CMyles

Scan10001.JPG

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:20:07 GMT

Scan10001.JPG

This is a rather poor photo of the TR3 parked outside of the barn in St. Louis county c.1966-69. It would be parked in one of the stalls from 1969 until 2000 because the starter went out and Dad got an MGB to drive (no more fussing with side curtains). That's his '65 MGB in the background (oooh..wire wheels) and look...that's my brother's MG Magnette in the stall at the far right. Not sure what model or year but it was the sedan contemporary of the MGA so 1956-62 I guess.

little bit of rust

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:42:38 GMT

little bit of rust

Another view. I had mostly disassembled this car for restoration back in the early 90's when I first thought of restoring it for/with my Dad. I unexpectedly moved to Colorado in 1995 and the project was left for someone else to take over. When my folks sold the old place my Dad said, "I'll give you $100 to haul this to the dump". I said, "Better idea, sign the title and I'll haul it to my place and continue restoring it".

This is how she looked in 2000, when she showed up in Silverton

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:36:34 GMT

This is how she looked in 2000, when she showed up in Silverton

This is how she looked upon arrival in Silverton.

my TR3 on a ralley, St. Louis MGCC, c.1967

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:10:07 GMT

my TR3 on a ralley, St. Louis MGCC, c.1967

This is the car in question on a St. Louis MG Car Club ralley in about 1967-68. That's my Dad and his sister who were both, at times, presidents of the St. Louis MGCC. My Dad had several british sports cars, mostly MG's and my aunt drove a '67 MGB with a hardtop. That's another member's BGT in the background.

Primed the easy parts right away

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:59:28 GMT

Primed the easy parts right away

I have a massive amount of cutting, forming and welding to do on the the rusty, dented body tub and fenders but I went ahead and shot Dupont self etching primer on the few panels that will require little or no metal work just to stave off surface rusting. Notice that the front apron had been cut into 2 pieces (not by me).

Back from REDI-STRIP

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:55:34 GMT

Back from REDI-STRIP

Fully stripped body back home resting on it's nearly restored chassis.

Off to get the body stripped

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:48:03 GMT

Off to get the body stripped

With the chassis mostly restored the next thing was to have the rusty body tank stripped. The closest place that does that anymore is REDI-STRIP in Indianapolis!! So I borrowed a trailer, hooked it to my truck and off we went. All of the fenders and other panels are in the back of the truck.

REDI-STRIP Indy'.

CMyles — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:48:57 GMT

REDI-STRIP Indy'.

This is REDI-STRIP in Indianapolis. (This picture is on the return trip to pick up the body. Notice the wooden enclosure on the trailer. Couldn't risk getting the stripped body rained on. A lot of sheet plastic was involved as well.) If you need a car body or steel panels beautifully stripped bare, this is the place. They can submerge a complete body, or uni-body car in a tank of phosphoric acid for a day or three. When it comes out there's not a speck of rust, paint, Bondo, nothin. And no damage to the steel either (but don't leave any non-ferris metal parts on the body). Then you know what you're up against sheet metal wise and there's no rust hidden in crevices where you could never mechanically attack it.