PROJECT: MGTD-51: A Salute to Yard-Sale Finds

PROJECT 51: A salute to yard-sale finds. While I had the crankshaft out and on the bench, I checked the pilot bushing in its flywheel end. This bronze bushing keeps the front end of the transmission's main shaft in line with the crankshaft. Not surprisingly, it was worn considerably oversize. It was .022" larger than the shaft, when .002" would be the normal clearance. This was just normal wear for a car this age; not a Brutus thing, this time.
Fortunately, I happened to have a "pilot-bearing puller" sitting on the shelf. (Doesn't everyone?) This is an item I picked up at a yard sale probably more than a year ago, and likely paid $5 or so for it. I didn't have a need for it then, but I couldn't pass up the deal. (Can one ever have too many tools?)
It got me thinking about all of the yard-sale finds that I have been able to use in this project, so far. All of these were bought before I bought the MG, and some I have had for decades.
*Pilot-bearing puller (mentioned above) $5
*Large gear-puller (used to get the flywheel off the crankshaft) $4
*V-belt strap-wrench (used to hold pulleys for disassembly and reassembly) $5
*24" calipers (used to measure flywheel and ring gear) $30
*Pyrometer (used to check temperature of ring gear) $10
*Bike stand (used to hold ring gear during heating) $5
*Acetylene torch set (used to heat ring gear and other things) $35
*Hi-temp gloves (used to handle those hot things) $5
*Bench vice (used lots!) $40
*Chassis punch (fender repair) $5
*Bushing reamers (will be used when rebuilding the front end) $15
*Gasket punch set (used to make new gaskets and cut masking tape to cover holes) $40
*Safety-wire pliers (used to twist the safety wire in numerous bolts) $10
*Large part-washing tub (used for many of the big engine parts) $2