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geflackt
USA
52 Posts |
 Posted - 15/10/2018 : 13:09:27
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It's the end of the driving and racing season here in the eastern US, but there was enough time to get GUR963 finished and back on the pavement. A whirlwind of work from around April until September got me back on the track at Lime Rock for our Fall Finale on Sept 28 and 29, then off to a wet British show this past Saturday.
I've had the car off the road since September 2014, when the main bearings failed at the MMM gathering at Watkins Glen. Discouraged with the situation and interest in other areas meant that the car sat tucked away in the garage until this past Spring. I got the bug again, but there was a long list of items on the car to complete. Thankfully, the engine damage was contained to just the main bearings. The shop took care of the main bearings, plus replaced the rod bearings, line bored, balanced, and gave me back a setup short block. Although 2 years prior to the WG2014 event I had rebuilt the engine, I spent quite a bit more time on this round setting up the head and cam timing. Most of the engine bolted back together as it was a relatively short time since the last rebuild.
Overall work throughout the car included new cables on the brakes, poly gearbox bushings, attention to chassis and body hardware, and cleaning all the road debris from various crevices. The biggest project besides the engine was a complete re-wire of car. After studying the existing harness as well as P-type diagrams, I drafted up a new wiring schematic, including provisions for turn signals, multiple fuel pumps, and a hidden relay for the magneto. Armed with an assortment of cloth braided colored wiring, I ran loose wire through the car, then bundled it up into 1 main harness and 3 sub-harnesses. These bundles were then cloth wrapped to give a finished harness. The regulator was in good shape, but wiring behind it presented a bit of a challenge.
Once back together, I checked the weight of the car, coming in a little bit over 1200 pounds without driver, and a 51%F/49%R distribution. Then after bringing the break-in oil up to temperature, I spent about 30 minutes tuning on the road before changing oil/filter to the final oil setup. Amazing how much of a difference there is when time is spent setting up the cam timing. I did not change the valves/cam on this round, but did put in new followers, rocker shafts, and springs.
The car ran better than it ever has at our pre-war event at Lime Rock. It didn't take long to get used to moving the car around the track, although the race group was a bit small(10-12 cars). Our Fall Finale doesn't provide lap timing but I could use the speedo at certain points to determine how I was getting faster. There was one small round of carb tuning and a plug change, and the car kept getting better throughout the weekend. I even had a chance to take my wife around the track during "exhibition" laps!
This past weekend was a wet Phila MG Brits at the Village show. The only pre-war car besides GUR963 was my friend's fresh MG TB. He was in the T-class, while I was in "MG Other". A huge "MG Other" class - just my car, but it was good to have it out to share with the MG crowd, including a stop-in of local celebrity and MMM'er Dan F. All that's left now is a warm weekend day to go for a drive before tucking away for the winter.
'35 MG P Lester Special - GUR963. |
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George Eagle
United Kingdom
3240 Posts |
Posted - 15/10/2018 : 17:49:04
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Hi Jason
Thanks for the update and well done for using such an historic car in the manner to which it was modified i.e. a very competitive little car!
George
L2023 |
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Dolts
United Kingdom
1129 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2018 : 08:44:01
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Brill, great to see the overseas cars in action. Well done! Here's to a fantastic 2019.
Mark Dolton
www.triple-mracing.com
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Centric
United Kingdom
140 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2018 : 15:29:31
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This looks like a Lester car. Is it a genuine one? Whatever it looks fabulous and so good to see one being used for the purpose for which it was bulit. Long may you enjoy it!
Alan |
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geflackt
USA
52 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2018 : 18:10:43
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Hoping the weather this weekend or next will be good - I need to do a liquor run with the car. It also occasionally gets used to do other shopping. Just pop in ear plugs and off we go!
GUR963 is one of Harry Lester's first specials. He built and raced this one before moving on to other specials and Lester motorcars.
'35 MG P Lester Special - GUR963. |
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colintf
United Kingdom
1503 Posts |
Posted - 16/10/2018 : 19:19:31
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Absolutely fantastic!!
Colin Murrell
D0285
Photographer for MGCC (LeMans Classic, Oldtimer Grand Prix etc) & MG Motor (BTCC 2012-5)
http://www.triple-mracing.com/ |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 17/10/2018 : 09:46:08
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Alan (Centric). You obviously have not read Stewart Penfound's excellent book on the cars of Harry Lester and The Monkey Stable. It's all in there. A highly recommended read.
Colin B. |
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Centric
United Kingdom
140 Posts |
Posted - 17/10/2018 : 11:31:20
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Colin,
Perhaps you could lend me the book. Please bring it up for the Kimber Trial on April 13th. As you know I'm more of a trials man, or as Pauline would say more of a trial.
Alan |
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