Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Workshop Tips

Did anyone else train at the CEGB apprentice training school in Penarth? I learnt to file a 1" cube, and fetch the fish and chips for the whole group every day.[/quote]

Made a set square and a centre finder - still use them to this day.

Being sent on errands reminds me of the time I was working in haulage yard. The yard foreman, a heavy smoker, used to send me out for his fags. Usually three packets of Benson & Hedges adding 'if they don't have them, just get me anything'

Never asked me to go on an errand ever again when I returned with two meat pies and a packet of turnip seeds

Arwyn



F

When in my teens I had holiday jobs working with my dad who was a coachbuilder. Learning car repair, painting, “tricks of the trade”. Masking tape on my fingers due to hours of rubbing down. He once removed a dent with an oxy-acetylene torch. I still recall the “pop” it made. The first car I sprayed paint onto was a Morris 1100 in for a wing replacement. I was the regular chip shop runner to Mill Lane chippie across a carpark.

Day one of my apprenticeship and the mechanic I was put with (3 ton truck change steering box plus service) took a piece of chalk out of his pocket and marked half a dozen nuts and bolts and said ‘right lad, find the right spanner’s in my box and undo those, put the nuts back on the bolts and remember which ones went where or draw a picture’. 30 years later I was still teaching that basic principle to first years but we had moved on to marker pens ;-).

Nowadays they would probably take a photo on their phone 🤣

BR
Colin

Indeed Juggler .... a tip in itself .... you almost certainly have a camera in your pocket courtesy of your phone .... it's the work of seconds to photograph the job before you start from various angles ... and a few more seconds to delete them when it's all safely back together again ....but can save much grief and wasted time .... and only a few electrons inconvenienced for the duration.

Been a lifesaver during my resto job as it started going back together.

K

I have to use a real camera - the one on my phone is "unavailable"...

Careful someone doesn't steal your pocket-watch while your head's under the black cloth

K

I do have digital cameras, too.

How I envy you lads with proper workshop equipment. Thirty years ago l moved from central London to Buckinghamshire to a house with a garage and my first purchase was a 1934 Austin 10, the choice was more based what would fit in my small garage than what i really wanted. The garage is on a slope so jacking up is not advisable and cannot be extended and although l have a very large rear garden vehicle access is not possible. I do have a small flat area under the trees where today l have spent most of the day under the Morgan, not ideal but better than the gutter in Fulham where l used to spend hours under a MG

I'm with you. My garage is a chunk of scabby concrete at the front on the house

I could not be without my home made workbenches made from timber and plywood, 3 vices of various sizes and storage containers for every conceivable size of nuts, bolts and washers. Oh and drawers aplenty for storage of anything and everything.

Never throw anything out, as guaranteed it will be the vital thing you need next week or so!