The Webmaster Zone

Finally getting around to a lot of stuff I've been meaning to do.

Taking it into the shop for new injector o-rings tomorrow, hopefully that will fix the overrun problem. Either that or a bad vac line somewhere?

Started on the boost gauge install and carbon canister delete. Need to tee into the FPR hose to get a proper reading, just got to find my hose supplies box around here...

Finished upgrading wiper springs to some generic cot springs. Will report if they finally fix the "crappy wipers" problem. Taking some pics for an article.

I want to install my E-codes and Eurowires harness before the Oregon camping trip too. Supposed to have some good weather this weekend so I guess I'll be out back in the alley working on the car with the binners!

Thanks to the amazing help of fellow members Dick Price (morbach) and Chris Roop, the tub I posted about in my last entry has been retrieved from Portland and is now in storage in Pendleton awaiting pickup. All for the price of gas money to Portland and back!!!

Karma is a funny thing, maybe this makes up for me being jerked around so much by shady bodywork guys over the years. I better knock on wood, this tub needs some finishing welding. I think I'll just buy a little MIG welder and do it myself...

Best wishes to Chris, he just had emergency heart surgery. He's a pillar of our little online community and we wish him a speedy recovery.

Quoting Dick: "Your MG is at my home for the time being, it's almost the whole car missing both front wings, rearend and windscreen, there is only one seat." - sounds great!

Got a line on a mostly complete 1966 tub in Portland, just trying to arrange for someone to grab it for me until I can pick it up in early January. Could this be the start of the resurrection? The price can't be beat....

Well the fuel pump is making those awful whining noises again, I guess its probably going to croak soon. I really don't want to get stranded somewhere this winter (even though I'd like to get my money's worth with BCAA... hmm...) so I went ahead and ordered a replacement.

I've got an early 1990 so I have the in-tank and the external transfer pump, oh joy. I just about had a heart attack when I saw the prices (around $300-325). Google to the rescue, I found the Airtex E8030 is a replacement for the OEM Bosch. Doing a search for the part number turned it up for $207 - not bad, $100+ saved. I verified the fitment for my VIN on Airtex's site so should be no problem. A couple of times I've felt a hesitation on throttle so I hope my original pump holds out until we pick up the new one just before NYE.

Just in case my Visa wasn't full enough from the holidays and the fuel pump, I went ahead and ordered a rebuilt ISV too for $180. I've probably bought about 5 ISVs from various junkyards and they're always fooked, let's see if a proper clean one (on my nice rebuilt and clean engine) will actually give me a low steady idle for a change. I'm tired of the surging idle, or high RPMs, or occasional stall from the damn things.

Tomorrow I think I'll finally have a stab at modifying my 3-bar badgeless FK grille to fit my G60. Damn tabs are set for the SLC so I'll have to cut them out and re-glue them, should be fun.

A member from the boards forwarded a Craigslist ad to me for a good running MGB project car in the Seattle area. It's about the right price, and the right year, and the right colour - I must say I'm tempted.

I've got most of the parts to make this car original again.

I'm going to go look at it next week on our way back from camping in Oregon. I think I've got enough money now that the cheques from my contracting work are coming in, now where would I park it??

Just got off the phone with CB (formerly of British Sports & Spares) and he does indeed still have my engine and OD transmission. Yay! I'm coordinating with a friend in Seattle to pick them up next week sometime. He's also my engine rebuilder so I can get him started on that, if I can convince him to work on something as asthmatic as a B-series engine (he mostly builds engines for rally and motorsport).

Now to find an early roller tub, probably better and more likely than finding my original bodyshell at this point, and we're really in business.

Even with a different body shell, so many of the parts would be the same that I would still consider it the same car. I guess this is a philosophical point that all major restorations deal with - if you replace all the timbers in a tall ship is it the same ship? Not to mention, all the trim that would be replaced anyway.

Well it would have the same VIN tag at least!