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Apr 28, 2024 22:35:24 GMT
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Been a least-time or two since I updated the MGB rehab. This is pretty much where I will leave off and punt the project back home and to the paint shop of his choosing. I am happy with the result, but....NEVER AGAIN!   |
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The MGB is gone to paint and out of my hands. Will post pics from the build if and when I cross paths with it. In the meantime, I am left with no project cars to build but still a need to make loud engine noises in the shop. So with a pile of LS engines waiting for attention, figured I would toss this test rig together.  |
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Last Edit: Jun 8, 2024 1:50:52 GMT by bjornagn
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Slowly picking away at stuff that could be "better". Takes a bit of pedal effort to haul the car down in a hurry, so figure a bit more lever would not hurt. Going from 9" stock Mx5 rotors to 11" Wilwood  If nothing else, they are prettier than stock!  |
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Jun 25, 2024 16:39:27 GMT
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it will be interesting to see what the difference is.
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it will be interesting to see what the difference is. Agreed! The challenge is to stop a car that is around 300 lbs heavier than the MX5. Heat dissipation is not the immediate concern, I am looking for initial brake feel to be more assertive. I could lock the brakes before, but it took a good shove on the pedal. Left the rear alone for now except for the addition of a proportioning valve. Going to start with full pressure to the rears since the wheelbase is now a bit longer and I expect less weight transfer. |
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it will be interesting to see what the difference is. Dramatic, in the end. Took the car out for a brake pad bed-in. Not something I have ever taken this seriously. Right out the door the extra lever action from the larger disc was noticeable. Was a few mile drive to a quiet road where I knew I could do some serious 70mph braking. I put maybe 15 of these stops on the new brakes and they got better after each time. Checked with the heat gun and all 4 were around 310 F. The proportioning valve for the rear was a waste of money. I am running full pressure to the rears and don't see where I will want to change that. I could have used 2 two dollar brake line couplers to eliminate the factory proportioning valve and it would have been the same. While the improvement is quite noticeable, it does not want to lock up the front wheels until the speed gets down to like 30 mph or so. The car does have sticky 200 TW tires. Pretty sure the wifes Corolla will outbrake the Volvo, but I am calling this a win. And they look cool behind the rims! Edit:Something else I learned today: The car has a 4 barrel Holley carb. Hard braking now generates enough G force to move the fuel in the front bowl away from the main jet. This causes the engine to shut-off during the hard braking maneuvers. Not going to worry about it too much. |
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Last Edit: Jun 29, 2024 2:02:25 GMT by bjornagn
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Latest project is to figure out how to assemble the rear suspension of a 1963 E-type. Never seen of of these before. I mean, "How hard can it be" Not my pic, but give you and idea of how many parts there are in these things. Mine is just like the pics only it was randomly stashed in a dozen boxes. Remember, I did NOT take this apart.  Making this even more fun is that as I was sorting through the piles of parts, I figured out that there are parts for TWO rear ends: One E-type and one XJ6. Lots of new seals, shims and spacers, but also divided between the two models.  Example of the fun. The hub carrier on the left is E-type. The splined wheel hub does not work with the E-type hub carrier because the little umbrella thing ( water slinger) hits the shoulder. Shame I had to put the new inner bearing races in the E-type hub carrier to figure this out. The XJ6 Hub will work but I am now working off script and do not know what else needs to change cause the manual does not apply. Fun Not sure what the fulcrum and driveshaft belong to, but since it sets the track-width, gonna need to figure it out. |
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Last Edit: Jul 3, 2024 16:40:02 GMT by bjornagn
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That photo of the bits on the table is … sobering!
John
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That photo of the bits on the table is … sobering! John It is. However, like any project, the best approach is to break it down into sub-task. The hub/carriers will consume a lot of those parts. Then the brakes and differential will use up more of the pile. Then its just a matter of sticking those together. What makes this puzzle more fun is that somewhere in the past someone tossed in a bunch of parts from an XJs and I need to sort those and determine if they can be used. If anyone here has done a Series 1 and can explain how the outer hub seal goes on, I would welcome the experience. I Found the Fooseway YouTube video on hub assembly, but he puts the assembly together and totally forgets to install the outer seal. Another thing I have learned the hard way is that the early cars did not have a "Water slinger" on the splined wheel hubs. The new splined hubs all come with the "water slinger" attached, and that fouls the alloy hub carrier on the early cars. I THINK I can use the later XJ alloy hub carrier that does clear the water slinger. Bonus would be that the later carrier is stronger than the E-type version. How is it that I keep getting myself into these situations? |
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Last Edit: Jul 4, 2024 13:37:50 GMT by bjornagn
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it will be interesting to see what the difference is. Dramatic, in the end. Took the car out for a brake pad bed-in. Not something I have ever taken this seriously. Right out the door the extra lever action from the larger disc was noticeable. Was a few mile drive to a quiet road where I knew I could do some serious 70mph braking. I put maybe 15 of these stops on the new brakes and they got better after each time. Checked with the heat gun and all 4 were around 310 F. The proportioning valve for the rear was a waste of money. I am running full pressure to the rears and don't see where I will want to change that. I could have used 2 two dollar brake line couplers to eliminate the factory proportioning valve and it would have been the same. While the improvement is quite noticeable, it does not want to lock up the front wheels until the speed gets down to like 30 mph or so. The car does have sticky 200 TW tires. Pretty sure the wifes Corolla will outbrake the Volvo, but I am calling this a win. And they look cool behind the rims! Edit:Something else I learned today: The car has a 4 barrel Holley carb. Hard braking now generates enough G force to move the fuel in the front bowl away from the main jet. This causes the engine to shut-off during the hard braking maneuvers. Not going to worry about it too much. Interesting as I've pondered fitting bigger discs on mine for a while. My brakes are very good (and will lock up at 50mph with a hard stab) but having a bit more 'bite' for light braking would be nice. I'm guessing the failure to lock up now is the extra leverage of the bigger disc. It's then on to more psi out of the M/C (smaller bore) but that will give a longer pedal - or maybe going to a 4 pot caliper instead of a 2 pot? |
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Since I had an unemployed engine test stand, I built another engine to test! This is an L33 alloy engine that has been around since? ( I lose track)
The engine has had a pretty comprehensive rebuild of the moving bits so not really a junkyard engine. In the name of "best all around road manners in all weather and traffic density" it was rebuilt to stock specs. This means that since it runs the stock tune, any running issues will be easier to troubleshoot as compared to an engine with a hot cam and a hot tune in the ECM.
Since it is stock it only puts out Horsepower 310 hp and 335 ft./lbs. I will have to make do. Wonder where this one will end up? eh
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Last Edit: Aug 15, 2024 1:46:55 GMT by bjornagn
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It has been a good summer. I did what I promised myself and put down the wrenches and just drove the car regardless of any minor warts or noises that it might have. It was a good idea. One of the drives was to a major Brit car show in Bronte Ontario. About 1000 cars show up every year and I had not been for 10 years or so. Figured I would exploit the "Long lost cousin" clause of the first P1800 cars being built by Jensen should I be challenged going on to the field. Was not necessary. By sheer coincidence there were two Jensen Healeys parked up with enough room for me to squeeze next to the cousins!  Some of the other shows I attended that were more youth focused, had more interesting wrap up ceremonies.  |
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Last Edit: Oct 6, 2024 13:20:59 GMT by bjornagn
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Oct 25, 2024 23:43:31 GMT
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Got some news on the MGB from the paint jail where it has been spending the summer. Before The plan is to have the working areas painted and the car mostly assembled and running before the outer panels are painted. Not a bad approach if you have ever had to assemble a car around a freshly painted shell.    |
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MGB looks great.
Was the police presence due to concerns about road racing and/or drifting “takeover”?
John
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Absolutely. There was only one exit and it was swarmed with idiots who would goad the people leaving; many did not need much encouragement. At one point the 4 lane road was down to 1 lane.
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