High folks, been a while for me. Lots happened over the intervening years (built a new shop to continue the build & get the car our of the downstairs living room, for example), but I'm back & resuming construction. Build is at the rolling-chassis stage, with all major components installed, but no wiring or plumbing yet (a ton of tabs to weld on, before I can paint the frame). Once those are done, and the frame is painted, it's on to panel beating, a technology I have zero experience with. Of course, when I started this project, I'd never designed or built a car before, so...

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Originally posted by zetec7
built a new shop to continue the build

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I'm afraid it's not much to see - I ran out of money before being able to insulate & drywall (no ceiling, either, so heating is...an issue!). It's basically a 24' X 26' workshop/garage, although I didn't scrimp on the concrete floor - I had it specially leveled & polished, so there's no grade at all, and it's shiny-smooth.

I also built in an overhead rail of sorts, with a rolling electric 660 lb. capacity winch (with engine leveler) - handy for removing engines & rolling them over to the bench or wherever.

I have invested in new and better tools, rather than on the insulation & aesthetics of the shop itself. I recently replaced my aging & ailing second-hand Italian-made welder with a brand new Miller 190 unit with Autoset, and a matching plug-n'-play Miller spool gun for aluminum (the former is amazing, the latter will work beautifully...once I manage to stagger up the learning curve for welding ally!).

I also picked up a hefty, second-hand compressor (80 gallons, 5 hp, 13 cfm), as my little tucked-into-a-corner 5 cfm unit was starting to wheeze most alarmingly. Even my most air-hungry air tools can't get ahead of the big one!

The car is nonetheless coming along, if at at the pace of continental drift. It's amazing how easy it is to get bogged down in minutia as you get closer to the finish and, as I'm a bit of a perfectionist, "the devil is in the details".

I'm also a bit of a traditionalist, so I'm mixing a 2005 Ford Zetec 2.0 blacktop power unit with a full set of 6 MGB (Smiths) gauges. That's proving to be a challenge, particularly regarding the tachometer (as there's obviously no dizzy, and I'm using an aftermarket ignition manufactured by Quad4Rods.com). The ignition unit consists of a modified GM OBD-1 ignition module, modified to full-time "run-home" mode, with a set advance curve based solely on RPM. So...I have a Ford engine, with a GM ignition with bespoke modifications, trying to talk to a 1969 Smiths tacho. I've since been in contact with Chris Spiyda, and purchased an external analogue tachometer driver module which, I'm hoping, will solve that issue. Of course, I'm using a Ford T-5 "World-Class" transmission, so I have yet to figure out how to drive the Smiths speedo...

Anyway, I shall henceforth endeavour to post some pictures of the build as it sits today, and I'll no doubt be asking questions...again. I'll soon be working on the coolant system plumbing. I have my radiator mounted, but am somewhat befuddled by the plethora of coolant (and other?) tubes emanating from the thermostat housing. I'll be needing to plumb in my Austin Mini heater as well, since a heater/defogger is mandatory here. I visited an auto wrecker a few days ago, and sourced a very nice cable-drive heater valve, bracket, and cable securing clamp from a '90's Toyota 4Runner for the princely sum of $10 (roughly £5).

[Edited on 27/1/16 by zetec7]

[Edited on 27/1/16 by zetec7]

Nice!
Re MGB old school rev counter,check out this site http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/smithsclassic.html

Thanks! Luckily, my tach is the RVC type, so less needs to be done to make it work. The awkward part is that the ignition is the "lost spark" type, firing on every revolution on each cylinder (so, twice the normal number of pulses), and it's an extremely weak signal, although Chris' booster should sort that bit out. It will be challenging!