- Thread starter Keithmac
- Start date
Bit hit and miss today!.
Decided that I needed front and back OS corners sorted before I could proceed with the sill but soon became apparent I didn't have much to work with!.
Managed to get front corner in Cleaco stage the morning, fighting VW underseal and spot welds for most of it!.
Had a look at the back and majority of jacking panel is still sound, so will chop mine up to make a partial repair panel.
Anyhoo, put plan angle iron into action as there's that much missing if I started chopping all the rot out there will be nothing to reference!.
So the 25mm 3mm angle iron has 4 6mm countersunk stainless Allen bolts permanently fitted, I can then chop and weld from there with a solid base to work from.
It will all be welded up as well but the bolts are so it's spot on position while I work on the rest of it.
Probably get kicked out of the forum for using bolts!.
Happy how today went as I was rained off at 3 but managed another couple of hours after.
My new RHS sill is just having 2 coats of weld through zinc primer.
On a side note, I bought some Static Caravan stands, bloomin brilliant (screw thread axles stands basically)!, these are rated for 6 ton each.
Decided that I needed front and back OS corners sorted before I could proceed with the sill but soon became apparent I didn't have much to work with!.
Managed to get front corner in Cleaco stage the morning, fighting VW underseal and spot welds for most of it!.
Had a look at the back and majority of jacking panel is still sound, so will chop mine up to make a partial repair panel.
Anyhoo, put plan angle iron into action as there's that much missing if I started chopping all the rot out there will be nothing to reference!.
So the 25mm 3mm angle iron has 4 6mm countersunk stainless Allen bolts permanently fitted, I can then chop and weld from there with a solid base to work from.
It will all be welded up as well but the bolts are so it's spot on position while I work on the rest of it.
Probably get kicked out of the forum for using bolts!.
Happy how today went as I was rained off at 3 but managed another couple of hours after.
My new RHS sill is just having 2 coats of weld through zinc primer.
On a side note, I bought some Static Caravan stands, bloomin brilliant (screw thread axles stands basically)!, these are rated for 6 ton each.
i was thinking that myself. i acquired a bucket full of scissor jacks over the years for doing that, so it's not something i would rush out to go and get. but they do look like handy things for pushing plates up.
There's 3 sizes, those are same as Halfords 3 ton axle stands. 12" to 17" medium iirc
Search seller mystaticlimited on ebay.
Really handy, 4 were only £60.
Definitely worth buying a set, I went same as my axle stands as I know they work for most situations.
Nice to be able to wind them up snug as I never get under a car without at least 2 different sets of supports under it.
Search seller mystaticlimited on ebay.
Really handy, 4 were only £60.
Definitely worth buying a set, I went same as my axle stands as I know they work for most situations.
Nice to be able to wind them up snug as I never get under a car without at least 2 different sets of supports under it.
i've got this habit of when the wheel comes off it goes straight underneath squeeze a wooden block on top, just incase the car does go,
a bit of extra backup protection. also serves as bit of a pillow to rest my head against the tyre.
My friend a long while back asked me to help him out with his car, only a jack under it!.
I pointed our if his jack failed he'd basically be decapitated at that point and nice to see even now he still uses axle stands.
Wheel and wooden block is as good as anything!..
Amazes me what some people would get underneath with scant regards for safety.
My Grandad lifted a Ford Cortina up single handedly after his idiot neighbour got dragged out from underneath it (jack failure), cost him a hernia and I don't even think he got a thank you for it!.
One lad working on a Mitsubishi GTO TT AWD (same as my other car) had it roll off one set of axle stands and crushed him to death unfortunately (he was trying to undo Propshaft bolts and the car was pushed off the stands as one set of wheels were still on the floor). Poor lad.
Laid on my back all day, forgot how pleasant having hot grinding debris in your ear is!.
Had to repair the floor before I could fit the jacking panel, had my wife on fire duty (luckily as the factory wax in the seams kept setting alight!.
Not much to look at but a minor milestone for me, OS front corner and floor sorted, my sill support is in position and secure so should be plain sailing from here (probably not!).
Got rear wheel well to sort our bur that should be a walk in the park now I've got something to weld to!.
Happy days, the actual sill replacement will probably be easiest part of the whole job.
Had to repair the floor before I could fit the jacking panel, had my wife on fire duty (luckily as the factory wax in the seams kept setting alight!.
Not much to look at but a minor milestone for me, OS front corner and floor sorted, my sill support is in position and secure so should be plain sailing from here (probably not!).
Got rear wheel well to sort our bur that should be a walk in the park now I've got something to weld to!.
Happy days, the actual sill replacement will probably be easiest part of the whole job.
No much to see but another days graft (got rained off at 3).
Floor welded to sill support (angle iron!) front to back, rotten lips chopped out.
Looked at replacing the full rear corner jacking panel but 90% of it was solid and rust free so made a panel and welded that in.
I've measured where the internal support is for the jacking point so going to make a screw on jacking pad out of 5mm steel plate and that should avoid any future damage!.
Caravan screw Jack's came in handy again.
Hopefully sill fitting tomorrow, then all to do again on the other side..
Floor welded to sill support (angle iron!) front to back, rotten lips chopped out.
Looked at replacing the full rear corner jacking panel but 90% of it was solid and rust free so made a panel and welded that in.
I've measured where the internal support is for the jacking point so going to make a screw on jacking pad out of 5mm steel plate and that should avoid any future damage!.
Caravan screw Jack's came in handy again.
Hopefully sill fitting tomorrow, then all to do again on the other side..
Weighed up my options and seeing as all the rest of the sill is solid and rust free I went for a partial sill replacement.
Spent an hour taking front corner to bits removing remains of old sill bottom and taking half inch thick underseal off to check for rust then started on new sill panel.
When it's done all the welding will be covered by the "big bumper" sill and arch trims.
Happy one side is done bar some filler and paint, half way there just other side to do now!.
Cracked the Milwaulkee M12 floodlight out, getting dark at 4 now.
Need a torch for my Mig torch really, was struggling to see!.
Welder on 38amp 15v and Lincoln wire did great plug welding panels. Didn't blow any holes through but got some decent heat into it.
Spent an hour taking front corner to bits removing remains of old sill bottom and taking half inch thick underseal off to check for rust then started on new sill panel.
When it's done all the welding will be covered by the "big bumper" sill and arch trims.
Happy one side is done bar some filler and paint, half way there just other side to do now!.
Cracked the Milwaulkee M12 floodlight out, getting dark at 4 now.
Need a torch for my Mig torch really, was struggling to see!.
Welder on 38amp 15v and Lincoln wire did great plug welding panels. Didn't blow any holes through but got some decent heat into it.
steveo3002
Member
- Messages
- 7,534
not seam welding that then?
I'm I two minds really.
It's weld through zinc primer, I put that on last night to stop rust.
I have some metal body filler to smooth the transition.
There's plenty of plug welds holding it together but if consensus is to seam weld it as well I will do.
Weirdly I was looking at these yesterday. However I've decided a 99p clip on book light type thing was a more attractive price than £40+ (really you're paying for the bendy bit, a lights a light...). Sure your version will involve less swearing when my clip keeps slipping tho
Well done for tackling this outside in the winter!
Re the rear wheel well being a walk in the park - good luck, never in my experience was it one.
I've cut a 4 inch chunk out of bottom (sill side) of rear wheel well and the rest is good solid metal thankfully!.
Hopefully other side is the same.
Front wheel wells are solid and in good condition.
Welding outside is no fun but just have to get your head down and get on with it, dark nights are a pain though!.
Might cut front left corner out tonight after work, get a head start for weekend.
We have Remembrance Parade this weekend so will only have Monday day time on it this week.
Had a few hours on it tonight, had half hour with the grinder/ wire wheel to remove underseal then tried to keep noise down!.
Slow quiet grinding then an hour of spot weld drilling.
One benefit of working by head torch is that spot welds are a lot easier to see..
One plus point is left hand side of car doesn't seem quite as rotten so should be a bit easier to sort out (still getting matching angle iron mind).
Slow quiet grinding then an hour of spot weld drilling.
One benefit of working by head torch is that spot welds are a lot easier to see..
One plus point is left hand side of car doesn't seem quite as rotten so should be a bit easier to sort out (still getting matching angle iron mind).
