Big Block MGB

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by Jim Blackwood, Apr 6, 2007.

  1. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Update: The wiring harness is now in and operational. The car is at Flying Circus in Danville Va for this stage of the job. On the weekend of the 20th the interior will go in and final mechanical work begun. The last stage there before coming back to Florence will be dyno testing.

    JB
     
  2. jay3000

    jay3000 RIP 1-16-21

    You think they would mind if I rode by Flying Circus to have a look?? I drive right through there fairly often..
     
  3. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Actually Jay, I think they'd love it. Terry is the owner, Max is the master mechanic heading up the project. Look them up!

    JB
     
  4. jay3000

    jay3000 RIP 1-16-21

    I can't find any listing for them in Danville VA
     
  5. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Oops! Sorry. It's in Durham. But close though, right?

    2308 E. Pettigrew St., Durham NC

    JB
    <wbr>
     
  6. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Or not. This weekend they are putting in the carpet, replacing some fittings on the air suspension, working on the knock-out list and in general tidying up. They have one more weekend at Flying Circus before the end of this phase. Max would like to complete the interior and dyno the car but we'll see. There were delays on delivery of the headliner and coolant surge tank and they won't get there until Monday, too late for this weekend, and that will hold up the rest of the interior and the plumbing so it's not looking great for the dyno. Still, Toby (owner of Flying Circus) has been getting a lot of floor traffic and interest by virtue of having the car in his showroom so who knows? Max has been asking me for a write-up to glue in the window so they don't have to field so many questions.

    JB
     
  7. jay3000

    jay3000 RIP 1-16-21


    Danville, VA.. Durham NC yeah it's all the same.. Just kidding.. I'll try to get by there..
     
  8. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Better make it soon. They started the car over the weekend. Another week or two and it'll be back in Lugoff, SC and will then be transported back up here to Florence, KY for shakedown. There are a few issues to resolve but apparently nothing major so a little fine tuning and we should be driving it. I'll try to post a video when we get to that point.

    They weren't able to get it to the dyno, just too much to do. But hopefully we can do that before too long.

    JB
     
  9. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    The car has now been moved to Lugoff, SC where it will be for a few weeks before coming back up here. The guys got the wiring done except for some fairly minor instrumentation issues and the interior is in. The brakes need bled, and on start-up they had some timing and carb issues yet to resolve, as it takes a large throttle opening to run at idle (or so I've been told) and it is running hot. Steve will be working to iron out those things while he has the car so maybe I won't have to deal with them. We'll see.

    JB
     
  10. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Looks like Steve had the car out yesterday and drove it about 20 miles. went to a local cruise-in where it was quite a hit. He has resolved most of the minor issues and says it drives quite well. I'll ask him to see if he can get a video.

    JB
     
  11. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Here are some pictures from our first show, a cruise-in in South Carolina.

    JB
     

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  12. Babeola

    Babeola Well-Known Member

    That looks great. Let's see more (and bigger) pictures! The interior looks done too?

    Cheryl :)
     
  13. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Thanks Cheryl. The interior is finished. Good carpet, Mr. Mike's seat covers on Fiero high back buckets in black and gray, new dash and Classic guages. I'll be posting photos as it makes the rounds. One of our guys is finishing up negotiations for the insurance so we'll have tags on it soon also.

    JB
     
  14. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

  15. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    We now have insurance on the car and it will be here tomorrow afternoon.

    JB
     
  16. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    The car is now here, completing its first long distance trek, about 500 miles. Gas mileage was 15, then 17, and finally 20 mpg cruising the interstate at about 80 mph. It went through a couple quarts of oil but hopefully the rings are now seated in, as light as the car is, it is nearly impossible to apply any significant load. It is very tractable and easy to drive as a normal car, even in the wet and tire spin is not a problem, as it just hooks up and goes. Everything looks good at this point. Oil pressure is a bit on the low side at 35 psi so a heavier relief spring is probably advisable, and I'd like to install the rev limiter as soon as is practical. I'll spend a few days getting familiar with it and then begin more intensive testing to shake out any weaknesses.

    JB
     
  17. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Getting things sorted out, got the oil pressure up, carb linkage sorted, and this car has MASSIVE power. It is very very fast for a street car, yet extremely easy to drive easy.

    Right now Bill Young is working out the rotation schedule and concentrating on placing the car at meets and events. We are considering putting it in the Power Tour among other things, and The GS Nationals is on the calendar, so barring conflicting times and places there is a fair chance that some of you will get to see the car up close next October if not sooner.

    JB
     
  18. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

  19. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Car will be at the Charleston Civic Center for the W.Va. International Auto Show next week.

    Jim
     
  20. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Good reviews at the WV Int'l auto show. Next appearance is at the Spurious Winter Gathering in Florence, KY on the 25th.

    JB
     

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