Getting the (drive) shaft!

If I have learned one thing so far being on “school vacation” this year it is this. No matter how much time I am given to do things, it is never enough! I have managed to actually touch some car parts during this past week and a half, though.

I am still working on cleaning and re-organizing my workshop and finishing my shed/garden project. But now I can finally tell the great drive shaft story that I promised before.

Here are the two passenger side drive shafts.

I needed two because the original one had worn and crooked gear teeth, but a good shaft and flange.

The second had a missing flange for the universal joint coupling, worn rubber boots, but good gear teeth.

So I disassembled them and matched the parts to make a good one. Once I stripped the old boot off the original one, the flange slid right off.

I put it in my vat of primordial ooze (straight white vinegar) to strip the paint and grease off of it. I usually let it sit and soak in there for about a week before I take it out, clean it and paint it.

It comes out looking like this. EEWWW! And it smells like greasy Easter eggs!

But moments later after I hit it with a wire brush and rinse it off, it looks like this.

And then it is primered.

And I let it sit for a day before I paint it…which I will do tomorrow along with a couple other parts that need it, too. Here are the flange and shaft (and my four year old New Balances).

I like using vinegar because it is environmentally friendly, although it works slower than most people would like. It does not look like there is much restoration going on but in reality there is. Most of the action is happening behind the scenes; ordering parts, following up on things like my wiring harness, and always cleaning and re-organizing…most of it is “unblogable”. As always feel free to send me a message or post a comment. I have enjoyed the ones I have gotten this past week!

Thank you for visiting.

Toddy

The great sway bar rescue adventure!

Now that the engine is out at Chris's and school is out for the summer, I can start working on my "to do" list for this year. Bear with me here...my ultimate goal is to "finish off" some landscaping around our shed, but in order to do that I need to hang a ladder on the wall inside my shed first, but in order to do that I need to put 1/2" 4 ply plywood on the walls first, but in order to do that I need to move all the stuff around to get it out of the shed first, but in order to do that I need to get the parts off this rusty hulk of a sub-frame (because it is in the way) so that everything can be moved.

I want to put this sway bar on to Old Biddy but the bolts are frozen in place.

I tried to get them off with hand tools but all I got were bruised hands and frustrated.

So I borrowed John's impact wrench and compressor and went to town.
I had to really tear away at the rusty metal first to be able to get at the bolts. But once I did, the air wrench had little problem getting them out.

And after about forty five minutes, here is the sway bar...FINALLY!

And, I removed the auxillary springs, too, just because I felt so powerful with that thing.

Now if I can only get the control arms out, I can get rid of the sub-frame and start my shed project! The beginning of my summer breaks always start with such hope and promise. But I usually get only half way through my intended "to do" list before it is time to go back to school.

Thanks for visiting!
Toddy

The engine motors to the shop for a rebuild!

After two months of planning and waiting, Old Biddy’s motor was finally delivered to Chris for its rebuild. The process started as we hooked it up to the engine lift and hoisted it into the back of the pickup.

We secured it and took it for its twenty minute ride down to Chris’s.

We unloaded it and put it on the hand truck to move it into the operating room (Chris’s barn).

A momentous day for everyone!! Including my friend John (on the left) whose truck we used for transporting the motor (and it was his birthday, too) and Chris (on the right), although he rebuilds many British motors each year, he has not worked on an MG 1100 motor for quite a few years.

I probably will not see it again for a couple of months but that is fine because I know it is in the hands of a true craftsman. Unfortunately, there will probably not be any pictures of the engine rebuild. Chris tucks himself away in his barn workshop and I only have occasional telephone conversations with him. I will keep everyone updated on what he is doing. Next time you see the motor it will be all pretty and restored!

Next week school gets out for the summer. Then my real fun can begin!

Thank you for visiting.

Toddy

Just steering parts off my workbench.

This week I tried to concentrate on clearing off my workbench. Both drive shafts and the steering rack have been sitting there for months, taking up valuable work space and clogging my conscience.

 I had all the parts to refurbish the steering rack but there were two stubborn nuts that were rusted in place. I soaked them with WD40 all spring and I finally decided to try turning them off.

After clamping the tie rod in the vice, I used a ¾” wrench and a 13oz. hammer to tap them loose. With a little persuasion, they both finally came off.

 I was then able to reassemble the new clamps, rubber boots, and tie rod ends in about five minutes. Now all that is needed is adding a few ounces of 140 weight oil and clamping the boots in place. Then it can go on the car!

Yeay, that’s off the bench!! Next in line…the drive shafts. The one on the bottom in the picture is good and just needs a good cleaning and both ripped boots need replacing. The other one (which will be a combination of the upper two) is more complicated…I do not want to begin that discussion yet.

I need help here. The book of “Highly Exalted Words” lists three types of rubber boots, a different one for each CV joint. One is listed as part # 13H3101 (the one on the left in the picture), and the other one (on the right) is listed as part # 21A636 both are original to the car. The one in the middle is not original to the car since it was installed on 1100s after my car was built, is listed as part #21A1695. Where can I find these boots? Are they interchangeable?

Just so you know about the parts I ordered. "They" lost my parts order and never shipped anything out to me! If they mess up again I will mention there name. Man, I wish I could have a job like that where I can screw up and go back the next day without fear of getting yelled at or getting fired! But teaching middle school students is a far cry from answering a telephone at a parts supply operation I guess.

Thank you for visiting.

Toddy

The waiting is the hardest part.

While still waiting for the parts to arrive, I am by no means at a standstill. I have found a stash of miscellaneous parts that I worked on and placed away (and apparently forgot about) three years ago as I was organizing my workshop. What a pleasant surprise!

Some can be installed now and some will have to wait. Some will not fit the MG 1100 since they came off of the Austin America like the ones shown here. I would like to put some stuff up on eBay so I can make money to be able to pay for parts that I need.

I have been putting boxes of like parts together and organizing stuff to see what I am missing and to see what I have extras of. I will have to contact my “secret parts source” to see if he has the correct MG 1100 parts.

I managed to install a couple of things on the body like the hood bonnet stay/prop whatchamacallit thingy…

…and the bonnet locating plate cup and bonnet lock plate.

But…the bonnet lock plate does not fit. Come to find out, it is from the Austin America…the arm is too long and the wrong shape. See what I mean!!

For those of you who have sent e-mails with advice and encouragement, thank you so very much! I greatly appreciate it! Many folks have sent me stories of when they had their ADO16 cars and used to have fun and adventures driving around in them. I hope to have that kind of fun with mine someday. I really need advice on where to get parts, though.

Thank you for visiting.

Toddy