How not to get a MGB back on the road

[DodgeRover]

Fuck it just enjoy it now, get out in the countryside whilst you can still find some, run on proper 4 start leaded petrol and think of the amount you are saving with the tax and test exemption...

[LynehamHerc]

That's the plan.
It's difficult to get 4 star around here but I've got some octane booster which should work.
The guy at the garage has said that I can do the paintwork at his, which will be a lot warmer than under my car port, so I should be able to start in a few days when it's back from the bodyshop who did the sills.

[SiC]

Ouch. But doesn't surprise me. There was a thread on AS where people were aghast that someone was quoted £10k for a Morris Minor restoration.

Even though I'm probably one of the slowest doing car work, it taught me that bodywork and metal work just does take a lot of time. To do it really well, it takes an awful lot of time and skill.

You probably weren't too far off spending a bit more and getting a whole new heritage shell!

[SiC]

I run my b-series on which ever is the closest place that does Super Unleaded. At stock distributor static timing, it doesn't and never has pinked.

[LynehamHerc]

Ouch. But doesn't surprise me. There was a thread on AS where people were aghast that someone was quoted £10k for a Morris Minor restoration.

Even though I'm probably one of the slowest doing car work, it taught me that bodywork and metal work just does take a lot of time. To do it really well, it takes an awful lot of time and skill.

You probably weren't too far off spending a bit more and getting a whole new heritage shell!

I did briefly think about that but I like it as it is.
It's got scars from over the years and some remind me of the past, for example, a slightly bent bootlid from going camping in the Lakes with my mates that was caused by too much stuff being put in it.

The main reason I didn't get the bodyshop to paint the lower wings etc. wasn't so much the money is that they'd show up my rattle canned bonnet and doors etc.. I'd then think about a full respray which I don't think I'd get for less than about 5k. That would then show up the interior, which is original and aged. I went down that route with the T2 and never again, even if money was no object. That took over 1,000 man hours, I should have set fire to it and bought a different one especially as we'd only had it about 5 years.

[Eddie Honda]

Even though I'm probably one of the slowest doing car work,

No. Not ever. That is my crown. By a very huge margin.

[mercrocker]

I have paid silly amounts of money exchanging holes for steel on all my cars (well, except the 190E and that is going to the welder's next week....)

As advised, get out and have some fun in it....The more miles/fun you have the cheaper it gets!

Three grand a side used to be the preserve of SL Mercedes sill replacements, it doesn't buy you anything like that nowadays - a full week of welding at £60 an hour tops that with the VAT and materials.

I run my Cowley (on stock timing) on Shell V Power and Valvemaster Plus - it's quite happy and I have added the odd lower octane gallon or two if I need fuel before a decent supply appears by the roadside. The Shell and Esso premium fuels were supposed to contain less ethanol - don't know if they still do but I have no known problems due to that stuff yet.

[Bangernomics]

Ah, this is coming back to me. I remember the robins' nest.

Didn’t someone in that only have one arm working too?

[LynehamHerc]

Yeah, that was me as I slipped on some ice and broke my wrist.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Ah, this is coming back to me. I remember the robins' nest.

Richard Sullivan wasn't it?