TOMMY'S TOPLESS CARS

FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR START-UP

2012-12-25T19:00:00.000-05:00

The moment we have all been waiting for is only a few hours away. The electrical connections have been made and checked, the oil pressure and water temperature gauges have been installed and the cooling system has been charged and checked for leaks. Also the electric auxiliary cooling fan has been fitted and is fully operational.

The Weber dcoe carburetor has been rebuilt and properly fitted to the intake manifold. Inline fuel filters have been installed between the fuel tank and fuel pump and between the pump and carburetor.

Now, all that remains is the addition of the necessary lubricants in the engine, transmission and rear axle. We will use an oil priming system to charge all the moving parts inside the engine before the engine is started for the first time. This greatly reduces engine wear.

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

PS Merry Christmas to all...

Don't forget the reason for the season!

MGTD IN THE SHOP TODAY

2012-12-21T19:00:00.000-05:00

We "classed this place up" again today. A fellow MG enthusiast, John Tracey, brought his 1952 MGTD by the shop for a tune up. His TD is difficult to start...imagine that, a MG, difficult to start.

John's TD is in immaculate condition. He has owned it since 1956 and it actually served as transportation on his honeymoon shortly thereafter. This MGTD is very well maintained and as far as I can see, 100% original...a rare find.

John seems to be interested in fitting his TD with an electronic ignition. Although it is not original equipment, it certainly improves the performance and requires less attention.

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

NEW GRILLE IS INSTALLED

2012-12-20T19:00:00.000-05:00

This was one of those tasks that required ten times the amount of effort than I thought it would. But, I am a very patient person. I designed the horizontal bars so that they were adjustable individually. This allows the bars to be perfectly aligned within the space provided.

The driving lights will be mounted behind the grille. The bars should not interfere with the function of the lights...aside from that, it looks so BAD.

Later,

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

DESIGNING THE GRILLE

2012-12-18T21:36:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the posting delay. I have been a bit "under the weather" due to my recent confrontation with an oral surgeon...no pleasure has been experienced in the world for several days. But now, I'm feeling much better and work resumes.

Although my shop time has been limited to an hour or two per day, I have managed to make a decision regarding the grille design. As discussed in a previous post, there were several design options, two of which did not work out.

Although only two of the stainless steel bars are taped in place, I'm sure you will agree the addition of three additional bars will enhance the car's appearance without interfering with the function of the driving lights. The installation will be time consuming but certainly worth the effort.

Hopefully, I will post photos of the finished product very soon.

Later,
Tom McCurry
Tommy's Topless Cars

INSTALLING THE HOOD LIFT SUPPORTS

2012-12-11T21:34:00.001-05:00

The final fitting of the hood lift supports was a fairly straight forward operation. I had fabricated the mounting brackets yesterday and they were easily fixed to the pre-drilled attachment points on the underside of the hood. The lower end of the support is attached to another set of custom brackets mounted equidistant from the hinge side of the hood.

The operation is smooth and easy. Just one finger lifts it into place and the original prop rod is no longer required.

The hood lift supports were purchased from Advance Auto, part number 4398.

I also mounted the driving lights today, but it was not a permanent installation. The process was necessary in order to obtain accurate dimensions for the custom grille.

I have several ideas for grille designs and plan to fabricate them all, choosing the most attractive.

The nose of this car looks awesome. The horizontal bar grilles I have planned will enhance its exotic appearance.

Later...

Tom McCurry

FITTING THE HOOD

2012-12-10T19:00:00.000-05:00

We now have three projects going simultaneously in the shop. John is working on Tim's fiberglass hardtop, Don is repairing the floor pans in his MGB and I am fitting the hood on my "B".
It appears that I underestimated the amount of time required to fit the hood. I had a assortment of hood hinges and as it turns out only two good ones. I spent most of the day aligning the hood.

I also fabricated four mounting brackets for the lift supports. I will be fitting the supports to the hood and body tomorrow morning. The latch components including the release cable have already been installed and lack only minor adjustments.

Stay tuned...
Tom McCurry

CONSOLE AND DASHBOARD COMPONENTS RECEIVED

2012-12-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

I had ordered some parts from Moss Motors to complete the dashboard and console and I received them yesterday evening. Unfortunately, I had an adverse encounter with an oral surgeon Friday morning. Consequently, I will not be back to work until Monday...hopefully. I feel as though I just went 15 rounds with the heavyweight champion of the world and he just kept hitting me in the same place.

When I return on Monday, I will be fitting the switches and gauges on the dashboard and console. Following that, I will be fitting the hood supports.

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

PNEUMATIC HOOD LIFT SUPPORTS

2012-12-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

One of the most aggravating things about working on an MGB, or any other British sports car, is the position of the hood when it is raised. And that support rod...it is always in the way. To remedy the situation I have decided to install dual pneumatic lift supports on the hood. If I use a 28" support, the open hood position should be near vertical allowing greater access to the engine compartment. They should be relatively easy to install...wish I hadn't said that.

I will be fitting the hood in the next few days and I will post photos of the lift supports installation.

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

THE CUSTOM DASHBOARD

2012-12-03T19:11:00.001-05:00

The original dashboard for my MGB was a disaster. The upholstery material was cracked and both ends of the metal frame were compromised by rust.

I removed the vinyl cover and foam pad. John applied fiberglass to the metal dash frame to form a smooth surface. I am trying to decide whether I want a painted finish or a vinyl covering.

We are converting the radio console, which mounts below the dash, to a switch panel. The original shifter console will be attached to the transmission tunnel.

Urethane primer has been applied to the hood and the finish coat of "hotrod black" as been applied to the underside. The latch assembly has been fitted as well as the release cable. The hood will be permanently installed soon.

The archive listing of this blog contains detailed step-by-step photos and narratives regarding this restoration since it began late. Please direct any comments and questions to tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com.

Enjoy...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

INSTALLING THE ELECTRIC COOLING FAN

2012-11-30T18:30:00.003-05:00

TEnglish sports cars, such as the MGB, are notorious for overheating, especially in the warmer climates in traffic. But there is a solution. The original radiators simply cannot do the job.

To eliminate overheating from the equation, I chose to install an electric auxiliary cooling fan in front of the radiator. The fan was purchased from Victoria British and required additional bracing. VB furnished a mounting system, but it was not as "permanent" as I thought necessary. The mounting system consisted of plastic ties, that resemble wire ties, which pass through the radiator core. Push nuts, of a sort, when fitted to the plastic ties, secure the fan to the radiator. I fabricated metal brackets to attach the fan to the radiator support as shown in the photo to the right.

The archive listing of this blog contains detailed step-by-step photos and narratives regarding this restoration since it began late last December. Please direct any comments and questions to tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

NEW AIR FILTER INSTALLED

2012-11-28T19:09:00.002-05:00

I had ordered a new air filter for the Weber DCOE carburetor. The one I had in stock did not have proper clearance between the filter and inner fender. The new filter is dome shaped rather than rectangular, consequently, there is additional clearance.

You will also notice the installation of the breather hose between the air filter base and the crankcase breather on the side of the engine block.

I also purchased an electric fan for the cooling system and I am in the process of mounting it in front of the radiator. The installation kit consisted of plastic pins that actually pass through the fins of the radiator. I decided to do it my way. Don fabricated two brackets that will connect the fan to the radiator support. The fan housing base will also be fastened to the body creating a more secure installation. Photos will follow on my next post.

The archive listing of this blog contains detailed step-by-step photos and narratives regarding this restoration since it began late last December. Please direct any comments and questions to tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

INSTALLING THE OIL COOLER

2012-11-23T18:35:00.000-05:00

MGB's are factory equipped with oil coolers. These are actually small radiators that reduce the oil temperature. The oil cooler is connected to the lubrication system by oil resistant hydraulic hoses fastened to the engine block and oil filter adaptor. When the engine is running, the oil is circulated throughout the engine and the oil cooler. It is quite effective.

You wil notice that the oil cooler hoses pass through the radiator support and are held in position by rubber grommets and straps. The hoses, straps and grommets are new but the cooler itself was cleaned and refinished.

At this point all that remains in the preparation of the start-up sequence is the installation of the engine wiring and an additional fuel filter. Hopefully, the start-up sequence will begin on Wednesday.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

PHOTOS OF THE RADIATOR INSTALLATION

2012-11-21T18:53:00.000-05:00

The photo to the right shows the radiator prior to restoration. As you can see it is a bit on the rough side, but it functionally, it is in good condition.

I spent a few hours today installing the radiator and support. The assembly process was a rather simple one. First, I mounted the radiator to the support and then the radiator assembly to the bracket on the inner fenders. I will be fitting a thermostatically controlled electric fan to the front of the radiator.

I have also ordered a new air filter for the side-draft Weber carburetor. There was a slight clearance problem with the one I had in stock. You can see the "old" filter base in the photo to the right highlighted with blue tape.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

RADIATOR AND RADIATOR SUPPORT

2012-11-20T18:57:00.005-05:00

Good news; I had several original 1967 radiators in stock. Bad news; all of them required restoration. So I chose the best one and began the cleaning and refinishing process.

The first step is to make sure the radiator does not leak. We do this by pressurizing it. If it has a leak, it will manifest itself at this point. Fortunately, mine passed the pressure test.

Next, I removed the finish from the top, bottom and sides of the radiator. Be very careful with the cooling fins surrounding the core tubes. Aside from being very easy to distort, they will cut you. There were only a few bent fins and I straightened them with a small screwdriver. If the core itself requires refinishing, a special coating is available for that. The finish on this one only required cleaning.

After the tank was stripped, I applied two coats of black, high temp semi-gloss paint.

The radiator support I chose from stock was in excellent condition. Nevertheless, I sandblasted it first. Next self-etching primer and two coats of the same semi-gloss paint was applied. Now, we are ready to install the radiator and more good news...it looks better than one you buy, and it is original.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

START-UP PROCEDURE

2012-11-17T18:25:00.002-05:00

My friend John Lacombe came by the shop today to help me adjust the intake and exhaust valves prior to start-up. They had been adjusted when the engine was rebuilt but I chose to check them. They were a bit off. It's a good thing I double checked. A valve that doesn't seat properly can malfunction. After we start the engine and bring it up to temperature, the head will need to be re-torqued and the valves re-adjusted.

John is a race car builder and driver. He holds several titles. It is so nice to have access to his talents. However, the first thing he did was make fun of my fuel filter...picky, picky, picky. He advised me to use aircraft fuel filters with replaceable filter cartridges; a much better design. I will still use the filter I bought from Napa between the fuel tank and fuel pump.

Y'all come back now...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

WEBER 45 DCOE CARBURETOR INSTALLED

2012-11-16T22:18:00.000-05:00

Fitting this Weber carburetor was a bit difficult because all I had was the carburetor and manifold. It was necessary to fabricate all the linkage.

I bought the accelerator cable from a local bicycle shop. It's the same material, only less expensive.

You will notice the fuel filter installation in the photo above. It is a generic filter from Napa Auto Parts, cheap and effective. I also plan to install one between the fuel tank and the fuel pump.

It appears that it will be necessary to purchase another air filter assembly. The filter I had in stock was a bit large and did not have the proper clearance between it and the wheel house. Here we go again...buying parts.

Later...

Tom McCurry

Materials and equipment purchased from:

Moss Motors (mossmotors.com)

Victoria British (victoriabritish.com)

Eastwood (eastwood.com)

The Roadster Factory (the-roadster-factory.com)

English Parts (englishparts.com)

Napa Auto Parts (napaonline.com)

Apple Hydraulics (applehydraulics.com)

Coker Tire (cokertire.com)

THE HEAT SHIELD IS COMPLETED

2012-11-15T17:50:00.001-05:00

After a long sabbatical, I have resumed work on my MGB. I had been doing a frame-off rotisserie restoration on a 1961 Austin Healey 3000 BT7 timsnewtoy.blogspot.com and my shop was devoted to it.

Now, the Healey has been completed and it actually won the "People's Choice Award" in the Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance. I'm back!

Today I fabricated and fitted the exhaust manifold heat shield to the manifold. The shield is fastened to the manifold with stainless steel "U" bolts and deflects the heat away from the brake lines which are visible in the foreground.

Tomorrow I will permanently install the side-draft Weber carburetor. It will also be necessary to fabricate the accelerator linkage and cable.

My painter, John, has made a few necessary repairs to the hood and urethane primer has been applied. Tomorrow, it will be blocked and the final finish will be applied to the underside.

Hopefully, my MG will be on the road by early spring. I cannot wait to drive it!

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

FABRICATION OF A HEAT SHIELD

2012-05-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

Realizing that the brake lines are installed in the same position as they were originally, they are in close proximity to the exhaust manifold. Much to close for me. So, I am fabricating a heat shield from sheet aluminum to prevent the brake fluid from over heating.

I have two options. One, is to fabricate a shield mounted to the frame shielding the brake lines; the other is a shield attached to the header accomplishing the same. Attaching the shield to the frame is a bit more complicated. Attaching it to the header is less attractive. So, I plan to fabricate both styles and choose the one that will be the most effective and the least obtrusive.

Ya'll come back now...

Tom McCurry

REBUILT WEBER 45 DCOE

2012-05-29T16:08:00.000-04:00

I admit, the thoughts of rebuilding a Weber 45 DCOE was a bit intimidating. After reading several internet articles about this subject, I was a bit more confident.

The rebuild kit cost less than $30 and consisted mostly of new gaskets and "O" rings. Including cleaning the carburetor, the rebuilding process was completed in less than two hours.

After rebuilding the carburetor, I mounted it on the manifold so the fuel lines, throttle linkage and choke cable could be fitted properly.

Looks great doesn't it...

Tom McCurry

FITTING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD

2012-05-23T21:02:00.001-04:00

After bead blasting the aluminum intake manifold, I applied a very thin coat of high temp silver paint. The paint will prevent the raw aluminum from oxidizing.

The flange thicknesses of the intake manifold and exhaust manifold vary by 3/16 of an inch. To compensate for the difference, I attached a shim to the thinner flange. Now the washer and nut apply the proper pressure to each flange preventing leaks. Why can't these manufacturers engineer these parts to fit. It isn't "rocket surgery". But, it is what it is.

Now, I am in the process of rebuilding the side-draft Weber carburetor. As I explained in a previous post, the carburetor was clogged with dirt and varnish. Cleaning is the first step in the rebuilding process. This may take some time.

Stay tuned,

Tom McCurry

THE WEBER DCOE45 INTAKE MANIFOLD

2012-05-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

At one point in time I was considering the purchase of a supercharger from Moss Motors. Priced at $4000, it exceeds my current budget. So, I have decided to install a side-draft Weber carburetor. The carburetor is used and needs to be rebuilt but rebuild kits are not at all expensive.

The photo to the right shows the intake manifold for the Weber. Since it is made of aluminum, I can bead blast it and it will look new.

I plan to dismantle the carburetor tomorrow and let it soak overnight. I took a peek inside and it is "full" of dirt and "varnish".

Love this car...

Tom McCurry

MORE ABOUT WIRING

2012-05-18T22:21:00.000-04:00

After locating the fuse block near the firewall, it was fastened in place. The wires were then separated and moved to their respective locations.

Next, I went to work on the headlights. I began by fitting the new rubber gaskets behind the headlight buckets and fastening them to the opening in the fender.

After the buckets are fastened in place the inner rim is mounted to the bucket. I replaced the adjusters, wiring and springs on both headlights just to eliminate any future problems.

Finally the headlights are positioned, just to make sure they fit properly. The finish paint has not been applied yet so the headlight assemblies must be removed.
These headlights are really cool. The signal lights are actually inside the headlight itself. If you look closely, you can see the small amber bulb just below the center of the bulb.

The car will also have driving lights. They will be located in the grille area.

Stay tuned,

Tom McCurry

THE WIRING BEGINS

2012-05-17T20:01:00.001-04:00

We are almost ready to drive the "Killer B". In order for the car to be "road worthy" (not necessarily street legal), we must complete the wiring, attach the intake and side draft Webber carburetor and install the radiator.

The wiring is a bit complicated, at least it is for me. In the photo to the right, you will see the wiring harness I purchased from ez2wire.com. It is a relatively simple harness with everything labeled. The labels are actually printed on the wires. This should be easy 2 wire...wish I hadn't said that.

Y'all come back now...hear?

Tom McCurry

FUEL LINES ARE CONNECTED

2012-05-14T19:14:00.003-04:00

There are always issues associated with assembling an MG using parts from different year models. For instance, the fuel delivery system for a '67 MGB is entirely different from that of a '72 model. It will work but it can be annoying choosing the correct parts from a catalog. The system I have installed is custom fabricated and is very basic in design.

The photo to the right shows the new fuel line mounted in place. It is routed through grommets in the frame underneath the right side of the car. From there it is secured to the deck behind the engine and ends on the left side of the engine compartment near the intake manifold. It will be connected to the carburetors with a rubber fuel hose.

Stay tuned,

Tom McCurry

NEW WHEELS AND TIRES ON THE CAR

2012-04-19T21:54:00.001-04:00

It has been a while since my last post. I have had so much trouble with these wheels. The man I bought them from did not have the lugnuts. I thought it would be easy to find some that would fit. It wasn't. I have spent countless hours online trying to find something that would work. Finally I found a set that fit the wheel but they weren't long enough. So today I fabricated an extension for them and finally got the wheels mounted on the car. What do you think?

I will have a set machined especially for these wheels when I locate a machine shop with a CNC machine. It will be expensive, but it worth it.

Tim is coming down on Monday to check out his Healey and the wiring harness for the "B".

Talk with you again soon,

Tom McCurry