I started the day by rubbing down and cleaning the starter motor that I now know works before giving it a lick of paint.  I am sure that there is an item that I should paint at the same time but I can't remember what it is, doh.

In the background of the photo above you can see that I have been rubbing down the dashboard again.  I bought a polishing kit for the bench grinder and hope that it will make a difference.

Well it doesn't look brilliant just yet.  I was supposed to have some type of lime to rub on it to shine it up at the end but the kit supplied didn't contain it so I am hoping that when I get it all will be well with the world.

I have spent an unbelievable amount of time rubbing down and polishing this thing and am unhappy with the results.  Should I just have thrown £110 at it?  Well it would have been easier but that isn't always the best way.

Half term holiday week so I have spent a lot of time in the garage this week which has been great.  I started by removing the heater unit and painting it as it looked too scrappy in original form.

I then turned my attention to the relays for the over drive and the indicators which both needed a lot of cleaning up.  I managed to get some 4BA screws to replace the screws butchered in the removal process and painted it all,

I paid a visit to John this week and obtained a load more bits and pieces which helped very much.  I picked up some cables for the air and choke which were in component form and required building up.  I started trying to MIG weld the new cable to the original but couldn't do it so I ended up brazing it successfully after a lot of attempts.

This photo showing a jack under the car is special only because it is the first time I have ever jacked up the car.

I fitted a replacement engine mount for the one that wrecked when installing the engine and then turned my attention to the gearbox mounts which were massively out of alignment.  I used the bar that is supposed to stop the engine falling forward under braking to push the engine forward and eventually got the bolts in, happy days.

I looked into getting the dash professionally polished as I am unhappy with the current state of it but the cost was £110 which felt too steep so I bought a kit for the bench grinder and some more wet and dry paper to have another go at a cost of less than £35.  I also drilled the holes for the final switches that I obtained from John so it is ready for a third attempt tomorrow.

Last Saturday I went to the Rawles Motorsport open day, it was grand.  I had to work in the morning (OK, you should know that teachers do get directed to work on Saturdays, 2 in the last three weeks, #justsaying) so I was a little late to the event and coupled with slightly grey skies I think I missed the bulk of the cars at the event.

I got chatting to the lucky chap who owned this car.  He was interesting to speak to about living with a Healey 100.

On Sunday I got to look at the dashboard again and renovate the gauges with a kit I had bought so many years ago I can't actually remember buying it.

OK, so is this bad?

I put the question on Instagram and one person commented that if you can't prove the milage then you may as well and I certain can't prove anything with regards to this car.

Some pictures of the original dash and the new one.

I started to fit the switches I have and I am conscious that I need to finish doing this before I polish the dash for the final time.

I got a quote for a professional to get a mirror finish at £110 which didn't seem too bad however, I can buy a kit for my bench grinder that cost £35 and only requires elbow power and patience  I know what I need to do.

I decided that I should finish the dashboard at last so I got out the wet rubbing paper that I bought for the job ages ago and began rubbing.  I rubbed, then rubbed some more and finally I rubbed a bit more.  Once done I then started polishing and the is the end result.

I wasn't sure about it.  It didn't look as good as I had hoped and felt a little disppointed until I laid it on the car then it looked a little better.  I'm going to think about it for a while then decide if I should paint it after all.

Last Sunday I had the day in the garage and thought that I'd fit the heater matrix and then finish the dashboard.  With the benefit of hindsight I was wildly optimistic.

The heater is a little cutie and whilst it is showing signs of ageing I decided that as I didn't have the correct crinkle type pain and that most of it is hidden from view I'd fit it as is.  I did blow it out as it was very clocked with dust and insect nests then I tested the fans operation.  The switch isn't too expensive and whilst it does work it is a little haphazard but I thought I'd live with it for the time being.  Just above the switch knob is a little indent for a Smiths badge that I may by one day, then again,.....

I did paint the tubes though as they were caked in crud and red paint from the previous owners colour change to red.

I then switched my attention to the water pump rather than the dashboard.  I'd gained the advice that the blanking screw was in the wrong place and that I should be able to swap them.  Could I, hell no.  So after a lot of faffing about I removed the pump and swapped it with the spare that I have.  This leaves me with two different colour greens in the engine bay as the pump was painted in the original light green, oh well.  I could have painted it but I couldn't be bothered and I was impatient.  I also have no idea of the condition of either pump but new ones are quite affordable so if it comes to it I will just replace it with a new one.  My blurry picture hides the level of contrast in the paint colours.

That was last Sunday covered.  Yesterday, Saturday, I had another day in the garage and I decided to sort the prop shaft out as I am decided on replacing the UJs so thought it could do with a coat of paint.  I doubt if the prop was painted at the factory though so had some debate with myself on whether it should be painted and then just got on with it.  it took most of the day which was surprising but is now hanging in the garage drying and looking lovely.