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Progress!

jaybird

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Has been a GOOD, GOOD week!

Got the SUs in Emma Tuesday (but you all know that) Either the ZS really sucked, or the HS4s make a huge difference. Have taken her out for several runs, short trips and longer rides. She's starting instantly, idling steady at 850rpm, accelerates 5x quicker than she did pre SUs, and runs quietly and steady at high speeds. AMAZING difference. It's like she wants to jump out from under me at a stop. I'm going to get a ticket.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The vibration I noticed - I think it's coming from the air cleaner bumping against the power assist at higher (over 60) speeds. Still an occasional whiff of exhaust (new system-Chuck's checking that all today) Then it's onto the overdrive that's sitting in the garage and a couple little cosmetic things. Bring on the driving season! Hey, 60 here today, top's already down and we're driving tonight. Anxious to run out a tank of gas, see if there's any improvement on my mpg.

No more antifreeze leak (crosses fingers) and stopped a small leak around the NEW neoprene gasket. Might I add my cork gasket is working wonderfully?

Talked to the guy that has Binabox's block, head and crank about porting and a mild polish. He does it, but hates the job and gave us a few reasons why including it being a dirty, filthy mess. Said he really only does it for himself and friends. So I'm about to become his new best friend. I figure anyone will do anything for a price most the time, and it saves me $ on shipping both ways if he does the work. Still going to contact the hot rod shop in town here too. He (machine shop guy) said he should be finished with everything very soon, which means we'll be starting the engine rebuild on Binabox directly afterwards. And he's going to show/explain to dahubby how to port and polish. A DIY job coming up most likely.

Painter has one job in the shop and possibly one ahead of us, if he ever hears back from the guy. He's calling him ONE more time today, otherwise, Binabox goes in next.

**YIKES** That brings us to paint. No we haven't decided yet, but we're very close. A couple oddball colors sort of jumped into the scheme of things. Just add a bit more confusion, thank you ever so much. I'm going to see about getting a small bit mixed up of ALL the colors except regular OEW and have John paint a couple old doors or something so I can really get a feel for the color. THEN it's ordering seats, tops, door panels, carpeting and hoping ALL the reds match (if we end up with red). ACK!

I think we're going to send Binabox to the painter, just the 'skin' and leave the skeleton here so we can work on the suspension and other things (I HATE down time) and get the engine completed, start on the transmission etc. Oh, and polishing, polishing, polishing. Anyone have any polishing obsessions? I'd be more than happy to feed your addiction with chrome bits of all shapes and sizes.

MG2006 MAY still be a probability IF we get into the painter next, and not mid-March!!!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE my SUs??!!

And so it begins. **GULP** Ordered bits and pieces for Binabox today. To the tune of $1431.19, less discount of $587.91, plus tax. Chuck had John order it and before I could 'yell' at him for not letting me order through Tony, he pointed out the discount. Whew.

Engine mounts, seals, washers, oil hose, gaskets, crank sprocket, tensioner, cam ($219.95 - I wish I knew WHICH one he ordered!), bearing sets, tappets, oil pump, pistons (I thought he ordered these last week?), water pump, clutch kit, valve heater, hmmm, why is there TWO clutch kits on here? A Borg & Beck and A Quinton-Hazel??? and other miscellania.

WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
 
Thats what I call "doing it big" LOL

I guess it will be a race to see who gets what car done for MG 2006 :p

I know mine wont be ready for mitty in april, but I think I have a shot at getting my car at least together for Gatlinburg. Heres to youthful optimism, because I apparently have alot of it! LOL

Glad to hear that SU setup is making Emma all better again. I cant wait to see Emma or Bina in person!
 
Not a bad idea to buy the engine parts from the guy who builds the engine - & that discount looks about right.
 
I wanna see how many bugs are in her teeth after the first Binabox run.
 
I need a dang neck brace in Emma NOW!

Explain to me why there are TWO clutch kits on the order?
 
Should be three, a pair and a spair. Lol.

One for each car?
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

ermm... maybe the complete clutch kit was un available but they had two halves of it to make a whole kit, and the only way to get the whole kit was to get the two halves? May end up with redundant parts that way but at least you'll have all the parts? OR... is it possible it was only ordered once but written down twice? *shrug* I know I've done that before, but then again I don't have to explain my orders to anyone... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Two different brands. Ah, maybe one is for Emma's overdrive? Would we need a clutch kit for that though, no.
 
well, there's no better time to change the clutch than when you have the engine and tranny pulled for a tranny swap. Especially if you don't really know how many miles you have on the clutch that came with the car. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
uh... duh ????

double clutching....

geez

[/ QUOTE ]

Darn it, Jim, you beat me to it.
As to DIY head porting, in one of his "Side Glances" columns, "Tuning Secrets of the Ultra Slow", Peter Egan mentions porting your own heads. You can inadvertently do a lot more harm than good.

But, I certainly don't mean to rain on your parade, JB. Good on ya!! You're making a heck of a lot more progress than I am. Not enough bloody hours in the day!
Jeff
 
Oookay. Emma *was* leaking oil like the Valdez. Got her fixed up today though. Seems the neoprene gasket was the culprit. Might I mention the cork gasket I made and put on is tight and perfect? Anyway, took the neoprene gasket off, made another cork gasket, glued that baby on with the blue stuff again. No more leaks!

Should have made 2 gaskets to begin with.
 
Industrious today, aren't we? It was mid 40's here today, and if I could have gotten off early, there would have been an MG ride scheduled for me. Of course, this weekend is supposed to be winter again! We probably won't see anything near 60 until April.
Jeff
 
67 here today...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

GLORIOUS day for mid-January!
 
65 here today - weirdest weather ever for winter...opened all the garage doors to let it "air out"
 
I know Tony, weird here too. We budget bill our electric and normally in the winter, we're *behind* and catch up in the spring. Right now we're *paid ahead* nearly $100. We haven't had even a proper snowfall yet. And if it's not going to snow, it can stay like this, because I've got the top down!
 
I don't know what it is about this place. We get fairly decent days in the middle of winter, but always during the week. Just once, give me 50 and sunny on a weekend. Please!!!!!!!
Jeff
 
I'd love to be getting work done, but I'm in limbo right now. I'm waiting on the finalization of the sale of my TR4 to order my bits for the 2, and I also got sent to school this week so that threw me off. I built a parts tumbler to polish aluminium bits, and it broke after 20 min of use (motor broke loose from its mounts) so I gotta re-engineer that before I can start to experiment with media.
And to top it off I feel like garbage. I think I'm coming down with something.
Augggh!
Glad to hear the SUs are working good J.B.
I can't wait till spring.
 
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