MGB Roadmaster

BlownMGB-V8 · February 04, 2010, 04:01:34 PM

Pete asked what I thought we should line up as tasks for the upcoming work weekend Feb 25, 26 &27th (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) at Mantell Motorsports in Sidney, Illinois. So I wrote him this reply and then thought it would be appropriate to copy here: The question was, should we make the car drivable or tear it down for paint?
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What to do, what to do? Guess this is why I get paid the BIG BUCKS eh? (or was that funny money?)

Well here's my take on it. Terry can go either way. Doesn't especially want to but he will. Which ever one, we still have to fix the fenders so that is what I'd be inclined to start with. Plus the slam panel of course. I am not sure we are at the decision point just yet, and part of what we do will depend on who shows up. For instance, if Richard makes it, carb tuning should be done.

I won't be there until Fri. evening so that limits how much I can do. Finishing up the slam panel will probably be about it, plus hopefully the tin work around the radiator. But I am also bringing the inner wheelwells for the rear so that work will be delayed unless I ship them to you (Pete) right away or they pull parts from another car. If no 'glass is available for the rear and we are to use tin, well I'm also bringing the 'wheel so that work is held up too and about all that can be done there is to make the filler strips for the inside and templates for the outside.

On the front we need a decision. The OEM glass fenders fit well but do not have enough flare. The sebring fenders are an admittedly crappy fit but do have the flares. One member has objected to cutting the flares off the sebring fenders and bonding them to the OEM style fenders but personally I think this is the best way to get the job done in good time and at minimal cost. I'd welcome your opinion. If we use this approach that would give something to work on Thursday, fitting up the OEM fenders, positioning parts, marking cut lines and possibly even preparing the parts for bonding. The justification in objecting to this approach was that we might sell the spare fenders to generate cash. I do not know how much cash we could sell the OEM style fenders for, but personally think it would be a pittance compared to the man-hours required to make the Sebring fenders fit properly. Besides, no one except me has ever stepped up and sold any spares and I'm about done with that game. Far as I'm concerned anyone who objects to splicing the fenders can take on the job of selling the spares.

I think I will post part of this writing on the Roadmaster thread and see what responses we get. Seems proper to give the membership the chance to decide, whether they take it or not.

See you soon,
Jim
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OK, there it is in it's entirety. Make your wishes known. How we handle this decision is up to you and if you want it done differently from what I've suggested then you need to step up. But understand this before you do. I'm not interested in hearing a recommendation that we make either set of fenders work and sell the other unless it's from someone who knows fiberglass work and is willing to show up and at least direct the work. This isn't one of those deals where you can coach from the sidelines, you need to be in the game.

JB

BlownMGB-V8 · February 04, 2010, 04:50:11 PM

Also, for those who are coming to work on the car, please bring along your filter mask if there's any chance you'll be helping with the fiberglass work, otherwise you won't be able to help with that. It will consist of cutting the pieces, fitting, prepping for bonding (light grinding) and bonding the pieces into position (no mask needed for that). Terry said he could take it from there. Pete is understandably concerned about health hazards and we certainly don't want to contribute to silicosis. If you don't have anything suitable, something should be available at a HF nearby at a reasonable price.

JB

mowog1 · February 06, 2010, 05:15:56 AM

Jim...we can cut the arches out of my 67 GT if we need to do so...probably not in this weather...but it should be melted by the end of the week.
Mount Southpark - 2006.jpg

MGBV8 · February 06, 2010, 01:08:06 PM

Is that Jean? We all know it's not you.

mowog1 · February 06, 2010, 02:19:55 PM

No...that's me (from 2006!)

Jean is in Ft.Myers, Florida this weekend.

MGBV8 · February 06, 2010, 05:28:11 PM

Oh yeah, Girls Getaway!

Citron · February 14, 2010, 08:38:11 PM

We had snow here in SC. Not much, just 5 inches. Lots of meeting were postponed to the last week end in FEB. I do not know why as my BGt went everwhere I wanted to go. But anyway, I can't make the Roadmaster weekend. Sorry, but you'll have to suffer along without me.

steve

mowog1 · February 27, 2010, 01:38:21 PM

First work-comp claim of the project.

Bill fell off of the lift.

castlesid · February 27, 2010, 09:30:19 PM

Jim,

Off topic but I came across that clip of you and the blown 215.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTWfscgM3x0

Kevin.

MGBV8 · February 27, 2010, 11:36:43 PM

Did they have the one where he & his brother, Dan riding shotgun, were getting goofy sideways playing around?

castlesid · February 28, 2010, 08:41:23 AM

Carl,

Haven't seen that one but will keep a look out for it if it's on you tube.

Did you mean this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmVHgNmnmHw

Kevin.

MGBV8 · February 28, 2010, 09:40:31 AM

It may not have been filmed. Jim made a run with his brother, missed a cone, then decided to "drift" the course, getting silly sideways & 360s, not really making a run, just playing.

Mike Moor's our Donut King, though. I can't find any video of his tire shredding, spinning on a dime antics. I know it has been recorded at a couple of events.

Bill Young · March 02, 2010, 10:49:44 AM

Those Blackwood boys, always being a "bad" influence. I blame them both for my hang over on Saturday morning. We did get some work done on the car though and even got to gather at Hooters for some refreshment.

BlownMGB-V8 · March 03, 2010, 12:24:00 AM

Yeah, them three day hangovers are a bitch.

It was another great weekend, and we got a lot of work done. By the time Dan and I got there, the guys had the front fender flares cut and fitted up and a good start on the rear tin work. Of course Bill fell off the wagon. So anyway we painted the flares black, attached them with sheet metal screws, and went on to the front tin work while Bill and Tom continued on the rear. Dave K and I went over to Rick's and cut a couple panels off his car to close in the tin work around the radiator (Dan sand blasted all the purple paint off) and Bill and Pete welded them in whilst I beat the holy crap out of them to make room for the radiator. Still a little work to do there but the radiator fits. I came back with a pattern for the slam panel which I'll get Spring Grove Sheet Metal (one of our contributors) to bend up and then ship to Pete for final fitting. Dave took the corrugated stainless upper hose with him to see if he can find a formed hose that will fit, and I brought the air cleaner back to do a little clean up on the mill, then Pete is going to powder coat it I believe.

We got far enough along on the rear that we were able to tack weld one wheel well into approximate location (It isn't right and will have to be re-positioned) so that we could lay up the sheets for the outer panels and determine the cutouts for the wheelwells. Then using a scrap piece we experimented with the English wheel enough to get a rough idea of what we needed to do to make that work. But that was it, we were out of time. So we took the car back around to storage, and I left the wheel with Pete so that he could experiment with it. Best of luck Pete, and I mean that quite sincerely.

Now I had an excuse for taking so long to post. What with all the beers these guys pushed at me on Saturday night it's a wonder I even made it home at all! Anyway at the very least I was expecting to see some of the photos that were taken over the course of the weekend. Believe me, there is a very good photographic record and if I was you guys I'd demand to see them!

Later,
JB

Dan B · March 03, 2010, 11:18:06 AM

They were pushing beers at you on Saturday night too? No wonder you took so long to recover. Must have been after I went to bed. Maybe you meant Saturday morning? The way you were swinging that hammer Saturday evening, it is a good thing we were staying with a pharmacist. And nobody twisted Bill's arm! In fact, I think he is the only one who was hanging out with Mr. Jamison. How can we be blamed for that?

But seriously, Bill and Tom did great work on those rear wheel wells, and the front end of the car is shaping up nicely as well.

BlownMGB-V8 · March 14, 2010, 07:56:11 PM

We decided to mill the top surface of the air cleaner, then Pete's going to powder coat it. Here's a photo:

I had Spring Grove sheet metal bend up a slam panel out of polished stainless (a $75 value, they are a contributor) but I don't have a photo for you yet. It still has the white protective plastic on it and I need to figure out the ends where it attaches to the body. Luckily I bought the same radiator for my RD so once I get my car on the lift and modify the front end for the new radiator I can make it fit my car and it should fit the Roadmaster. (I had them bend two panels, and naturally I paid for mine.) Since I'm nearing completion of the intake for my car that should happen in a couple weeks or so. Then I'll ship the parts to Pete and hopefully he or someone else can fit them to the car.

JB

mowog1 · March 15, 2010, 04:53:51 AM

That looks a lot better, Jim!

What colour for powder coating?

BlownMGB-V8 · March 15, 2010, 09:01:45 AM

Well, by now some may be tired of hearing me say Buick Red, but to me that would be the logical choice. That was the only color used on these by Buick and purely for the recognition factor I'd stay with the stock original color. Considering that these air cleaners are not only scarce but highly prized by Buick enthusiasts and therefore highly recognized not only for their distinctive shape but for the difficulty and expense of obtaining them, I think this gives us an immediate advantage in recognition from that group that we ought not squander by changing the color. After all, how many people do you know who will go out and pay upwards of $500 just for an air cleaner? But these guys do, and willingly. IF they can find one.

I realize this impacts our color choice for the car itself and limits us to a complimentary color choice. We'll take a vote at the summer meet on that if someone wants to enter a motion and can discuss it in the meantime. Personally I think red is a good color for the car itself and think black would also be real sharp but like the rest of you I have one vote. So if you have a particular color in mind you might want to think about drumming up support for it. However, I am most definitely opposed to any pastel color and if you guys decide to paint it pink you'll have my resignation on the spot.

JB

Bill Young · March 15, 2010, 12:02:47 PM

That top looks a whole lot better even if it's missing the original texture. Nice work Jim. There were just too many voids in that casting to leave it that way. With the Roadmaster logos on either side and perhaps the Buick or MG logo built into a hold down screw it will be the crowing glory for that 455.
The way the air cleaner juts through the hood I think it really needs to be painted or powder coated in a color that blends with the final color of the car. As an example, and I'm not advocating this color combination, if we were to paint the car white with a blue stripe similar to what Steve did on his car then I'd paint the air cleaner blue to match the stripe. A red car with a white stripe, then the air cleaner would be white. That Buick red is nice, but I'd think that color against most backgrounds other than white or a matching red would make it stand out a bit too much.

302V8 · March 15, 2010, 03:59:41 PM

Hi Jim,

It definately looks much better.
Send it to the shop when you want it powdercoated.

Cheers
Pete

BlownMGB-V8 · March 16, 2010, 01:27:34 PM

Thanks Pete. I'd figure 2-3 weeks.

Bill, maybe I'm just confused but I don't get it. How much is too much? I'm thinking, here we'll have a car with fat tires, swoopy bodywork, the engine sticking through the hood, and all kinds of sponsor artwork and contributor's names all over the body and you're worried we might stand out a little too much??? I'm thinking that's a mighty fine line you're drawing there ol' buddy.

JB

Dan B · March 16, 2010, 03:23:26 PM

Can you powdercoat it in plaid for Bill?

MGBV8 · March 16, 2010, 06:08:55 PM

"Considering that these air cleaners are not only scarce but highly prized by Buick enthusiasts and therefore highly recognized not only for their distinctive shape but for the difficulty and expense of obtaining them, I think this gives us an immediate advantage in recognition from that group that we ought not squander by changing the color. After all, how many people do you know who will go out and pay upwards of $500 just for an air cleaner? But these guys do, and willingly. IF they can find one. "

Do it up in Buick Red & we'll have to put a padlock on it.

BlownMGB-V8 · March 16, 2010, 09:40:16 PM

Not to worry Carl, ours is not original so they probably wouldn't want it, especially after we milled the top off. But they would definitely do a double take when they caught a glimpse of it.

JB

"He's a Lumberjack and he's OK..."

Bill Young · March 17, 2010, 08:00:58 AM

Jim, there are things that stand out in a good way and things that don't. I want it to be one of the former like a pair of 36Ds on a high school cheerleader not like a zit on the end of her nose. Both stand out but I'd bet I know which you'd most likely look at. LOL

Dan, I'm looking for a pink plaid shirt for Indy!