MGB restoration timeline part 12

Fitting inner membrane and outer sill

[@orlandorealestate6013]

Awesome skills Stevie! I've started to search for your videos from episode #1. I plan to find all your episodes, thanks again Stevie!

[@stephennickles7389]

I admire anyone who has tackled this job, I've it 3 times and I hope that my work holds up as well as yours will. Good job

[@MyDogfox]

Thanks Steve, I need to get back to it, I’ve not touched the mg for at least a year.

[@BrianKeatings]

Hi Stevie, thank you for the great videos. I’m just about to fit the driver’s side sill, your video is a great help.

[@steviecuz2396]

It’s nice to know I’m helping people, good luck with your restoration, I’m about seven years into mine and the way I work it’ll be another seven! But it’s a hobby and gives me something to do when I’ve got nothing to do 🤨

[@TheLifeTerm]

Excellent work mate....!!! 👍

[@AaronG303]

G'day Steve This is the first MGB sill job that I've seen use of the blocks (2" x 4" ) lumber used to ensure the castle rail is perpendicular and appropriate distance from the top the inner sill - bravo! such a simple set up. Im going to adopt same when I do mine. Cheers again Aaron G

[@steviecuz2396]

Aaron G, Thanks Aaron, they are from 3”x 2” framing timbers, left over from building my garden shed, they worked quite well while I welded the castle rail to the inner sill, I’m as pleased as punch with the way the job went and won’t be stressing as much when I do the other side, still a lot to do on this side yet.

[@Steviegtr52]

Iv'e had 2 mgb gt's many years ago & done much work on them. I am at present looking for a roadster wide tunnel shell to build something a bit different. I have to take my hat off to you Stevie haha same name. Great work. Regards. Steve.

[@joshsmgb7890]

What’s the door gap measurement? One side mine is 2mm between sill and door. The other is 9mm!! The 2mm one was done by Barry. The p.o but got a professional to do the 9mm one

[@steviecuz2396]

Josh’s Mgb, Hi Josh, I’ve never seen a measurement in print anywhere but if you watch “ AN MG IS BORN “ Mark fits a door and uses a drill bit to test around the door gap, can’t remember what diameter but I think about “6 mm” sounds about right, if the doors close and open properly without effort then I’d be happy, unless you’re planning to build a show car, I wanted to do everything I could to do the job perfectly but very soon realised thar the original MGB wasn’t ever perfect even when it left the factory and this is why it can cost the earth to get them to concourse condition, you can try lots of easing oil on the door hinge plates (these are inside the doors and are supposed to be free moving to allow for door adjustment but never are) and get a big pozidrive in your impact driver to free the six screws, good luck, Steve..

[@joshsmgb7890]

Stevie Cuz yes I remember that!! I believe it was 6mm. Haha mine do so I guess I should be happy!!! Nope 1970’s craftsmanship was not perfect!!! Fortunately Barry removed the screws for me!!! So no struggle getting them back in if I don’t do them too tight!!!

[@AaronG303]

Hi Stevie...I have another question if I may? From my research the idea for "deal" fit-up and door alignment approach is just as you have done, that is the sill vs. door alignment. Apparently the front fender can be "readily adjusted" later...is this accurate? As you know I've commenced work on my sills and happy to accept your tips and tricks! Cheers again Aaron G

[@steviecuz2396]

It’s a catch 22 situation, the wing has to come off to renew the sill, once you take the door off you’ve lost your reference for that front edge, you can only work from the rear edge and the bottom ( if you’ve used the bottom of the door to fit the sill before you take the door off, having got the gaps right first) but if you Re-skin the door, like I did, then that’s an extra dimension that your unsure about, the front fender (wing) has some adjustment with the slotted fixing holes but I’ve not got that far yet and won’t for some time, as I’m starting on the other side sill, I think it’s trial and error, I’ve seen people welding strips to fill the gaps but it shouldn’t come to that if your lucky, let me know how you get on.

[@AaronG303]

Fingers crossed you won't need to weld strips! Many thanks mate for your reply.

[@theawakening5548]

You are doing a lot of good work. Taking that to the extreme. Do you have to do the same thing to the other side?

[@steviecuz2396]

The Awakening. Hi, I’m expecting the other side to be the same but maybe I’ll get a break, but it won’t be as stressful cause I’ve done it once, still got the inner front wing to patch and the corrosion runs across the pedal box under the brake and clutch master cylinders, but that will be a cake walk compared to what I’ve just done, step by step😁

[@theawakening5548]

@@steviecuz2396 I agree it sucks having to do the other side, but it does go a lot quicker now that you have done it. I noticed it was the same when I did the dog legs.

[@TheRja22]

Do you do this for MGB owners, if so our much per side. Thanks

[@steveclews6557]

Excellent work Steve

[@jerryp2433]

Is there a way you can cut out access/drain holes in the back so that you can pressure wash out the crud that builds up and causes corrosion? Seems like a bad design that traps moisture. Especially the part under the wings.

[@steviecuz2396]

Maybe? When I come to fit the wings I may modify, so the new baffle plates (stainless steel) are easily removed, there are draining outlets built into the sill pressed steel bottoms, they are not great and filling the sill with water might not be a good solution to the rot problem? Try Waxoil maybe or that por15 before assembly,

[@jerryp2433]

@@steviecuz2396 I think I can outsmart the engineers. I gotta learn to weld first. Haha.

[@coopermosshart]

Believe it or not, my sills are in worse shape than yours. I really appreciate these videos, it's great to be able to see all the layers before I dive in.

[@steviecuz2396]

Cooper Hart, try to get the doors closing properly and the gaps good before you cut anything off, then brace it, people don’t seem to brace the GT but I would consider doing it, depending on how much material you’re cutting away, I took a few weeks to do the first sill, lots of measuring and checking, if you brace the door opening, like l have, you can still get the door on and off for checking the gaps, good luck. Steve...

[@jerryp2433]

Can you tell us more about your welding set up? Is that flux core? I need to learn how to do this, and these are the best videos I found so far. Thanks!

[@steviecuz2396]

Hi Jerry, thanks for subscribing, my mig welder is gas fed from a bottle of Ferromax which is Argon with about 5% carbon dioxide. I’ve only had limited experience with gasless wire so can’t tell you much about it, some people like it, I don’t, having spent all my working life either, stick welding or mig welding, what I will say is, if you can, learn to stick weld, it will give you a greater understanding of what goes on at the hot end of the process, mig welding will seem so much easier after that, (I’m sure, if he tried, my cat could use a mig welder, it’s that simple) get some small steel sheet scrap off cuts (from behind the guillotine of your local engineering workshop) of various thicknesses and practice, practice, practice. Good gloves are important as you need to support the neck of the mig torch and rest your weight on an elbow and two feet on the ground, keep your body stable against the workbench, it’s all in the wrist action, and an auto darkening welding helmet is a big help if you can stretch to the expense, learn ho to fill holes that you will inevitably blow in the metal, and practice setting the wire speed and heat dials on your set, I usually set the heat (voltage) put the torch at a shallow angle on the metal, squeeze the trigger and turn the wire speed till it sounds smooth, (not spluttery or farty) good luck. Steve..

[@jerryp2433]

@@steviecuz2396 Ok thanks. I just bought a 78 and I have to do the dog legs and outer rockers. I actually like the rubber bumper look. I may try to install some flares. The throw out bearing is gone so I prob have to remove the engine too. I'm pondering if it is worth rebuilding the engine. It starts up fine. I plan to put a different engine in it in the future. I'd like to to drive it with the stock engine for a little bit just to experience it though.

[@steviecuz2396]

@@jerryp2433 you have a saying over there “if it works don’t fix it” and if you plan to swap it anyhow it’s probably best left for now, Steve..

[@jerryp2433]

@@steviecuz2396 what do you think about OA gas welding body panels?

[@steviecuz2396]

@@jerryp2433 absolutely love gas welding, at its best a beautiful art form, but not for thin metal, too much heat, MIG is the best for panel work, use 0.8 wire or thinner if your welder will allow it, try gassless if you must but read up on it, something about swapping the + and - terminals makes a difference.

[@andycousins100]

Can you save me some sparks please..

[@steviecuz2396]

andycousins100, I’ve got a bin full but there all used.