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June 13, 2004
Hi All,
I just wanted to rant about the shoddy condition of the Midget that
i am restoring at the moment. This is my first Midget i have ever
owned and have always wanted to have an MG. So I purchased one
about two months ago which was mechanically sound ( apart from the
clutch) but is a bit shoddy bodywork wise. I ordered the
replacement sills (inner & Outer) and started work today removing
bits for the job.
So where does the frustration come in to it you ask. A weekend
spent taking a car apart is 'fun' in a sort of masochistic way.
Even the rusted bolts that required God to loosen them are all part
of the 'fun'. What started getting myself annoyed was the
little 'presents' that were left by i can only assume the previous
owner.
What seemed like a simple job of removing the wing turned out to be
a major slug fest with a hammer and chisel. First of all the book
which i am refering to during the restoration, says that the wing is
removed by the loosening of a few 'easy accessible' bolts. So i get
my trusty ratchet and spanners on to the wing and remove all the
bolts that i can find holding the wing down but the wing remains
solid on the car. Examination of the front of the wing leads me to
the discovery that the wing has been welded to the front lower
valance. Big hit with the chisel No1. That seems to have loosened
it at the front but the back of the wing is still solid. I examine
the rear to find that there are a few bolts holding the wing on from
inside the cockpit. So I grab the ratchet and remove all the bolts
that i can see from inside. At this point i should have twigged
that there should have been mare than two bolts holding the wing in
place from inside the car.
The wing still being firmly held by the car from somewhere inside
the car led me to examine it further to see what was going on. I
noticed that the side wall was bulging out slightly so i pulled off
the seal and lo i saw the weld which held a plate over the side
wall. Some bozo, again i can only assume that it was the previouis
owner had welded a new plate over the panel as a patch up job for
the mot, had left the rusty part in place and covered up the bolt
heads so that the wing could not be removed! Hammer time No2 to
remove this plate and two easily removed bolts later and the wing
was off.
I know this is a bit of a rant but frustration happens when you know
you should be finished an easy job quickly but when it takes longer
due to someones short sightedness. I am now quite concerned how
many other 'presents' that i will find on the car.
The optimistic part from this whole incident is that i am finding
the problems out now and able to rectify them wihout having spent
the time fixing something then having to refix it later.
OK i am done complaining.
Have a good weekend everyone.
Oidhhe Mhath,
Abestea
"abestea" < alan@... > 32629
Posted on June 13, 2004 02:17 AM
Posted to category(s) Body | Electrical System | Engine (external) | Interior | Lubrication System | Miscellaneous | Restoration | Technical Info | Transmission
