RESTORATION OF A 1972 MGB GT SEBRING by Dave Walker

 

RESTORATION OF A 1972 MGB GT SEBRING by Dave Walker

After purchasing the car, the outside of the body had recently been repainted and looked to be

solid and in good condition, but the underside and engine bay were in a poor rusted state. The remedial work to improve all of these areas started on the 2nd April 2016, with cleaning and painting the back axle, rear suspension and brake parts. The underside was then cleaned and checked and the brake pipes, hand brake assembly also cleaned and painted. The front suspension and brake parts were then checked, cleaned and brushed to remove rust and painted. This was all carried out in a small garage with the car jacked up on axle stands with about two to three feet of head room underneath, so it was a bit like coal mining, cold, dark and covered in muck.

Before and After photo’s

The engine bay came next as the inner wings needed de-rusting and repainting. The inner wings were rubbed down primed and over coated with body colour. The engine block and ancillaries were also very rusty which needed wire brushing, priming and painting. Whilst carrying out the work I was able to replace any old leaking gaskets and check and reset the tappets. The alloy rocker cover was polished and the MG badge repainted in. The coil was replaced and the wiring, fuel pipes, connectors etc. cleaned and checked, tidied up and replaced with new as necessary. The radiator was removed flushed clean and polished before refitting. I also made a bonnet stay to hold the fibreglass bonnet up without it twisting and causing the gel coat to crack.

 

Before and After photo’s

Attention to the boot area was needed, which was cleaned and repainted in body colour, as was the battery box which needed the rust neutralising, priming and painting. The body work was mostly in good condition but there were two areas that needed improving and the paint blending in so as not to see the repair. I then painted in the body line and any lettering that was needed, the wheels were then wire brushed, primed and painted.

The time spent so far on this work is about 600 hours and is ongoing, as now the interior needs further tidying up but is not in too bad a condition. The car needs an MOT which will be carried out shortly and then I will be able to take the car out to this year’s club rallies, so you should see me around at last, with a smile on my face and an empty wallet.

written by Phil Pearman