Tampa FL Area

[fred1725]

Looking for Members in the Tampa, Orlando area who could let me know where I can
find a shop or mechanic who could do some minor work on my Series V
I am getting the car road worthy and need help. It has been stored in a garage
for the past 6 years and needs to be run. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Fred Paulson 717 507 3275, Winter Haven Fl

 

[Paul67]

I have heard good things about Glenns MG in St.Pete.
BUT
I called them about my SV when I first got it last summer.
I wouldn't run and the front brakes were frozen.

What they did tell me was that they were booked until November.
Initially I emailed with Glenn and he was very pleasant.
Later I called and spoke to someone else there ( the person who told me they
were booked until November ) and told them I had spoken to Glenn.

He informed me that along with the long wait time, there was a standard 3 hour
inspection required where, as I understood it, they checked engine compression
and various other basic things.
This inspection came with a rate of $150 per hour.
So $450 to tell me what I already knew before any actual repair work was performed.
Anyway I agreed to booking on those terms and the November time frame.
Its May and I still haven't heard a word.

I ended up replacing my intake manifold and carbs myself to get her running and
had a local recommended mechanic rebuild my front calipers which were locked solid.
The local back yard mechanic didn't seem too clued in and although the brakes now work
he charged me $900 to fix them and adjust the engine timing after me paying for all of the parts.

So I suppose I'm in the same boat as you looking for a competent mechanic who
is able to keep an appointment and perform the work I need doing.
I'm more than happy to pay the going rate for work done but need someone to just do it
instead of talking about it or charging me to inspect the car instead of fixing it.

My main issue is that I have no hard surface in my back yard nor a garage.
I honestly think it would be cheaper at this point for me to have a slab poured and a lift
installed and do the work myself. No offense to the mechanics but it's not rocket science.
The only thing that's stopping me is the lack of useable solid surface to work on.

I wish you luck. If you find someone please let me know! BTW that's a beautiful car.

 

[AlsPine]

Wow, $900 to rebuild the calipers.
I hope he replaced the pistons with stainless steel pistons.
SS and other suppliers have the stainless pistons and rebuild kits for around one hundred dollars.
It is easy to rebuild them. If the piston doesn't come out with compressed air, just drill and tap the center of the piston for 5/16 X 24 tap, screw in a bolt and turn it to draw out the piston.
Clean everything up and re assemble with the new parts.
Its a good idea to replace the flexible brake lines at the same time.
Good luck with your project.

 

[Paul67]

Wow, $900 to rebuild the calipers.
I hope he replaced the pistons with stainless steel pistons.
SS and other suppliers have the stainless pistons and rebuild kits for around one hundred dollars.
It is easy to rebuild them. If the piston doesn't come out with compressed air, just drill and tap the center of the piston for 5/16 X 24 tap, screw in a bolt and turn it to draw out the piston.
Clean everything up and re assemble with the new parts.
Its a good idea to replace the flexible brake lines at the same time.
Good luck with your project.

Yes new lines and stainless steel pistons. I called SS and ordered them and delivered them to the mechanic
myself. That was around $300 in parts. So a little more than $1200 for front calipers and timing adjustment.

Then just to add insult to injury he told me the car didn't drive great. At this point he'd had the car for around 7 weeks.
He asked me to hop in and proceeded to tear off down the street doing 3 laps of the neighborhood with a completely bone dry gearbox.

I told him is sounded like the gearbox was dry and he proceeded to fill it with gear oil ( ! ) Also now the engine leaks like a sieve
so I imagine he put synthetic oil in it too.

The thing he said the most in all of our conversations was how great a mechanic he was. The second most common , despite
him having the complete Rootes shop manual supplied to him was, "this is a spitfire, right? "

We live and learn.

 

[MikeH]

“Also now the engine leaks like a sieve so I imagine he put synthetic oil in it too.“

https://www.enginelabs.com/news/synthetic-motor-oil-and-older-engines-old-wives-tales-debunked/

 

[Paul67]

Fact or Myth: Synthetic Oil Causes Leaks - YouTube

So it doesn't cause leaks but it flushes away the inconsistent molecule sized conventional oil buildup and allows the smaller consistent size molecules of the synthetic oils to now pass through the old seals and gaskets. Sounds a lot to me like it creates a leak where there wasn't one before, or at the very least causes gaskets that are on their way out to fail compared to conventional oil.
Any way you look at at and twist it creates opportunities for leaks ,uncovers leaks or adds to leaks.

So no its not an old wives tale. Using full synthetic oil can and probably will result in seepage of oil compared to conventional in an old engine.

Watch the video and he will actually tell you that but somehow its not a leak. LOL