This is a 1964 MGB MK1. She is going through a makeover to
repair some signs of age and this is an
ongoing journal of the process. Although the before and after
pictures don't show a dramatic difference, integrity of the body and chassis
have been suitably restored. The pictures at left were taken
before work began.
From a distance
the car looked
ok. Good
chrome, paint ok, interior cleaned up ok and
a good running MGB.It
has not been exposed to harsh weather and is
kept in a garage.
But... some festering rust bubbles
on bottom ends of the front fenders
got me looking closer at my MGB last year (2006). The car was cosmetically in good shape and I was reluctant to start up the DA
sander but after getting a better look at the corrosion, I realized it was time to get busy.
The
rust damage
was limited to the bottom 12" of all four fenders and some
cutting,
welding and filling was indicated. Some localized damage was evident on the
outer sillsand behind the fenders. This is to be
expected after 43 years because the fenders trap dirt and moisture
against the chassis. No other corrosion was found in the sills so
I did not change them out.
The
floorboards were
fiber glassed by the previous owner many years
ago and a quick and dirty 12 volt battery conversion was made to the twin
6
volt battery boxes at that time. I've always had a nagging feeling about the rust
that was buried beneath the fiberglass and the possibility of more
corrosion around the battery box area.
After finding replacement battery boxes and
floor panels I bought a MIG
welder. I hadn't used one since high school so I got busy getting
the hang of it. Web sources were very informative and useful in
determining what I really needed. Harbor Freight
had the best price for a
120 amp MIG welder. It was very affordable and has worked
flawlessly thus far. (knock on wood***)
The demo work began with air chisel and cutting tools. The
floorboards and battery boxes were removed. No serious corrosion
discovered on the chassis below. The fenders were cut to receive the new
repair panels stitched in with the MIG. So far, so good...The floor panels had to be cut to fit.
They are made with a flange
on the edges which I removed. Nuts were spot welded to bottom sides
for seat mounts. Four bolts tacked into passenger side to secure the
retaining strap for gas/brake/wiring lines.
Numerous 1/4" holes at
about 1" intervals were drilled to plug weld to the chassis.
Rust
was removed and zinc paint applied to chassis before
installing
floor panels. Welds
were made through the 1/4" holes, then
cleaned up with a grinder. More zinc paint was sprayed
over newly exposed metal, the underside was painted and sealed
sparingly at the seams with roofing sealant and the project was off to a good start.
The gas tank was removed, cleaned out
and sealed. A new gas line was installed.
Then the body was sanded through three paint jobs including
the original tartan red. The right rear fender had
old collision damage and was
covered in bondo with
secondary damage to the
valance panel and trunk lid. There were a few dings on the
doors but no corrosion anywhere.
I soon realized the overall condition of the car is very good and
the rust damage is not nearly as severe as I had imagined.
I got off easy on this project.
There are many examples of
severely rusted MGB's on the Internet
and this (fortunately) is not one of them, howeverthis project
is necessary to stop further decay and will give a solid
body for paint and restoration.
You only need to drive an MG
to understand it's a lifestyle. Its about the wind in your
face, the sounds (and smell) of vintage British automotive
technology and the people you meet along the way. It's not so
much about getting there (...and sometimes you don't) as the
experience of the ride.
