"Met"amorphosis

[phunkie hiboy]

Just managed to secure this little gem on US eBay out of Columbus Ohio. Paid $50 for it. $50 for an old BMC 1500 engine, halfway round the world I hear you say. Well if you click on the photo to enlarge, you might jus see that it is wearing a alloy Derrington/HRG rocker cover. Rare as hens teeth (just like the cylinder heads). Bought the whole engine, but the guy's quite happy to remove just the rocker cover and ship it to our contact in New Jersey, it should be in a container leaving in just over a week. Judging by the price of the cylinder heads this has got to be worth a couple of hundred pounds (paid £41 inc shipping to NJ + a small amount of container space)

"Met"amorphosis

[Manky Monkey]

Ain't t'interweb wonderful! A lucky find Chris.

[phunkie hiboy]

Yes, it was a lucky find, it'll be really cool when it gets here!!

Right on with the bodywork, after hacking away at the obvious rust areas on the rear wings …………………………..

"Met"amorphosis

"Met"amorphosis

……….it was decided to remove them. These were welded on at production and as you can no longer get them new anymore, or even 2nd hand if it comes to it, it had to be done. So very carefully the seams were cut into using a real slim dremel metal disc (took ages).
The passenger side wing removed …………..

"Met"amorphosis

"Met"amorphosis

Kinda glad we did remove it now. The repairs needed to the inner arches can be carried out a lot easier, but it did show up some previous repairs that were less than ideal. These can now be corrected to a better standard.

"Met"amorphosis

[Manky Monkey]

Sheesh. Where do you start?!

[phunkie hiboy]

Sometimes building a car is easier than rebuilding one!!

[BikerGran]

I think Manky knows that after the Charger.....................   

[Manky Monkey]

Never again!
The Pop ain't exactly simple either.

[phunkie hiboy]

Just a small update, ‘cos I’ve had some electronic problems with the daily (now sorted), not much has been done.
Front engine mounts, these require “shimming” to prevent premature failure. Because the origins of the plate that bolts to the engine (don’t know if it is the right depth or not) this needed to be done. It was a matter of fitting one side mounting complete, fitting the other side to the engine and measuring the gap between  that mount and the “chassis” bracket.
This measurement is divided by 2 and that is the required thickness of the two shims needed. These were made from aluminium (doesn’t matter what material, they’ll be stove enamelled to finish anyway).

"Met"amorphosis

They were then assembled to the engine and front cross member. Fitted perfectly, no stress in the rubber now and therefore no vibration from that area.

"Met"amorphosis

"Met"amorphosis

[phunkie hiboy]

OK, so the other side rear wing needed to be removed. Now done.

"Met"amorphosis

The paint is now being stripped, starting with the inside, notably the floor.

"Met"amorphosis

This has uncovered the holes that are needing repairs. We decided not to have the whole thing media blasted (too scared).

"Met"amorphosis

Managed to get the transmission filler/dipstick tube sorted, with some help from Steve (BookHimDanno on here).
It was too long and not angled up enough as can be seen here

"Met"amorphosis

The breather was detached.

"Met"amorphosis

With the help of a tube bender, it was bent to a better angle. The dip stick was inserted and the projecting length measured. An amount was removed from the outer tube, internally tubed and welded. Weld was then filed, the breather cut to length, re drilled, the end sealed and the breather welded back o the outer tube. The dipstick was then inserted back into the tube and the projecting piece measured. The first measurement was subtracted from the second and the result removed from the dipstick, putting the high and low mark back exactly where it originally was. Whole thing was then trial fitted back in the gearbox.

"Met"amorphosis

This was the last thing that was stopping the engine being sent to the machine shop to be bored, ground and balanced (it’ll be dropped off tomorrow 25th).
The rear wing and inner wing situation, as regarding rust, will now be resolved. I think they are too far gone to repair with out major surgery. I have managed to get hold of some panels from a California car, which I collected from Derbyshire yesterday. They are in real good condition for their age, so watch this space.

[Manky Monkey]

I was wondering how you were getting on Chris. Looking nice.

[tikimunki]

will know by next week but we may have some sills for the met

[phunkie hiboy]

That would be cool. I've been talking to Fintan Ellis about getting some made. Need to be talking to you about the side trims as well. I'll call you next week some time.

[phunkie hiboy]

Now we have a plan, let’s put it into action. Using square tube (1”) a bracing frame is constructed (don’t know weather we need one, but belts and braces!).

"Met"amorphosis

Remove both the inner wings, roughly.

"Met"amorphosis

And finally remove the boot area covering.

"Met"amorphosis

Clean up the inner wing areas. These will need the parts of the inner wings, still attached, removed later.

"Met"amorphosis

This is what we’ve ended up with for the supply of panels, but unfortunately it’s the later type with a boot lid!!

"Met"amorphosis

I made the trip over to Luton this afternoon to the guy that brings the stuff in from the States, Russ Pepper at…..  http://www.randrhotrodimports.co.uk/  
For my latest shipment.
This little gem, quite rare, especially in this condition.

"Met"amorphosis

The rocker cover, for the engine, is also here.

"Met"amorphosis

And way back in November I bought this, from a guy in Wisconsin, just in case I needed it!!  

"Met"amorphosis

More to follow …………..

[phunkie hiboy]

Ok, so it’s been a while. I’ve been recommissioning a 1963 Morris Oxford Estate, barn find (about 40 years in the barn).
Anyway back to business, I realised that the exhaust manifold would have to be made so that it could be installed onto the engine, during reassembly, without having to damage any body or engine paint.
So back in the engine and trans goes and start to cut and tack weld the selection of stainless bends bought for the purpose. I had some flanges lazer cut and some stubs pressed.

"Met"amorphosis

Using a spare big valve iron head as a jig.

"Met"amorphosis

More cutting and tacking and finally as much as I can manage with it in the car.

"Met"amorphosis

The routing of the primary pipes is so tight that they have to go down, one over the other and not side by side.

"Met"amorphosis

Now to remove the engine/trans (this will not go back into the car until all the body and paint has been done and the engine reassembled) and finish the manifold collector and first bit of the front pipe.

"Met"amorphosis

"Met"amorphosis

Now the pipes/bends are all tacked and the tacks cleaned up, I’m going to take all this lot to be TIGed up by a buddy of mine after which all the welds will be cleaned up before final assembly and polishing.

"Met"amorphosis

Getting replica body sills have been a bit of a task. The ones Scottie had were, unfortunately, no where near what we needed. To my good fortune, a guy in the Met owners club (Pete Whetstone) had a pair of brand new (as near as you’ll get to the originals) sill. These were not for sale but he kindly lent one side to me to get some folded up.

"Met"amorphosis

So I approached Fintan at F H Ellis ( http://www.fhellis.com/ ) to see if he could help me out. Two weeks later I came away with these basic folded pieces of metal.

"Met"amorphosis

Now to start to cut and add the extra pieces required to fit.
Inner sill

"Met"amorphosis

Outer sill.

"Met"amorphosis

 

"Met"amorphosis

The original sill had to go back last week (met Pete at Enfield, he lives in Nuneaton) so I just tacked up one sill and now have a part finalised jig to do the job properly.
Something else I needed to do is sort the boot floor. The original has peppered holes all over it. The new rear end has a solid floor. Had to be careful not to damage any other panel that I need to use, but I’ve managed to remove it in a fairly good condition, just need to do some small repairs and a depaint and rust before fitting it.

"Met"amorphosis

More to follow ………………….

[Manky Monkey]

Exhaust is looking lovely Chris.