Matt Drayer's Journal

3, 2, 1, IGNITION!

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 08:26:48 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

Projects are amazing things. They (mostly) kick off full of optimism and vigor. You attack the problem with gusto, often moving too fast for your own good. You imagine the end state -- the perfect end state: Humming along that winding country road, wind whistling, sun shining -- won't it be absolutely grand? The "low hanging fruit" is quickly picked, and the reality of the real project -- YOUR project -- becomes evident. You stop to consider the prospect for a day, or a week, or a decade, and hopefully decide to continue. You go deep, reducing the job to its component tasks, tearing it all down and building it back up. You set and reset dates, you procrastinate, you nitpick, you buy more tools, you clean the workspace, you read forum posts, and yes, you actually work on the project too. Finally, you've done all the possible little ancillary things you can do, and you've done the big important things as well. Enough fretting. It's time for the Big Test. It's time to start the engine. Will it start? Will it run? Will it run smoothly? Will it shoot a piston through the hood? Will I look like a fool on YouTube? I guess there's only one way to find out... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGgHNx0LRrw&t=33s]Marblehead MG - Episode 40: First Start![/url]

Posted 2023-08-29 08:26:48 by Matt Drayer

On The Precipice

Sun, 27 Aug 2023 20:27:15 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

It's been crazy-time with this project, pushing to get to this point. Everything is coming together so quickly now. So close. So very close. Fuel, air, and spark systems are tested and ready. Intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust are ready. Mechanical is ready. Electrical is ready. We've made it onto the launchpad. Tomorrow is ignition day. But first, I must sleep... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC0JhKqEMHM]Marblehead MG - Episode 39: Are We There Yet?[/url]

Posted 2023-08-27 20:27:15 by Matt Drayer

Cool Headed

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 20:32:34 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

This summer has been more than a bit of a bust as far as the car goes. I crashed the boards in the Spring, trying to get everything done before the end of my daughter's school year -- we really wanted her to be able to drive it to school as the "piece de resistance" of her journalism project. Unfortunately we weren't able to finish things up in time -- the pictures of the car in its various stages of restoration would have to suffice. Feeling quite burned out from the push, I left our little machine sitting in the garage for the month of July and came back to it this month when our "summer of rain" finally backed off a little. Telling myself that "most of the hard work has been done, so get out there and finish the job you wimp." helped to drag me out of my funk, and after a workshop cleanup and a few small confidence-building tasks it was time to tackle the cooling system. After all, we can't have that pretty little engine overheating on us! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=613Is96BkiU]Marblehead MG - Episode 38: Cooling System[/url]

Posted 2023-08-25 20:32:34 by Matt Drayer

Rostyle Restoration

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:24:24 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

The weather in July was absolutely atrocious here in New England. While the coastal towns didn't experience the severe flooding happening in the Connecticut River Valley, we still received a substantial amount of rain. And even when it wasn't raining, it seemed like we were living in a greenhouse -- oppressively hot and humid. I was dripping with sweat sitting still, let alone wrenching on the car. And the mere thought of applying an additional layer of oil and grease to my soggy body kept me from heading back out to the garage to finish those last remaining projects. "What's the point anyway?", my brain would say. "Can't drive a convertible around town when it's pouring outside." Unfortunately I listened to my brain and goofed off for the month. Now August has rolled in with absolutely gorgeous convertible-driving weather, and of course I'm kicking myself that I didn't suck it up and finish those projects so I could be enjoying the breeze right now. I'm feeling motivated, however. It really is just a few more things and we can head to the local service station for an attempt at passing the car's first safety inspection since 2016! As long as they don't put it in reverse! Maybe I'll drive it in/out of the inspection bay... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MOhh7qQSJw]Marblehead MG - Episode 36: Rostyle Restoration[/url]

Posted 2023-08-03 15:24:24 by Matt Drayer

Just Do It!

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 21:03:55 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I kept coming up with excuses. Procrastination is a wonderful way to get lots of other things done. But at some point, you've gotten all those other things done, and the only thing remaining to do is the thing that you're anxious about doing. Well, there was no escape now -- the gearbox was attached and the chain was on -- it was time for the engine to go back into the car! I think my main hangup was knowing that with the engine out it was easy to mess around with lots of things. Heck, if I could have set up a test run of the engine before installing it, I would have loved it. But that wasn't possible -- the only way to figure out if I got it right was to put it in and try it. The anxiety of potentially having to pull it back out of the car, and all the potential disappointment that would come along with that potentiality, needed to go on the backburner. A buddy of mine was in the same predicament with his sailboat. We were talking about it at dinner -- lamenting about engines and cars and boats and projects in general. "Are you ready yet?" "No, you?" "Nope." "Well, at some point you just have to put it all back together, and fix things going forward. Otherwise it'll never happen". He was right. Enough worrying. It was time to get excited and install that engine! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j1RKgUtf7Q]Marblehead MG - Episode 35: Engine Instalation!!![/url]

Posted 2023-07-05 21:03:55 by Matt Drayer

Grrrreat!!!

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 14:36:24 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

It's always amazing how one decision leads to another, and another. The original bendix starter appeared to be dead -- or was it that weird looking remote solenoid contraption with all the wires sticking out of it? Either way, we extracted the unit from the engine like a bad tooth. After learning more about the bendix starter design and considering our options of purchasing a replacement or going with a more modern design -- combined with the fact that regardless of what we decided this would never be a concours-level example of a 1979 MG Midget 1500 -- we decided to go with a gear reduction starter. A quick tour of the internet brought us to ClassicCarPerformance.com / BritishStarters.com and before we could say "jumper cables" a new "fully adjustable" GRS was at our doorstep. Onto the shelf it went...and there it stayed...for months...while we stripped, cleaned, painted, and reassembled the rest of the car. When the time finally came in late Spring to install the unit, we quickly discovered that yes, it would not play nicely with the mechanical fuel pump. Even the "fully adjustable" nature of the mounting plate would not solve the problem. We even ruined the mechanical fuel pump in the process of trying to make things work, thus forcing our decision to install a new electronic fuel pump. Which led to the additional decision to, yes, redo the fuel line, and redo the gas tank, and yes all of these were on the Should Do list, but not necessarily on the Must Do list. Ah well, this is how projects go! :) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boSCqUOazM4]Marblehead MG - Episode 34: Gear Reduction Starter[/url]

Posted 2023-06-30 14:36:24 by Matt Drayer

Empowerment

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 20:59:07 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

After months of meticulous, anxiety-ridden work, it's finally time to take a deep breath and reconnect the engine and transmission. This isn't just about bolting two mechanical components together; it's about bringing back to life the very essence of the car, the source of its performance. The process of reassembling the powertrain requires precision and patience. Every bolt, every seal, every connection point must be carefully inspected and prepared, and the engine and transmission must align perfectly. I'm intrigued by the ideas and designs (some brilliant, some awful) that went into creating these machines within machines. Entire careers were spent designing and developing each component, and the fact that it all works together, in synchrony, is amazing. This really feels like a symbolic moment, a sign that the car is finally coming back to life. It's a reminder of why we embarked on this journey in the first place: to breathe new life into a piece of history, to restore a machine back to its former glory. The journey isn't over yet, but today, we're one step closer. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PutqWRvEYVo]Marblehead MG - Episode 33: Powertrain Assembly[/url]

Posted 2023-06-27 20:59:07 by Matt Drayer

Inhale, Exhale

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 10:13:31 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

We're soooo close to reinstalling this engine! The block is prepped, and the top-end is assembled. We're now attaching all of the "other stuff", and for this installment it's the manifolds. The exhaust manifold appears to be the original unit for the car. It even had a semi-functioning EGR valve that looked like a UFO. I was able to remove it without destroying any of the componentry, along with the weird little elbow wrapped in flame-resistant material. The hole was easily plugged with a 1/2" flange nut from Home Depot -- yet another quick tip/hack picked up from our wonderful MG Experience community. We've coated the exhaust manifold with POR-15 High Temperature paint, in Manifold Gray, of course! Along with the refreshed exhaust manifold is a new Pierce intake manifold and barely-used Weber 32/36 manual choke carburetor, purchased from our own @tmessenger. It seems that half the community thinks the Weber is just fine, and the other half thinks it's atrocious. I'm optimistic about it, but I have our original ZS carb sitting on the shelf, just in case. Like most of us I'm daydreaming about a dual-SU setup, but that's not in the cards for this car. At least not for us. At least not this year. :) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71D4thuv50w]Marblehead MG - Episode 32: Manifolds[/url]

Posted 2023-06-24 10:13:31 by Matt Drayer

View From The Top

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:08:46 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

The cylinder head has been calling out, pleading for attention. It's been ready to go for months. Will I get it right? What if the gasket doesn't fit? What if I don't torque the bolts correctly? What if it leaks? So many what-ifs -- but you can't let them stop you. The project must continue! I'm glad that I labeled all of the pushrods with their numbers when I removed them. Definitely helps to scare off the gremlins. TBH there didn't appear to be anything different from one pushrod to the next, but as any subscriber to Chaos Theory can attest, small differences can trigger large events down the road. Changing out tappets and pushrods is easy enough to do, anyway, so maybe that's something to consider doing over the winter. The pace is quickly quickening. I'm throwing every possible spare minute into the car. No romance for the wife, no hugs for the kids, no walks for the dog, no exercise for the body -- I'm way-too-deep at this point and loving every frustrating, exhausting, brilliant moment. The car MUST LIVE!!! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ6q7nF8GYg]Marblehead MG - Episode 31: Top-End Engine Reassembly[/url]

Posted 2023-06-21 10:08:46 by Matt Drayer

Enginification

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 10:07:28 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

It's finally time to reassemble the engine. It's been sitting on its stand for long enough, and I've basically done everything I can at this point on the project to get the car ready for its reinstallation, so there's no other choice now but to put it back together. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated about reassembly. I'm particularly anxious about getting the camshaft timing right. Not only is this a critical function of the engine, but getting it wrong isn't 100% evident until you actually start the engine -- that's when you determine if it all needs to be torn down again. Part of my anxiety stems from the fact that I didn't make any reference marks on the timing gear during disassembly, which was a total newbie mistake -- so this really feels like a gamble although I've been reading and watching as much as possible to increase my chances of getting it right. I'm additionally terrified of oil leaks. The entire engine bay was absolutely coated when we brought the car home. It wasn't really clear where the leak was coming from because we couldn't get it running. The logical culprit was the timing cover, or maybe the cover's oil seal. But what if it was something else? Something more...structural? I wish I'd tried a bit harder to start the car back on Day 1. Even if we got it running for just a few minutes it would have been good information to work with. However, I was excited to get into the project and I simply rolled up my sleeves and quickly got to work. Another newbie mistake. Life lessons! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPtP4ptAZ5Y]Marblehead MG - Episode 30: Timing Chain and Cover[/url]

Posted 2023-06-18 10:07:28 by Matt Drayer

Handbrake Healing

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:20:58 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I'm trying to stay positive about this project but it's getting harder and harder to do. It feels like we are so close...but now it's mid-June and the car still isn't drivable. Heck, the car isn't even runnable at this point. I'm making progress, but we're now way past our original goal to attempt a first-fire by the end of April and get it inspected by the end of May. Sure, the goal was an arbitrary one, but even with throwing every available minute I have into the project we're still not getting there quickly enough. I'm also having a hard time motivating myself to record the work and produce the YouTubes. However, I really think it's important to document as much of the project as possible. It's actually not the recording part that is such a drag, it's the editing part. It takes a long time to review and whittle down hours of footage to an 8-12 minute video, on top of the hours spent actually working on the car. Double whammy :) Anyway, enough with the pity party! We'll get this thing done soon enough. It's only a matter of time. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJWs7Mgw1Cc]Marblehead MG - Episode 29: Handbrake[/url]

Posted 2023-06-16 19:20:58 by Matt Drayer

Pump It Up

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 21:03:48 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

The starter was the first item removed from the car back in the beginning. Pretty sure it was the original unit. I'd never seen a bendix starter, and as I learned about how it worked, and further that ours was dead, I decided we'd be replacing it with a nifty new gear reduction starter. The Classic Car Performance / BritishStarters.com GRS arrived quickly and sat in the box, in the corner, for months before I got around to installing it on the engine in the Spring. And of course, you all know what happened -- it wouldn't clear the mechanical fuel pump... So there I was sitting in the garage at midnight, reading MGExp.com threads on my phone and trying to figure out if there was a way that I could make this situation work. Maybe THIS project would be different than everybody else's project. Maybe I could get it to fit. Well, after two hours of futzing and a ruined mechanical fuel pump from a botched Dremel experiment, I was ordering a new electronic fuel pump and a blanking plate, just like everyone else! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgDKl1p6ZAo]Marblehad MG - Episode 28 - Electronic Fuel Pump[/url]

Posted 2023-06-12 21:03:48 by Matt Drayer

Diff Job

Sun, 11 Jun 2023 08:03:42 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

Believe it or not, I'm almost 50 and while I've wrenched on a bunch of vehicles in my life, I had never actually changed differential fluid. Brakes, sure. Coolant, fine. Gearbox, yep. But never a diff. Life is weird that way. I was a bit intimidated by the prospect of doing this on the Midget for some reason -- I guess I figured it would be a messy, frustrating job. I also had a fear that my beautiful new drum brakes would be ruined by leaking oil seals in the hubs coupled by leaking gaskets in the half-shaft interfaces. A nice surprise was that my 1/2-inch wrench extension fit both square plugs just fine without any filing, and the addition of an inexpensive fluid transfer pump made all the difference. And the drums are still bone dry, so I guess all that worry was for not (but time will tell...) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8EAQbOyGik]Marblehead MG - Episode 27: Differential Oil Change[/url]

Posted 2023-06-11 08:03:42 by Matt Drayer

Tankasaurus Rex

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 20:28:39 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

It was just a small sheen on the bottom of the fuel tank, but I knew there was no good reason for it to be there. The car had been on jackstands in our garage for months at this point. It wasn't actively leaking -- there were no visible fuel drips on the cardboard, and I hadn't added fuel to the car since we brought it home. But I knew. I just knew. I decided to hit it with the wire brush. Even if I was going to paint the tank I'd need to descale it first. I hit the sides first -- a bit chunky but not so bad. Okay, let's give the bottom a shot. Corners are decent, so that's good. Alright, let's give that spot in the middle a scrub and see what happens... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6lnZr5xX1Y]Marblehead MG - Episode 26 - Fuel Tank[/url]

Posted 2023-06-06 20:28:39 by Matt Drayer

Getting Into Gear

Sat, 03 Jun 2023 08:55:36 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I remember pulling the transmission out of the car back in November. I didn't have a good understanding of the drivetrain assembly and I had removed all of the bell housing bolts connecting it to the rear engine plate. The engine came out easily enough, and there was the transmission, still sitting in the car. Now how was I going to get THAT out? After doing some research I realized there were four bolts to remove and then the tranny would be free to leave the vehicle. A bit of searching and swearing later, the bolts were out and so was the transmission, which amazingly was small enough and light enough that I could lift and carry it on my own (I'm used to tanks, I mean Jeeps). The transmission was a mess, similarly coated in filth, looking like a tired, hopeless lump of mixed metals. I brought it into the workshop and began cleaning it up. Hey, look at that, it's really just dirty. No major external damage. As the distinct smell of old stale gearbox oil wafted upstairs from the basement ("Babe, do you smell something funny?" "Um, no? What do you mean?") I lifted the gearbox cover and peered inside, expecting the worst. Wow, not that bad! Reverse has a couple chewed teeth, but only a couple, and the rest of the gears actually look pretty excellent. I'll clean this up and get on with things. Of course, then "things" got on and our cleaned-up gearbox sat in the corner of the workshop. For five months. Every time I walked into the workshop I'd see it over there in the corner, neglected, waiting to be addressed, quietly judging me. Finally, after getting LOTS of other project things done, gravity pulled me back to this component and it was time to complete the job. A fresh coat of paint and WOW, what a SWAN! Could it even be the same oily, dirty beast that I dragged in here almost half a year ago? But wait, where is the reverse gear spline locating pin? It has to be somewhere... [fast forward seven hours + entire cleanout of workshop + garage] ...it's nowhere. I've lost it. I can't believe I've lost it. No, this is impossible. I've bagged and tagged every single little piece on this project. Every nut, every bolt, every rusty cotter pin. I've saved *everything*. It must be somewhere... [goes through all parts bags again]...it's nowhere... Maybe I never had it? Maybe that's why those couple reverse gear teeth are chewed? There's no explanation, it's just...gone. To Moss Motors. They don't have it. To BPNW. No. eBay? Nope. Rimmer Bros??? YES!!! And it's only a few bucks...um, plus $24 shipping??? SRSLY. Maybe someone on the forum has an extra, or can help me to fabricate one. I'll post a thread. Wow, so much help from everyone, and especially @Steve-in-Florida, who just happened to have an extra reverse gear spline locating pin to contribute to our project -- thank you!!! With the replacement RGSLP installed the gearbox was complete and ready to be reattached to the engine. Time to bring it back upstairs and out to the garage! Maybe there's light at the end of this transmission tunnel after all... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49_6gIsxZPo]Marblehead MG - Episode 25 - Gearbox Prep[/url]

Posted 2023-06-03 08:55:36 by Matt Drayer

Go Go GO!

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:08:13 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

We're in full-on reassembly mode now. The rear hubs arrived -- one replacement, one spare, for one low price! Installing them wasn't too bad. There is still the slightest bit of in/out play on the passenger side even with the replacement hub. Not sure what that's about. And it looks like there are already Speedi-sleeves on both sides, too, so those are now sitting on the shelf. Attaching the half-shaft seemed to cinch that up so I guess the play it's not super concerning, particularly given the amount of usage our little car will likely be seeing. Famous words, I'm sure... Overhauling the rear end was such an extended effort that we ended up with an intimidating amount of video to work through. Much like the project itself, breaking it up into pieces and then reassembling them into a whole has been the best approach to keeping the episodes flowing. The bottle is uncorked now, so you can look forward to lots more videos to be published over the next couple of weeks! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uufhs5VRgqM]Marblehead MG - Episode 24: Rear Hubs![/url]

Posted 2023-06-01 12:08:13 by Matt Drayer

Brake Build

Tue, 30 May 2023 09:18:33 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

With the rear end stripped, cleaned, and painted it's time to reinstall the drum brake apparatus ahead of reinstalling the hubs. New shoes, springs, and adjusters are on the list. A small part of me had hoped none of this would be necessary, but a larger part is very relieved that it's all new equipment. In addition, knowing that I've personally done all of the work -- for better or for worse -- is a good feeling. With all the stones turned and all the parts replaced there are no uncertainties about the status or integrity of any component, which is confidence-inspiring, if unbudgeted :) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGNYZODru3w]Marblehead MG - Episode 23: Rear Brake Buildup[/url]

Posted 2023-05-30 09:18:33 by Matt Drayer

Hubba Hubba

Fri, 26 May 2023 16:24:13 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I knew the rear hubs had to come off as soon as I saw the oil in the drums. A bit of encouragement was required on the passenger side. Little did I know there was a mystery waiting for us to solve! It's amazing what small decisions and mistakes made by previous owners can lead to. Something as innocuous as installing or configuring a part incorrectly can create bigger problems literally down the road, and this is exactly what we discovered. Oh well, more parts to order, wait for, and install -- here it is almost the end of May and we still haven't fired the engine. Will we drive this car this summer?!!! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icBLYXFOAGc]Marblehead MG - Episode 22: Rear Brakes Teardown, Part 2[/url]

Posted 2023-05-26 16:24:13 by Matt Drayer

Into The Abyss

Sun, 21 May 2023 08:38:05 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

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. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSgEiq1SCN8]Marblehead MG - Episode 21: Rear Brake Teardown[/url]

Posted 2023-05-21 08:38:05 by Matt Drayer

Jalon Six

Sun, 07 May 2023 08:50:26 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

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! [url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=g2MWyXBW_hQ]Marblehead MG - Episode 20: Off The Jackstands![/url]

Posted 2023-05-07 08:50:26 by Matt Drayer

Stop It! (Part 3)

Thu, 04 May 2023 12:35:21 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

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! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZpQncP9n0]Marblehead MG - Episode 19: Front Brakes![/url]

Posted 2023-05-04 12:35:21 by Matt Drayer

Spring Rebound

Mon, 01 May 2023 14:47:43 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

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! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKtf_ggQuXM]Marblehead MG - Episode 17: Front Suspension[/url]

Posted 2023-05-01 14:47:43 by Matt Drayer

Good Good Goodridge

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 17:47:13 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

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! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZhYfUOYb_o]Marblehead MG - Episode 17: Goodridge Brake Lines[/url]

Posted 2023-04-29 17:47:13 by Matt Drayer

Rack Attack

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 08:35:28 -0500

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! :) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zu1OhAZfHM]Marblehead MG - Episode 16: Steering Rack[/url]

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Posted 2023-04-23 08:35:28 by Matt Drayer

Stop It! (Part 2)

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 08:05:32 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

This project is really starting to move now. Unboxing the Automec kit rolled right into installation of the front brake system hard lines. I've only ever installed one hard line in the past, and I did it without a cutting tool, flaring tool, or bending tool -- so you can imagine how that turned out. The Automec kit is really nice because all of the lines are pre-cut, pre-flared, and pre-fitted. However they are not pre-bent and so this was what I learned all about during this step of the restoration. And, of course, learning means you make mistakes, usually a lot of them. In particular I had a major mess-up with the #2 brake line -- the one that runs from the brake switch on the drivers side (for 1979 models) across the front crossmember to the passenger side flexible brake line connection. Because the Automec kits are cut so precisely, you need to run the line exactly as the designer intended. Of course, I tried to be clever and run the line in a more pretty, contouring way, which would have required an additional 8-10 inches of line, at least. I ended up needing to unbend the line and restart, which resulted in a final install with a bit of a wavy-looking first half of the line. Suffice to say I edited this entire frustrating bit out for the YouTube crowd, although my frustration and language probably would have been quite entertaining to watch :) Finally, the brake line bending tool is atrocious -- it's big, clunky, and the bend radii it creates are a good size maybe for a Peterbuilt, but not for a little British car. I wish I had purchased the Automec small bender, since the end result would have been very nice, I think. Oh well, the things you learn... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPvBPl2Xfwc]Marblehead MG - Episode 15: Front Brake Lines[/url]

Posted 2023-04-21 08:05:32 by Matt Drayer

Stop It!

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 10:32:27 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

With the keystone component (aka, the pedal box) installed our project is picking up speed. And, one thing we all know is that speed is dangerous. So, it's time to STOP! Just kidding, it's time for the brake hard lines! That bright green Automec kit has been sitting in the Big Moss Box for weeks -- let's unbox it and take a look! We'll focus on the front braking system for now and worry about the rear later -- something tells me there's a surprise waiting for us back there... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=va375KkQ2Os]Marblehead MG - Episode 14: Automec Brake Line Kit Unboxing[/url]

Posted 2023-04-19 10:32:27 by Matt Drayer

Step On It!

Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:22:54 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

This project has been like a long, drawn-out game of chess. I've been staring at the board, making some early moves to gain position, acquiring material, and planning elaborate combinations in order to hopefully end with a victory. In chess you often have multiple pieces set up with attacks directed toward a single same piece, such as a pawn. The pedal box was in this predicament! Can't do the brake lines without the brake master cylinder, which needs the pedal box. Can't do the front brakes without the brake switch, which needs the brake lines, which needs the pedal box. Can't install the engine without the transmission, which needs the clutch slave cylinder, which needs the clutch master cylinder, which needs the pedal box. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that yep, the pedal box had to be the first component. If we installed it first, the entire project would unfold from there, and quickly! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdmI-KKTt9c]Marblehead MG - Episode 13: Pedal Box Installation[/url]

Posted 2023-04-16 22:22:54 by Matt Drayer

Positive Progress

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 21:06:19 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I had planned on installing the pedal box this past week. However, I decided that it would be better from an order-of-operations perspective to install the sound deadening kit instead. At this point I'm not entirely sure how or why I came to that conclusion, but I'm happy it's done. Maybe I somehow subconsciously knew that It would be a positive experience, and I really needed one of those to get this project going again. The material makes a surprising difference with respect to the vibration and resonance of the metal in the footwells, firewall, center console, and floor pans. The reverberating "empty oil drum" sound is now more of a solid "thunk" sound. I know, I know, it's a convertible, but I really want to enjoy the sound of all that fresh air whooshing by :) The most ridiculous thing is that all of my agonizing about the POR-15 and applying those additional cans of spray paint to fully coat the interior is now moot. I should have just stopped after applying the primer and saved $75. Not to the mention many hours of effort and those "too cold to paint" lost February weeks. Oh well, now I know better, i guess. I'll have to remember to use this wisdom in my next project! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNLR5WejATM]Marblehead MG - Episode 12: Sound Dampening[/url]

Posted 2023-04-09 21:06:19 by Matt Drayer

Back On The Horse

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 10:13:07 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

With temperatures on the rise I've begun clawing my way out of my frigid funk. It wasn't an enjoyable place to be, project-wise, watching all those frozen hours roll by with little if any progress being made and still wanting the car to be on the road by mid-May. Part of my anxiety and frustration has been the Moss Motors order. Certainly not on the part of Moss -- they've been fantastic. On the contrary, it was more having that Big Box standing upright in the corner of the workshop like the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Walking in there and seeing it, hearing it quietly whispering "All this needs to be installed..." has been unnerving, to say the least. I decided I'd finally had enough of its sorcery, cut it open (again), and have gotten started. Thought I'd kick off with something easy-looking like the steering rack boots. The existing boots were pretty much destroyed, and while I didn't overhaul the rack, I did clean and paint it, so it deserved a new pair of boots to match. A bit of grease (elbow and real) got them on without too much consternation or laceration. The tie rods were also toast. I discovered the passenger side threads were stripped when I tried to remove the nylock nut and after a few choice words of ineffective encouragement cut it off with the Dremel. Coming along next will be reinstalling the pedal box assembly and front brake system lines, which will unlock the installation of the steering and front suspension components. Can't say I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel yet, but at least it feels like I'm back on the track! [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIpeXOXQNls]Marblehead MG - Episode 11: New Parts![/url]

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Posted 2023-04-02 10:13:07 by Matt Drayer

Supergoodenough

Sun, 26 Mar 2023 13:54:13 -0500

Matt Drayer's Journal --

[i]Ugh. It happened to me.[/i] I took a couple days off, and that turned into a couple weeks, and that ALMOST turned into a couple months. February turned out to be much busier than expected. Family, work, additional commitments -- almost not enough time for the dog, let alone the MG :). It also turned out to be much colder than I had hoped, which wasn't good for our project since we are in the paint phase. The air in our little detached garage warms up quickly with a Mr. Heater, but I didn't consider how long it takes a metal car to warm up. I've learned it definitely takes longer than the hour or two you manage to scrounge up on a random night. I've also learned that POR-15 topcoat does not like being applied to cold metal...see the video for more on that. ANYWAY, with spring here the average temp is starting to increase which means I'll be more inclined now to head out to the icebox to work on our little car. The engine bay, interior, and trunk are all painted, which is fantastic. I still have more to do -- in particular the wheel wells, the transmission tunnel, and a host of missed spots. However, as my friend says, we have reached "supergoodenough" on this part of the project, and we can continue moving forward. Speaking of moving forward, the really good news is that putting the project on hold for a few weeks allowed the backordered full suspension kit from Moss Motors to arrive, as well as some smaller parts and pieces picked up from Amazon and eBay, so we have all of the parts we've ordered from all suppliers at this point. I'm pretty sure we're also going to need a new distributor, but maybe not, we'll see. I am hopeful we'll be trying our first-fire by the end of April. It's good to have goals :) [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09tLi7LhAoU]Marblehead MG Episode 10: Engine Bay and Interior Paint[/url]

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Posted 2023-03-26 13:54:13 by Matt Drayer

Primed And Ready?

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 10:56:52 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I'm not sure I'm happy with where we're at right now. I know I should be happy -- a lot has been accomplished so far. The dashboard is off, and the engine bay, interior, and trunk spaces are all coated with primer which has been drying/curing for a few days. I made the mistake of staying up late consuming a bunch of "Project Car Do's and Don'ts" and "Proper Car Restoration in 500 Steps" type articles and videos last week, which only made me anxious versus guiding me. I mean, I know I'm generally on the right track, but now I know what I really should be doing. A few of the articles I read described typical project failure stories -- you know the kind -- project car is bought with a dream of restoring to like-new-or-better, supplies/parts are acquired, Life Happens and everything gets put away, 15 years later the project is sold off to the next hopeful. I'm worried that's going to be me someday... I should have done some body sealer/filler work in the engine bay before priming to really smooth things out, but I really wanted to get that primer on. There are some bare spots I missed, and some interesting spots where the primer still isn't dry, and I can't figure out why -- maybe the metal wasn't clean enough, or maybe I didn't mix the primer well enough. Maybe there's still time to do a bit of fixing before applying the topcoat. I couldn't get all of the old soundproofing material off of the transmission tunnel, so I just primed over it. It's fine...maybe it'll even be better this way, after the interior is painted, and a new layer of soundproofing goes on, plus carpet. All of my project clothes are covered in primer at this point. I should have ordered a firewall grommet kit when I did the big Moss order, but I'm experiencing a bit of new tools+parts fatigue at the moment. It's not the money it's just the constant acquisition of things that is wearing me down. I know there's still more stuff to pick up -- a lot of "do it now, because it's easiest to address now" situations, so...it's fine, I guess. I feel like the engine has been sitting on the stand in a disassembled state for too long. It doesn't look rusty or corroded, and I have all of the necessary parts to put it back together again. I'm worried about "priming the pump" for some reason. I'm also worried that with the timing chain off and the distributor removed for so long that the cam is now out of alignment. I know there's a defined procedure for restoring the timing, but I'm still not ready to take this on, so it's just there in the back of my head nagging at me. I need to finish the prep work. Don't scatter around too much. One thing at a time. I can't put the front suspension back together again because the one thing that was backordered from Moss was the Full Suspension Kit item, which has all of the necessary bushings, pins, etc. that I need to reassemble. I have no idea when it will be shipped to me. It doesn't really matter because I am still working on the body, but everyone says to reassemble the suspension/steering before doing almost everything else, so this may become a blocker. I just want to get this machine running again. There are so many pieces to reassemble. The temperature this weekend is going to be like 5F -- going to be difficult in our little barely-heated garage. There are so many pieces...it's a real-world jigsaw puzzle. Will it all go back together? What if a piece is missing? What if I put it back together wrong? What if, what if, what if... Breathe. It will all be fine. Just keep swimming. Breathe... [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=528bPBWQ-6w]Marblehead MG Episode 9[/url]

Posted 2023-01-31 10:56:52 by Matt Drayer

Primer Pontification

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:19:12 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

I've been procrastinating on applying primer to the engine bay. It's too cold. It's too late. My son has hockey practice. It's snowing outside. I need more propane for the heater. Eventually, though, I ran out of excuses. Falling behind on our new "Marblehead MG" YouTube channel videos, after only two weeks of production, is adding more wood to the fire. Off to the cold garage I go to fret some more. Staring at the raw engine bay, I see that one screw that has defied all removal attempts. Well, I simply can't prime until that's out. Nothing has worked so far. The head's slots have stripped, and it won't twist out with channel locks or vice grips. I have a new set of Harbor Freight reverse drill bits, maybe one of those will work. If not I guess I still can't do the primer. 90 seconds later I have zero excuses. I set up the phone on a tripod and pull out a red 3M scrubby. I tell myself I'm only looking to scratch up the paint to make a good surface for the primer and POR-15, I'm not trying to get down to bare metal. This is a comforting thought -- there are so many little angles and corners -- the only way to turn them all into shiny steel would be sandblasting or an acid bath, and that's not happening. Scrubbing done, time for the sander. I'm picking up speed now, getting back into the swing of things. I keep reminding myself I'm just scuffing, not stripping. The job goes quickly, and it's now Good Enough for primer. Should i be putting primer down at all? Maybe I should just go with POR-15? What if I do this wrong? What if it all peels away when I'm done, and everyone can see that I'm incompetent? Maybe I should go back inside and read more decade-old threads of people arguing with each other about primer vs. no primer under POR-15. No one cares, Matt. Just do the primer. But, should i use a brush? What about a roller? Maybe I should buy a paint sprayer -- that's what everyone seems to do. Yeah, before I do this wrong, I could go back inside and do more research on air guns... MATT, STOP IT! DO THE ENGINE BAY!!! I do it. I crack open the can of Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and begin brushing it on (Wait! This part's not rusty! What if the metal isn't rusty? What if it's just...metal? MATT, KEEP GOING.). The primer color is gaining ground. (Is the garage too cold? Is it too thick? Should I thin it out? Maybe I should...KEEP GOING). Good bye yellow cross member. Good bye black seam sealer. Good bye exposed sheet metal. It's all one color now. Primer brown, but at least it's consistent. It doesn't look like a Frankenstein car anymore. It just looks like a car. It looks...great? I did it. I put the primer on. I'm certain I did it wrong, but it looks so much better than it did. What a step forward. What progress! Progress, indeed. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5u5lRuRmM]Marblehead MG - Episode 7: Engine Bay Primer[/url]

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Posted 2023-01-25 15:19:12 by Matt Drayer

Gearing Up

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 22:57:29 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

Life loves to move right in on the vacuum created by a "quick break" in a project. All of that wonderful and relaxing void in space-time is rapidly consumed by all sorts of obligations and procrastinations. For me it was the basement workshop. With the catalyst of a heating oil tank that needed to be replaced, most of the unfinished portion of the basement needed to be emptied out to make room for the installation crew. Of course, emptying out an area of the house that had essentially been collecting items and dust for almost 20 years wasn't a quick job, and it ate most of the rest of the week -- and the weekend, too. The good news is that we now have a well-organized workshop, with a beautiful newly-painted red floor and lots of space to, well, work. This is especially helpful right now because we just experienced our first real snowstorm of the season -- not too severe by historical standards, but enough to keep us from wanting to trudge out to the garage to work on the actual car. While futzing about in the workshop this weekend our Moss Motors order arrived. We're excited to inspect the Big Box, but we're also more than a bit intimidated. After all, it contains over 100 parts! Feeling a little like Pandora about to raise the cover -- once we start, we won't be able to go back. But back to what, really? The only way to go with this car in its current state is FORWARD! Before we can begin installing parts, however, there's more prep work to be done. It's time to hit the engine bay, interior, and trunk with the sander and then paint all the things. We also have some sound deadening sheets which will be installed on the firewall (so that dash needs to come off...), footwells, floorboards, transmission tunnel, and the area behind the seats. Hoping the dash isn't hiding any surprises, we'll see!

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Posted 2023-01-16 22:57:29 by Matt Drayer

Rest Interval

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:34:40 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

There are special points in a long-term project when the time comes take a breath and step back from the work. To reflect. Some people become frustrated or upset when this occurs -- they want to keep working. However, all duty cycles feature both a work interval and a rest interval. And it's a reason to celebrate: Round 1 is complete. You've reached a milestone. For our project, the first major milestone was the inflection point between the reasonable end of the teardown and the start of the rebuild preparation. Although much of the gunk has been removed at this point, there's still a fair amount of elbow [de]grease[r] required, and some additional components to remove (cough-cough, dashboard, cough-cough). However, with 2023 here it was high time to put down the scrapers and rags for a moment, clean up our workspace, and have a good look at the car. Our impression is that the Fall was a dirty, difficult, exhausting experience -- and we expected it to be. And our assessment is that we are in good shape now, relatively speaking. Yes, there were some dark times -- such as cleaning the transmission tunnel. But, those times are in the past and we're optimistic about putting this little machine back together. Another milestone at this junction was the submission of our first Moss Motors order. After spending three months working on the car and assembling the parts list, it had grown to include a substantial number of items. Mostly these are wear items, such as rubber bushings, needing to be replaced, but also some parts which could not be saved. The order size was just large enough to gain entry into the Moss Motors Customer Loyalty Program, and also timed to leverage the Winter Sale 11% discount. We've also placed several other orders from various companies and even MGExp members! Front Armstrong lever shocks from Worldwide Auto Parts of Madison. Front brake calipers from British Parts Northwest. Gear reduction starter from Classic Car Performance. A Weber DCV 32/36 from Lee Orphan. A chrome bumper from Tim Messenger. A tonneau cover from Ed Wolff. Boxes from Amazon and eBay. Bags from AutoZone, O'Reilly, Harbor Freight, and Home Depot. My wife so far isn't complaining about the tools+parts inflow (and cash outflow...) -- maybe she's happy I've decided to spend my midlife crisis this way ;) Finally, I think I've actually consumed every single minute of MG Midget 1500 back-content on YouTube at this point, and so I've decided that it's time to start our own channel dedicated to the project. At the time of this writing we've published six episodes, with a few more currently in production and certainly more to come. As all of the YouTubers love to say, don't forget to click "like", "subscribe", "the notification bell", and leave a comment! https://youtube.com/@marbleheadmg

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Posted 2023-01-11 14:34:40 by Matt Drayer

On Track!

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 23:00:32 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

What a push. I've already put so many hours into this project, and it's just been prep, prep, prep. There's more prep to do. There's always more. Prep never ends. Even when you think you've done enough, you look at that bubbling paint and that dripping oil and realize that yep, you should have done more. I read a response to someone's MG Experience post saying "Congrats on your new project -- expect to spend 40-50 hours prepping." Pretty sure I'm over 50 hours at this point. Probably 75-80. And that's only counting the actual hours I've put in on the car -- there's also the research, the reading, the YouTubes, the tools, the parts sites, the writing. I've seen articles stating that restorations take anywhere from 500 to 1000 hours. 500 hours seems high to me -- after all, this isn't a concours-level effort. I'm sure some day I'll look back on what I just wrote and LOL ROTFL LOLOLOLOL. I could keep better track of hours, but hours are not the focus. The focus is progress. Progress must be made every day. No matter how small, there must be progress. Our Phase 1 goal was to reach a "clean state" by the end of 2022 so we could make our parts orders and begin putting the car back together. Sandblasters and acid washes aren't in the budget, and so our signifying event would consist of a thorough spray-and-scrub with a jug of Purple Power and a hot water rinse from our hockey rink hose (it's Massachusetts). I'm happy to say that after gallon of kerosene, a 1000-count package of napkins, a box of nitrile gloves, many swear words, and many more late nights, our first milestone was achieved on the afternoon of New Year's Eve 2022. Sure, the rear end still needs to be dropped, cleaned, inspected, and renovated. Same goes for the gas tank. And the exhaust. The peeling undercoating needs to be scraped away. Body panels need to be fixed/filled. We'll get to all that stuff in due time. But we're in a good place now -- we're able to repair, and paint, and install. YouTube makes it look soooo easy -- 1000 hours of blood, sweat, and tears condensed into 30 smiling minutes. ROTFL, indeed. Speaking of YouTube, we're going to try starting our own channel -- "Marblehead MG". I think it would be good for my daughter to learn how to do -- and it could end up being a substantial component of her journalism project. I feel like we should have documented more of the early part of the process with video, but that's water under the bridge at this point. This is where we're at, so we'll go forward from here -- best time to plant a tree and all. It's 2023 and we're on track with this project. Onward and upward. Shifting gears. Progress.

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Posted 2023-01-02 23:00:32 by Matt Drayer

Frankenstein

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 10:10:32 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

"UNREAL..." I've been stripping and degreasing the engine bay for weeks. I knew we'd need to do a bit of "carchaeology" with this five-decade-old vehicle, but what I'm seeing now blows me away. Once again, I'm covered from head to toe in a mixture of ancient petroleum and dirt. I've lifted the front end of the car about a foot using the engine hoist and my six-foot tall body is crammed inside the child-sized engine bay. The contortions were worth the effort to avoid leaning over the fender for the amount of time this particular phase of the project was taking. After trying pretty much every degreasing product on the market with limited success, I've settled on a spray bottle full of kerosene. It's proven better than any of the commercial products. Thanks to the combination of the kerosene, a plastic putty knife, my trusty Anvil 6-in-1 painter's tool, and an industrial-size package of paper napkins, I've managed to clear away not just the thick layer of black gunk, but also the paint covering the brown front crossmember, which was now clearly presenting itself as a yellow front crossmember. "HOLY MOLY..." I crawled out of the car, stretched, and stared down into the engine bay. Just behind the crossmember I had uncovered two additional welds going across the chassis rails, attaching the crossmember to the original structure. "What the heck happened to you, little one?" Replacement engine...replacement crossmember...replacement passenger fender...wrinkled sheet metal and a pushed-up battery tray section...brazes and welds... I closed my eyes and imagined the car's story playing back in my mind. There it was, sitting in a garage. No, there were TWO cars -- brown and yellow. The brown one had a face of twisted, destroyed metal. The yellow one was stripped, just a skeleton...a parts car. A plasma cutter, and then...sparks...heavy gloves...a welding mask... Someone was joining them together, making one working car out of two broken ones. Frankenstein. My mind rewound the story further. Someone was driving the brown car. A collision! Smoke. Dazed driver. What happened? Did someone hit them? Oregon...it was registered in Oregon... Rain...that seems plausible. Heavy PNW rain...top up...windows up...slow-moving wipers...fogged windshield...hit a puddle...hydroplaned off the road...front crushed...steering twisted...engine destroyed...heavy chains and hooks...wrecker dragging it out of a ditch...in the rain... "WOW..." I snapped back to the present, amazed that anyone would have decided to keep this car going after what happened. It doesn't seem like it sat in a junkyard, either. It's filthy, yes, but there are no major holes in the rest of the vehicle, and there's no structural rust. So much of it is still original. Someone got right to it after the vehicle was impacted. Could the repairs have been covered by insurance? It seems unlikely that the verdict would have been anything other than a total loss, given the extent of the damage. No, this felt more like... "JOY..." Someone decided with their heart -- not their head -- that restoring this little MG was worth the cost. A rational mind schooled in classical economic theory would never have taken on this project. It was a complete time sink, and whether or not the owner did the work themselves, it was a money sink, too. They certainly didn't recoup those costs when they sold the car. Their investment could only be returned in the joy of wrenching it, tuning it, and whisking it along curving country roads with the top down on positively beautiful sunny days. What a dream to have. And here I am, standing alone in my garage at midnight, cold, covered in filth, envisioning those curved roads, that warm sun, promising to a forever unknown number of forever unknown previous owners that I'll bring this car back to life once again, so my daughter can experience that same joy and understand what it really means to drive.

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Posted 2022-12-27 10:10:32 by Matt Drayer

Carchaeology

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 09:17:58 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

"Dad, I see yellow!" "Yellow?" "Yeah, in the wheel well. I'm scraping off the black gunk and underneath the gunk it's black and brown, but underneath that it's yellow." I put my wire brush down and went over to look at the front passenger wheel well. Sure enough, there was a bit of yellow paint showing through the grime. I scraped at the wheel well and exposed more yellow paint. Yellow? The OEM color of this car was Russet Brown -- the engine bay, interior, and trunk were all Russet. Was the body repainted yellow at some point before being repainted white? But the yellow was actually showing from under the original brown paint, which had been further spraypainted black. Could the manufacturer have put a yellow fender on during assembly, then painted the car brown? That seemed unlikely...it was most likely a repair. "How about that? Talk about odd. Well...we don't know much about the car, but we do know that it was painted white by the second-previous owner. Not the person we bought it from, but the person who owned the car before him. So this is probably a replacement fender pulled from another car, maybe one from a junkyard. This car is almost fifty years old, so it's not surprising that it's had at least one repair in its past. I'm sure we'll uncover more history as we continue digging. I call it 'Carchaeology'." Looking closer, I could now see that the sheet metal inside the passenger wheel well wasn't smooth and flat like the drivers side. There were wrinkles and bends. Where clean straight lines should have been, instead there were a few twists and turns. I tried to visualize what would have caused all of this distortion, all of this...crumpling. That was it. This wasn't a simple replacement of a rusty fender. This was an impact. "Interesting..." "What?" "Well, do you see all of this bent metal? On the driver's side it doesn't look like this -- everything is smooth. And under the brown paint there's no yellow paint from what I can tell. I think this little car was in an accident at some point in its life. Maybe the driver hit a telephone pole or something. These MG's didn't have airbags, but the front ends were designed to crumple on impact. And it must have happened before the car was painted white, because whoever installed the yellow fender painted everything to match the car's original color back when it was still 'Russet Brown'. So this must have been a pretty long time ago. And look -- if we scrub more here with the wire brush we can actually see where they welded parts of the car back together. This is a welding technique called brazing. It's basically gluing two pieces of metal together using a different metal. Lots of auto body shops do it, although I think a shop would have made better repairs than what I see, so this was probably a DIY job. Yep, here are some more brazes. And here. And here... (Oh man...) So this poor little car was in a pretty substantial accident at some point years ago, and someone cared enough to go through all the trouble and expense to fix it and make it look new again." "Whoa. How do you know all this?" I didn't really know how to answer her without sounding overbold. I wasn't a professional body repair technician or a certified insurance adjuster, I was just a DIY hack that had adored cars since my very first Matchbox. I grew up watching the Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, Speed Buggy, Herbie the Love Bug, and Cannonball Run. My favorite TV shows were Top Gear, Overhaulin', and Formula One: Drive to Survive. I'd consumed thousands of hours of YouTube restoration and tuning videos, and read a mountain of books, articles, and forum postings. I'd wrenched on bikes, cars, trucks, jeeps, boats, trailers, and more. I raced in a local adult karting league. My Amazon wishlist had a YesWelder MP200 on it. But all of that was just my foundation -- everything about this car was new to me. "Well, sometimes you just have to listen to what the car's telling you. Let's keep going, I'm sure it has a lot more to say."

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Posted 2022-12-18 09:17:58 by Matt Drayer

Heart Surgery

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 10:49:56 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

One more good shove and the clutch should clear...YES!!! The engine separated from the transmission bell housing and swung freely on the crane's chain. Holy moly, I did it, I pulled the engine! How cool is this :) I pumped the crane a few more times to clear the body and then slowly wheeled the apparatus around to the engine stand. Three bolts later it was on the stand and now I could take a really good look and start prepping the block for paint. No engine number plate...hmm, that's odd. I wonder why that is. There's supposed to be a number stamped on the block/head interface surface...but I can only make out a very faint "7U". Maybe the block has been planed? Well, I guess I can clean the carbon off these pistons. They don't look too bad, actually, compared to what I've seen online. what are these numbers? "040"...I'll have to look into that. Also I thought the tops were supposed to be dished, but these are flat. Weird. I probably should have done a compression test before I took everything apart -- I guess it's too late for that now. But that coolant sat for a while on top of the pistons before draining into the block...so hopefully that means the rings are still good. I guess only time will tell. Man this block is DIRTY -- it's absolutely covered in oil and grease. I didn't think I'd have to tear it all the way down, but maybe I should. Well, let's get that timing cover off. Wow, the bolts are just barely more than hand-tight...aren't they supposed to be tighter than this? Maybe that is why the fan sprayed oil all over the engine bay. Ugh, look at this gasket/RTV mess...who the heck did this? This timing chain is super loose -- add another item to the list. Maybe I should install one of those cool looking double chains, I'll have to check. The crankshaft looks...really good? Shiny, even. It doesn't move at all when I try to shove it forward/backward. The thrust washers don't appear to be worn at all. "040" flat head pistons, nice looking crank, unworn thrust washers, planed block...this engine has already been rebuilt once? Number plate missing...possibly a replacement engine? [Fast forward after multiple hours of scraping, cleaning, wirebrushing, torching, and taping] Now THAT's a clean looking engine block! Just like the Uncle Tony's Garage video. Okay, time to paint the block. I think they were all painted black -- at least I can see this one was. But I'm going with red. Maroon, actually -- POR-15's "MG Maroon". It's the car's heart, after all...

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Posted 2022-12-12 10:49:56 by Matt Drayer

Diving In

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 12:52:57 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

"Good luck!" "Thanks!" I hopped in the Jeep and looked over my shoulder. With the back seats folded down the engine crane and stand just barely fit. I got them for a great price from a guy who had used it once to replace the engine in his Jeep XJ. Not a scratch on either one. As I pulled away from his place I contemplated where I was going with this project. Am I really going to remove the engine and tranny? I couldn't see another way. Every interface is leaking oil. There's sludge covering every inch of the engine bay and tunnel. I can't let my daughter drive this car without knowing it's good, and considering the lack of vehicle history if I don't know for sure that the engine and transmission are solid, then as far as I'm concerned it's not driveable. So yeah, everything needs to come out. We've already removed most of the auxiliary components from the engine bay. The front bumper and wheels, too, and put it on jack stands. The easy stuff. Last night I removed the cylinder head, which I thought would be hard, but it was easy as well. I drained the oil from the pan and the coolant from the radiator, then pulled off the head. Bright green coolant poured everywhere -- whoops. Yeah, I'm definitely not a trained mechanic -- but I'm learning a ton of cool stuff and I'm having a lot of fun. If I can get this engine out, cleaned up, and painted I'll be really happy.

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Posted 2022-12-06 12:52:57 by Matt Drayer

The Agreement

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 14:58:02 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

The car is covered in grease, and oil, and dirt. The garage floor is covered in grease, and oil, and dirt. I'm covered in grease, and oil, and dirt. She's covered in grease, and oil, and dirt. The starter is out, and confirmed dead. We've been scraping away at the engine bay, the underside, the front wheel wells, the front suspension, and the steering gear. I was out here last night for a couple hours, taking a really good look at the engine and the transmission. I haven't really gotten into the technicalities yet, the manuals, the forums, I've just been going on my own experience working on previous rustbuckets. I know what I'm seeing, and what I'm not seeing. I also know I can handle this, mentally, but it's going to require going deep into the suck for hours, for days, maybe for weeks. "So, at this point it's looking to me like a teardown." "Oh..." I can tell she's realized this project is now way more than a busted starter -- and as a busy teenager with homework, sports, extracurriculars, friends and (grrr) a possible first boyfriend entering the picture, availability was looking tight. "We're going to need to pull out the engine and transmission, remove all the parts, and take a good look at everything. We're going to need to remove the suspension components, too. It all needs to be cleaned. We'll keep what we can and do a parts order for what we can't. It's going to be a lot of work, but it's going to also be a lot of fun putting it together and you WILL be driving it before school ends." "You're going to pull out the engine? How???" "With an engine crane, of course! It's just removing a few bolts and a couple of wires/tubes on these cars -- trust me, it'll go. I've already found a guy a few towns over selling a like-new crane, leveler, and stand for short money. Just think of all the new tools we'll get for this project! And then we'll already have them when it's your brother's turn." "Haha, Mom's gonna love that!" "Look, cleaning this little beast is going to be a nasty job. Really dirty work using chemicals and solvents that I'd prefer you are not exposed to. I'm going to be hyper-focused on getting it done by the end of the year. I'm going to be swearing...a lot :). You can come out here anytime and help me, but I don't want you to feel guilty if things come up and you can't. Besides, the fun part is going to be putting everything back together when she's cleaned up and we have all the parts ready to go, anyway. We'll aim to start doing that after the holidays. Sound like a deal to you?" "Deal!" "Alright, let's begin removing parts. Everything comes off. Everything goes into ziplock bags with labels written on them. Ready?" "Yes!"

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Posted 2022-11-28 14:58:02 by Matt Drayer

Realization

Sun, 13 Nov 2022 22:55:46 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

"Okay....pop it!" It was the fifth time I had rolled the MG down our driveway, prompting my daughter to engage the clutch and use the gearing to coax the engine to fire. The car quickly ground to a halt, the engine continuing its hibernation. So frustrating. I had booted up my Jeep Wrangler this way just a year ago when my nephew had arrived to trailer it to his place in New Hampshire. It's not black magic, it's science, and it works...most of the time. When we looked at the car, the previous owner had said it had started up just a couple months before, yet wasn't currently turning over due to a possible starter issue. He had recently replaced the battery, which was great, but the starter remained dormant. I didn't care, though -- I was all in on the proposed father-daughter project experience. So we bought the Midget, loaded it on a U-Haul dolly, and towed it home. "Let's take five, sweetie -- I need some time to think." Something wasn't right. I opened the airbox -- dirty looking filter, could it be original? Seemed fine enough from an airflow perspective, though. Maybe that ancient looking Zenith carburetor is clogged up -- hmm, not ready to get into that just yet. Fuel? Gauge says 1/2 tank. Maybe the fuel pump is dead. Where IS the fuel pump on this thing? "Press the clutch in and turn the key again?" Yeah, nothing. No solenoid click, no starter whirr, no fuel pump hum, hmm. Battery dead? Multimeter reads fine. Maybe it's the starter solenoid. Interesting, this starter doesn't seem to have a solenoid...it must have a solenoid. Battery is connected to...oh, weird, it looks like it has some sort of separate solenoid-type device. Seems like it was attached to the body at one point, but now it's just dangling in space...maybe it's no longer grounded -- I'll re-attach it. "Okay, give the key another shot." CLICK! "Dad, it did something!" "Yep, the solenoid is now activating, but still no starter..." What to try next? Maybe I should try jumping the solenoid. That always worked for my Beetle -- the starter would get stuck all the time and I'd have to jump it with a screwdriver. Did it this spring on an outboard boat engine, too. Worth a shot. Got the big screwdriver out, jumped the contacts annnnd...nothing. Sheesh. "I think the starter might be dead. It looks like it's the original design, so I'm not surprised. Although I must say I no longer believe the car ran as recently as this summer. That 2017 inspection sticker on the windshield might be a clue." I don't know how I missed that sticker when we looked at the car. I guess I was already sold on the project at that point -- after all, it's just a car, and a simple one at that, right? "We'll probably need to buy a new starter. I'll have to look around online to see what will fit." "Alright..." I could see the disappointment in her eyes. She had envisioned zipping around town with a friend in the passenger seat and the radio on, taking it to school, getting ice cream at the beach, and was now feeling that vision sliding into "maybe next year" territory. I was feeling my own disappointment growing, too, realizing that this wasn't going to be easy...or inexpensive....already envisioning a new engine hoist in our future. "You did say you wanted a 'project car'. Well, this is definitely a project car. And, this is the fun part! We get to figure out what is wrong with it and then fix it up. Based on what little we know so far, it could be a total restoration project. It's definitely a total degreasing project. There's a lot of gunk coating the engine, and the transmission, and the underside, and the suspension. I don't think I've ever seen a car so clean on the outside, and so dirty on the inside/underside. It's like someone has been spraying the engine bay with oil for decades. Hey, do you want to remove the starter and we can test it? I'll show you how to do it." "Sure!" Hadn't lost her yet...

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Posted 2022-11-13 22:55:46 by Matt Drayer

The Project Begins

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 07:53:38 -0600

Matt Drayer's Journal --

"Hi Dad, I have a journalism project I need a hand with..." Sure, I'm thinking, some sort of diorama? Maybe a trip to a museum, a national park, or maybe a photo safari? We have what I would consider a wonderful relationship, but my 16yo daughter rarely leaves her room when she's home, and even more rarely asks me for anything at this point. "What do you think about working on a project car together?" I'm dumbfounded. She knows I'm a car guy. She'd better not be pulling my chain. "Are you serious? Because if you are, I'm in. We'll find a car, we'll do all the work, and when it's done, you'll get to drive me around town and it'll be awesome.' "Yes, I'm serious!" And so it begins -- I dive deeply into the rabbit hole of project car culture. I've always been a car guy -- I've owned a few at this point -- and a few I'd personally wrenched on 1974 VW Super Beetle (engine swap), a 1978 Mercedes 300D (diesel???), a 2000 Jeep Wrangler TJ (total overhaul). What would it be this time? "How about a truck?" "Hmm...no." "A old school Mini Cooper?" "No" "Honda Fit? We could give it a fun paint job and snazzy wheels!" "Nope." "Muscle car?" "Maybe..." "How about this 1989 BMW convertible? It's red and in pretty good condition." "No thanks." (Yes, my teenage daughter declined an offer to buy her a BMW convertible.) "1978 Pontiac Trans Am? Smokey and the Bandit!" "That's pretty cool looking, maybe." (Yessss...) I begin watching Trans Am restoration YouTubes. Dozens of them. Not so bad -- I can handle that. Now I just need the project...wow there's a lot of beaters out there. Wait, $12k for a beater?!! What about a roller? $8k for a ROLLER??? The engine bay is full of hay!!! Who's buying these rustbuckets? "I know what I've got" says the seller. I don't think you know what you got, buddy... To Craigslist..."project car". Hey, check it out, a little MG Midget, I remember those. It looks like it's in great shape. Seller says it runs, has brought it to a few car shows, needs a bit of work, engine ran as of a couple months ago, asking price seems excellent based on some quick comp research and leaves room in the budget for tools and parts. Oh man, this would be great! Of course, she'll never go for it.... "Hey sweetie, check this out. It's a 1979 MG Midget -- this could be a fun one." "Did you just say 'midget'? That's the name of the car?" "Well, um, yeah. I mean, I know the name isn't exactly PC these days, but the parts are cheap, it's easy to work on, there seems to be a great community, and it'll fit in our little garage. People also refer to these cars as 1500's, so we could call it that instead of a midget." (Please...) "It's really cute! Let's do it!"

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Posted 2022-11-07 07:53:38 by Matt Drayer