123 / 3660 Restoration restarted

[Superheat]

This is my 1969 Mk11 which I have owned since 2002.

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I started a restoration in 2009 and after some distractions (earthquakes) I have started to make progress. The colour is VW/Audi Sage green.

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I stored the car in the safest part of my factory (note the braces for earthquake strengthening). The front wheel is a 17x7" alloy "Rostyle" with 225/55 tyres. New brake discs and reconditioned calipers have been fitted and the suspension upgraded with coilovers at the rear and adjustable shocks at the front.

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More to come

[Superheat]

Buying a Morris Minor Tourer was another distraction.

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The original wiring was scary with bodges and fixits everywhere. Even the repairs had been patched.

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The engine bay has been stripped and repainted with heat and sound insulation added. A new wiring harness has been fitted (to overcome Lucas Prince of Darkness).

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[Superheat]

The engine and gearbox have been assembled ready for fitting.

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I bought the engine from a local auction, with receipts from a reputable engine reconditioner. After purchase it was stripped and balanced then painted and reassembled. The engine is a 440 bored to 60thou oversize. It has a compression of 9.3, roller rockers and new pistons, valves, valve springs etc. The cam was described as "sensible" which could mean anything. I have two sets of headers and whichever fits best I will use. Initially I will use a reconditioned 750 Carter carburettor - it should be big enough.

The Torqueflite has been shift-kitted and a Gearvendor overdrive (GVO) is being fitted. Note the long extension housing. I am following Bruce Bridges article to fit the GVO. Hopefully I won't need to call for help....

I am using the original torque converter as fitted to the 383 & Torqueflite. Not sure how it will work with the significantly greater torque from the 440 though.

I am keeping my original E series engine so I have "matching numbers" if I sell the car, although I am wondering if this engine is original as the block is painted maroon?

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[Chris_R]

Chassis number 123/3660 - Original engine number: 1931/123E. Richard Calver notes this car was purchased by former racing driver R.T "Ron" Horton.

[VFK44]

Horton was a pre-war Brooklands driver.

He commissioned from Jensen the famous single-seat offset body of his MG Midget racer. It was very successful. Later, he raced "the Magnette now re-bodied, like the Midget, as a slim, off-set single-seater" - presumably by Jensen again? He sold the Magnette to Major Goldie Gardner (very famous in MG circles) and it is perhaps this car that is featured on Richard Calver's website - see second photograph down:
http://www.richardcalver.com/jensenhistory.htm


See Motor Sport, 1978:
http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archi ... ron-horton

[Superheat]

Thanks for the information. I knew that Ron Horton was the first owner but it is nice to have some information about him.

The engine went in last week.

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A chrome plater owed me a favour so I had the pulleys plated.

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The Gear Vendor overdrive will be fitted to the gearbox extension visible where the transmission tunnel has been cut.. The floor plate was folded back to fit.

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[Superheat]

The GVO instructions were missing (one of many missing parts that were lost when my factory was cleared). A phone call to Gear Vendors this morning and they e-mailed me all I need.

Does anybody recognize these parts?

This sensor was located under the car floor next to the drive shaft. It could measure the rotation of the drive shaft, but what information is to be gained?

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This sensor was located forward of and facing the radiator. If it were facing forward I can imagine it to be a type of photon particle generator beaming out a force field to clear the road ahead, however it may something as mundane as a temperature sensor. But what for?

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[hemi]

Looks like a speaker for a car alarm...? Is there any way of pulling it apart, or manufacturers detail on it?

Matt

[Superheat]

Thanks Matt.

It is unlikely to be an alarm. The white material is a ceramic type substance making me think it may be some kind of a heat sensor. No labels or pressings to identify a manufacturer or purpose.

Will trial fit my headers. My preference are the larger diameter type but need to see how much modification is needed. I employ five very competent stainless steel welders so should be able to make something fit.

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[bkbridges]

Superheat,
Im 99.94% sure the XSPower shorty headers you have will not fit. Ive got a couple pairs of them in my garage as well as a highly modified set that I used to run. The collector dumps into the frame rail and needs to be moved outward and the central pipes hit the cast iron protrusion between the central cylinders. I modified a set to fit on my car, and they did not do much for performance and they cracked badly over time. I had to do a lot of tube crushing on the column side of the car even after the major modifications...The design is weak due to the greatly unequal length tubes. I would abandon them for garage art. Your other set looks much better, design wise, providing they fit nicely.
Ive never seen sensors like the ones you dug out of your car. Very strange.
BKB

[Superheat]

Thanks BKB.

We worked out how to make the XSPower headers fit (with a lot of re-fabrication) but will take your advice re the design. They didnt cost me much and they will look good on the workshop wall.

The sensors have me stumped, certainly not original equipment.

[SKW 4084]

Where did you get the alloy 17inch for the front, looks like your trialling the look. Are these a straight no modification fit. I really liked the original colour.
Steve

[Superheat]

Hi Steve

A local "Mag wheel" repairer sourced them from the US. Rims are off the shelf (17x7) and the centres are machined from a billet of aluminium, then welded into the rims. They wouldn't tell me who made them so unfortunately I can't help with the source. It was claimed that there was some intellectual property which could only be the CNC mill programming.

There were a few teething problems. Two of the wheels wouldn't balance and it turned out that the centres welded were "off-centre". They needed to be removed and re-welded. Another issue is that the air valve hole is on the inside which is done for show car wheels so I need to sort this out.

The wheels were a bit pricey, costing in $US about the capacity of my new 440 big block in litres x 1000 divided by the diff ratio of a Mk11 (just in case my wife looks at this forum).

They fit well and look fantastic on the car as they look like Rostyles so the car is still a Mk11. Larger brakes can also be fitted if/when I need them. I also have the original rear lights so everything visible will look correct for a Mk11.

Original colour was California Sage. It dos look nice in the photo but was not my preferred choice.

[Dion]

The wheels were a bit pricey, costing in $US about the capacity of my new 440 big block in litres x 1000 divided by the diff ratio of a Mk11 (just in case my wife looks at this forum).

[Twright55]

Where did you get the alloy 17inch for the front, looks like your trialling the look. Are these a straight no modification fit. I really liked the original colour.
Steve

If you look up 'Magnum 500' (which is the American version of the Rostyle...or more accurately the Rostyle is a British licensed version of the Magnum 500), you will see there are a number of aftermarket versions of these wheels in both original steel and in aluminum, as it's been a very popular style for muscle cars since the 60's. Those wheels in almost any dimensions you could want should be easy to find...EXCEPT for one with a hub/offset that is correct for a Jensen. I guess that's where the custom welded hub comes in.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rostyle_wheel

https://www.google.com/search?q=magnum+ ... 500+wheels