David E's Journal

I got this beauty last year. I have been SLOWLY going through it to make sure that after sitting 20+ years it will run. The engine was not seized. it only has 14000 original miles. The poor thing sat unused in an auto collection, housed a hundred yards from the train tracks. Dry rot and a plaster coating from the 100 year old downtown Ponca City warehouse has done a real number on her interior. I got her fired up! I checked the gears it shifted fine, so I drove around the circle in my neighborhood. Then when I tried to stop. NOTHING. no brakes except the e-brake handle. good thing I was only puttering along. So she runs but does not stop. I tried to bleed the brakes but only got a Tablespoon of fluid out of both rear brakes. After searching the MG Experience, I found that the brake lines are subject to tow trucks crushing them around the axle. I looked under the car starting at the passenger rear wheel and followed the brake line out and up around the axle to a crushed line. Bummer. Then I went to the other wheel and followed it's brake line to a second crush. Double bummer. So I thought maybe a new line. I looked again and followed a line to a union block. Both lines out of the block have that crimped spot. Triple Bummer! So that is how she lies. Waiting for me to get out and fix the brakes. Summer has to wait for now.