Last report as just before Christmas, and we are still knocking around southern Florida. We took a little trip from west coast to east coast to visit the Miami area for about 10 days, expecting to meet a few people, but not actually happening.

First week end in January we were back to the west coast on a Friday to resume playing with cars at Tech Central in Bonita Springs. Aside from some minor tune-up work, we spent half a day salvaging two MGB exhaust manifolds by replacing several rusted and broken studs (mostly grunt work). There was the beginning of reassembly of MG Midget doors

Weld washer to broken stud, heat and unscrew

Clean threads, and new studs in exhaust manifolds

and window regulators (lots of fiddling). And there was a Jaguar XJ6 with rear subframe out for overhaul of the rear suspension and inboard disc brakes. Next day was mostly devoted to a Gazelle kit car, a replica of 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK (1975-1995 kit). Donor car for most of the mechanical parts would be a Chevrolet Chevette, and most of the day was spent disassembling the Chevy. In the evening we were back to work on the Jaguar XJ6 rear end assembly until we lost the light and quit for the night.

Then I spent most of a day recovering the "Special Tuning Manual for MGA Twin Cam" from a lost web site to be re-posted on my web site. Also recovered two more lost tech articles from archives, "WEBER SETTINGS for MGA Twin Cam" and "WEBER DCOE Jets (Weber Settings)". Fielding question on bad engine mounts and misalignment of the Starting Handle (engine hand crank), and did a small update to tech article on "MGA Coupe Window Regulator Repair".

MGB wanna-be race car emerging from the shop after substantial disassembly

The following Friday, Jan 11, we were back at Tech Central again. Much of the day had the (previously flooded) wannabe MGB race car on a lift doing more disassembly. We drained five quarts of clear water out of the gearbox (not much oil), three quarts of water out of the differential (not much oil), another quart of water out of the bellhousing, and a few quarts of scummy oil out of the engine (not much water). By mid afternoon the propshaft was out, speedo cable and all wiring disconnected, gearbox mounts and crossmember were out, only thing left holding gearbox and engine in place were a few bolts in the engine mounts. That car off the lift, oil change in a Jeep, Beginning to install the rear subframe in the XJ6, and a little more work on the Midget window regulators.

Saturday 1/12 through Thursday 1/17, fielding a bunch of tech questions on oil pressure relief spring problem, Andrex shock absorbers, seat belts, exhaust manifold to pipe gasket problem, MGA horn (hooter) brackets, and an adapter fitting for temperature sensor in the cylinder head. Had a request for a car club to republish my tech article on Mallory Dual Point distributor (and spent some time checking to be sure it is up to date). More tech questions on MGA windscreen, U-joint in the steering column, hand crank misalignment and engine mounts, someone's stuck bonnet latch (again), making a drawing for frame bracket for side body mount, a tech page update on the last MGA to leave the factory, some discussion on MGB overdrive pressure valves and gearbox lubrication.

Excalibur kit car with Chevette chassis parts

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