So I don't divert the other topic, this is some of the stuff I am doing to clean up the engine bay. I have already posted photos of the water tank:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup4.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup5.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup3.jpg)
Nice touches Gary, it's going to be a sharp car when you're done with it.
JB
Thanks Jim, I thought I was done with it.
Nah, that never happens.
JB
That's a fact Jim, I've had my GT for 30 years and I think my "to do" list is longer now than it was then. They keep inventing new stuff my baby just has to have and you can't let its birthday go by without getting it something, then there's Christmas!
cool stuff, it never ends!
Quote
"That's a fact Jim, I've had my GT for 30 years and I think my "to do" list is longer now than it was then."
LOL Oh so true!
Bill
That windshield washer reservoir is a piece of art.
Thank You Chris. Seemed like a natural to the hole in the firewall.
Very business with work so I am slow getting this car back together. Changing form FI to Carb and cleaning up the engine bay and wiring feels like I am starting over in some respects. Finally got the aluminum shelf and tank polished and finished. The tank access through a hole in the back using a klunk for washer pickup. The pedal box sand blasted and powdercoated:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup6.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cup7.jpg)
I got the engine back in. Since I am changing it from FI to carb I needed a different tophat so I cut a new one down and welded it back up:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat3.jpg)
Been making several new parts which we laser cut. such as bell housing cover and a bracket for the alternator:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/mgalt2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/mgalt.jpg)
I have also been under the dash sorting out and cleaning up wires. Details I did a poor job of the first time. Going to build a bracket to hold the coil on the shelf. Going to pull carpet and lay down noise/heat pad.
Gary
Looks like good progress Gary. I like your frame rail covers, never thought much of the way they made those rails and that's a pretty slick remedy. As mentioned, that tank is pure art work.
JB
Thanks Jim,
What do you think of the alternator bracket support? I never had the front support like I should have but never had a problem. I figure it was a matter of time before I would have a problem without a front support but after looking at it I decided to make the plate which supports the spacer from the back side instead. It does allow for one less bracket on the front. I guess time will tell.
Your slide on the alternator to adjust belt tension looks reasonably stout. I bet the combination of the reinforced bracket & that are plenty to keep it running true.
I ran without the support for 3000+ miles. I figured I would eventually have to address it. It was on my list. This is better then it was so I kind of think it will be good. It is one less bracket on the front.
I think it will be fine. With the poly-v belt you could get by with a little less belt tension which helps. Although the attachment bolts on the bracket are in a less than ideal configuration, the base is stout enough and the SHCS will help resist deflection so I think it will hold up. Is that powder coat? Looks good.
JB
Yea, I finally got around to using the kiln (originally modified for heat treating metal) but works great as a powdercoat oven. Fast climb easy to hold temp and top loads. You probably remember it but I built a circuit using a type K thermocouple to set climb rate, peak temp, holding time..... I have been coating about anything I can get my hands on that will fit int he kiln:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/kiln/kiln2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/kiln/kiln3.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/kiln/kiln4.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/pantera1/pedal/pb5.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/pantera1/pedal/pb2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/pantera1/pedal/pb3.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/pantera1/pedal/pb4.jpg)
Very nice. I've seen ceramic kilns that looked like that. I spent some time thinking about stacking firebricks to make a gas fired kiln before I got my oven, but any high temp stuff I do is mostly small enough to use a torch.
On your alternator mount... I just noticed, does the SHCS go through the tube and into the head? If so that makes a huge difference.
JB
Yes it goes all the way to the head.
There are 2 other nice things about kilns. One is non automated kilns are cheap. This one is a small-mid size kiln. Ceramics are such a labor intensive craft that the industry is in a nose dive right now. The wife goes to a ceramic show in Dayton each year. It was one of the largest anywhere nearby. It has 10% of the booths it did 10 years ago.
Used ceramic stuff is cheap and non-automated kilns I have seen rottenly go on craigslist for around $100.
Like I said I love the top load to. Plus being over kill heat wise you can do higher temp coatings easily too.
I need a bigger garage............. Can't fit everything I want, er I mean need. :)
M.
What clutch M/C are you using Gary?
I think it;s Willwood 5/8. I'll look at it tonight.
Here is a coil bracket I made which is going on the left shelf:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/coil.jpg)
Thanks Gary. That coil holder is a work of art.
Maybe you should start producing small runs of your parts and give them to your good friends on this site! ;)
I just checked and it is the 5/8.
Well I am mulling over product. They have to be things I can make with quality yet make it worth while spending my time on. If there are not of quality there is no use trying to sell them. If they are not proffitable it only takes away form what we do otherwise in the laser shop.
I would also have to be able to support the product. Some times I make a part for my car but I don't entirely know what model or year specifically the parts might fit.
Here are some things I have been cutting to check fitment:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/parts.jpg)
Here is the coil on the deck:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/coi2l.jpg)
Gary, Excellent work! You are going to have to do another thread on fine tuning the Holley 390. I am a little dissapointed though, I thought I had you convinced to do something a little more exotic. LOL. Hey, You could still mount that dual Rochester set up on the 4 barrel base later on!
I really really thought about it but time is overtaking me. I have been totally redesigning the Pantera front to back. When I pulled this car apart I needed to get it back together and now it's been more then 6 months and I am still fiddling with it. My Ford 8n is blowing smoke and I need to re-build it this winter (mowing tractor). It's been waiting all summer to get the MG done.
It's was a decision made based on time.
Gary, your attention to detail is very impressive. I would love to have half of your fabrication skills!
The fabrication skills are to be admired, but perhaps a better choice would be the Capital involved in the equipment? One could hire a considerable amount of work for the price of Gary's equipment. :)
Well the capital in the equipment isn't to make hobby car parts; but it is a perk. And if I can make things which there is a need for; while I may never make a buck at it y comparison to the main jobs, it keeps me happy.
Gary, That Tank is Amazing!
Now if we could have only started you at SFI instead of TBI you would still be FI and not carb. LOL!
I had it tuned preyty good under the TBI. I have absolutely no complaints about how it ran. Being a 64 with much of the 64 style, I like the minimum wire and carb combination.
I am also trying to do a better job with the front valance around the radiator. I will duct the intake through one side. I have cut some test pieces to get fitment. Waiting for a chance to get the updated panels cut on the laser:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/parts.jpg)
Here is the tophat cut down for the carb. It was different then the one I had:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/tophat3.jpg)
Great work!! gary can ask a favor? can you let us view the car which is already done!
I cleaned up the heater lines. They were just tubes floping through the bay and over the engine. I solderd connections to coper tubing, sand blasted and powdercoated the tubing black in high heat powder.
It's a much beter looking run to the servo water heater valve.
I threw the other intake with short top hat, FI, distrib and other on ebay.
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/wat1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/wat2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/wat3.jpg)
Angela, as if any car is ever really finished here's Garys MGB as it was at the Indy British V8 meet two years ago. http://www.britishv8.org/MG/GaryWalker.htm
That was a rainshower!
I got the front shroud cut for the radiator but I am going to re-draw it and do it again. The openings have blank plates (not seen) which rivet/bolt in. The right side will be used to run the air intake through.
I wanted an O2 gauge but I didn't want it in view. I added a vacume gauge and put it behind the radio delete plate. It's hard to see in the photo but I used an ajustable bolt with magent on the end to hold the readio delete plate on:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/rs1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/gp1.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/gp2.jpg)
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/gp3.jpg)
Need some trim pieces to seal the shroud and finish the intake duct but it's coming together:
(http://www.qualityfabparts.com/possible/MGB%20shroud2.jpg)
To me, engine bay trimming is the icing on the cake. I've seen brilliant power plant in some of these British cars but with poorly executed engine bay appeal. I love looking at the presentation of engine bays; it doesn't always have to be complicated as simplicity will always win hands down, however, with modern fuel injection, it's not always an easy task to simplify, it may be engineering substance over simplicity cleanness and appeal. I am faced with a challenging design myself Great work guys!
Cheers, Jacques
I tell ya I have great admiration for those who can make an injected system look clean; and there are some that do. Picking the system helps as well. Not every system can be adapted that well.
The wiring is a real challenge, especially if sequential as each injector has it's own circuit. If you can make that look neat the plumbing isn't all that bad.
Jim
I think the ones that look good are the ones people do without using engine covers.
QuoteThe wiring is a real challenge, especially if sequential as each injector has it's own circuit. If you can make that look neat the plumbing isn't all that bad.
Sequential fuel injection installations don't have to be hideous - here's one done by Terry Seneker and Ted Lathrop. The worst thing about this installation are the heater hoses, and they are not bad.
mas8.jpg
That is an absolutly fabulous bay. I mulled over heater hoses too. Before mine were slumped over the engine. This time I used copper tubing, soldered fittings to go into short rubber hoses for vibraion and movement then powdercoated the lines. They look a lot better; not ideal but better.
Gary,
Thanks for the compliments. Ted and Terry do superb work. We agonized long and hard about where to put the hoses, but we couldn't come up with a better solution. Every other route we tried had worse problems.
I like how you got rid of the radiator valance all together. It really opens it up.
I got the trim around the radiator done. I have been driving with out it but it is finally done. I still need to build my duct to duct the cold air through the hole next to the radiator. I also need to do a little cleaning in general:
(http://www.rc-tech.net/cars2/mg2/cleanup/cleanupf1.jpg)