January Wrap up

 

An MGA trunk badge is encased in ice

It's cold out there

 

Because the sun came out on the last day of January, but the temps stayed down, John had an opportunity to get in a road test on this MGB.

   Around the time of the British Invasion of Stowe the owner asked us if we could tune it up for the trip.  All good tuneups begin with a road test & compression test.  The road test wasn’t encouraging.

Cold but sunny road test

John's cold but sunny road test

 

In as much as two cylinders were below 90 P.S.I. and two cylinders were reading an even zero, we had to express our condolences about the Stowe trip and recommend an engine overhaul instead.  Because this is what the Brits would refer to as “cherished” motorcar, and not necessarily a valuable one, we cast about for a used engine and found one in the basement of the shop.

A used MGB engine for a used MGB

Winching an MGB engine thru the coal bin

 

  Since our usual access was blocked by three and a half feet of snow, we winched it up thru the coal bin !   Sorry, that was the last one down there, unless you’d like us to put something together for you.  

 This car was also suffering from a low brake pedal.  John replaced the rusted main brake line.  Your correspondent drove it, too, what a blast !

John & Butch crank up the EXU TC

It runs ! See the tachometer

 

Butch & John also cranked up the EXU TC. With an engine in “as is” pre-restoration shape (except for the paint), it presented something of an unknown.  We were very disappointed to discover that it ran smoothly and quietly, and will not provide us with an additional revenue stream in the near future.  

An aluminum radiator for an Austin Healey

Austin Healey aluminum radiator

 

This splendid all aluminum radiator for one of our Austin Healey projects showed up via UPS on the 31st.  We are sending it up to Jon Thompson at Sports Car Specialties in Grafton, N.H. to fit it up to the car.  It’s this Austin Healey pictured below: 

Butch installs an uprated Austin Healey engine

Butch installs an uprated engine

 

This fully balanced engine is running a stage 2 Denis Welsh alloy cylinder head, +.080″ JE pistons, and a big cam.  

  Compare the R/H pedal box behind Butch’s left elbow with the L/H pedal box which has been relieved for clearance around the DMD intake manifold (not pictured) by Sports Car Specialties.  Can your Paint & Bondo guy do this ?

Trial fit up ona "LEAF" crank

Trial fit up on a "LEAF" crank

 

Oh yeah, I’m working on something, too.  This is a test fit up of the crankshaft & scantlings on this dual underhead cam LEAF engine.  More about this later.

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