spoke too soon, I'm loving the body work too.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2012 01:38PM by Bandersnatch.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #4
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:40PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Deja vu on the left side. But at least I can save the A-pillar.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #5
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:52PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

So that made the body strong enough to remove in one piece. I needed to add a couple of repair sections to the chassis as it was welded to the remains of the body. When I removed the rusty bits there wasn't much left. I just welded the outer section so I hope that keeps everything in place until I can strip the floor channels and do the inners.

So last night I lifted off the body and made a spit from some bits of scrap steel. I also made a frame so the body can be moved around on a little engine trolley.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #6
remcovankuilenburg Remco van Kuilenburg Amersfoort, Netherlands 1958 MG MGA 1500 1996 MG F	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:56PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 30

Great to see this pictures of an A getting a new life. I know the hard labor you have to do right now because i do the same at my A at this moment. Keep us posted about the work you do.

Cheers

Remco

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #7
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 01:59PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

So now we are up to date. I like the spit, but I still need to add some simple mechanism to hold the body in any position. The centre of gravity is not quite right so at the moment it is self righting. It looks great for working underneath though and no doubt will be good for shot blasting and painting too.

I will end today with a couple more areas where some of the newness has worn off...

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #8
mgaex189 Giovanni Delicio Obrigheim, Rheinpfalz, Germany 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C2" 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C1" 1955 MG MGA 1500 1960 MG MGA 1600 Coupe 1961 MG MGA MkII	Posted: February 21, 2012 02:13PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 326

I like the spit, but I still need to add some simple mechanism to hold the body in any position

Hi Neil,

have a look at this toothed wheel-mechanism. You can turn it at 1cm/tooth.

Giovanni

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #9
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 02:25PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Thanks Giovanni, that looks like just the kind of thing. Mine is literally just a pipe resting in a v-section at the moment.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/21/2012 03:49PM by Neil MG.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #10
willysmb ken klay london, United Kingdom 1956 MG MGA "Money Pit"	Posted: February 21, 2012 02:39PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 351

Bloody Hell Neil..................... I thought Mine was bad .... thumbs up smiley

Thats a lot of work you have done ..been through the sill side of things But rust on my US inport was not a patch on yours, i had quite a bit of front end crash damage to sort out though ..

Mine is comming along well, although fighting with the probs of a paint booth to hire confused smiley

..

Nice to see another on being saved ...

ken

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #11
Raulgarci Raul Garcia Tijuana, BC, Mexico 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA	Posted: February 21, 2012 02:54PM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 456

Neil, good job, what soldering machine are you using?

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #12
Gary E Gary Edwards Kernersville, ,N.C., USA 1962 MG MGA MkII 1974 MG MGB GT	Posted: February 21, 2012 03:02PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,216

Giovanni how are you going to attach the "tooth" gear to the body.

Gary

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #13
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 21, 2012 03:54PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Thanks Raul. I am using one of these mig welders:
http://www.weldequip.com/portamig-mig-welders.htm
I can highly recommend it to anyone in the UK.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #14
Coxie Mark Cox San Francisco Bay Area, USA 1962 MG MGA MkII "Bullet"	Posted: February 21, 2012 06:18PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 87

That is some serious work, and some seriously good progress - very impressed!!

I just this minute stepped in from my garage feeling chuffed with myself having reached this stage on mine - I flipped on the laptop and yours was the first thing I read ... you sure know how to burst my bubble huh :-)

Great work though - keep the photos and inspiration coming ... where abouts in Cumbria are you, my folks are in Coniston and it's cracking up there!

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #15
Tbird Eric Taylor CLT, NC, USA 1960 MG MGA 1600 1960 MG MGA 1600	Posted: February 21, 2012 07:17PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 456

Quote: That is some serious work, and some seriously good progress - very impressed!!

Quote: Bloody Hell Neil..................... I thought Mine was bad

X100

Couldn't have said it any better,
Eric

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #16
Neil MG Neil McGurk Cumbria, United Kingdom 1956 Morris Minor 1958 MG MGA 1960 MG MGA 1961 MG MGA 1966 Jaguar Mark 2 → more	Posted: February 22, 2012 03:12AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 1,481

Mark, I am in the north of the Lake District National Park between Cockermouth and Lorton. I have done my share of travelling and there are not many places I would rather be. Although a bit less rain would be nice, we have had more than average over the last couple of years. Still better than a drought.

It seems like there is quite a bunch of us at a similar stage (the beginning!) of restoration just now.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #17
mgaex189 Giovanni Delicio Obrigheim, Rheinpfalz, Germany 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C2" 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C1" 1955 MG MGA 1500 1960 MG MGA 1600 Coupe 1961 MG MGA MkII	Posted: February 22, 2012 12:26PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 326

Hello Neil and Gary,

have a look at more detailed pics. The toothed wheel is attached to the pipe that goes "trough the car".

The square pipe is the post welded on the trolley frame.

I just made a "flag" that is blocking the chassis in any position you want it. It worked fine when welding the inner part. No need to weld upside.

Giovanni

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #18
mgaex189 Giovanni Delicio Obrigheim, Rheinpfalz, Germany 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C2" 1955 MG MGA 1500 "C1" 1955 MG MGA 1500 1960 MG MGA 1600 Coupe 1961 MG MGA MkII	Posted: February 22, 2012 12:29PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 326

One more pic.

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #19
TeamEvil / / Gone, /, Kiribati	Posted: February 22, 2012 12:30PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 1,443

http://www.mgexperience.net/phorum/file.php?2,file=141869,filename=After.jpg

Is that a two by four? I KNEW that a two by four would work ! ! !

It IS a two by four, isn't it ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

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Re: Another restoration project thread... #20
Bandersnatch Larry Wheeler Hillsboro, OR, USA 1957 MG MGA "Rosie 2"	Posted: February 22, 2012 12:36PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 1,144

Mark, please tell TC that isn't a 2x4. Tom, you sure you don't have a wood fetish?

grinning smiley

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