At least a dozen club members were in attendance once again, and enjoying the heated garage, for the MGB engine reassembly tech session. Assembly went well, except for a few delays for first assembly of the engine stand, grinding valve clearance eyebrows in the engine block, lunch break, swapping valve springs twice, a cam timing check, and lots of pointing and explaining along the way.

Checking valve timing and overtravel clearance, required with installation of high performance camshaft.

The new engine has hardened steel valve seats, bronze valve guides, Stellite exhaust valves, special grind fast street camshaft with new tappets and uprated valve springs, and a better head gasket from a later model engine. The rest is a more traditional rebuild with cylinder rebore and slightly oversize pistons, all new bearings for the crankshaft, oil pump rotors, timing chain and tensioner, gaskets and seals. By day’s end it was back together, just waiting for good wash down and a fresh paint job. Installation in the car may happen on the following week end. With due dilligence this one is expected to be well run in, finely tuned, and ready to run in the Missouri Endurance Rally in March. You see, there is a reason why we do these things in January.

More photos and notes at: www.chicagolandmgclub.com/photos/engine_reb03

To be continued on February 7, 2004.