OH MY!!
The next phase of the MG's life may have just begun ?? Get ready for a bit of a read chaps. This one is a Doozy :)
Last weekend I set up another intervention with 4 friends and my Son to raid another friends workshop and finish the 5 link rear end on his TR8. He was a little surprised when we turned up as he was working on customers cars :) We got the whole rear end fabricated and finished in 12 hours and he was over the moon with joy. This was the second intervention for this friend of ours in the last 3 weeks. We are like Ninja car builders who turn up and do stuff to help our friends in need. I have arranged these interventions many times over the years to help friends who are lagging behind with their builds. Yesterday the tables were turned on me? I was supposed to be doing some minor works on the MG while waiting to find time to swap out the gearbox for racing in a couple of weeks. My Son had made arrangements behind my back with the guys and the wife. So yesterday morning the MG got hauled 12 miles to a friends workshop with me in tow so the guys could tear down my drive train for the repairs. I went along with it but reminded the guys that I was still saving for the new 800hp / 4500 stall converter from Coan Racing. My original plan was to swap out the tranny and use the old converter while I learnt how to drive a transbrake box with reverse shift pattern and to confirm that the gearbox worked ok. I got the box 5 years ago from a guy who had got it rebuilt with race clutches etc and the transbrake conversion. But his project went sour and I got the new tranny for £150 !
It had oil in it so over the last several years I have rolled the tranny on its back in the garage every few months to make sure some oil got into the moving parts. As the guys were taking charge of the project I did what I do best at times like this. I stopped at the market and bought some really nice lean steak burgers, onions, relish, pork and caramelised red onion sausages, rolls, butter, mayo, bacon and a lot of other stuff. I set up a cooking table in the workshop and made sure that everyone was fed and watered during the day. Then at 2pm my whole drivetrain was on the floor and the tranny was separated from the engine. This was when I got involved in doing the swap. As I prepared the new gearbox for fitting one of my chums told me to "hold up there" ??? When I asked why I got told to step away from the gearbox as it could not be fitted like that? So I asked again "why not" ? I was then told that the new gearbox needed a 4500 stall converter. So I told them again that I was saving for this item and it would be January before I could buy it. Holy crap if the boys then produced a large box and handed it to me saying "Happy Early Birthday Dude" ?? WHAT!! I opened the box and immediately burst into tears as I saw a brand new 4500 stall converter complete with anti burst plates etc?? I then asked WTF the guys were doing. This is when the speeches started and my heart melted somewhat. My Son came forward and said "Pops, without your help and your spare parts I could not have built my rod" Another friend came forward and said "Pel, without your help my Blown Capri would not be running right now" Then "Pel, my TR has been off track for 3 years now, without you it would not be ready to roll next year, you and the guys have saved me 2 years on the rebuild" Then "Pel, the Slingshot would still be a garage project if you had not been there for me over the last 3 years mate" I told them all quite strongly that I did not help friends for a reward of any sort. I do it because I like helping friends. And their joint reply was a long the lines of "We dont give a shit Dude, you have helped us and lots of others to get to where we are today and have given up so much of your time and efforts to help us along" So I asked for the bill for the converter as I wanted to pay for it. Now bear in mind that this is my Son and close friends!! Their reply to my comments about paying for the converter was "Go F**k yourself, you aint paying nothing Dude" By this Time I was was a quivering wreck and shaking a little as it all sank in. So I made us all cups of tea and we got on with the installation. 3 hours later the power plant was back in and I was adding fluids as my friends finished the transbrake button installtion. Then another hour later I was in the car park of my chums workshop and firing up the engine. The MG feels like a totally different car now. The high stall converter does not really make the car move in 1st gear, I have to add some revs to make it move now. I cant go backwards unless I select reverse and press the transbrake button. When I pull the shifter to D it is actually in 1st gear now. And when i hit the transbrake button in 1st gear I can rev the engine without the car moving. After going backwards and forwards a few times I decided to try the transbrake. I hit the button and brought the revs up to 1800 which is what I used to do on the foot brake. I let the button go and the MG lurched forward like a scalded cat :)
I feel honoured that my Son and my friends have helped me out in this way. I also feel a little guilty at the same time. But the guys dont see why I should feel like this as they see it as some sort of payback for my help over the last several years. But all I gave up was my time?
Between the 5 of them, they are adamant that I will NOT pay anything for the new converter. I have offered to pass on funds as I save them but they are not interested. It still does not feel right to me, but I will accept their gift for what it is.
SO!
I will be out on the 14th August to do some shakedowns with the new transmission, and hopefully I will get the hang of using it :)
Sorry for the long ramble guys. I'm just in awe of the kindness that the guys have shown me. The next race weekend will be a really note worthy occasion for me. My Grand Daughter Faith is 1 year old on Monday 15th August. We are having a party for her on Saturday 13th which will be fantastic and a real high for me. The day after this I will be rolling the MG out for the start of another years testing on the way to my 8 second goal :)
Regards to all of you folk over there from a very warm and sunny UK today.
Pel
