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MG MGB Technical - The beast is finished

Well after way too much time, the beast is finished. '72 bgt in original Aqua. I don't think I have any more full restorations left in me. So I'm moving on to two classic Vespas! Hope they're easier.

Thanks to everyone for your help and advice. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Tom

Tom Custer

I know what you mean about finished, 15 years on it's still a pleasure to stand next to an MGB that is in one piece. Well done , nice car and sure you will enjoy it for years.
Stan Best

Very nice Tom. Are you leaving the original rims on?
Bruce Cunha

Hi Bruce. Yes, leaving them on, at least for now. I bead-blasted and painted them. Painting the rims was tricky. Don't look close!!

Tom
Tom Custer

Tom-
The car is "Finished"? Famous last words! I thought my car was finished, but I've got another idea fermenting. Doubtless, you will too. MGBs are just that kind of car!
Stephen Strange

Very pretty, Tom. I love the color. If you decide you are dissatisfied with your paint job on the wheels, I always thought the Rostyle looked better when painted only one color, like silver or black depending on your car color, and then adding the chrome trim (beauty) rings.

Got an overdrive in there? It's hard to claim it's finished if you don't!

Vespas should be fun, and so much easier. I recently fixed up (not truly restored) a 63 BSA C15 250. It took only about 3 months in my spare time.

Charley
C R Huff

Hi Charley. Yes, I picked up an overdrive gearbox and rebuilt it at one of John Twist's two-day, gearbox-rebuilding sessions. Works as advertised!

Tom
Tom Custer

Well done Tom, nice looking car and a nice refreshing color too !!

Dave.
Dave ( spoggy )

Tom, have you ever done cables on a vespa? I've seen that job turn boys into men and bring men to tears. Keep us informed. RIC
RIC LLOYD

Hi Ric. Don't know a thing about Vespas. Don't even know how a 2-stroke engine works. Not happy to hear about the cables. But I guess every resto project has to have some nasties. For my mga it was rebuilding the windscreen. For the bgt is was rebuilding and installing the dash, among other things.

Tom
Tom Custer

Never had problems with cables on a Vespa, but I certainly did on a Lambretta. From new the clutch was extremely stiff, "It's just new and will ease off" they said but it didn't. I insisted they look at it and they had to admit it was very stiff, and on removing the handlebar cover they found the cable had been crushed between two webs and wasn't sitting in the correct slot. That was easily solved, but I had repeated breakage of the gear cables. I had to complete one journey with the inner pulled out of the outer, fed through the cover, and tied round one ankle which it fortunately would reach. That was OK as long as I remembered to come to a halt with the other foot down ... After about three breakages I noticed the throttle cable was thicker, so replaced the gear cables with two of those, and had no more problems.
PaulH Solihull

Note to self: pay close attention to the cables during restoration. Any problems, call Ric or Paul.

Cheers,
Tom
Tom Custer

On second thoughts I think I used clutch cables for the gears (it was 45 years ago ...) but you get the idea.
PaulH Solihull

Very nice Tom
How many years?
John
John Minchin

Hi John. Happy New Year! Seven years. Also took me 7 for the mga. I need to get a life!!

Tom
Tom Custer

This thread was discussed between 24/12/2010 and 01/01/2011

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