How long should these jobs take?

Just had the MOT (annual safety test) done on my 74 GT. It failed on: handbrake wont hold, steering rack gator is perished, front O/S shock is leaking and rear O/S wheel bearing is worn. A mechanic friend is going to help me do the work and we have access to a full workshop but I need to plan with him how long it will take. He hasn't worked on an MG before. I will be replacing both front shocks and the handbrake ratchet mechanism as well as the gator and bearing. Is this all do-able in half a day? Or should I plan on a whole day. For various reasons it all has to be done in one session.

Thanks for your help

Steve

A long day!! But do able if the beer holds out!

In my experience with my B I would plan a whole day. Even if the tasks don't take that much book time, there are always problems associated with 30 year old bolts that don't want to move.

2 people (competent) working on different jobs at same time, no unforeseen problems (yeah right), no beer, 1/2 day will do it so plan a whole day. If you're going in for that ratchet on the handbrake, I think seat will have to be removed. If only the cable, no problem.
Rob

You may not need the handbrake thing.

first, adjust the rear brakes to your liking. then there is an adjustment for the handbrake (also under the car, about halfway back). adjust it so the handle clicks 2-3 times for the brake to be on full. just a couple nuts. shouldn't take more than a couple minutes (depending on whether you are working on a lift or on your back under the car)

the rear wheel bearing will require a press to remove/install. I usually send it to a machine shop, but if you have the press to use and the fittings more power to you.

Front shocks can be simple or a nightmare, depending on how easy it is to release the bolt at the top of the upright. You'll need new bushings for this, I think, and possibly new bolt as well. overfilling the shock is a prime reason for them to appear to be leaking (whether they actually are or not is a different issue...seepage looks like leakage and that's what they saw) Seach on the fporum for the procedure...Peter C has posted it several times, IIRC.

My initial thought was about 5 hours. Now my wife accuses me of running on "guy time". Which translates the 5 hour estimate into something like 10-12 - doable in a day.

shocks take 1-4 hours depending on the time to get the bolts out. If a saw is necessary it takes longer and parts.

Brakes can be--Out of adjustment 10 min. or
--bad cable--2 hours
--bad compensator-1 hour

Waiting for parts can be the issue

Gators-1 hour

Rear bearings take 1-2 hours. My local guy did it in less than an hour on my 63.

You have to jack the car up on all four wheels.
You should buy parts for the worst case.

Thanks everyone. Looks like a whole day it is. I will order parts based on worse case. Not sure I like the sound of that press to remove/fit the bearing. Time to take another look at the manual.

Steve

Rear axle bearing don't often go bad. I know the testers check bearing play by rocking the wheel, maybe it just needs the hub nut tightening a little to take some slack out?

Hey Brian, let's have a close up shot of that louvered hood.

Jack

Greetings from the states Steve. My dad was from Wales, near Milford Haven / Haverfordwest. Good luck with the repairs.

I don't know what the "book" says, but from personal experience I can provide my estimates.

To fix the handbrake, the seats probably will have to come out. So long as the seats are out, probably should go ahead and replace the carpets. No point in not replacing the interior panels so long as the carpet is out. The dash is going to look really bad with new carpet and interior panels. While the dash is out, there are the heater and windshield wiper motor that really need attention. Windshied had to come off any way, so might as well replace that with one that is not so pitted. With the heater out, it might be a good time to consider a little cosmetic work under the hood.

Forgot to mention that so long as the interior is stripped, it really can't be put back in without addressing that little bit of rust in the rockers. Of course that will require a repaint. Since you are going to do a repaint anyway and have already started preping the engine bay for painting, might as well get the lump out of the way to do all the painting in one pass. Lump is already out, so a little engine work wouldn't hurt. With everything else in tip top shape, a quick once through on the suspension is probably necessary as you need to fix the shocks and wheel bearings anyway.

Bottom line my estimate is 5 years 3 months 14 days and counting. Of course I did not start with the hand brake on mine, it was the four way flasher, so your experience may be different.

There there Joe, the therapy is good for your soul!

LOL Joe. Yep, I'm only in for 5 months so far, but the lump is still there!!

Sorry, internet down all day. I'll shoot some photo's and post. Nice job, came with a rolling tub I bought and since my orginal aluminum hood wouldn't close on the GT I threw this on.

Norm Wrote:

The Wiz Wrote:

"Just had the MOT (annual safety test) done on my 74 GT. It failed on: handbrake wont hold, steering rack gator is perished, front O/S shock is leaking and rear O/S wheel bearing is worn."

Hughie;

The MOT in the U. K. considers a leaky shock a safety hazard, along with a worn
wheel bearing and perished steering rack gator?

In some states, over here, they just check the brakes, horn & lights for proper function. (I heard in Canada they inspect the brake pads / shoes.)

SURFIT Wrote:

Getting an MOT in my B was always fun in the UK, there was usually a patch that needed welding in the floor, one of the brakes always needed a tweak, emissions was a challenge........

It's so much easier here in Missouri, they check lights, brakes (the car has to stop when you press them) exhaust and steering (no free play) and that's it - rotten sills are fine, you'd have to have some very serious chassis rot to fail.

In my years of working on these cars, I've developed the "1-3" rule. For any job that should take 1 (insert unit of time measurement here) winds up taking 3. It's being pretty consistent so far.