New Car, New to the forum

[GregTempleton]

Hey there
I introduced myself in the members section, so heres my car. Its a 68 MGB GT, I got it for 300 bucks. I've been told its a steal; its sat for 5 years or so. Over the last two weeks I've towed it down the road to my uncles where I can work on it, I've cleaned out all the rat crap that was layering every inch of the floor, engine compartment, and boot. Put in seats from the donor/rustbucket 71 B that my uncle has.
Last weekend changed the oil, got it started (surprisingly easy), bled the brakes, found a leak at the MC, repaired some wiring and got my turn signals functional. Drove it around my uncles property, it runs decently, in need of a carb tune- valve ajustment, and other minor things. Found the head to be weeping moisture near the engine number tag, the head looks easy enough to pull, so no big deal. Now all I've got to do is rebuild the suspension ($$$), and make it look all pretty ($$$$$) and it'll be great!

What color should I paint it? :laugh:

Heres a link to a photobucket album of the car, tell me what you think!
The MGB GT Project

 

[PAUL161]

Welcome to the forum Greg! My comment about your car is, you paid for the carburettor and manifold and got the rest for free! For 300 bucks, you stoled it! Don't know how some of you fellas fall into some of these bargains. I guess living a charmed life helps. Good luck with the car and the restoration. You'll have a great piece when done. PJ

 

[Silverghost]

Greg, if you should decide the steering wheel is not to your liking, please contact me first. My 68 roadster will appreciate it!

 

[davester]

Welcome to the asylum! Being from California, the land of unoxidized iron, that is some scary looking rust, especially the lower fenders, which means that the sills may be in poor shape, and the sills basically hold the car together. If I were you I'd concentrate my early work hours on ensuring that the bodyshell has sufficient integrity for a restoration.

Also, here's a link to a copy of the late Tony Barnhill's instructions on awakening a sleeping MGB, something you should find useful: https://mg-forum.com/awakening_a_sleeping_b.htm

As to color, one of my favorite colors on the MG is the very unique pale yellow that your car is painted in. I think it is actually referred to as Pale Ivory, a bit lighter than the classic Pale Primrose yellow.

 

[GregTempleton]

Being from California, the land of unoxidized iron

I should show you the '71 B parts car we've got. You'd reconsider that statement.

I looked over the sills and they look pretty solid, the inspection was pretty cursory. the rust on the front fender is through the metal, and in the surrounding area on that metal, but behind it looks and feels like mild surface rust. I think I might pull the front fender off soon and find out exactly what damage there is behind. The underside of the car is reasonably clean, undercoated with no signs of heavy rust, but you never know till you get the paint off....

That list will help me int the future, thanks for the link. RIP Tony Barnhill.

Before I got the car started, I changed the oil, backflushed the cooling system and refilled. took a squirter bottle and stuck it in the cam cover and fired oil all over inside the cover. Pulled the plugs, squirted a little oil in the cylinders, cranked the engine cold to get oil pressure up. Reinstalled plugs, cranked car over, and it started really easily, and ran great!

Heres a couple of videos of the road test after bleeding the brakes, checking the wheel and hub condition and tire air pressure, (OK) and getting the car warmed up.

JYejc2Q" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/YfhtzzhIVTA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>

As for the color, I think a nice Ivory or a off white (Old English White?) would be nice. Or on the other end of the spectrum, a dark blue or something. Paint is a long way off though...The car is pretty faded, but under the sills and dash shows a much more yellow-hued color, which is why I was thinking it was Primrose...reminds me too much of nicotine smoke stains....


Thanks for the encouragement guys!

 

[DrEntropy]

Primrose is most likely.

That list will help me int the future, thanks for the link. <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">RIP Tony Barnhill</span></span>.

yup.