March 2003                              The Healey Enthusiast                                Page 6

Restoration 101                                                                   Curt Carlson   I have now finally finished my '72 MG Midget project.  I hauled it from North Dakota on September 9, 2001 and began disassembly six days later.   It came home under its own power on Sunday,  January 12, 2003. The car was stored and worked on at Steve Rixen’s shop - "Strictly British" - a British car repair business in Hudson Wisconsin.  Steve was my "mentor" as I worked on my first ever frame-off restoration.    Every nut and bolt on the car was removed cleaned, refreshed, and reassembled.  The car spent much of it's time upside-down on a home-made rotisserie as new floorboards and other panels were welded in place. The entire car was sandblasted to bare metal and a shiny new paint job in (GN25) Light British Racing Green was applied.  It has been restored back to completely stock with only 3 exceptions.  The front bumper was discarded and replaced with Bugeye Bumperettes to emulate the "split bumper" look on the rear.  The rocker panels remain as body colour instead of original black, and the car has been lowered and stiffened by 1" for better suspension response.

 

		Odd Signs from Jolly Olde England (Thanks to the South Texas A-H Club)
	Sign in a Laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Please remove your clothes when the light goes on.   Sign at a Dry Cleaners: Anyone leaving their garments here for more than 30 days will be disposed of.			Sign on Photo Studio: OUT TO LUNCH If not back by 5:00, Out for dinner also.   Sign at a toilet in office tower: TOILET OUT OF ORDER! Please use the floor below.				Sign in an office: After Tea break, staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the drain board.   Sign on a motorway garage: Please do not smoke near our Petrol Pumps.  Your life may not be worth much, but our petrol is.