1968 MGC GT Resto - What have I done

[midgeman]

Hi guys,

Thought I'd start a thread on my current resto project if anyone wants to look.
A quick brief though (very brief) - I was heavily into MG's about 5 years ago but after bad experiences with someone who was going to restore my first car/project B GT at 17 and with cash spent and no work done I decided to teach myself and strayed into VW's, cutting my teeth on something new rather than get taken from a ride again.
I'm back with British now though wanting something like my first MG and ended up in Nov. 2012 buying a 1968 MGC GT blind on eBay! And I was sober.
It's a bit different to dry state VW's and the tin worm is deeper, it's the first time I'v done something so extensive though, the more underseal and filler that's come off the more rot I've found, it's taken a few months to get really into it as I'v just finished a B LE that was pretty solid compared to anything else I've done so here goes!
I stripped it down over spring and picked up quite a few parts over at Beaulieu autojumble but since then have not started the cutting until this week!

I have also managed to trace it's history which has been really nice to find out more about the car, also speaking to a few of the owners via phone/email and getting some pictures of it from back in the day. The joint 2nd/3rd owner who did the most with it now runs a high end restoration company himself and has been a great source of info on the cars early history.

I will add pictures as we go, I'v taken a few on my phone though which isn't as easy to upload as from the camera but more handy when outside.. I'll try get more up soon though and get the ones off my phone too.
For now though here we go, from the start.


http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...


http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...


http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...


http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...


circa 1984
http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...

Edited by midgeman on Wednesday 26th June 10:19

[chormy]

Hi you bought a nice car , have you contacted Ian Longhurst who sold it to the last owner. Ian races MG's and was gutted to have to sell her.

If you need odd items not run of teh milll then drop us a line. Steve has lts of stuff that you can't by from MGOC or Moss.

www.holmesracing.co

[midgeman]

Hi Shaun

No I havn't did he ever have it registered as his name didn't come back on the DVLA records? Do you know anything about the car? I'm curious as to why the roundals are on it, I guessed it's probably been raced but there doesn't appear to be any body or engine mods that would go with using a car on track.

I'll get more pics up, it's stripped and rolled on a jig at the moment and I'm picking through the years of plating and rot. I'v not spoken to Steve for a couple of weeks but am sure I'll need to.

Started with this -
http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...


To this -
http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...

Edited by midgeman on Wednesday 26th June 10:22

[midgeman]

Is this the worst 'workshop' an MG has ever been in?!

http://s276.photobucket.com/user/Doogle_010/media/...

[chormy]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2942085039936...

It did run once

ian garage.

[midgeman]

Thanks, have sent him a message via Facebook, hopefully he gets it.

[jamieduff1981]

Wow there's not a lot of good steel left is there? I remember reading an article in Practical Classics maybe??? about a man who restored a C using a Heritage B GT shell and modifying it with all the C differences.

I hope you find some metal you can work with without too much more destruction though, and I'm watching with interest

[chormy]

Doug

Have just got a new toy again a nice red MGC which I'll use for summer and sell if you have a friends who want one , no work on this one lol! I must be a glutten for C's The red GT will be used for now and then tinkered with when I have time , the Red roadster is still some way off being reading for a Europe trip, the green C is my track hack.

[url]

Edited by chormy on Monday 8th July 07:57

Edited by chormy on Monday 8th July 08:15

[chormy]

[jamieduff1981]

I love that roadster! There's something very alluring about a straight 6 engined British sportscar.

[midgeman]

I do love your cars Shaun, the roadster is absolutely MINT! And as for the GT, dream car right there!
Are those Magnecor leads on the roadster?

Was that red GT advertised for sale recently? I saw that red C GT advertised, it looks like a really nice car, hope you enjoy it.

I've been driving my LE roadster all weekend and thinking, why am I doing a GT with this weather but there is something about them I love and I really want to save this one, got too attached to it now and a new shell seems like I'd be losing it's identity, hope I can find some good metal there though I'll try and keep the thread updated as I go along.

I'm dabbling with a B roadster that's come up for sale locally too, solid but now an abandoned project though if I get it I fear the C won't see much work on it until the winter so that's 50/50 at the moment as I'm not sure I can justify the time, our wedding later this year which the C was supposed to be our car for but definitely won't be happening now so that's another thing to sort out admittedly it spent 6 months waiting while I did the LE though so it's my own fault, think I was dreaming there.

Going to try and pep it up a little bit, some engine and sus work, the usual improve and make it what it should have been. The local club presidents C is fast road/stage 2, that's something I'm aiming for eventually, possibly triple SU conversion as the original set up seems restricted and definitely Maniflow/Downton exhaust system. But that's a long way off yet. Keep smiling

Edited by midgeman on Wednesday 10th July 00:21

[chormy]

Yep the leads are magnacor always found them to do the job 8mm competition. I'm struggling with finishing teh roadster had father in hospital this time home. The new one was up recently its a solid car but wants lots of TLC in the engine bay, i will service it and use it for now, the boy is over tonight to start taking items off for clean up and painting, new fuel lines and more bling .
The B is still awaiting paint, I also have the rear axle to build up for it.

[midgeman]

I had some on a golf and they were brilliant. KV85's. will be using the same once I get to that stage.

I'm picking the roadster project up next week, will keep going with the C too. Need to get these sills done

[nta16]

for HT leads I recommend you look at 'performanceleads' - independently tested by MG engine and tuning specialist Peter Burgess who found that they did improve performance

they're made in Britain by a company that manufacturers HT leads for others to put their name on and other cables and wires, their own brand is very well made and seem very robust enough to last many years (with proven performance improvement)

no I'm not on commission but I do have a set on my MG so know how good they are

HT Leads - http://www.performanceleads.co.uk/

Fastlane - http://www.fastlaneauto.co.uk/

Edited by nta16 on Thursday 25th July 21:23