This is a long story...if you're in a hurry, pass it by!! <g>
Yesterday was a wonderful day!!
A fellow list member (Vince Pujalte) put on his mechanic's hat and we joined
up to get the MGA that had been sitting for over three years up and running.
One of you all posted a message a couple of weeks ago that had a step by
step list of how to deal with an engine that had been idle for tooo long.
That list was a fantastic "road map" to getting the car started. On
Wednesday Vince and I met in person and crawled all over the car.
A plan, of sorts was put into place, and we did manage to pull the plugs and
saw that they were very fouled. Vince pulled the plugs and filled the holes
with Marvel Mystery Oil. The car sat for about 24 hours. (We thought about
using an oil blower, but decided to "wing it" instead.)
Thursday, it was off to the parts store to see what we could find locally.
We got a new battery, a length of fuel line long enough to reach the gas
cans (line was later cut to the proper length), "sacrifial" windshield wiper
blades (we cut them to fit the original holders), six quarts of oil,
Chemtool liquid and spray, radiator cleaner (lotsa' rust in the neck), and
enough other stuff to cost $84!
Vince drained the old petrol, cleaned the carb bowls and lines, changed the
motor oil, cranked the engine to blow out the excess MM Oil from the top of
the engine and to get the oil pressure up. Of course, I was the "ground man"
and did all the grunt work normally assigned to an apprentice mechanic. (I
don't have my "mechanic's hat" yet..)
We thought we might leave it at that for the day, but I think good,
old-fashioned anticipation kicked in, so Vince continued. (I held the
flashlight!!) He cleaned the fouled plugs (saving the new ones for once the
engine is "really" ready), checked the Lucas distributor, reinstalled the
plugs, and we cranked her up.
After the smoke cleared (literallly!! LOTSA' smoke from the exhaust!!!) she
finally settled down, he adjusted the idle a bit, and after a few more
starts and shutoffs, she ran like her old self!!
Oh, there's still a lot to do, but the major concern of getting her started
has been resolved.
Now, we drain the brake lines, turn the rotors (they have rust on them),
replace hoses and belts, replace some other rubber lines, buy new tires,
reuild the carbs (probably necessary), get her re-registered with antique
plates, and likely many other things that I've forgotten to list since last
night.
THEN we get take her on the road! That's an important part of this job! <g>
We simply MUST find the other "bugs" in the work effort!! <g> May even take
several hundred miles or more of "work" (read: driving)!! Thursday, Vince
and I came about >< this close to taking her for a ride in the dark...no
tags, and all. (Common sense kicked in and we both acknowledged that we need
to make sure that the brakes function properly first! (Makes sense to me!!)
So that's Friday's project...
This isn't even my car. It's my sister's, but she and I are going to share
the driving, since she doesn't have the time to do it (pity!! <g>), and I'll
pay half the upkeep expenses. I can tell you what: I'm definitely hooked!!
What a thrill it was when that MGA started up and actually ran right!!
I knew a bit about American cars and my '63 VW Beetle when we started this
project, but Vince is not only a competent mechanical-type, but also a
patient teacher, and he made sure I understood every part he touched on this
car. This my first venture at having grease under my fingernails from an
LBC!! What wonderful grease!! <g>
It's sorta' late in the year to be getting the car running, but nice thing
about San Antonio is that we can drive the car almost all year -- at least
during the daylight hours in winter, before it gets too chilly in the evenings.
Now for a few questions....!
(Before I bore everyone with questions that have been answered in the last
couple of months, please be aware that "Bill Gates **fancy**operating
system" made mayhem of my saved MG messages!! So, I lost the entire lot when
I installed a new hard drive. Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to
print out that list of how to work with a car that has been setting!!)
I'll be looking for tires. Any particular brand come to mind? This is a road
car, not autocross and the like -- at least for now...
The tires will be mounted on the "outer-laced" wire wheels that are on the
car. What do I need to know about these wheels? They need to be re-painted.
Probably sand-blasted first. Truing?? Now or later? They MUST be
hand-mounted? What kind of shops do that?
What is "special" or "different" about these wheels that somebody local is
apt to bugger up, and that we need to watch out for? I had never heard of
them before, and this is the first set that Vince has seen. So...tell
me....please....
I am also replacing the "lost" service manual and getting the Haynes manual,
as well. Are there any other titles that should be in the library? The list
of titles that I found here and had compiled *went* with the Windows95
fiasco. So did the treatises on wire wheels...
After a few hundred miles, we will pull the radiator and have it serviced
and repainted by a radiator shop.
And there's the matter of a top, including the frame. It doesn't have one.
We think my sister still has the frame, but have yet to see it. Side
curtains? She tossed 'em 15 years ago.
What have I not asked that I need to ask??!! (And, thusly, cyberspace
resounded with: "Plenty!!")
A bit more info...The car was built in "Abbingdon on the Thames." The motor
number is HNL94064. We were thinking that the car is a 1960 model, but it
may be a 1961, according to my sister. She hasn't gotten the paperwork out
for us yet. Does the model
"MK 1200" ring any bells? I'll have to ask her again.
Thanks!
Share in our exhiliration!! It was truly a wonderful day! And...Thank you,
God!!
Carol
1960 (61?) MGA Roadster, RED RED RED, camel interior
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"Non-Reciprocal Laws of Expectations: Negative expectations yield negative
results. Positive expectations yield negative results."
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