Well I have it off the engine stand.  I have the flywheel installed and the bell housing so I can at least briefly fire it before we take up to the Dyno.  I have ordered 28mm venturi for the Webers as we will get better low end corner exit.  So I have a few days before those arrive, but that’s about it.  You can see the very cool drive pulleys that Trent machined for me to fit the Denso alternator and A112 water pump.  I do still need to get a new drive belt as I do not know how old this thing is.  The front mount I fabricated to accommodate the mounting of the engine on the dyno rack as they have no provision to deal with the center mount of the front of the engine.

joe

I spent Saturday working on the front suspension of my Abarth 1000 TCR.  Ok copy of.  In the pictures you can see the new cross member in place for the independent front suspension.  Not bolted up yet as I am fitting things.  Also you can see the coil over in place without the spring in place yet.  It all looks as though it will work. I now need to check geometry and make a landing for the bump stop on the lower A-arm.   Also need to work on a roll bar setup.  I also installed a cross beam at the bottom of the point where the floor of the tub meets the upright section of the front suspension.

joe

A little more done.  The motor is buttoned up.  The carburetors are done and synchronized.  I am missing the drive belt pulleys for the water pump and the alternator but those should be back soon.  I need to put the rear water jacket cover on the back of the block and the back cam access plate, but I cant put those on until I get it off the engine stand.

I have installed reinforcements to the shock tower pick up point on the car.  This will be the coil over mount now and thus needs to be upgraded for stiffness.

joe

Interior and Top:

The entire interior is new and the black is a perfect complement to the red exterior. The seats have the proper shape and sit well with new black leather seat covers with red piping. All interior components are well fitted. The dash is vinyl covered as a properly restored 1962 MGA model was done by the factory. Carpets are new and well fitted. The top frame is painted the proper color and the new top fits very well. The side curtains are original unrestored units.

Body and Paint and Chrome

The body was completely removed from the chassis and disassembled to allow a proper refinish of every panel. Attention was paid to every nut and bolt. The car received a high quality bare metal respray on the excellent rust free body. The alloy doors fit very well and the car is finished complete top, bottom and inside the panels. The door fit is excellent and the paint is well applied with a smooth gloss finish. The chrome is all new or excellent, even the windscreen frame has been re-chromed and the glass replaced.

Chassis and Suspension, Wheels and Tires:

Chassis was stripped to the last nut and bolt, and all components were examined, cleaned, rebuilt or replaced with new. This process included a full suspension rebuild and rebuilt shocks front and rear. All the perishable rubber components were replaced. Every component was painted before being assembled and installed to the restored chassis. The entire chassis and all suspension components front and rear were powder coated to insure the restoration retains its fresh look for many years in the future. The car was upgraded to the much stronger and attractive 60 spoke chrome wire wheels fitted with a set of new proper size tires.

Mechanicals:

The 1622 engine was completely rebuilt with new pistons, cam, lifters, ARP head studs, and was fully balanced. The valves and valve seats have been updated to run on unleaded gas. The transmission has had a full professional rebuild and shifts very nicely up and down through the gears. Even the straight cut first gear set is very quiet. All brake components are new or rebuilt for reliable service. The front and rear original type lever shocks were rebuilt. Fuel pump and all electrical components were replaced with new as needed. An entire new electrical wiring loom has been fitted for maximum reliability. All the dash gauges and components are working properly. This car has been fully restored by a true enthusiast of British sports cars and it shows with the attention to all components.

Driving Impressions:

The engine starts easily and is very quiet running with 70lbs oil pressure. The clutch engages smoothly and the transmission shifts like a new MGA would. The rebuilt carbs idle smoothly and function well through the entire rpm range. The engine has above average power and has power from down low to wide open throttle. This is one of the better driving MGA’s we have experienced. The brake pedal is firm and the front disc brakes stop the car true and straight from all speeds. You can feel the suspension and steering are rebuilt since the car handles well and turns crisply. The wheels and new tires make the car smooth at speed. This car will keep up with modern traffic and be a joy to drive for years to come.

Summation:

This is a very desirable year as the final production year for the MGA. 1962 has some one-year only features that distinguish it from the earlier years. The more powerful 1622 cc engine was only supplied in 1962 and the recessed grille is specific to that final production. The MG factory also moved the taillights off the rear fenders to give this final MGA a sleeker flow to the side profile. The dash, which on all other years was painted body color, is covered to give a richer visual impression. This particular car has had the benefit of living in a favorable climate and not having any accident or rust damage before its restoration. The restoration was detailed and is very fresh with approximately 100 miles since its completion. We have re-torqued the cylinder head and reset the valves, readjusted the brakes and final tuned the car. The car is ready to drive and enjoy. The larger engine and disc brakes will be make it a good road car. This is an above average, proper restoration that has resulted in a collector quality car that will retain its value into the future.

Well, I have the motor assembled.  Although it looks complete, I just have it bolted together.  I am in the process of modifying the crank gear that drives the cam.  It is out of alignment with the cam by a few thousands so I am taking a bit of the back side.  After I get that back, I will fully assemble the motor.  I have the Webers assembled and ready to go on.  I am going to wait to put them on the motor until I have it fully assembled.
I have also started the reinforcement of the front suspension and upright area of the car.  Abarth did this on their race cars for good reason.  You can see in the photo, the tear in the floor of the tub near the suspension pick up point.  The much greater braking forces created by the disc brakes causes this weak area to start to tear itself apart if not reinforced.  There is already a one inch tear, but I will correct it and weld in a panel.  The last thing to strengthen will be the upper shock mount.  This will now become the upper mount of the coil over shocks for my independent suspension conversion.  This suspension will mimic the Abarth TCR setup.

Still lots to do and the season is under way.  We spent last weekend at PIR (Portland) with our newest team member Mike Smith.  Mike has a Datsun 2000 roadster and will be joining us from here forward on our vintage racing adventures.  Nobody but Mike ran last weekend as it was the SCCA school weekend and also it was scheduled to rain.  Which it did.  What we did not expect was the snow.  Mike did his race on Sunday in snow showers.  He got it all done, passed the school, and did a perfect job in the race.  One more race and he has his regional license.

Pressure is on to get the Abarth done!

joe

Mechanicals:

This car has only 111,605 miles from new and has been very well maintained by all owners. The current owner has had the car for more than 25 years and did regular service. The engine starts easily, is quiet, has excellent oil pressure and runs smoothly. The transmission is quiet and all the syncros work well. All the brake calipers have been rebuilt, all fluids changed, and a new water pump installed to be sure the car is ready to enjoy. The suspension is solid, the car is fun to drive and handles well.

Body and Chrome:

The body condition is exceptional and retains all the features an experienced collector looks for in a Mercedes SL. The VIN number stamped on the hood matches the data plate. The small body lines that match the inner headlight rims are still present since the car has never had any major accidents. The spot welds on the inner fender wells around the hood opening are present just as the factory manufactured the car. The chrome is all in very good condition. The car is fully equipped with both a soft top and a nice factory hardtop. The floor pans are original and have no signs of rust. The factory paint marks are still visible on the suspension components, and the chassis components are rust free. The seam under the trunk mat showed only some slight surface scale and was cleaned and treated with Por15. The rest of the body has no signs of rust damage or repairs. There are a couple small dings from removing the hardtop over the years.

Interior:

The interior is all original and in very nice condition. The dash soft parts are in excellent condition and are free from sun and water damage. The carpets are the originals and have the factory molded in shift boot that is not available on the replacements sets. The interior wood is original finish and is in good condition. The dash paint finish is excellent, as is all the chrome in the interior. The Becker radio that was sold with the car was sent back to the factory for repairs and works properly. The troublesome heater controls were replaced with the updated parts while the radio was out for repair. The condition of the interior shows the care the car has received in its life. The top is cloth and is in good serviceable condition with only a couple wear spots from being folded long term.

Summation:

This is a collector quality early 4 speed manual transmission 280SL that is complete with books and tool kit. These manual shift cars are very rare in the 280SL series and allow more spirited driving as you can keep the engine in its proper torque band making it more enjoyable to drive. The unique Mercedes version of independent rear suspension makes the car handle well while maintaining a supple ride over all road conditions. These cars are wonderful two lane touring cars. The interior has adequate room for even tall drivers and the windscreen is tall enough to prevent excessive wind buffeting at speed. This particular car is fully equipped with soft top, factory hardtop and toolkit and the optional expensive Becker stereo radio. It has benefited from caring owners and a mild climate that has helped preserve the interior, body and chrome. the car is in nice condition and should be preserved. It would make a great first collector car or nice addition to an existing collection. Feel free to call Bob @ 541-543-6791Cell if any questions.

We have for sale a 1975 Triumph TR6 that has only 89,021 original miles. This car is fitted with the rare and most desirable optional overdrive. We purchased this car from the second owner in 2005 it was always a Northwest car and is an excellent survivor. We sold it to the current owner after a full service. It has traveled about 5,000 miles since and is still in excellent condition. This car has had consistent maintenance and has no accident or rust history. The car is even fitted with a set of the original type 185/15 Michelin tires that make it retain the proper stance and profile. The car is 100% stock with the only exception of a beautiful burled walnut dash that was custom made by Madera Concepts. We also replaced all the dash pads when we installed the special burled dash. This dash is not to be confused with the cheap dashes available from the catalog parts stores, it is extremely high quality and equal to wood fitted to Jaguar and Rolls Royce. The engine has excellent oil pressure and has good power. The transmission shifts smoothly and the overdrive makes for comfortable cruising at today’s highway speeds. Both the brakes and front suspension are excellent. The car has had one exterior respray that has nice shine to it and all the chrome is good. The interior is excellent with original seats and good carpets. The soft top is in nice condition and both the top boot and tonneau covers are still with the car. The rollbar is a dealer installed option. If you are looking for a rust free nice TR6 that is ready to drive for summer fun you would be hard pressed to find a better one at the price. It will not last long. Feel free to call Bob on my cell 541-543-6791 if any questions.

$16900

Driving Impression:

Sit behind the wheel and realize Ferrari engineers have a different set of parameters they believe cars should operate on. The classic Italian driving position is retained and those engineers are perfectly willing to exclude those who are not true believers from entering this world. If you wear size 14 shoes you have no need to try put your feet on the pedals. But if you are willing to accept the challenges those engineers demand, fire the engine and be transported closer to the world of Formula 1 racing. The sound of the engine is the first input that you get that this is a thoroughbred sports car with years of racing history. You will notice the delicate thin chrome upright shifter. It reminds me of a well dressed young Italian girl strutting across a town square. That gated shifter will do what you want if you treat it correctly, it will resist you at first, but let the transmission fluid warm up and it will move freely in your gentle hand. The engine will absolutely sing to you and urge you to rev it higher. Ferrari demands you find roads that will let the car be less restrained and enjoy the next corners. Scenery is nice but suddenly the car will demand more attention and the scenery will fade from your focus. The inputs from the car will sweep your senses up above their normal levels and urging you to allow the mechanicals to give more. Each part of the car will add its song while the car transports you to nowhere in particular. As you drive, what you realize is that you do not need a destination. The road traveled will be the reward. While driving you can understand why so many people will accept the ownership of a car that is not perfect. It could be argued that perhaps perfect people and cars are generally less interesting.

Summation:

Let’s face it, Ferrari ownership is the desire of most every car fanatic out there. Some people buy them to look at them, but I would highly recommend using them as cars and appreciating the art of them on bad weather days. The 355 is the last of the Ferrari’s that are still pure mechanical items. They have not been overwhelmed by proprietary dealer computer programing. Most operations on a 355 can be serviced by the intelligent owner or competent technicians without being forced to the dealership for computer setups that plague the 360 and 430 models. The 6 speed transmission lets the owner operate the car and get feedback for his personal skills. This car has a fresh engine, and the weak exhaust manifolds have been recently replaced so the new owner can just drive and enjoy this car. These cars are available for about the price of a newer Porsche, so why not try Ferrari ownership once in your life?

We obtained this car from the estate of a long-term owner where it had been garaged. It has had approximately 400 miles since and a lot of attention has been paid to making the car reliable. This Lotus is a US delivered car but when the engine was rebuilt it was upgraded to the rare and better performing dual Delorto sidedraft carbs of the European specification cars. This car has just undergone a full major service including all new water hoses, water pump, radiator and cooling fans. While doing the belt service we also fitted vernier cam gears to allow fine adjustment of the cams for best engine performance. The Wolfrace wheels were re-polished and a brand new set of proper size BF Goodrich tires were fitted. All electrical was sorted, repaired, and all the gauges and switches on the car work. The interior received a new set of professionally installed carpets and the seats are in nice condition. The body is in very good condition, the paint is nice and all glass is all good. The chassis is in excellent shape and shows no signs of accident damage, and has had no rust ever. This car starts, runs and drives very nicely. The clutch engages smoothly and the gearbox shifts easily with no weak syncros, and the brakes stop true. The only real cosmetic issues are minor trim parts that is common to Lotus build and cracks in the lightweight bumpers the prior owner fitted. New fiberglass ones are available, but the vendor makes them to order and could not deliver a set in time for us.

If you want a low miles and great handling Lotus that has had good care, this one is mechanically excellent and is current on its service — this is the best buy. Please do note that the car is not California spec with the European Dellortos fitted and we can not sell it to California or where emissions testing is required for 1977 cars.

Ok, I have the head on the new Abarth race motor.  This is the PBS cross flow aluminum head.  I laid the rocker assembly in place and what do you know there is interference with the push rods verse the head in the bores that the push rods pass through.  Who’s idea was it to stuff way too much motor into a tiny block?
I think with lengthening the push rods, which I need to do any way to get the geometry correct, I can move the push rods away from the bore by essentially reducing the lower or back angle that the rocker can achieve.  The season is approaching!  Need to get to the dyno inside this month.

Also this week, we got the new header for The Bob’s Alfa Duetto on order from Spruell.  I had to reweld the old one three or four times last season.  Doc’s car just needed a new drain plug since we scraped off the old one in the last race in 2011.  We are getting too much dive under braking, and so will be installing some new Koni shocks to stop the dive.

Our new team member, Mike, just about has his car ready to go for the first race of the season which is also the school weekend to get his license.  We will be pitting for him and staying dry in the motor home as it always rains on this first race.  Well usually.

joe

This is the chart for the combination of my Fiat 4 speed tran-saxle and adding the 5 gear over drive and then reducing the final drive to accommodate it.  Also, last years race motor had a shift point of 6800 rpm.  The new motor will be 7900.  So with all the changes, I need to get the final drive ratio correct.  I have available:  4.33, 4.55, 4.88, and 5.38.  I think I am going to go with the 5.38.  The two charts are what I ran last year and what I think I will end up with for this years build.

joe

I had to have the cam base circle reground to 25 thousands less to provide more clearance to the crank.  So, best to recheck the cam timing.  Spot on, Delta Cam did a great job, right on the money.  I have the head on now with the stainless .032″ wire O-rings in place on the cylinders.  Next, torque everything down and close up the bottom end and then start working on rocker shaft geometry.

Waiting for my new front end so I can get the front suspension pickup points reinforced and then install the suspension.  A lot of work for one winter off season!

joe

While I am waiting for the cam to come back from Delta, I am working on the tub.  I have welded in gussets on the rear inner suspension pickup points.  These are known to move under race load.  The cage for the car terminates down into these mounts and so were probably more than secure as it was, but just to be safe and make sure there is not any rear steering going on, I welded in the gussets like Abarth did on their race cars.  I am so in the process of fabricating and welding in a structure where the upper A-arm mounts to the body.  These cars were originally 600cc and drum brakes.  I am 1100cc and disc brakes.  The forces are much greater and so, again I am copying the Abarth factory and preparing to strengthen this area.  I am really considering installing an independent front suspension as on the Abarth TCR at this point.  I was going to wait a year, but I have everything apart and perhaps it makes sense.  The only negative is that I will have to set up the car again as this will dramatically change the dynamics of the car.  I also really want to get the camber under control at the rear and front.  I have lowered the car to the point that I have too camber for the tires I am running and the suspension change in the front would help that.  For the rear, I will need to make a shim set for the out board hub to correct some of the camber out of the setup.  I have also installed the fiberglass Abarth inside engine cover and cut out the associated sheet metal.  I will also be removing a floor section where the 5 speed trans will go.  It also has a fiberglass cover.  Less weight this year?

joe

I am in the middle of assembling this seasons race motor.  I really want to get it on the dyno by the end of this month, but we will see.  I am pushing everything with this motor.  A big crank, a big cam, big compression etc.  The net result is that everything wants to hit or interfere with everything else.  The crank hits the cam the rods hit the block …….   These were all known issues, but you have to check everything.  I have the crank laid in although I decided to go with larger thrust bearings taking end play from .008″ to .004″.  I also have laid in the pistons and rods and put the rod caps on.  I have not torqued anything down yet.  I am going to get ARP bolts for the main caps as that is the only stock fastener left that might prove a problem at 8000 rpm.  I sized the rings and everything went well and I am happy with the set up on the pistons.  I had to send the cam to Delta as I was not happy with the clearance of the lobe to the crank.  They will recreate the profile but with a smaller base circle.  When I get that back, I should be able to close up the bottom end after I have verified the cam timing has not changed.

Still working on the solution for the transmission 5th gear support.  I prototyped one idea, but it will not prove out.  So, back to the drawing board.  I am working on another solution, but it appears that I may end up using bushings as I do not think we can stabilize anything I attach to the end of the input and output shafts of the transmission as they screw on and it is difficult to predict the tolerance of the threads.  It is very likely that this lack of tolerance would tear up bearings.

The pictures of our trailer are the damage we received while in Canada picking up a car.  We were rear ended by a guy doing about 55mph.  Fortunately he hit one of the walls of the trailer or he would have went right through the door.  This is a well built and stout trailer.  The hit was much harder than the pictures would leave to believe.  His Ford Escape was destroyed in a big way.

Going up tomorrow morning to pick up Mike’s new race car.  Number 4 car in the stable!  Yet another car that has a full liter of displacement on me.  damn!

joe