RivennHewn
Well-known member
That welder is badass! I vote to fix it.
A Shed Downunder.
- Thread starter 1/2 Cup
- Start date
Sunbimmer
Well-known member
I was invited to the annual MG Car Club of Victoria's Annual Concours which this year was held as a part of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria's Classic Showcase at the Flemington Race Course in Melbourne today. (for those who may not be aware this is where the Melbourne Cup Horse race is held, the race that stops the nation.) It provides a spectacular back drop to one awesome motoring event.
http://www.aomc.asn.au/B&Eshow14.htm
http://flemington.com.au/melbourne-cup-carnival/
My eldest sons fiancés relatives have a remarkable collection of MGs covering many models dating back to 1935 and they brought 3 of their collection to the show.
The TC that my son and fiancé drove to the show. It still has the original number plates!
View media item 39202
I am not sure what model this is exactly, but was car 2 in the convoy and in for concourse judging. Its a beautifully detailed and period correct vehicle right down to the nuts and bolts.
View media item 39201
The MGB, car 3 out of the collection, yet another stunner for its age.
View media item 39203
A fantastic day out, and some 1000s of vehicles on display that were just to die for.
http://www.aomc.asn.au/B&Eshow14.htm
http://flemington.com.au/melbourne-cup-carnival/
My eldest sons fiancés relatives have a remarkable collection of MGs covering many models dating back to 1935 and they brought 3 of their collection to the show.
The TC that my son and fiancé drove to the show. It still has the original number plates!
View media item 39202
I am not sure what model this is exactly, but was car 2 in the convoy and in for concourse judging. Its a beautifully detailed and period correct vehicle right down to the nuts and bolts.
View media item 39201
The MGB, car 3 out of the collection, yet another stunner for its age.
View media item 39203
A fantastic day out, and some 1000s of vehicles on display that were just to die for.
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Bib Overalls
Well-known member
Love the "flying fender" MGs. Harken back to the days when "sports car" meant bare essentials and spirit. Nothing to detract from road, man and machine at the edge.
HOTFR8
Banned
1/2 Cup. You should do a post - topic in Free Parking on that event as I am sure many more would be interested to see it. I hope you have more photos.
Top idea, the photos that I took of the MGs were when we first got there early in the morning and there were not too many cars nor people around. As the day progressed you had very little opportunity to get any really good pics at all, the crowds were unbelievable! I even went to the embankment on the west side of the members car park to try and get some overall shots of the event but they turned out pretty crappy and did not do it justice at all.
That said I will see what I can put together.
hapi
Member
I was scrolling through the forum last night and saw your pot belly heater build. I have a couple of truck brake drums behind the shed - one day. I then started reading this thread and went right to the end. I have lurked on the GJ for a couple of years but only recently got a decent home computer so you have inspired me to sign up.
We are the same age with similar retirement plans. I also have the same solar system as you and love it. Mine went in just before Christmas last year and the meter is up to 3.9MWh. I also got a Zen hws and it works brilliantly. The electric booster has been turned off since it went up.
I will start my own thread soon, but wanted to thank you for your interesting and informative posts.
regards
We are the same age with similar retirement plans. I also have the same solar system as you and love it. Mine went in just before Christmas last year and the meter is up to 3.9MWh. I also got a Zen hws and it works brilliantly. The electric booster has been turned off since it went up.
I will start my own thread soon, but wanted to thank you for your interesting and informative posts.
regards
Once again many thanks for your kind comments, its great to see new members from Australia on the Forum.
Its nearly time to crank the pot belly up again, the fire restrictions have been lifted here and I am reaching for a jumper most mornings now.
Our next investment will be a solar hot water as well, but I have yet to decide on where to put it as our house faces North to the street and I am not real keen on locating it there for a couple of reasons 1. Aesthetics, 2. Its an old tile roof and 3. structurally there is not a lot of support around that area, the jury is still out on that one at the moment.
What size PV system did you go for?
Cheers
At last I have been able to get access to the big planner at work to dress the Red Gum top for the Retro Industrial Table. While I was loading the trailer last night I decided to make the most of it, as I have heaps of crusty, old an second hand Oregon timber and veranda posts from our old front veranda, that it would be an ideal opportunity to dress this up as well for future use.
View media item 39385
Bulk timber, dressed and ready to go.
View media item 39386
Finally some progress..
View media item 39387
Have a good one..
View media item 39385
Bulk timber, dressed and ready to go.
View media item 39386
Finally some progress..
View media item 39387
Have a good one..
During the week some how I inherited an MGB race engine from a MKII race car, another of the many from stable in the above post #445. The car was run at the Phillip Island historics a couple of weeks ago and lost compression on two cylinders. My eldest son removed the engine at the Moorabbin workshop and then brought home for me to make a condition assessment.
The engine was built just 12 months ago and had only competed in two track and two hill climb events in that period.
After removing the head it was clear that the head gasket was blown between 3 and 4, closer inspection revealed there was also a blow hole between those two cylinders in the block as well. It appears that the head had been welded at this point previously and had cracked causing the subsequent damage to the block.
Just another little project to keep me off the streets for the next week or so.
View media item 39388
Cheers
The engine was built just 12 months ago and had only competed in two track and two hill climb events in that period.
After removing the head it was clear that the head gasket was blown between 3 and 4, closer inspection revealed there was also a blow hole between those two cylinders in the block as well. It appears that the head had been welded at this point previously and had cracked causing the subsequent damage to the block.
Just another little project to keep me off the streets for the next week or so.
View media item 39388
Cheers
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HOTFR8
Banned
What keep you off the streets ? The timber and the engine will be fun projects.
hapi
Member
my PV system is 5kW. The supplier said I would need council approval if I went larger. Still have room for another 4 panels on the house and haven't started on the shed.
the red gum table top is looking nice
the red gum table top is looking nice
I didn't have to get a building permit for our system. Potentially I could put another 6 panels on the shed but they will be subject to a fair bit of shade from this time of the year through till September.
Are you using micro inverters and are there limitations as to the max size system you can have in S.A.?
The power companies in Victoria are limiting systems to 5 kw per phase and a cumulative 25% solar feed in per local sub load, even then there is an approval process you have to go through before you can start.
I am pretty happy with how the Red Gum is coming up. I spent a fair bit of the weekend working on it, pics to follow.
Cheers
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tool-guy
Well-known member
Love seeing the last couple of post as I have a 70 mgb that was restored by my dad about 25 years ago, the motor was balanced and blueprinted, reground cam and holden valves in the head. Needs another respray now, but it is still a solid car. I also have a 76 body shell which one day will be turned into a race car to race on lake gardiner.
rixtrix1
Well-known member
Con rods are massive for the piston size! Too bad about the failure, but will be interesting to finish the diag and rebuild. Woodwork is looking good.
Thanks I hope you enjoyed! The MGs are a nice car for sure, not that I have had a lot of experience with them as they are new to me, I just treated the engine as an oversized Mini power plant having owned and raced them in a past life (pre Model A days )
Do you still drive the B?
Your 76 sounds like a great project. Post some pics I you get a chance.
I have just finished the strip down tonight, man that engine was packed full of goodies.
Stress relieved crank.
I beam after market conrods, I am not sure what make they are?
Looks like Mahle short skirt competition pistons.
A cam that has more lift than an elevator.
Roller KAP solid lifters.
Yellaterra 1:1.5 roller rockers.
An adjustable timing gear with double row chain.
The head was nicely ported and polished with OS valves and springs that I am having trouble budging but sadly was welded between 2 and 3 which cracked and started the whole thing in the first place.
An the list goes on.
When I looked at the head with my son last week, I could see metal flakes in the residual oil from the galleries, which is never a good sign when an engine makes metal.
Bearing in mind this engine has only done a hand full of events!
I pulled the pistons, rods and main bearings and found the no.4 main bearing shell surface coating had just started to delaminate and fortunately has not damaged the crank journal, the block does not appear to have been line bored or the mains re sized.
One of the pistons has scuff marks on one thrust face only and I found matching marks in the bore as well.
At this stage its up to the owner to decide exactly which way he wants to proceeded, so stay tuned.
My son brought another spare long engine back on the week end so it looks like this one may be the basis for a new build considering the old block, IMHO would not be a candidate for repair, especially for a completion engine.
On a different note I am pretty happy with how the Red Gum finished up, I will have some more pics later in the week.
Cheers
An update on the MGB engine.
The block damage.
View media item 39635
My son and I striped down the second engine this weekend and I looks as if it will be OK for the basis of the new race engine.
Cheers.
The block damage.
View media item 39635
My son and I striped down the second engine this weekend and I looks as if it will be OK for the basis of the new race engine.
Cheers.
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This weekend was fairly productive as Mrs. 1/2 Cup was in Sydney, I managed to get a little more done on the Retro Industrial Table.
The Red Gum top sanded ready for sealer and ran the trimmer around the edges to neaten things up a bit.
View media item 39632
The first coat of sealer applied.
View media item 39633
The top bolted to the frame which I had mist coated in black during the week. Then fitted the 5/16 x 1 1/4 mild steel flat edge trim.
View media item 39634
Cheers
The Red Gum top sanded ready for sealer and ran the trimmer around the edges to neaten things up a bit.
View media item 39632
The first coat of sealer applied.
View media item 39633
The top bolted to the frame which I had mist coated in black during the week. Then fitted the 5/16 x 1 1/4 mild steel flat edge trim.
View media item 39634
Cheers
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rixtrix1
Well-known member
Table top looks good! Love the color.
Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk
Thanks very much rixtrix.
Red Gum is a beautiful timber, tough as nails and equally as tough to work with.
The next step will be to clear epoxy resin the sap inclusions and knot holes, I have never used the resin before so we will see how it goes.
I still mulling over the ultimate finish on the frame though, it may grow on me??
Cheers
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RivennHewn
Well-known member
Table's looking great!
Here's the epoxy we use for filling voids, or as a heavy coating for bar tops.
Marine quality.
Great system.
I buy it at a boat building supply house, but it's available on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...aps&hvadid=3527175441&ref=pd_sl_8ejms9w7fk_pe
Here's the epoxy we use for filling voids, or as a heavy coating for bar tops.
Marine quality.
Great system.
I buy it at a boat building supply house, but it's available on amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...aps&hvadid=3527175441&ref=pd_sl_8ejms9w7fk_pe
Sunbimmer
Well-known member
That's a very sturdy table can easily survive an earthquake no doubt about it 
, looks very nice
, looks very nice Sunbimmer
Well-known member
rixtrix1
Well-known member
An update on the MGB engine.
The block damage.
View media item 39635
My son and I striped down the second engine this weekend and I looks as if it will be OK for the basis of the new race engine.
Cheers.
Dam, that problem must have started real early in the life of the rebuild to torch the block like that. If it wasn't the welded head failing and causing overheating( did any water passages get welded shut?), I would think improper torqueing of the head, a super lean mixture, or a warped block surface( or any combination of the above ). Regardless, it's too bad. It appears to be a rebuild using super quality parts and it's hard to tell from the pic if the block's deck was machined .
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sean Buick 76
Well-known member
Smart move going with a different block.... I am hoping you go with another set of heads as well?
The block was really nicely prepared, its the little things like the counter sunk bolt and stud holes that you notice. From pulling down the second engine it appears that heating in the area is typical with the 18B.
an issue you don't see in the 1275 mini engines of similar design.I still come back to the crack in the welded head taking into account;
. The mixture looked as if it has been ok, no erosion to the seats.
. Plugs were the right shade.
. No evidence of an overly lean mixture in the combustion chamber/piston as you would expect.
. The block and head had been surfaced nicely.
. I am unsure what the head tensions were like as my son had remove it on the race day.
. No prior history of over heating.
. No water jackets or passages plugged.
. The water jackets were nice and clean.
The other thing that may have been a contributor is the fact that the block has been sleeved, once again.
The head and block will not be reused, you wouldn't risk it.
Cheers guys, I will keep you posted
Carves
Well-known member
Sheesh ... you certainly went to town ... in the construction of that little coffee table.
Nice Job ..
Nice Job ..
rixtrix1
Well-known member
I had a small block Chevy race engine with siamesed cylinders once and the builder made an external water manifold using the freeze plug holes to equalize the temps front to rear. It had been a dyno mule, so a lot of experimentation had been done, but since it was a drag race engine, it never had to run under full load more than 11 seconds. I did run lot of nitrous and only burnt 1 plug in 350 passes, so it must have worked.
rixtrix1
Well-known member
"coffee table" I like that.
Cheers
Ha ha!
hapi
Member
the redgum looks awesome, I'd have that in the house
I am really stoked with just how the sealer has brought the colour out in the timber. This weekend I intend to lightly sand it back then hit it with an epoxy.
I will be selling this table down the track, full optioned so to speak with a 1950s fluorescent light to match and possibly an old leg vice fitted to it ( I am still in the negotiation phase with a friend over its purchase at the moment).
I have already started on another table ( see page 21 #402 ) that will ultimately end up as our Dining table using lessons learned. It will be an all metal finish similar to my Fabrication bench with a Jarrah or Red Gum top.
Cheers
HOTFR8
Banned
I tried to post a reply last week but the net failed me. Table looks great, Red Gum is such a lovely timber.
Ford52PU
Well-known member
That table is great really like the look of that wood finish.