Chadder's MGB, now 13 years off road.

[LynehamHerc]

I thought I'd try a link now that Hooli has locked the old site.

The only update is that I'm still waiting for the holes where the sills should be to be filled with actual sills but after 8 months there's still just air and prayer holding the two parts of the car together.

http://aschat.freeforums.net/thread/57/ ... years-late.

[CLINT]

You'll get there. At least you can buy any part you need, brand new!

[8BAK465]

If its any consolation every time I get something right on Shitey another problem appears

Would I swap him for the world?

No chance!

I agree with Clint you will get there and at leasy you can buy anything you need,Shitey is so uncatered for I have to often repair refurbish and just generally get creative because nobody does the bits required

[LynehamHerc]

Finally got the quote for the sills today after waiting 9 months.

As the bottom of the front and rear wings need cutting off to replace them it's 92(!) hours labour on top of over £1k in parts giving a grand total of £5.5k including VAT - over 3 times what I paid for it, albeit 43 years ago.
Apparently they need it for about a month.

I am not a happy bunny and neither was the missus when she came back from a few days away with her mates to be confronted with this.

It doesn't need a mot but given all the strength of the body is in the sills I don't want to drive something that behaves like a clown's car when it meets a bump in the road.

[Hooli]

Jesus that sounds bloody excessive!

[LynehamHerc]

Too fucking true but ties in with other quotes I've had which have been about £3k per side plus any thing else that they find once they've looked at it. At least this guy has finally inspected it on a ramp.
That's what happens when MG design a monocoque after being used to building body on chassis cars, as I understand it there's effectively 3 sills, all of which rot out.
Beans on toast look like being a treat for the next decade.

[fried onions]

You could go on a welding course and have the satisfaction of doing your own work for well under that. That is outrageous. Unless they are quoting such a high figure because they don't want to do the work - this has happened to me in the past.

[Eddie Honda]

No, it's by all accounts a time consuming cock of a job to do correctly.

[LynehamHerc]

I've done a lot of research on this and it's as Eddie says.

The guy at the local garage is going to put it back on the ramp and see what the minimum needed is as I've said that I'll do the paint, by rattlecan, and am only bothered from a safety point of view. I couldn't give a fuck about the appearance, the paint is just to stop it rusting away in front of my eyes
The last pair of sills lasted 30 years and I don't expect to be around then, I'm in my early 60s, so something that'll last 10 will be fine by me if its possible to do it 'properly' but to a 'lower' standard.

[8BAK465]

What you need is a mate who can do it.............

I have to be honest but most of my car life I seem to have bought cars that need many many hours on them,after years of many $$$$ the main mechanic at the place id be going to for years retired and the guy who bought into the place was a right con merchant
But one of the old mechanics pulled me to one side one day and said,you dont want to be bringing stuff here no more you deserve a break.

He told me to go elsewhere and give me the best contact ever,a guy who despite being director of a large garage likes to tinker in his spare time for beer money

Ive been ever so lucky and hes become a friend he must have done thousands of pounds worth of work for me but hes impossible to pay

Most he has taken off me in bits is a couple of hundred

If it wasnt for him my project in reality would probably of never been viable

You need a mate who can weld without huge overheads or as others have said need to learn to weld.

Problem is now the classic car scene has become such a huge monster that its aimed at those who spend tens of thosands its not aimed at us,I dont think they get us?

We are like a dying breed,when I was little there was lots like us,those who bought prestige and sports cars for bugger all and for want of a better word tarted them up

They would enjoy them for years tinker and eventually the diy approach would catch up with the car and was then no longer suitable for a tart up it was full on project managing concours stuff with bottomless pockets with sleepless nights

Junkman summed it up recently theres too many cars that never seen the road

I want mine to look tidy be able to be a car a tonka toy and work for its living but alas we are trapped in this classic bubble with those who see there cars as faberge eggs to be transported to shows like the dead sea scrolls while we just want to drive them without being fleeced...................................

Where abouts are you? Maybe theres someone here who could help or at least know somebody who could?