Morris 8

[mygasser]

as for getting the glass out in the future, the only time you'll be doing that is when it's already broken so no worries.
neil.

[taxirod]

I'll have to try not to break it!






Well yesterday I took pity on that poor windscreen, out there in my cold garage, so I brought it indoors, and after an evening in front of the fire and the telly it seems to have perked up a bit.
Now that the goo has grabbed the screen (and it cant escape from the frame now anyway) I trimmed off the excess, and I reckon it looks OK.

[ivanhoew]

that looks great ian .

[taxirod]

Ivanhoew! great to hear from you. C'mon, we wanna see your car builds again!



So I had been working extra time early in December, making hay wile the sun shines, with the prospect of more time in the garage once London turns into a ghost town.
But then I got unwell, added to that my Sciatica played up, so I had the frustration of lots of time at home, but needing to recuperate.
I did a few little jobs that could be done indoors, and ventured into the garage, strictly limiting myself to 1 hour at a time to avoid prolonging my conditions.

I mocked up and wired up the stereo, speakers and subwoofer, now I'm confident how that goes, I've fitted the woofer in an otherwise useless space which will be inaccessible once the fuel tank goes in.

I got the glass in the screen frame, cleaned up all the shiny bits that allow the screen to hinge open, then I refitted the screen, but sealed it up following warnings of how much they let water in. So I have all the quaint old bits that make it look like the screen opens, when in fact it doesn't.
I got some rubber and special contact adhesive, but both the running boards came out shockingly bad. I've ripped it all off now and have another plan for them

[taxirod]

Some audio cables arrived today, Ive run them from subwoofer to where the stereo will go.

Also Ive dug out the wiring from my Purple truck



What a mess! This is a painless wiring kit which i fitted to the truck (purchased from Steve Lang), and kept when I broke it.
Ive started by pruning off anything I wont be using, like the dashcam on the left, and the gauges, then I opened up the loom.
The original wires on the painless kit are all marked, so should be worth the effort to sort out this tangle.

[taxirod]

Well Ive been putting stuff back together, you know what its like, you thought you bagged, boxed and marked everything.....but can I find it now? Also, lots of bits which went ok in the dry build, but now need finishing properly and painting before fitting. Here's an example:




I got the tank in this week, completed wiring, fuel filter, pump and pipes first.




It was painted nicely for its previous home, my purple truck. It will be hidden behind panel now.

One of the good things about using MGB parts is how quick and easy (and relatively cheap) you can get bits.
I phoned an order Monday morning, it arrived today (Tuesday), enabling me to get the front end back together.




I just need to order the dust caps for the front hubs and a few other little bits.





With the front wheels back on, its starting to look like a car again

[taxirod]

Ive now got the tank and pipework complete to the carbs, so today I got a gallon of petrol and bunged it in the tank, no leaks, temp connected fuel pump, saw petrol up to the little see through filter before the carbs. Tick.

Went to BSS to try and get bits to connect the original Morris Oil pressure gauge to the modern Ford engine. I remember going to places like that and talking to guys who were older than me and very knowledgable. Now I'm served by guys who are younger and know even less than me - well, about old junk anyway. Still, they all were pleased to see me turn up in the Ruby. At least I know the threads now, so I phoned Carbuilder solutions and ordered a capilliary tube and adapter which should fit the engine end, I think I'll solder it into the gauge.

Rummaged around in the loft and found bits to do the vacuum line to servo, and one of the heater pipes (needs adapting from 21mm engine end to 16mm heater end). More rummaging to follow, may have to resort to buying silicone adapter piece.

Ran the speaker wires.




Not a very exciting picture, but these little re usable zip ties are great, especially with the wiring in a state of ongoing-ness. Easy to open and add wires, keeping them tidy as we go.

Meanwhile my work vehicle needed a new autobox, almost £2000. Gulp. Today I found a decent secondhand unit for £650. Phew.

[taxirod]

The project is at a stage where there is loads to be done, but not much picture worthy.
Still, it never stopped me before......

So here are some rather dull pics, which I'm posting to help convince myself that there IS progress.



Where the m/cyls are fitted under the dash, there wasn't quite enough space, hence the hole.
How to cover that up?




Someone had kindly dumped a box of these near our house, fed up with it I chucked them in our bin, but then had an idea.





After shortening it, halving it, and adding a flange, it fits. Hmm, a bit of of a tidy up wouldn't go amiss
though.




A few times the project has gone into reverse - the brakes wont bleed very well like this, simple fix though, swapped 'em side to side, bits pointing up now.






Making up the heater hoses needed to adapt different sizes at heater and engine, after a rummage I found I had the bits to do it, great, cos lots of bills at the moment. Joining 2 bits of heater hose is easily done with a bit of 15mm copper tube, I like to crimp an olive at each end to prevent hose slippage.


Today I had some garage time, spent ages doing the rear brakes, which irritated me, cos it should be simple.
Got there in the end for one side, need a few more parts to complete other side.

HELP I've been trying to get longer studs for the MGB axle, I expected it to be easy, but not come up with anything, tried Carbuilder solutions, Rally Design, ebay
Any suggestions please?

[BadAC]

Hi ian

Try these guys, allways been helpful, if you know thread size or stud hole size they will probably have something.

http://www.speedshack.co.uk/

Keep at it fella

Gary

[Happydaze]

Creative, alternative use for that packaging! Sadly I expect the likely alternative use for the actual product wasn't so creative, more like 'king stupid!

Did the troublesome brakes bleed OK with the calipers swapped.

Chris

Sent from my SM-T515 using NSRA mobile app

[v8pop]

Nice to see your still plugging away at it Ian, going to look brilliant when it's done mate.

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[mygasser]

doh! fancy fitting the calipers upside down
neil.

[taxirod]

I'm happy to admit my mistakes honestly!

Speedshack were brilliant , Thanks Bad AC






So, these little blighters!
I've been doing these OK since I was about 10, helping Dad on his Morris Traveller, without a problem.
But I have struggled so much to fit these! I reckon it's cos all the old ones were lost and I've bought new ones, the parts these days are not the quality or fit of the originals.
The above picture may not be exciting for you, but it felt like a massive victory for me when I finally got the last one in! Sad, I know....
Next problem, in the dry build, I fitted the wipers and tested (without wiper arms on) and all seemed good.
Now I'm fitting stuff for what I hope to be the last time, troubles.
Firstly the motor ran all the time, even when switch was off, strange, it was OK before.
It's a new complete kit by the way with correct 2 speed switch and change over relay.
I resolved this when I realised that the wires from the plug had been connected "mirror image".
Also there's a noise when the motor runs, and the wipers sweep too far. And I thought that I had worked all that out beforehand!
Perhaps if I strip it all back out I can change the sweep and find the noise problem too.
Drat.
More going backwards!
Still, better than finding after I've gone any further.




Re the wiper kit, Ive got a 110 degree sweep, and I need 90 degree, I just ordered the gear wheel from Carbuilder today, so that should sort that one.











Yesterday I had a few deliveries, fitted the longer wheel studs and 10mm spacers, finished up the rear brakes, including these (above)

Nice stainless thingies to shorten the handbrake cable - top tip from Mark Blackpop when I built the Ruby so Ive used another set here.

A voltage stabiliser also came, but it didnt work....12v in and 12v out. Ive returned it, and Ive been really struggling to find one to my surprise. I'm eager to test the fuel gauge, once I'm confident its working properly I can seal up the panel covering the tank.

Today a 90 degree stainless bend arrived, this is for the downpipe.

In stock I had these:





The shiny straight through silencers are off my old purple truck, the other one came with the ST170 engine and seems to be well silenced.
Due to clearance under the car Ive gone for for 2 shiny ones which Ive welded together to create a long double silencer, I hope its not too loud, I want to hear the noise of those bike carbs (I'm hoping for a sound like twin 40's). Also I hate the racket made by the boy-racer-in-a-Fiesta-types, which are loud, but don't sound nice, they sound like the exhaust has fallen off.
Started mocking it up and welded the downpipe to the flange which bolts up to the manifold.


3 more cutting discs used since I last mentioned it.

[jsf55]

Nice progress Ian and a few bits ticked off the list. I used to hate doing rear drum brakes ... even tho the jag irs handbrake is pants !

Sent from my SM-A515F using NSRA mobile app

[v8pop]

As John said, a few more bits ticked off the list mate, well done. Xx

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[taxirod]

John, Tim, thank you.




I had fitted the speakers into the side panels, but they came without any speaker grills, so I decided to have a go at making some myself.
I cut out a bit of wood
Then I had some mesh lying in the corner of the garage, i cut a piece and put it between the 2 bits of wood and bashed it with a hammer. This gave it some shape, then a quick squirt of paint and......





I was quite pleased, will look fine once interior trim goes in.


Now the exhaust, the manifold which came with this engine is from a Mondeo I think, not the ST170 article, but it fits so I'm using it




I ground off a few of the ugly bits and gave it some exhaust paint





Definitely an improvement.
Ive been working on the rest of the system, all stainless, Ive cut 2 holes in the rear panel either side of the number plate for the tail pipes to pop through. Yes its a 4 cyl but I'm having twin tailpipes. I'm a bit strapped for cash so using what I've got, and waiting to purchase some bends to complete the system.

Meanwhile the replacement gear for the wiper motor arrived, so I fitted that and got it all back in. I just need wiper arms with more of a bend in them to be really happy with it.

[v8pop]

The manifold looks good Ian, if you're not running the engine for a while I found heating it up with a hot air gun sets the high temp paint and avoids it tarnishing. You may have done this already though.

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[jsf55]

Innovation ...luv those speaker grills !

[mygasser]

the st170 manifold is tubular so if you were to split one into 2 y pipes and run 2 systems from them it's proper dual exhaust, lol. i did this with a pinto 4 branch in my first pop years ago.
neil.

[taxirod]

Recently, it seems everything I do either doesn't work, needs parts ordering or stuff which had been worked out and was working fine now doesn't.
Today I tried to connect and bleed the clutch - nothing coming through, level in m/cyl not hardly dropping. Removed pipe from slave cylinder, still nothing coming. It's in a tight little corner so I left that and tried something else.
Then I noticed that the steering, which was working smoothly before, was now jamming.

So I moved on to something else, the overhead console needs more tidying, so I bolted in back in, only to discover that the stereo will not go in now, due to the 2 additional cables in the back which I wasn't aware I needed when I fitted it up before.
Sigh!
At this stage, there is so much to be done, normally if something isn't working etc then I just pick something else......except that everything is forming a conspiracy to fight against me....or so it seems

Well I connected some of the wiring to the stereo, and drilled a recess so now the stereo fits.

For the steering, I looked again and could see that it just needs a support for the front part of the column, so I've ordered a 22mm rose joint from McGills, and gone as far as I could for now in making the bracket for it.

Finally, a bit of good news, I had a fire up attempt and although the engine didn't start, it coughed and almost started.
I'll charge the battery again, and next time I'll be able to use the choke too, if the solderless nipples arrive.