Dan's 1976 MGB

(Cue Gene Wilder from Young Frankenstein here....)

Well, today, for the first time in about 3 years, the 1976 MGB backed out of the garage under it's own power for several trips around the block! What a great feeling for sure....

On Tuesday, I had the battery recharged. I figured, before I start chasing down power at various points, let me check the battery, make sure it can still hold a full charge. So today, I checked it - 12 volts - and put it back in the car. Decided to try and start it, and when I turned the key, it immediately cranked! What a surprise! So, I cranked it a bit to build up some oil pressure, which took just a minute or two of cranking. Then I connected the coil wire to the distributor, cranked it and it started so quickly that I could not believe it! Here is the video of it running, with my commentary....

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ddibiase/1976%20MGB%20Engine%20Work/?action=view&current=P7180066.flv

Pretty exciting, to say the least! But I still had several things to do before I could get on the road -

1) Remove the tires and take to the gas station to fill with air
2) Tighten the crossmember, which I had loosened to check the ground strap
3) Put the transmission stabilizer rod in place - never did this after replacing the engine
4) Check the oil and dashpot oil - added some Marvel Mystery oil to the latter
5) Add some brake fluid

So I fired it up, and moved it back-and-forth in the garage to check the transmission and brakes - they seemed ok, so I rolled it down the driveway and around the block a few times!

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ddibiase/1976%20MGB%20Engine%20Work/?action=view&current=P7180067-1.flv

http://s24.photobucket.com/albums/c30/ddibiase/1976%20MGB%20Engine%20Work/?action=view&current=P7180068.flv

It's idling pretty fast, so I need to adjust that. And there is a pretty bad smell, which I think is the plastic wrap and label on the exhaust pipe burning off. But it shifts well and seems to run pretty good, so I can hopefully make a few adjustments and start driving it around again!