Yes - before the first step, Moss and Haynes. Beyond that I guess what you
do first depends on what you want to do with the car. If you want a
99-point show car, you'll probably start by taking the whole thing
completely apart. If the car is structurally sound and you want to drive
it ASAP, let me recommend another current thread: rebuild the entire brake
system... then front suspension, and shocks. Check out the steering rack
and tie rod ends. Does the engine turn over? Use a wrench on the fan
pulley nut to find out. If so, pull the plugs and squirt in some ATF or
Marvel Mystery Oil and let it soak for a couple days. Check to see if
there's oil in it - or better yet - change it. Connect a battery or jumper
cables and see if it will spin (plugs still out!). Does it have oil
pressure? Run a compression check - are all four cylinders within 10% of
each other and hopefully over at least 100# (still pretty low). If so,
drain/flush the gas tank (carefully!), replace the fuel pump, replace all
rubber fuel lines (as well as any other rubber hoses having anything to do
with the car!), replace fuel filter, rebuild the carb(s) (singular if this
is an original '77), replace plugs, points/condenser (so many '77s were
converted back to points), plug wires, etc. Flush the cooling system,
replace the fan belt and try to start it. Before driving it, replace tires
- even if they look good.
If you get this far, you'll probably have a lot of electrical
trouble-shooting to do before you have a driver, but that's another
chapter...
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but wiser heads on the list will no
doubt intervene.
If the engine fails any of the above tests, you may be in for a lot of
stuff I've left out...
Allen
>From: "James H. Nazarian, Ph.D." <microdoc@apk.net>
>
>Welcome to the ranks of the obsessed.
>
>Start by requesting a catalog from Moss Motors, so you can order a Haynes
>workshop manual.
>
>Jim
>
>simon hurley wrote:
>
>> Dear all
>>
>> Just acquired a 77 MGB Roadster. I have done car maintenance before in the
>> sense of having to get to work the next day. This is the first project car.
>>
>> The car is complete except for the hood, but it has not been run for ten
>> years.
>>
>> I know this question will have been asked before but:
>> In what order would you work on the car. If anyone can provide a list I can
>> always skip the items that are in good order.
>>
>> Thank you, this is going to be fun in -20C temps.
>>
>> Simon
>> Syracuse, NY.
>
******************************************
Allen H. Bachelder =iii=<
Sinking Creek Home for Wayward MGs
49 YT, 57 ZB, 58 ZB, 65 B, 67 BGT, 73 B, 73BGT, 76 B, &...
New Castle, VA 24127
USA
540/544-7333
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