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MGC MGC GT - beginning to restore this old girl.

RickB

Yoda
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I just found this forum today after searching for MG related web sites.

I bought a 1969 MGC GT back in 1985 while living in Anchorage AK. It needed work, in fact I had to renew & refit the steering gear and the lower bushing before I could drive it off the PO's property.

I worked on it while living in AK. Got it running fairly well, then drove it down the AL-CAN highway when I moved to Seattle.
During the drive south a small stone bounced up and hit the clutch slave cylinder dead on. It broke in half and I had to drive the rest of the way without a clutch. I could shift without it, timing the gears and never grinding any. When I got to Vancouver BC I learned it was the day Princess Diana and Prince Charles were in town. I had to maneuver my way through the city with no clutch - very exciting. When I finally arrived in Seattle I bought a new cylinder first thing!

Some time after living in Seattle and due to radiator failure it overheated, I pulled the motor apart and replaced the head. I bought a replacement from Aurora Auto Wrecking in Seattle, then I had it rebuilt by Precision Engineering. I put it all back together and then moved again, just about 30 miles east of Seattle to Snoqualmie.

I suppose with the financial responsibilities of buying a home and raising a family the MG ended up in the back yard up on jack stands on a 10' x 25' concrete pad.

15 years later... I put a canvas shed up that covers the MGC. Apparently this was a big mistake - it made a nice dry area that was too tempting for some outdoor creatures to resist.

Ahead one more year, finally feeling the financial and time freedom I decided it was time to get to work on the old MG.

Upon opening the hood - RATS!!!

The nasty beasties have taken up the engine compartment as their living quarters.

I was so disgusted I simply left the hood open with a light hanging there. Later in the evening I took out a rat trap & tossed it in there.

Now I'm thinking that I will most likely have to pretty much disassemble this vehicle to make everything right.
After the vermin have been dealt with that is.

I've loved this car, but haven't taken as good care of it as I should. I still believe it's salvageable, but am daunted by the extreme amount of time & money it seems like it's going to take to get it into running order.

There are two good British parts places in Seattle, and I know there are many more online.

I'm looking for advice, pep talk, sage wisdom, or maybe just a bit of commiseration. Thanks in advance!
 
I'd love to see some pics if you've got any. MGC GT's are great cars, I'd love to have one myself actually. It seems like you've got alot of memories in the car so in that respect it's definatly worth resurrecting. You might be lucky with the rats, I've seen some cars used as rat holes that have survived with little damage. Tony Barnhill has an page on his website "resurrecting a sleeping B" that probably a good place to start if you want to get it running and driveable before you start into any major restoration.
 
It sounds like you may have to completely tear it down, but maybe not. A mechanic who knows these cars may be able to advise you on how far you really need to go. A complete restoration is a wonderful thing, but it takes a lot of time to perform, which is time you could spend driving the car. Hopefully you can simply get it running again and in safe, reliable condition. Be sure to post some photos, and good luck!
 
Welcome, Rick! The rat thing can have a number of consequences, from just odor and nests to completely destroying every bit and piece of non metal. The seem to enjoy wiring harness insulation particularly. Let us know what you turn up as you survey. And photos. We run on photos! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

The conversation here will be like sitting with a bunch of fellow LBC friends, BTW.

OH! ...and first round's on "the NEW guy" /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/devilgrin.gif
 
Welcome, Rick...C's are great cars...Aurora's a good place to pull parts as needed...check out my site for my "Awakening a Sleeping B" checklist...I'd see what happens before ripping her back apart.
 
Cool and welcome to the forum. Post those pics for us ;-0
 
I'll have to get out there and take some pictures real soon now. Good documentation will definitely help, at least so I can look back on the state of the car before applying any effort.

I'm definitely going to strip out the interior, if nothing else than to deal with the smell. If the door panels, headliner & visors are good then maybe they will just need a wash, but everything else goes.

If there are no more rats by the week end I intend to start cleaning it up. First the demo - then the rebuild. No, first the pictures, then the demo, then the rebuild. :smile:

Thanks for all your helpful thoughts, I know this will be a long process. I'm glad to have found this place & you guys!

Rick
 
Rick, with the MGC more so than any other LBC, the important thing is the body. If the bodyshell is sound, then anything else is a walk in the park by comparision.

The 'C' had unique sheet metal at the front, but most if not all of the parts that you need to replace are shared with the MGB.

The car is well worth saving, you need a support group? Look no further! And mine's a pint of mild, thank you!
 
I so wish I could share...

I live practically next door to this brewpub: Snoqualmie Falls Brewery

I just had my corny keg filled with Spring Fever. Man, that's a great beer! I know, I home brewed for 20 years. Since they started business I have only brewed the occasional Mead, because I can't buy it as good as I make it.

This seems like a great place to make my home page...

Wish I could share this Spring Fever with you all, I'll just have to enjoy it for everyone!
 
RickB said:
Wish I could share this Spring Fever with you all, I'll just have to enjoy it for everyone!

I know how you feel. Fort Collins has four micro breweries and one giant brewery that stinks up the north east end of town. The micros all do seasonal stuff, some so succesful they last past the season. My favorite local, year round, ale is called 90 Shilling.
 
Welcome to a nice little place to forget the real world and enjoy a bit of the past. I would love to have a CGT like that...can you say "febreze"??? and if that doesn't do it, go to a pet store and buy a bottle of skunk deoderizer that they sell for cleaning "skunked" dogs...that works great on fabrics and padding, etc.

And here in Harrisburg, we have a fine little brewery call "Troegs" who make the best real beer around, but the Appalacian Brewery Company has a nicer restaurant to go with the beer.

Good luck with the project...keep us posted with picture updates!

Bruce
 
Thanks again, yeah I think it's well beyond the "febreeze" stage. I'll look for the skunk deoderizer - good tip!

Tony, that's some checklist! Of course there are a few things I have to do before I get to use that one, but I'm going to print it & post it out by the car so I don't forget. Thanks!
 
Here are my 'before' pictures:

https://www.bastedo.net/mgc/index.html

I just found that page generator, so if you experience troubles with it let me know.
For now I think the pictures pretty much say it all.
 
Yep - that's a keeper...& I've got the rear quarter repair panels you'll need (from the trim line down).
 
Thanks Tony, I've seen some 'before' pictures that looked a lot more challenging.

So, you need the shipping address to get those panels out to me? /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

Happen to have?:
windshield
hatch glass
front fenders (wings)
seat covers
carpet set
dash
intake manifold
headers
oil filter conversion kit
radiator
(where's the smiley faces?) /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
Oh, simple easy smiley faces - nice!

Anyway - J/K - I appreciate all your input. Of course parts donations are gladly accepted (I'll gladly pay shipping - at least if it's less than the cost of the items I can buy locally /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif ).

Also since I have to buy all this stuff anyway maybe you guys have something you can sell me reasonably? Feel free to email me or post here, either way is fine. I hope this isn't violating any forum rules, if so please let me know.

rbastedo at gmail dot com
 
Lemme PM you - I've got some in stock, can get others,
 
Good luck on your CGT. I bought mine here in New Mexico 21 years ago..had been stored for years before that and had 65k on it. We're blessed here in the desert with a fairly rust free enviroment..so my little re-do last year ws fairly easy. I own and operate a VW repair/resto shop and have a full body shop as weel as engine build room, interior section and tear down and build rooms. I painted it the original Snowberry White, and after a trip to NY in early april, hope to take it and possibly one of my MGBs to Las Cruces NM for a three day get-together Apr. 27th-29th. I'll probaly be the only C there. They expect between 125 and 150 British cars. Again...good luck.
 
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