Congrats Bob. I appreciate you sharing your journey in this rebuild. I have followed from pretty early on (as I am 6 months into my rebuild, fully stripped, on Roti, and beginning floor pan welding this week). Your documentation of your ups and downs, make for a wonderful reference. Wishing you the best on the remainder of your build, all of us can't wait for that first drive this spring and the photos to follow.

James

Thanks, guys. Sharing has helped me keep going, and feedback and encouragement helps.

Eventually, it will need a battery. Based on the recommendation of @raynekat , I got an XSPower D4700 which should bolt in and use the stock bracket.

I also got a Ctek battery maintainer, since I expect the car will not go out every day.

I set up the battery to charge.

With the engine and trans in, its time to start connecting everything. I started with the half-shafts.

Left side, with a paper gasket.

To press the CV into the output flange, I used some M8 bolts a bit longer than the stock CV bolts.

CVs bolted on, with new hardware including Schnorr washers.

And before I forget, I connected the ground strap.

Next, the shift control rod.

Attached at the trans end, with a new conical screw. I re-used the cover, one of the few original parts in OK shape.

And then the coupling at the front end, with another new screw.

Getting the rubber boot in place was a bit of a pain.

And a new retaining strap for the rear cover.

Its official
Even the motor is too pretty to drive
A work of Art

Great job Bob.
A big accomplishment and milestone.

Don't say that--I will have a hard enough time driving it outdoors. Maybe somebody should build an indoor track.

Thanks, Doug. Now I gotta keep the momentum, and see if the engine will start.

Perfect timing Bob, what a great Christmas present to self.

BEEEEAUTIFUL Bob, Merry Christmas.

Thanks, guys. And thanks again to my son, who came to visit and is willing to help. He has dreams of restoring a 356 and/or MG B. Could be next.

Latest checklist to get through before a first attempt to start.

Clutch cable (temporary until I get a retaining clip).

Here's my new routing for the accelerator cable, so it comes up near engine-center.

And here's my mods of the cable end: I trimmed about an inch from the nylon center sheath, and about 3/4 inch from the rigid end so it does not project from the pulley.

And here's the cable connected to the pulley, with good clearance. That right rear corner of the engine compartment is getting busy. Note the bundles of cables in vinyl sheaths in the body clip on the left.

Other stuff to connect: the stock alternator cable and my modified 12-pin cable.

I also connected the gas tank evaporation system hoses. I think I got the right flow direction (out of the charcoal canister).

The line that goes to the front connects to the port on the sheet metal, to provide "high" pressure air. I will route the other line to the left side air filter.

With all the fuel lines connected, it was time to test the system for leaks. And that means putting some gas in the tank (about 2.5 gallons).

And it also means its time to install the new battery. It fits just right.

To run the pump, I grounded pin #III on the factory relay board, with the stock fuel pump relay in place. When I power the pump from the new EFI relay box, the stock relay comes out.

I cycled the pump enough, with about 20 seconds per cycle, until I heard the pitch of the pump change, and then heard fuel running through the engine lines. But I found leaks at all 4 fittings that screw into the injector rails.

I pulled the connectors and it looks like I did not get a good seal at the threads. Could be that I did not coat both the male and female threads, and maybe I used an off-brand aviation type 3 sealer.

So, out into the world but only to NAPA. I got a hardening sealer (name brand). And followed the procedure more carefully, including wrenching harder when I installed the fittings. Fingers crossed.

Meanwhile, my son was in charge of wires. He got all the bundles through the new holes (now 2) into the trunk, and sorted out.

We then decided to connect things "temporarily" before doing any final mounting of components and routing wires. Here's the first two leads attached to the new relay box, plus leads into the tach signal convertor (small black box).

And, one after another, we got the leads into the right slot or connected to each other. The only wires not connected are positive and negative direct to the battery, and the O2 sensor.

Note the small hose coming over the rear engine wall--that's the temporary routing of the intake vacuum line that goes to the ECU.

Closer view. Eventually, I just NEED to make this look tidy.

We ran out of time, but to get ready for completing things I got the new SS heat exchangers out of "storage", AKA the guest rom closet. The only parts left there are the windshield trim pieces.

Last thing before xmas break: I grabbed 4 copper exhaust gaskets and did the annealing thing, heating them up to dull red and letting them cool in air.

Merry Christmas to all you guys!

Another minor detour: I will replace the PCV valve with an open line, first to a catch tank, and then to one air filter. I chose one of many tanks on Amazon. This one is all machined aluminum. It has an optional filtered air vent and other stuff.

Here's the inside of the lid, with a baffle and dip stick.

Some steel wool adds surface area for oil vapor to condense on.

It also has a choice of hose fitting sizes, with O-rings to seal against the tank lid.

Tank ready to install, and a quick bracket. The tiny piece is a spacer for the recessed mounting point on the lid.

I mounted the tank to the battery tray edge, since I will not be using the stock FI brain.

While the battery was out, I added some 3/16 inch rubber strips, since the rear edge of the battery was a bit low relative to the retaining edge.

Battery back in place, and now held down tight.

16 gauge aluminum plate, based on the temporary cardboard version.