Update Saturday 4th of February 2012
This is a big one!
Before we get onto the pictures I'll set the scene a bit
After the triumph of firing the car up and then getting the exhaust on I began to have problems.... allot of them.
Problem 1
The suspension didn't seem to fit, I was worried the darn thing was fouling on the new subframe... not good. I wasn't sure though as I was so tired at this point I was having trouble walking into the house on a night. I needed the car ready for work the next week! (a bit of a tall order)
Problem 2
As you may remember I had to move the exhaust manifold around abit... choppy choppy here and grindy grindy there ment it now fit past the subframe.
As with any engine conversion (especially when working with limited tools and even more limited knowledge!) it wasn't that easy. I hadn't taken into account the supported shaft
This is the long drive shaft that is placed into the gearbox and then bolted to the engine, the inner CV then sits up agains where it is bolted onto the engine. A much better (and newer) design than MG used on their shafts.
The exhaust now fouled on the driveshaft
this meant a good re-think. I got very annoyed and hit the exhaust with my biggest and best hammer... but in the end I had to cut it and step it about 8mm to the back of the car. I didn't know if that would work going into this update as my mate was doing the welding.
Problem 3
The Inlet manifold was resting on the bulk head to the fuel tank. I figured it would make it's own hole if it needed to... but that was sleep deprivation talking. This needed sorting.
Problem 4
The Steering rack wasn't on as I'd lost the mounts for it :slap: so that was to do.
Problem 5
I had binned the privious owners mess of a clutch line, and now the engine was in the slave cylinder was a nightmare to get to... that was going to be fun
Problem 6
The new coolant system was leaking like a sive
This list went on. I was a bit fed up with the car if I'm honest and generally was ready to sack it all off... It was costing way too much money and I was exhausted.
A bit of a tantrum ensued and I went on MG-Rover.org to throw my toys out the pushchair! Ready to sack it all off as a mental Idea I should never have had.
This queued a flood of responses from everyone in the F/TF section of the forum. No way was this lot ready to let me give up!
One of the other truly crazy modders on there and a good mate Jon Norris* said he'd come up and help. Another John who I'd never met said he'd be there to help and so did my great and dependable mate MikeKinght... naturally The Smithys weren't going to miss this and even people who couldn't hold a spanner said they would be there to make the Tea!
With this sort of support I got a good nights sleep (6 whole hours!) and bought as much bacon as I thought I could feed people.
The next morning dawned and after setting off at 5.30 am (the crazy muppet) Jon Norris Arrived at 8:30 to start work. He put up a gazebo outside my garage to put tools in and I made the bacon sarnies and Coffee... Cue the music!
Problem 1
Here's Mr Norris confirming the suspension does fit... I was just being silly.
"how tired were you?"
We had to slacken off the camber atms... they put up a fight
Good job my bro (Graham-MGZR) was having a lie down and could rest his feet on the vice!
MikeKnight Turned up as did John, owner of the 'spit' easily the coolest Metro I've ever seen that doesn't have a V6 in the boot! (It has a VVC K Series in the Front though which is almost as cool
Mike Started taking photos and 20 minuets after I first met John he had a Bacon Buttie in one hand and a spanner in the other
Problem 4 gradually fixed
He's under there somewhere putting my steering rack on!
Mindy Turned up to give some moral support and made a brew
She did however distract the workforce... I whipped them into shape!
It didn't work :p me and Jon cracked on while SOME people drank tea
This seemed to galvanized John back into work, mike wasn't motivated by my management style, he had a lie down instead (Are you confused by all the Johns/Jons yet? we were)
This seemed like a Great way to work, so I joined him while cracking on with
problem 2! Mr Lee Olver (who helped do some welding on my bearings with me if you remember) was on his way to drop the manifold off so I had to "fettle" the rest of the system
Space was a bit err "tight"
While I was down there the Gearbox Oil got topped up, I was lucky really there is a hole in the TF subframe right where the filler plug is.
And for good measure it soon became apparent why the coolant was leaking and where from! I'd missed 2 clips when putting the system together... 2 new clips and a pressure test from Jon soon sorted this and that was
Problem 6 sorted
At this point my brother got hold of the camera and went a bit happy snappy so I'll let you enjoy some random pics!!!
general carnage brought to Billingham
MikeKnights TF... I love this car, It's just gorgeous in every detail and has had some serious time and attention to detail put into it.
Back to Work!
Space was tight, but me and Jon built up the suspension on both sides of the car. Amazing how things fit when your not half asleep!
Work continued on the Steering Rack... It would have been easier to re-drop the subframe in hindsight
meanwhile, at the back of the car
I think this gives a true scale of the amount of work been done, there was stuff happening all over. Mindy reckons we were like a F1 pit crew only with more laughter! (and once the lady had left allot more swearing!)
Jon's Truck was steadily releasing more and more tools
And John figured that lying down malarky was a new trend or something and figured he'd give it a go
The look of concentration....
The look of hyperthermia...
Did I mention it was close to freezing?
I worry about my brother taking pictures of my mates arses...
Really does show how little room we had (and thats the roomy side!)
It Started to get a bit cold and a bit darker but it didn't stop us all from having a right laugh!
Not sure whats happening here
Dualing Magazine articles: Jon Won
More work! I like this picture... It shows working been done all over the garage and my lovely subframe and shiny parts!
Jon Got his big tool out
Graham-MGZR carried on with the sneeky pictures
Hmm... the temperature has defiantly dropped...
Figures... year long build on a Convertible Sports Car and the day its likely to run it freaking snows! Well we are men and men care not for such things.
Some Rough Luck Racing home made ball joint locator tabs being made.
The snow began to lay thick and fast... It soon covered my next project
My mum by the way was pretty calm when I brought a skyline home and stuck it in the garden... I think my hobby has finally driven her to prozac... or drinking heavily during the day.
Not sure what we are doing here but I look like im up to something
Oh dear
Ahh... here is the exhaust manifold!
And heres Dan Smith ready to help fit it and get the wireing tested on a proper run
Thank god the Manifold Fit (I did some Bodgery and some Fettleing but I made it fit and it works until I can save up and get a good system made)
Problem 2 solved
Right so the car now Had:
Steering Rack
Rear Suspension
Driveshafts
Gearbox Oil
Exhaust
My Wireing Guru on standby
we were ready to fire it up in Neural and listen to the sweet sounds of the V-TEC
Graham-MGZR celebrated by hob nobbing John Norris
Afterwards Jon had a fag and we connected the battery
Laptop ready... terrified TF owner Ready... lets fire it up
And she ran sweet as a nut first turn of the key!
The noise was loud enough it caused a minor avalanche
It was getting late now (9pm ish) and it was time for Dan, John and Lee to get home (Dan and John especially didn't want to get caught in the snow) and my brother went out with his Mrs.
That left me and Jon to entertain ourselves.
Well he looks happy enough
This is us sorting
problem 5 the clutch line.
In the end Mr Norris climbed ontop of the engine bay and removed the slave cylinder enough to get the line off and make a new one. I have a picture on my phone of how tight this was I shall add soon!
Bit Tight!...
UPDATE! 5th February 2012 - Yep it's past midnight
New line being made
In the mean time I chucked the brakes back on
Note the Rusty Upper arm... my polybush didn't fit in the powder coated one, so It's been sent off to polybush to work out why. I can then re-fit it.
Steeing wheel on
And Front Brakes
they need a lick of paint but things like that I will do when i know she runs
Jon carried on with the Clutchline and I tried to Tidy up a bit!
Note my new dash, you will get to see that soon!
She Gained a Front bumper at some point... my brother almost put it on (5 screws out of 9 and 0 bolts out of 2 but he tried bless him).
Almost looks like a car... at this point I was VERY excited
because
she sat on 4 wheels for the first time in 6 months!
40 minuets later the clutch and Brakes were all bled... we were pretty tired I don't mind admitting and it took us a while...
I started the car and snicked it into 1st... pulled the clutch up, the clutch engaged quite aggressively which we put down to the difference in bore between the Civic Slave Cylinder and the TF master cylinder. It actually felt pretty good...
and the car drove out the garage into the snow!
Jon Norris Got a Little Video and I hope he will get that uploaded for us all.
There are still a few obvious issues. One being a major knocking from the engine bay and another being the lack of reverse. But otherwise all very good!
Another Update to follow soon.
*A mobile mechanic traveling all over the contry doing Head Gasket repair with his comapny Rough Luck Racing. Jon Norris can take on any sort of MG service and repair and has had his Car Featured in many Magazines. If you have a MG, Rover or Land Rover and need any work carried out then please do get in touch with him
http://www.roughluckracing.com/ he's a good mate and will save you money!