My Old Project

[chad]

Well the robins seem to be thriving as there's two young ones watching me when I'm gardening.



The MG's not doing as well, probably not helped by spending the best part of two days and six drill bits drilling screws out of the hood frame to then realise I'd needn't have done it

[chad]

What a f****** day!

I've just hit the same paint shade problem as Zed with his sliding door - with only a bit more paintwork to do and the remaining rattle cans are either too green or too yellow. What's worse is that I didn't realise it until I'd touched up a number of panels that were OK colour wise so they now have a camouflage pattern on them where the paint doesn't match. If I had my brain in gear I'd have noticed it earlier and also wouldn't have then tried another can, which had yet another shade.

I suppose that stupidity has its price.

I guess one option is to copy the Polo Harlequin colour scheme and have all the panels different colours which is the way this f***** is going.

[Zed]

I'm almost over it now but it was ---ing annoying.

[chad]

I've adopted your attitude Zed and am over it now.

I came to the conclusion that as some of the paintwork is 30 years old I'd never match it and as the rattle cans seemed to vary in colour, even though bought from the same supplier, that I'd settle for what I've done.

The colour seems to change anyway depending on the angle you look at it, I guess because most of the panels are heavily curved.

Maybe when I've cut it all back and polished it it'll all match....

If not it's a toy for going out on sunny days not something to be looked at.

[chad]

Well after waiting 6 months it finally went to the local garage to be motd and recommissioned.
However, whilst it was off the road,under a carport, it apparently decided to lose a bit of weight to the extent that the sills are not quite as substantial as they were or indeed should be. As these are the only things that stop the roadster from folding in two they're pretty important and also complicated, to the tune of £1,500 plus for each side. Given also that genuine front wings are £600 each I'm feeling that I've been down this road before with the camper. It's not long ago that I could have bought a flat for what these ******* are costing.

[rickyrooo1]

Mot exempt.... It's the future.

[chad]

It's already exempt but I'm not prepared to have it bodged as virtually all the strength of the car is in the sills, as I found out about fourty years ago when an escort driven by an old boy hit the side of me at speed.
I certainly don't agree with mot exemption as the temptation to bodge it is pretty high.

[sANDYbAY]

Sept 11, 2018 10:41:09 GMT chad said:

It's already exempt but I'm not prepared to have it bodged as virtually all the strength of the car is in the sills, as I found out about fourty years ago when an escort driven by an old boy hit the side of me at speed.
I certainly don't agree with mot exemption as the temptation to bodge it is pretty high.

It is a counter intuitive policy isn’t it? The older the vehicle the MORE it needs to be MOT’d.

[chad]

Yeah - especially how cars of that age can rust like crazy and usually have marginal braking etc., by today's standards, even when brand new.

[Zed]

I think it's a fair assumption that owners of old classics have to maintain them whether they want to or not.

If anyone drives a vehicle that's in dangerous condition, MOT or not, it's their responsibility.

When I was a lad MOT testers could prise chunks off and stab holes in the underside.

[chad]

Agree totally.

There'll always be people who won't bother but they're probably the people who would have gone to the 'bent' MOT testers

I guess that part of the question is that if you don't have it MOT'd then could you be oblivious to it being dangerous?

I'm thinking about things like brake balance which don't necessarily show up in normal driving but would during a MOT.

[VW Toast]

These old bangers should all have a mot every week it the future you knows you luvs it

[Zed]

Sept 11, 2018 13:47:30 GMT chad said:

Agree totally.

There'll always be people who won't bother but they're probably the people who would have gone to the 'bent' MOT testers

I guess that part of the question is that if you don't have it MOT'd then could you be oblivious to it being dangerous?

I'm thinking about things like brake balance which don't necessarily show up in normal driving but would during a MOT.

Drive to roller equipped garage.

"Hi mate, how much put it on the rollers just to check my brake balance?"

"Min charge here is £20+vat but for another £15 you can have a dummy run or logged on MOT and we'll check everything else as well."

"Doh!"

[rickyrooo1]

Ahh well my T5 isn't mot exempt and it failed.
On a split in a tyre.
I had 2 new ones cos I don't like odd tyres.
£45 test fee £168 2x tyres.
Had it 3 years next week.

[fruitcake]

Sept 10, 2018 19:24:41 GMT chad said:

Well after waiting 6 months it finally went to the local garage to be motd and recommissioned.
However, whilst it was off the road,under a carport, it apparently decided to lose a bit of weight to the extent that the sills are not quite as substantial as they were or indeed should be. As these are the only things that stop the roadster from folding in two they're pretty important and also complicated, to the tune of £1,500 plus for each side. Given also that genuine front wings are £600 each I'm feeling that I've been down this road before with the camper. It's not long ago that I could have bought a flat for what these ******* are costing.

MGB sills are fairly complex but £1500 per side is pisser pulling territory. The main structure is the castelated section running along the length behind the outer section. How bad is it. are the outriggers and lower wing panels ok?