Matt Drayer's Journal

Installing the front braking system hard lines has unlocked the reassembly of the steering and suspension subsystem. The steering rack, which was cleaned up and painted over the winter, is ready to go.

I had heard that the steering rack gaiters were tough to install. Tried a couple different methods to stretch the openings -- pieces of wood, screwdriver shafts, etc. I'm sure there's a special tool for this job, but ultimately hauling the openings apart with my bare fingers proved the best method, with only a small amount of blood lost in the process.

Really feels like this project is rolling along now -- the pent-up potential energy of the parts pile is being released and it feels good to make so much progress. Of course this is a function of how much time I'm able to put into the project, and my family is being very understanding that I'm spending basically every non-sleeping, non-working minute of April putting this little car back together!

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 16: Steering Rack

The pile of parts is getting smaller by the day, or at least the weekend now. We're a bit behind schedule due to an epic week at my "real job" but the project continues.

Here's a quick video covering the installation of the two Goodridge flexible stainless braided lines for the front brakes. Step by step we are getting there!

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 17: Goodridge Brake Lines

Spring is bouncing right along, and so is the project. It amazes me how the magic of editing can take a multi-month effort and turn it into 9.5 minutes of enjoyable viewing.

So much went into overhauling the car's front suspension. From the first look at all those dirty, rusty parts and the anxiety about actually tackling the job, to removing, cleaning, priming, and painting everything, to ordering and installing replacement bits and pieces, manhandling the components back into position...and crossing our fingers that everything would go back together the way it was supposed to. What an ordeal!

I think my favorite part of this particular job was learning from the MGExp forum how to remove and reinstall the springs using four long full-threaded bolts. Oh, and using the grease gun. I don't know why I find Oscar Zerk's grease fittings so fascinating, but I do. Absolutely genius.

Everything now is done up in chassis black, and it looks classy against the white body paint. Hopefully we did it right and the car will actually drive great, too. Next up: Front Brakes!

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 17: Front Suspension

With the front suspension, steering components, and brake lines installed the only piece remaining is the brakes themselves. Finally the new British Parts Northwest calipers and Classic Gold / Moss Motors rotors and pads can go on. I had tried to separate the rotors from the stub axles over the winter, and wasn't able to, so I left them as-is with the idea that I'd replace the rotors another time. Decided to give it another shot, though -- see the video for the outcome there.

The driver side caliper ended up being offset on the rotor -- I couldn't figure out why. This caused the inside pad to effectively lock the rotor, without having any pressure on it. After scratching my head for a few minutes I decided to grind down the pad material a few MMs using a belt sander -- problem solved! Other than this weirdness everything went onto the car reasonably well.

Can't pressurize the system until we run the hard lines to the rear end's wheel cylinders. I've been avoiding going there -- certain that's going to be a disaster once I get into it.

We are over-schedule on first-fire at this point. The goal was April 30th. Things heated up at work, and a few parts needed to be sourced for other components. Hoping things will arrive soon and this coming weekend will be a productive one!

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 19: Front Brakes!

Six months. Six months of oil, grease, dirt, rust, discoveries, questions, swears, and of course a whole lot of fun — after all, this is supposed to be fun!

We’re not done by any means, but we’ve reached a major milestone which is (mostly) finishing up the front end. Still need to attach the stabilizer bar, and a couple more bits and pieces, but the major components are installed and we’re in a good enough spot to put the wheels back on and take the car off the jackstands — at least for a few minutes!

The rear end is next — I thought I might be able to get away with avoiding it, but closer inspection revealed a similar mess of oil, grease, dirt, rust, and brake fluid, so that’s next on the list. The drivetrain will have to wait just a bit longer!

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 20: Off The Jackstands!

There's a certain satisfaction that one feels when you know you were right about something -- even when that something is a tedious, filthy job like overhauling the rear end of a tedious, filthy Little British Car.

Yes, it's true, we've gone into the abyss of the rear end. As with the front end, it quickly became obvious that it was a complete teardown and buildup. The realization that replacement parts would need to be both ordered and sourced, and the fact that our project timeline is stretching because of it, is disappointing.

But the desire to hear that engine rev and feel that wind in our hair trumps the frustration of not being able to rev the engine and feel the wind just yet -- we'll get there soon enough, as long as we keep going.

<br/>Marblehead MG - Episode 21: Rear Brake Teardown