T-Series Auto machine shop TD engine

[Sandman_Slim]

I've finally started work on my recently acquired TD. The one that was suppossed to be nearly restored and ready to assemble. Turns out they had their pet Orangatan assemble the engine. So now it is completely apart and in need of a good machinist knowedgeable in 60 year old British engineering. I live in Fairfield County CT. If anyone has a good tip on this, or any other suggestions, I will be gratefull.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Orangutangs and Chimpanzees are rampant in the wanna-be LBC community.
Couple of guys on this forum in CT should be able to steer you right.
What did these simians do?

 

[CZ_Dave]

Did you talk to Hap at Acme?

Man I hate it when those Orangoutang's
work on motors, ya never know how they have
been monkeyed with.

 

[aeronca65t]

Hap would be great and as we've seen here, he stands by his work.

But if you are looking for a semi-local place. I'd recommend P&W Machining in Whippany NJ.
Not exactly "local" (probably 75 miles or so). But a very good, old-school shop that does things right. They are not a "foreign only" place. They do hot rods, etc. But excellent engine work and fair prices. They've done stuff for me and other Brit and Porsche racers.

Contact Info

Note: it's not considered good manners here to mention places we <span style="text-decoration: underline">don't</span> like publicly, but it's OK to do it by PM (private message).
I will send you the name of several places I would stay away from.
Check your messages.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

This is very frustrating. Where have all the machine shops gone. When I was a kid there were speed shops and machine shops all over town here. They were cluttered and greasy and great places to hang out in. All run by old dudes; there you go. They all went the way of the muscle car. Another casualty of $$$$oil. My poor engine had the rings in wrong, too much gap in all the bearings, the timing gears were installed like a Ford inline 6 and there was no end float at all in the crankshaft. Who is this Hap at Acme?

 

[drooartz]

Hap Waldrop, ACME Speed Shop: https://www.acmespeedshop.com

He's in South Carolina, a street and race engine builder who also is a VTO wheel dealer. He specializes more in A and B series motors, but can certainly build anything.

Any more you may find that the market is nation wide. I'm in Utah and wound up shipping my engine off to South Carolina to have it built. The cost of shipping wasn't too bad (UPS for the parts heading out, FedEx Freight for the completed engine). It is getting harder to find shops that know these engines.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

Hap. Sounds like a Gus from Popular Science or a Smokey Yunick type of guy. I have heard of people shipping engines for a preferred expert. Certainly transmissions. This is gunna hurt. I'm just going to have to bite the bullet on this one. I may well end up being the assembler of this motor after machining is done. A scary thought. It's been many years since those simple Spitfire engines. I paid a lot for this car. Too much I'm afraid. All this was supposably done already. I should have looked for a car that needed a complete resto. At least I would know what was done and how well. Or a completed car. Thanks for the come back.

 

[CZ_Dave]

I Like Smokey Yunik's philoshophy,
"If it ain't in the rulebook,
then it must be fair"

 

[drooartz]

Bummer that you're running into these issues, but in the end a MG TD is a great little car and will be a hoot once it's finished. No fun having to do work that you though you wouldn't need to do, but at least it is a worthy car to work on.

Buying one of these old cars is always a bit of a gamble, project or completed car. Just don't add up the receipts and you'll be just fine.

 

[Deleted member 8987]

If you have time, 520-something "episodes" here. I'm up to 450.
Popular Mechanics.

https://www.gus-stories.org/Alpha_List.htm

 

[Silverghost]

I Like Smokey Yunik's philoshophy,
"If it ain't in the rulebook,
then it must be fair"

The "Rule Book" may not say I can....BUT it doesn't say I CAN'T!!

 

[Sandman_Slim]

I like your thinking. It's a labor of love, not a stocks and bonds fund.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

Ah yes, the wonders of the internet. Ole Smokey probably get a kick outta being in it, but I'll bet you he'd never get on it.

 

[drooartz]

I like your thinking. It's a labor of love, not a stocks and bonds fund.

That's the only way any of this ever makes sense. If it ever makes sense.

Let us know what you find out and of course we need some pictures. Car guys are a very visual group, after all.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

It doesn't make cents, it spends dollars.
There are a couple of pics if you click on the MG gallery and then hit the black heading in my box. It took 3 hours and 3 people here to figure out how to get them from the one place they were in this box of wires to anywhere on this forum. But you can get a look at what I'm working on.

 

[PAUL161]

I like your thinking. It's a labor of love, not a stocks and bonds fund.

That's the only way any of this ever makes sense. If it ever makes sense.

Let us know what you find out and of course we need some pictures. Car guys are a very visual group, after all.

And I have no idea why some people think were crazy! Every time I think of that, I'm just glad I don't own a boat! You know, big hole in the water to throw money in.

 

[drooartz]

And I have no idea why some people think were crazy! Every time I think of that, I'm just glad I don't own a boat! You know, big hole in the water to throw money in.

Guy at our local airport restores old warplanes. He gets the entire sky to throw money at. Makes me feel better some how.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

Update on engine resto. Just dropped entire engine block and all it's bits and pieces off at Fitzgerald Automotive. They came highly recommended by Dragone Classic Cars in Bridgeport Ct here. Darryl over there is gunna take a pile of measurements and give me an evaluation next week. This is the original engine in this car, so it's definately the one that's going back in. Got my fingers crossed.

 

[Sandman_Slim]

Darrel's expert diagnosis has determined that all major engine guts are aok. Cylinder head was another matter. It was never updated as originally stated. So it needs new valves and seats. The crank is getting magnafluxed and should it check out ok, (as I think it will. It has a great ring to it when taped with a wrench) I can have an assembled TD engine back for about 3 grand. About $500 less if I assemble it myself. That large can of coins I have been saving is going off to the bank. My credit card is going off to buy some shiny engine parts.

 

[aeronca65t]

Sounds good!

Hope you're able to drive it in Summer '12!