1993 MGR V8 3.9
Part 3
We have been working steadily on the car for a while now and it's been one of those jobs that grows and grows. The original intention was to save it from being possibly very expensive scrap - and we've now managed that I think. What often happens with cars and bikes like this, is that the more you do, the more you become dissatisfied with more minor details, so another part is removed and refurbished. This can go on for as long as you like but I decided to set a deadline for it taking to the road and realistically, with a great many other jobs intervening, I decided I would aim to tax it for my birthday in June 2019. I kept looking back at the MOT failure it suffered in 2014, possibly when the previous owner had tried to sell it but virtually all of the issues had now been addressed with the exception of the headlamp aim and incorrect second pass Lambda reading. I removed the cowls and the complete lamps (Porsche 911, no less!) I freed up the adjusters and cleaned and painted the retaining plates so that they could be accurately set on the beam setter at MOT time. As far as the emissions go, although I have Rover-gauge software on my computer, it's still in the lap(top) of the Gods whether it will actually pass.
A few days before the MOT with clear skies
This car had not been on the road (legally anyway) for virtually 20 years and it's only 26 now! This means that it's still an unknown quantity as far as I'm concerned. We obtained insurance with agreed value and not surprisingly, it's worth considerably more than we gave for it. I suppose if I costed out our time spent, then the value is fair.
I booked it in for an MOT on Friday 24th May fully expecting it to fail - which it did but only on headlamp aim! Very soon after it had a fresh valid ticket and the slack I had built into the timetable for remedial work was not needed. The ride out to the Test station on the outskirts of Stromness - about 15 miles away was a bit tense, as needless to say I had to remove the tonneau cover and put the hood up in the drizzling rain and apart from around our drive, I had not driven it any distance - would it spit out it's dummy or sit and sulk at the side of the road before I even got there? In the event it performed as well as expected and settled down a fair bit as the engine warmed and the suspension and brakes got used to being needed again.
The engine bay has cleaned up well and I've zinc plated a few parts and repainted others but there is always more that could be done
We are very pleased with the way the interior has come up - it really was a sorry mess when we got it
There are still one or two bits to do on the bodywork but the generously applied paint and clear lacquer have responded well to hours of treatment. Some of the larger suspension components might get a spruce up when we've finished using it this year. I'll let you know what we both think of it and whether it's one to keep for any length of time. I'm only about 5' 9" but already I've noticed the top screen rail is a bit intrusive unless I slide down in the seat a bit - we'll see!
Part 1 As found
Refurbishing the alloy wheels