In reply to Carl Heideman :
Thanks for the help. Part of the fun of this game is finding the roadblocks and then finding a way around them.
That MGB GT sure looks like the one I had for 40 years. There is nothing wrong with the paint job on the firewall and frames, just that it is not the expected color. I am over it. Gonna go in the shop and try to decide if I want to install the rear suspension that I already rebuilt or get the front frames bolted on cause it seems like more fun.
NOHOME said:Oddly enough, with several rustorations under my belt, the E-Type does not look any more difficult to rehab a rusty shell than would be the case for an MGB. I would certainly want to build a jig to make sure the front frames ended up where they should. If the mounting points for the front and rear giblets were compromised, I would walk away.
Worse than this would be the Austin Healy that is kinda-body-on frame but not really.
I am looking forward with anticipation to installing the new heater tubes into the firewall/bulkhead!
Well the Healeys are body on frame, the frame is a complete underlay, BUT they were built by Jensen, who for some arcane reason liked to tack the various inner body bits to the frame with a welder. There may have been valid reasons to do that back in the day but once rust sets in, it becomes a horror show because you have to remove the inner body metal with a torch and grinder, then repair the frame where it rotted, and then tack new sheet metal to the repaired frame.
Sadly, that was the construction method used on the big Jensens as well - I have owned 4 of those - CV8 (which had a fiberglass outer body), Interceptor 3 hardtop and a convert and I still have one saloon in my collection (I fortunately had the body refurbished when I first got the car a few decades ago).
And today this 63 3.8 car came back in for a few minor adjustments. We finished this car about 3 years ago. It needed a bit of a run before I handed it to the tech. I mean, I would have been remiss in not being able to give him a full report. Sun out, top down, straight six soundtrack. Not a bad morning all things considered
In reply to Trent :
That is a beautiful specimen. Love the color because it is different than the sea of red,green,black.
I have given this car the sobriquet of "Crumpet Collector" in keeping with historical stereotype.
Here is a good example of how progress happens in my shop: I went out with the plan of installing the rear suspension. I have already rebuilt said suspension and it would be nice if it was under the car and not taking up space in the shop. So this happened:
Handful of bolts, how hard could it be? Looked like a 15 minute job that took 4 hours. Threaded holes in the firewall, and bonnet release mechanisms that were seized due to rust/paint and some tight tolerances conspired against me. Working on one of these after a shunt would be tricky without a jig of some sort.
Pete
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