John S's Journal

Thunderstorms through the night and rain showers off and on today and the air cleared up after being shrouded in smoke and ash for the better part of two weeks.

Pulled the plug on the GT gas tank and drained about a cup of old gas so that was a nice find. Cleaned some dirt and grime in the engine bay with some Simple Green, a soft brush and some water. Also sprayed some engine degreaser on the engine and suspension and let that soak in.

While the degreaser was working away, I washed and dried the exterior again so that I could start clay-ing the paint. I’ve never done it before but it went well and the paint feels nice and smooth now. Washed and dried it again and brought out the Meguiars compound and polish to see what the paint looked like with a little work. What a difference with just a little work so when the DA polisher kit shows up, it should really shine. Not the original paint from what zi can see, at least in some places but it is the original color despite being at least 34 year old paint and perhaps older.

Decided to drain the good gas out of the ‘70 as it was recently filled and it’s fresh. Transferred about 9 gallons in total to the GT so I’ll put some stabilizer in it and should be fine when I get ready to fire the engine up.
Hosed all of the engine bay and hit it with the leaf blower. I need to spray some penetrating oil on some of the nuts and bolts to loosen things up so things go easier when it’s time to pull the engine and gearbox.

Next plan is to rotate the engine by hand to move the Marvel Mystery Oil around in the cylinders, pull the valve cover and check valve lash, pull the Cooper can filters and have a look inside the SU’s, and see about converting the cabling from a dual 6 volt set up to a single 12 volt and move my disconnect and battery over from the wreck. I’d like to see if the fuel pump will pump some gas through the line at some point. I can always swap the pump from the wreck.

The air cleared up last evening for a bit and was hoping it would continue today but we’re back in the hazardous zone. Just can’t spend hardly anytime outside. Got lots to do but even the garage is bad. Made a run to get some needed supplies for when I can be out there. Decided to mask up and look at the oil which turned out to be filthy and the plugs which were also filthy. Syringed some Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders for a good soak and called it a day. Throat irritation even with a good mask and a short stint outside. Forecast was for evening rain and possible T-storms and that held to be true. Hoping it will clear the air a little. I want to drain the tank if there is even any fuel in it. Sounds hollow but we’ll see.
I think I’ll do the same with the fresh gas in the ‘70 and use it in the GT when I try to pump some gas through the fuel line ahead of the carbs.I’m crossing my fingers that the tank is solid. A quick glance didn’t look too bad.

I need to change out the battery cables as it was still set up with two 6-volt batteries. I put a brand new + ve cable in the ‘70 about 2 mos. ago and that was a pain undoing clamps and clips. I’ll swap it over probably but down the road a bit when the car is up on stands. So much unknown about the car at this point. Going to spray some engine degreaser around when I can and let that work. Once I can get it a bit cleaner and the ash stops falling, it’s going in the garage and the daily driver gets the boot.
Don’t want ash all over the 2019 MINI. As it is there is a fine layer just from short trips and the stuff drifting into the garage.

Ordered a DA polisher kit on Amazon from Chemical Guys. Beginner model which will work fine for my needs. Went with the TORQX as it looked like it was plenty powerful and lightweight to handle the stuff that I’ll be doing. Supposed to be here on Saturday.

Figured out what I needed to send in for the title transfer and the plate transfer from my ‘70. The plates are good until 5/22 as it just got back on the road this Summer so they will get switched to the GT. On hold for almost an hour to talk with someone but the person clued me in to what I needed to do. The local ones are closed due to the air quality so online services are required for most things. 8-10 weeks until I see the new title. COVID times...

Had a good chat with the English gentleman who sold me the pristine steering wheel for my RD. Great guy and very knowledgeable about MG’s so it’s been fun chatting with him. He has a ‘70 GT that is awaiting a paint job but due to COVID, his painter can’t get to it. He mentioned earlier that he was thinking about selling and we had talked about me maybe buying it but it’s in L.A. and then I found this one only 70 miles away. We’ll keep in touch though.He saw the pictures that I sent him and he was almost as excited as I am about it. Really good to hear. I want to get going on it. Let it rain!

Haven’t been able to spend much time outside to work on the GT so I’ve had plenty of time to think about how I want to attack the items that need to be addressed. My first plan was to clean it up inside and out. Get the paint cleaned up, polished, and sealed to make it look better and protect the old paint. The interior is cleaned up and looks great other than carpet. A good vacuuming, and shampoo will help the musty smell but the carpet needs to go at some point. It’s outside under a carport so while it is, I’d like to fire up the pressure washer after soaking things with degreaser and clean it up before putting it in the garage. I considered leaving it out under the carport while I dismantle the ‘70 but now that the smoke and ash are diminishing, I really think it would be best to get it in the garage alongside the wreck and keep the daily driver outside.

I had initially thought about just pulling the engine and transmission without trying to start it. My thought was to pull the one out of the wrecked roadster along with everything else of value and haul it away once I was done with it. Then pull the GT engine and transmission, really clean up everything, go through the brakes, clutch hydraulics, rear diff, wiring, etc. and implant the ‘70 engine along with an OD gearbox that I’m working on. I was planning on cleaning up the original GK engine and looking into the condition with an eye towards a refresh for later reinstall back into the car at some point.

That was the initial plan but then I started thinking it might be worth doing some things while the engine was in situ just to see what some fresh gas, plugs, points, etc might produce. Don’t want to risk damaging it so looked in the Tech Library at the Awakening an MGB article just to see the recommendations. I’m going to pull the engine and transmission regardless but decided to post the question to the forum to see what others would do. The consensus is to try to run it. Had a call from a friend that suggested Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders and soaking and hand cranking which I’ve heard works well. Decided that sounded like a plan and then read a reply from a forum member suggesting it so that is the new plan. I will let that soak happen while it’s outside and I’m working on reviving and protecting the paint. In the meantime, I’ll pull the HS4’s and manifold, distributor, plugs, wires etc and swap over to the ‘71, drain the tank, flush the lines and get it ready to crank to check compression. And hopefully it will run like a champ.

A plan has been formulated.

Now that the fate of the roadster is decided, I raised the bonnet to see what it looks like. Everything from the rad diaphragm back is good so it’s time to start picking at the carcass...

Yesterday, after getting the GT up the driveway and under the carport alongside the garage, I got my first real deep dive into the condition of the car. It had some seat covers and I had taken a brief look before buying it, so I suspected that there was a good chance that they would be decent.
Well decent is a huge understatement! Same thing for the pillow dash, the door panels, the radio console, and the headliner. The only thing on the inside that really shows it’s age is the carpet.

I figured that I had better get started with a good vacuum clean after donning a mask and gloves. The mask because of the smoky wildfire air and there was evidence that some mice had been in the car at least temporarily. Some loose tissue debris as well as some De-con. Got the larger debris by hand and this is where a little bit of the back story and history of the owner reveals itself. Spare keys under the original rubber floor mat, a couple of Salem area newspaper sections from August 8, 1985, an old lottery scratch-off ticket, an old Oregon map, a newsletter for Salem contractors, a car parts receipt, a gas receipt for 9.8 gals of gas for a total of $12.60, a Craftsman double ended box wrench, a small red fuzzy dice, and a long pencil with flat sides. The last is significant only because Albert Porter was a cabinet maker and was still working at the age of 92. He’s 98 now and lives in the house that he built with his 92 year old wife Hanna. Albert or “Bert” has recently had a stroke and is quite frail so I didn’t get a chance to meet him, but his son was going to tell him that I bought the car to fix and enjoy. Something that he didn’t have much time for because of his strong work ethic and his busy cabinet business.

Most MG owners give a nickname to their cars. My first MGB was an impulse buy - a Pagent Blue 1979 Tourer and it became Mae B.
As in, maybe I’ll try this MG ownership out. I kept it for a few years but never really did much with it. It ran fine but then I got busy and it never really resonated with me probably due to the fact that it had those big black bumpers fore and aft. Next up was the 1970 split bumper Tourer that I just happened to spot in a local Craigslist ad and decided to check it out. It needed a clutch, had a dead battery and the paintwork was a respray that was done quickly years prior. A yellow car that had a red engine bay because one of the previous owners was going to paint the car red but fell ill. The current owner needed it gone and I decided to have it towed home. It became Ella B. after my oldest grandchild whose last name starts with B. That car is now being salvaged unfortunately.

Which brings me back to this car. I’m thinking of calling this one Bert. I also thought about Woody because of the PO’s occupation. Also thought about Al. I can hear Paul Simon singing “You Can Call me Al”. There is also Porter. His last name and the name of his cabinet business. I drink a porter now and then so who knows? I’m gonna ponder a bit.

I pondered a bit more and it hit me. Ashley seems to tie in with all aspects of the car. Lots of smoke and ash as I drove up to Kaiser, Oregon to look at and then again to bring home. Ash is a beautiful hardwood and a possible source of cabinet frames and doors. And Ashley sounds rather British. My Flame Red 1971 MGB GT will henceforth be known as Ashley. I’ll drink a Porter to that!

Yesterday was an interesting day. After traveling up I-5 on Saturday to look at a 1971 and then making a deal, I decided to reserve a 6x12 trailer from U-Haul. I’d seen lost of forum posts about it being a good way to go.
Well, I hooked up after plunking down $35 and off we went on Sunday morning through some hellacious fog and smoke. Took the old highway as I didn’t really want to contend with the freeway idiots. All went well until I lowered the back ramp and noticed the large gussets at the rear corners.

An MGB will fit in a 6x12 trailer just fine if you can lift it up and over the back of the trailer but it wasn’t rolling in there. Measure, measure, measure. I tried making a swap at another U-Haul but was informed that I’d have to bring it back 70 miles from my destination. So 70 miles back to the U-Haul place hauling some $35 air. Reserved a car transport trailer for Tuesday until I got a call right as I plunked down in my easy chair. A transport had just come in, did I want it? Well crap. Did I want it? Decided to go grab it since my day was already screwed up.

I gave my SIL a break by not asking him to go with me and convinced my wife to go this trip. Got the trailer, jumped on the freeway with better visibility and drove 70 back to get the car. Pushing a non-running car with marginal tires up 2 ramps designed for wider cars is a PITA. Pushed it part way, used the ratchet strap part ways, and then latched on with the sellers truck and managed to ease it up and on. Strapped down, headed out and took the old highway home. Made the wise decision to leave it on the trailer last night in the church lot across the street and deal with it today. Which brings me to today.

Fresh attitude and clear thinking. Used one of the trailer tie down chains to loop through both A arms and hooked the tow rope up to my SIL’s FJ and towed it about a half block up the street and my steep driveway. Pushed it the last 20 feet with the help of my neighbor and it is now under my carport, safe and sound.

Cleaned it inside and out. Took the old faux sheepskin covers off and was just floored by how good the interior Is in this 49 year old car. Life inside the garage was good to this one.

So, an interesting 2 weeks actually since it was exactly 2 weeks ago that my ‘70 was wrecked. There’s optimism again.

Well, it’s been a wild ride the last 13 days. From a sudden deceleration as a result of a red light runner and all the hassle that an accident entails, to the worry about whether my car would be fixed or declared a total loss, to the finality of reading the estimate that would indeed deem it beyond the agreed value to repair.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is green. And it is also red. As in a Flame Red 1971 MGB GT that became my new project. I’m excited to get it going again as it has been stored in a garage for 34 years. I’m also a bit sad that I’ll be dismantling the ‘70 Tourer that I just revived and drove for a grand total of 2 months. Lots to do. Going to retrieve it tomorrow. I’ve got a couple pictures that I took and some from the CL ad.