Big end damage

[Chris KC]

Notching the rod shank is a horribly misguided practice and this needs saying more often so more people hear it!!
A simple paint mark will suffice, or at least 'dot' it somewhere less critical.

The car will run around for some time in that state, but the notch is a stress raiser and ultimately fatigue cracks will start at the notches and the cracks will grow and then...bang.

I'm not sure there's enough meat on A7 rods to tolerate grinding the notches out; for my money I'd find another set.

I suppose the 'hole' is a white-metalling defect, which calls into question the quality of the white metalling generally. It would probably run OK in a 'pub runs' car but...

As for bodywork Phil, I know how you feel - I'm supposed to start on my Nippy this summer. I can only suggest taking it slowly and cultivating helpful contacts - there are loads of people out there able and willing to help. There is no job that can't be done, the question is just how much money and time you are happy to throw at it. Many of us start with lofty aspirations but have to settle for what we can manage. Proceed slowly and carefully and document everything. I have zero panel beating skills but I did buy myself a small MIG welder while working up to this and in the space of a year or so reckon I learned enough to take the job on.

[PhilM]

Many thanks for all of your replies and opinions.

Nick, I very much appreciate your comments regarding the bodywork repairs, there is a lot to do, both the "A" and "B" pillars are rotten at the bottom, all of the wings are in a bad way and the inner wings also have rusted through in places and as you say the floor is perforated in one or two places, and the floor of the battery box has rotted away. so I'm guessing it would come to a pretty penny to get it fixed.
Maybe you could PM me the details of your re-metalling man?

David, yes, I've been meaning to introduce myself to the East Kent group and was about to do so just prior to the lockdown, all rather frustrating!

John, it's a 2 bearing engine which seems to have had a bit of a checkered history but I suppose they all have after this many years!

I will mull over my options for a couple of days but will likely be looking for suitable replacement parts.

..... Phil.

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Hi Chris, your message arived as I was typing my previous reply.

Thanks for the opinion on the rods, I was already concerned about the damage to the rods but had almost convinced myself that they'd probably be o.k. for a sedate weekend driver, I'm not so sure now.

I was paticularly heartened by your comments on the bodywork issues though, I'm sure you're right, it is do-able, it's just a matter of finding the right help.
There is one more thing that I'd like advice on though, regarding bodywork restoration, the body is obviously still sitting on the original unrestored chassis. should the chassis be restored before bodywork commences? Given Nicks comments on stabilising the body when removing it, it sounds a bit on a minefield?

Thanks again,   ..... Phil.

[Chris KC]

Hi Phil

I can't see how deep those notches are on your rods, if you are only pottering about and you can't find anything better I'm sure they would be 'OK' for a while...I would smooth them out as much as humanly possible though, with something like a dremel, and grinding along the rod rather than across. Trouble is a rod letting go can take quite a lot of your engine with it, so if you have a better alternative, take it.

On the body, it's sort of a first for me, but I have talked to as many people as I could first about how they approached their own cars. A common message seems to be to measure the basic body dimensions e.g. door gaps before taking anything apart, then if it all collapses you've got something to refer back to. The body will most likely have to come off to work on it, but make sure it is properly supported e.g. get or make some sturdy trestles and lay timbers across them where the frame would normally go, and secure the body where the fixing bolts would go - basically anything you can to preserve (or re-attain!) the correct dimensions. Surely the worst nightmare is restoring the body and finding it will no longer fit back on the frame! Or that your doors will no longer fit the openings... I've known people weld braces across door openings (on modern cars) before cutting out the sills, that way you know the door will fit back in! Then cut them out again when they are done. For my Nippy I have a scrap chassis I am planning to press into service as a body support / jig.

[PhilM]

Thanks for coming back to me on that Chris, all makes perfect sense to me, I wish I had a bigger garage looks like the MG will have to live outside for a while when the body comes off, that'll probably be a while though, social distancing wouldn't allow half a dozen people lifting a seven body?

..... Phil.

[dickie65]

Just to add my two pence worth, If the car needs loads of bodywork doing forget the engine as a priority, just spend some time taking advice and finding better rods to fit.
There is nothing worse than building an engine and not being able to use it for years while the rest of the car comes together.
And then finding it needs another strip down before it is fit for use.

Best of Luck with the project.

[PhilM]

Thanks Dickie65, wise words I'm sure, I take your point but I only concentrated on the engine as something that I could (hopefully) progress  during the lockdown without too much interaction with others. I need to get somebody to give the body the once over in order to work out the way ahead and I can't see that happening for a while yet.
Yes, I'll certainly start to make contact with people who I can call in when things get a bit easier but it's a bit frustrating right now not being able to make much progress.
Meanwhile I've got the block to build up again, new valves etc. and several other small items to clean up and give a lick of paint to, so still a few excuses not to help the other half with the gardening.

Thanks again!

[Chris KC]

I lifted the body off my Ulster rep single handed, with a block & tackle, a couple of 4 x 4 fenceposts slung underneath and a good length of rope. An Opal is probably a fair bit heavier, but still...