You guessed it, I fitted the exhaust today (sorry about the pun in the blog title). I bought a stainless steel Tourist Trophy exhaust system, including tubular manifold when it was on sale last year. I have already fitted the manifold but today I fitted the rest of the system. It’s the first time I have ever fitted an exhaust although I remember helping my Dad on old cars when I was first driving. We replaced the rear silencer on my Rover 2600 and I remember the lovely burble that car made through its new exhaust. Back to today, I laid out all the components and read the instructions which all seemed relatively straighforward. I hadn’t been under this side of the car since the strip down and I couldn’t remember how the old exhaust had come off except that it was alll very rusty. I was a bit concerned that the old fittings (which had to come off) would resist being unfastened. Thankfully, the old mid bracket and rear bracket came off remarkably early, although I did use my secret weapon, the freeze and unlock spray which puts the fear of God into any nut or bolt which fancies its chances. I think they know its coming now, and start to undo themselves at the mere threat of ‘the spray.’ I was interested in the intricacy of the old brackets pictured below. More complex than the new ones.

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Fitting the new exhaust was mainly a matter of bolting the flanges at the end of each pipe to the next one and then using the rubber hangers to suspend the pipe to the new brackets. The new brackets fitted well enough making use of the existing captive threads and as I was feeling extra diligent today, I used copper grease throught out the build. Well done me.

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So all good, except that having grappled with the awkward last pipe (with the heavy silencer), I stepped back to see that the pipe was drastically ‘dressed to the left’ (ahem). The instructions explain how to correct this so the pipe exits the body centrally and it involves sliding the rubber hangers along their brackets. For some reason, and maybe it was the end of the day, and I had a slight headache, but I couldn’t budge them. I have a day off tomorrow, so I will have another go when I am feeling stronger.

While the MG was out I filled the SU dashpots with Pentrite’s Damper Oil. I bought the oil earlier this week en-route to Cambridge for work as I pass by Bicester Heritage, home of Classic Oils and their helpful and friendly staff. Popping into Bicester Heritage is a pleasure, there is always something of interest being worked on, and it breaks up by journey to Cambridge.

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In my last Blog, I forgot to photograph the Dash once I had put it in the car. I hesitate to say, installed, its just in really. Anyway, for the record…