09/12/07
I've been busy. The trailer has gone into winter storage (thanks Ed!) and the bonnet and scuttle are in the spare room out of harms way. The engine and R65U gearbox have been removed and split, the PG1 box bolted on and then dropped back into place. To improve access, the gear linkages, side panels, seats, battery, fuel pipes and N/S/F bulkhead have all been removed.
A closer view of the PG1 box in place, using the MGF mounts. This is only a temporary fitment (the flywheel and clutch aren't on the engine), so I can sort out what to do with the new gear linkages and the lower engine/gearbox mount. The new mountings hold the gearbox about 10mm higher than the old mounts, so I'll have to lift up the engine side mount to keep it all level.
16/12/07
The gear linkage was quite easily modified to fit the Firefox. First, I asked Rod to weld these extensions on the universal joint.
The gear linkage rods went on next, after a bit of heating and bending. The left one goes into the top of the extended UJ pictured above. The right one goes onto the gearbox. I've fitted it to the same mounting boss as the donor uses, but with a 25 mm spacer to give room for the left rod and UJ to swivel.
22/12/07
I could have shortened the linkage rods, in order to use the existing mounting on the Firefox. Instead, I chopped off the mounting with the angle grinder so I could refit it in a better position - nearer the driver and further away from the steering wheel and dash.
The mounting will need to be re-welded in this position, about three inches further back. The rear stub (arrowed) will be cut off flush with the rubber, so I don't gouge my thumb every time I use the handbrake. There will be several welding jobs to do on the car, so I'll get them all ready to be done in one go. That means we'll only have to carry Rod's incredibly heavy arc welder round to my garage once! Talking of welding, It's about time I learnt to weld so I'm hoping to start a course in the new year. It's a 10-week, 3 hours per week course which covers the basics of Tig, Mig, arc and gas.
29/12/07
Time to sort out a lower engine mount. The MGF uses an extra bracket welded onto the rear of the subframe and a bracket bolted onto the bottom and rear of the sump. Access is difficult in that area on my car, so I decided to make a mounting for the front instead.
To start with, I shortened this lower bracket/bush I already had lying around. I think it's the one from the Rover 414 donor.
05/01/08
I then made this mounting bracket out of 6mm and 3mm equal angle steel pieces (leftovers from the trailer and the Track Rack). It's bolted in five places to the top and bottom of the front subframe.
Fitted in position viewed from the left...
...and from the right. The mounting isn't parallel with the subframe as the MGF mounts move the gearbox forward by about 15mm, so that the rear of the bigger PG1 'box clears the subframe and the N/S steering rack mounts. As a result, the engine and /gearbox are slightly slanted across the engine bay.
20/01/08
Plan B for the right gear linkage rod. With the 25mm spacer, the rod and rubber bush are too close to the exhaust. So instead of using the original mounting boss (arrowed), I cut the end off the rod, heated and flattened it, then bolted it to a spare 12mm threaded hole higher up. I've used penny washers and thick rubber washers either side of the rod, to give a bit of compliance.
With the linkages finally sorted, I sealed the bulkheads where they pass through. I didn't fancy making two new complete panels, so I made a small patch panel out of aluminium, then a new rubber surround.
I should have started the welding course this week, but it's been cancelled due to not enough people signing up. This is the second time this has happened. The next course is due to start in April, so I hope it's third time lucky!
27/01/08
I've riveted and bonded the N/S/F bulkhead back on, then reshaped and rerouted the fuel pipes.
The engine and 'box have been removed again and the quick rack I bought from Reyland Motorsport has been fitted. The front subframe needs to come forward a couple of inches to change the rack, but it's very easy to do when it's bare like this. I've also bought some new flywheel bolts, a new clutch, a new brake master cylinder and a used starter motor, most of which will be fitted next weekend.
03/02/08
A whole day spent in the garage, so plenty done:
Flywheel, clutch and starter motor have been fitted, then the engine and 'box dropped back in place. Next, I temporarily refitted the scuttle and bonnet, to check clearances. The bonnet wouldn't close with the cam belt covers on, so I took them off. It's all a very tight fit under there, so the covers may have to stay off.
New master cylinder fitted. I've also made two new brake pipes so that the lower primary piston now operates the front brakes and the upper secondary piston does the rears. It used to be the other way round.
First attempt at a clutch cable bracket - using more leftovers. It seems to work OK, but it will need strengthening and welding.
10/02/08
Not so much garage time available this weekend, but I've refitted the exhaust manifold and system. I then transferred my existing outer CV joints to the MGF driveshafts, fitted the driveshafts and front hubs and filled the gearbox with oil.
17/02/08
My current Metro mechanical speedometer wouldn't be accurate if used with the PG1 gearbox, so I needed to change it. The new gearbox came already fitted with an electronic speed sensor. A quick phone call to ETB Instruments confirmed that the sensor would work with a programmable electronic speedometer, so I ordered an 80mm version made by VDO.
I thought about making a patch panel over the old hole to mount the new speedo, but decided to make a complete new dash panel instead. It was easy enough - I just removed the old dash, clamped it to a new piece of aluminium and cut round it with the jigsaw.
The new dash panel, with the VDO speedo in place. The old Metro digital clock stopped working a while ago, so that hasn't been refitted.
A closer view of the new speedo. As it's easily reprogrammable, it can be used with any future gearbox/final drive/wheel and tyre combinations.