MG Sports Cars

I thought it might be a benefit to some of the new guys if we could list all of the reasons why we've either had or seen projects fail in the past, that would give them a pretty comprehensive list of things to avoid if possible while planning their conversion. I'll start it out with a few nuggets and I'm sure others can add to it:

Possibly the number one reason might be trying to use the engine that was free. Far too often the temptation is to see that as a bargain and crowbar it into place but in the long run it takes much more than a crowbar to get the job done and as the cost and technical difficulties mount you eventually just get overwhelmed. I'll stop there and give the rest of you a shot at it.

Jim

I'll some others,
2- the basic project isn't well thought out and winds up costing more than you're willing to invest.
3- the project winds up calling for skills or equipment that you don't have. Welding for instance.
4- there are engineering problems that you run into that you just can't figure out a solution for.

Others?

5- new wife? / new baby?
6- conflicting career responsibilities or job relocation

Jim, you can tell the truth about this thread. You were put up to this by the guys in the KCMGCC to goad me into getting something done on my MGA-6 project weren't you? ;-)
I guess I don't have any excuse except that I've just gotten lazy in my old age. (could that be reason number 7?)

Probably combinations of all of the above, but under estimating what it will take in the way of time or money and changes in job or family are two big ones for sure. I know I've allowed my project to grow bigger than I intended... but i'm still having fun with it & learning a ton as I go. And, luckily I haven't had major job or family changes to contend with. I expect mine to be on the road this spring & have booked my room for the 2008 event!

What was that Bill? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that...

I guess in the process we should also give suggestions on how to keep the project on track. I'm just real persistent, so eventually I get things moving again. Understanding that to be part of my nature was a big revelation though, before that I jetisoned a few projects I would like to have finished or kept.

Jim

All the above reasons apply. My "B" sat idle a few times usually after a small set back, to combat this I would set small goals that way you could judge the progress without the car having to be completely done.

I think many people go great guns then 6 months later (or what ever time frame), they get burned out and lose interest because it is not complete or on the road.

My car was built sort of backwards I did the body and paint first, then drove the car for a year with the stock drive line, that got me re motivated ( Nothing worse than Hot rod looking car with the Mighty 1800 4 popper in it ) to do my V-8 conversion.

Now that the car is running and I have worked most of the bugs out of it I will take it back apart and re-build the engine, make the engine bay look good and address a lot of little things that I past over on reaching the Goal of, getting it on the road.

Not the best approach but it worked for me.

Joe

I see a common theme above. It is called TIME.

I think TIME has to be the number one killer of most projects. Underestimating TIME to completion & overestimating available spare TIME to devote to the project.

MGBV8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I see a common theme above. It is called TIME.
>
> I think TIME has to be the number one killer of
> most projects. Underestimating TIME to completion
> & overestimating available spare TIME to devote to
> the project.



Yup. And as soon as I find a supplier of Round Tuits, my GT will be on the road under its own power.

All very good points.

Last Thursday, I brought one of my own projects into the shop. I have not had any of my own projects in the shop (other then one BGT this summer) in about 8 years. Before I could spend the time on my own project, I wrote myself about a page and a half writeup on why none of my cars have run in that long before I could justify working on my own project.

The short list would be:
had 4 kids (99, 02, 04, 06), started the business in 1999, went full time in '00, sold a house, built a new home and a new shop in 2002, and a few other events. This means time has been an issue, space for working (I have rules about personal projects in the shop!) and of course when a business like this is good, you tend to spend money on stock and equipment, not things that look enjoyable. So, when time came up, there was no money, so i had to start purcasing parts for myself and promise that they were not going to be used for other projects.

I also have high expectations. Nothing can be done quick. Everything must be done at a very high quality level. Being as though I have nothing running due to my own expectations for my cars, I decided that this car must first run and drive, then we can look at aesthetic later. I have gone so low as to brush paint the engine bay with a foam brush and rustolium! This is not pretty, but its starting to look complete.

Also, it helps to have an end goal. My goal is to drive my MGB to the conversion meet in WI and use it for a shop runner.

So, The issues that I personally suffer:

Time,
money,
expectations,
room to work. Don't forget how important having a clean well lit workspace is.... I have plenty, but my toys hardly get the chance to see that light!


-BMC.

Brian (who is based near me I see) hit it pretty square from my perspective, but I'll throw in my views for what they're worth.

Car projects advance at the confluence of time and money. Many things compete for those resources. My engine swap project has been many years in the making. (Started in idea form in '93, on seeing a wonderful article on the 215 engine.) I don't have regrets, though. There are wrench turners and there are polishers. The former work on their own cars; the latter hire out most of the work but keep a show-quality gleam on them.

I'm a wrench turner and every stage of the project is fun for me. That's the key: my engine-swap (which happens to be an Olds 215 in a TR6, but I have a '69 B GT, so don't kick me off this page!) is not "a project." It's a series of projects. Rebuilding my original fuel pump was a project. Rebuilding the alternator was a project. So was restoring the 4GC carburetor. Redoing my dash was, running the wiring, hooking up the fuel system, modifying the shifter linkage, building and installing the radiator mounts, spacing out the belt-driven fan, mating the TR6 master cylinder (standard) with TR8 slave cylinder (metric) was a job; there will be many others. (Some of these are discussed on my classic cars blog, Motormouth, at the Minneapolis Star Tribune website.)

It will be fun when the car is done and I can drive it. Yet at that moment, all it requires of me is gasoline, insurance money, and a periodic wash and wax. All the problem solving mechanical stuff will be over (for the most part--more on that in a moment). Because I love the incremental parts sourcing, dismantling, cleaning, rebuilding, installing, I don't have a strong incentive to rush that process. When the part of my brain that deplores laziness has cleared its throat, I have assessed my progress and weighed it against other non-bill-paying endeavors that are important to me. I've felt a little guilt occasionally--which spurs me to some fresh work--but by and large, I'm not unhappy with my several-years-in-the-works pace. The car is garaged and most everything that's done so far, I'm proud of.

What I don't want to do is backslide, so I am careful (as some of the prior commentators have cautioned) to
plan each step in accordance with function and also the overall look I'm after--a vintage engine swap done during the car's production era. So, while I have sourced a rare BW T10 4-speed from a '63 Special, I will finish the build with the non-period TR8 5-speed in their now. (Car starts, runs and drives, but is not finished out with exhaust system and interior.) The T10 rebuild is a fun side project, which will hopefully include my NOS '66 Hurst shifter. That will get swapped in after the car is on tthe road.

I've set the goal of finishing it so my wife can take it to a company party in June. Deadlines are good.

(At some future time, I may do further mods, including bored/stroked 215 with 300 crank and heads, period Hilborn injection, and Quaife differential to handle the extra power. But none of that will stop me from putting the car on the road first, and those parts may end up in a different car; e.g., one I build for my brother.)

If I had advice to lend, it would be this: plan it how you want it; build it when you can; give yourself plenty of time (e.g., 5 years); and give yourself credit for every piece of the project you complete to your satisfaction.

Remember, if you're like most of us, once it's done, you're gonna want another project anyway.

Kris Palmer

Kris,

Great points. Also great to see another person based out of the Mpls area.

-BMC.