Land Rover Defender 110 Rebuild

[waldershelf]

My helmet is auto darkening and I've not had an issue with it. I've got some normal safety glasses, not the rubbish ones that come with a grinder either...
I'll see how I go tomorrow as my eye is getting sore now
Thanks guys x

When grinding you should wear goggles, safety glasses or even a face shield can let stray sparks through. You only get one pair of eyes, look after em.

 

[KimB]

Today I did a little bit more work, patched another couple holes. I got very overwhelmed at the end and decided to stop. Almost finished welding all around the footwells however. Little bit more to do. And found another two holes that are in an awful position to do anything which is frustrating.
Here goes anyway.
Started by cutting out another small hole and pitted area around the bonnet hinge. Same as before, I cut diagonally across the two parallel cuts then using some tin snips (I think they're call I cut the most of them carefully sliced down with a cutting wheel to get it flush.

Tacked a little plate in place

Ground flat, and I decided to leave it as that then a tiny layer of filler will sort the rest out

I wondered what should I do with these little holes across the dash ? I welded one up because it was in the way of a weld but there are four which have little covers over them ??

Turned the bulkhead around, started on the gearbox tunnel area. As you may be able to see I cut along the bottom edge cutting out the whole overlay.

Then just cut along the top and it came straight out.

Cleaned the edges, cut a top strip and tacked it on then did the bottom strip

Welded it all up. I don't think I'll grind it flat because it'll all be hidden behind the dash area.

Cut one of the window mouniting areas out and that's when I realised how much work each corner needs and quickly melted from the inside out hehe. I stopped straight away.

Not entirely sure how I'm going to make the templates. It's going to be a huge pain :/ and I'm dreading it. Before I can do that I need to cut the rest of the rot out which isn't too bad but it's all around the door seal are, all of that needs replacing fml
Kim

 

[KimB]

I forgot to mention, if anyone thinks I'm doing anything wrong or maybe could do something better please say, I'd rather know now than do something twice
I won't be offended also
Thanks
Kim

 

[colnerov]

Hi, the only thing I will say is, have you fitted it onto the chassis in its proper place and with all the bulkhead brackets?. Fitted the doors and check they line up with the rear tub and the screen surround?. It's easier to fix now before you let in the last bits and make it rigid. Sorry to go on about this, but my one still bugs me to this day. So much that I'm on the look out for another series 2 bulkhead to do again to replace mine.

Colin

 

[awemawson]

All I'd say is when can I book my disco into your place to have the rear end of the chassis replaced

 

[taycat]

like it.
had great fun rebuilding dad's 110 with him complete ground up.
we put full strip to do away with air vents on his bulkhead.

 

[KimB]

Hi, the only thing I will say is, have you fitted it onto the chassis in its proper place and with all the bulkhead brackets?. Fitted the doors and check they line up with the rear tub and the screen surround?. It's easier to fix now before you let in the last bits and make it rigid. Sorry to go on about this, but my one still bugs me to this day. So much that I'm on the look out for another series 2 bulkhead to do again to replace mine.

Colin

It's all coming out now hehe.

I'll try fit the bulkhead again and doors but the doors are in bad way so didn't fit right before hand anyway, not sure if it's even worth it because of that
Hmmm

 

[Wedg1e]

I wish it was!
I've taken the day off today from it as I've burnt the coloured bit of my eye. There's a small burn mark also, I'm going to the dr and just going to do some other things today.

I was on fire-watch for my dad back in the 70s on some old relic of the British car industry; essentially I was sat inside, choking on fumes as the bitumen burned off the floor while he gas-welded a sill on from outside. I was watching the glowing molten pool moving around when he decided to tap the sill into position with a hammer. A small piece of molten metal jumped off and got me smack in the centre of my right eye. It came up shaped like a volcano, it wasn't the burn that hurt so much as the irritation to the inside of my eyelid.
I've had arc-eye as well; neither is an entertainment I plan on repeating any time soon.

Good effort with the Landie, by the way

 

[KimB]

Hi everyone, I'd like to appologise to everyone the amount of photos and how many posts today's work is going to take up but I've finally got one inner windscreen mount completed
Literally been dreading doing the mounts for so long as they were so rotten. Thankfully today I was doing things I didn't know I could do, I guess just seeing other people's techniques helped me make all of the templates and filler peices.
To say I'm relieved the worse side is done is an under statement. Been working almost solid since 11.30-6 to get to where I am now at the final photo
Here goes anyway.
Today started with allot of hatred for my life hehe had to cut more door pillar away to get something that wasn't rotten

I remembered about my sheet metal bender I began making but forgot to finish so I've been using that, a bad and a clamp to bend steel today! What a life saver that's been.

Above is the start of the door seal mount. Then I started trying to bend it about to get it the correct shape as standard. I realised cutting slots enabled me to easy bent it about so that's how it started..

Tacked it in place

Because the seal lip is double skinned I took the cut out bit. Traced it onto a price of 1.5mm plate and cut it out. It was perfect so welded that in place next

Thn began making the curved peice for where the pillar curves round. I bend a 90deg peice to start and used the same process as earlier

Comparing it to the otherside as well to make sure the bend was correct

Trimmed it to size and welded it in, not pretty but the welder sorted that

For the square hole I tacked it in place. Put the old section over it. Scribed around it. The wiggled it off, drilled it until it was the biggest drill I could get through the old square hole, I then just filed it square.
I decided to do this as wanted it to be in the right place and couldn't gaurantee it if I did it with the three bends I had to make on the other peice. Which you'll see later.

I'll continue on a new post

 

[KimB]

Continued...
Next I got a some help from a Facebook group and was told the U shape opening is for forming process. You can see it in this photo just below the lower windscreen bolt hole.

I found an old note pad, ripped out a couple pages and held it in place then smeared me dirty finger around it left me with the perfect template.

Then just cut it out, transferred it with a scribe and cut it out

It needed a tiny modification but fit almost perfectly. Welded that in..

Then moved on to finishing the last tiny area just behind cut out in the previous photo.
Using tin snips I just cut it out and bent it

Then, you guessed it, I welded it in

Unfortunately had no more excuses and had to start the last big template with all the bends eek :O

I know my old college tutor would tell me off but I've got an old vernier that I use for scribing certain lines so started marking out the lines and intersection points of the curve on the air vent.
I then took another smudge template (that's what I'm calling it ) of another curve on the vent

Tried to cut it out but failed so I got a lid and traced it onto the peice of steel. I forgot to take any photos of that part but I then cut it out using a jigsaw and snipped it about to get it to fit correctly. I then began working on the bends. I decided to replicate the bends on another peice of steel first as I wasn't sure which way to do it
This was my first attempt

after my practice attempt I did two of the bends and worked on final fitment before doing the last bend. I spent about an hour or more just trying to get 100% right.

I'll continue again, sorry...

 

[KimB]

Continued for the final time today...
Cut it to length and did the last bend which I bent in the slight wrong place which anoyed me so I had to unbend it and do it again. It took me a long time to make myself happy but finally tacked it in

I wasn't sure how to fill in the window peice but I just decided to start bending something around round bar and then worked out I could diagonally cut across the bent to achieve the three way bent filler peice (hope that makes sense, it made sense on my head hehe)

Then just welded it all up

I know it's not pretty but it's not going to be seen so doesn't really make any difference
Here's a couple photos of it all finished.

I'll go over it all with a wire wheel when completing it. I don't see any reason to grind it down when it's behikd the dash.
Anyway to finish of today I cut the other side out ready to do the same
Thankfully it's not as bad I don't think.

I'm so relieved to finish the one side. That was the worse side as well. Ill get up early and do the otherside tomorrow. The end is near!!! Hopefully it will be completed tomorrow. 6 days to get it to this stage, not all full days however.
Hope you all enjoy seeing my progress In thrilled.
Kim

 

[awemawson]

Kim, don't apologise for the number of pictures - it's all very informative and will help people in the future who stumble across this thread.

Keep up the enthusiasm

 

[decca]

Looking good. I am enjoying your rebuild. Very impressed looking forward to seeing the finished article. All the very best to you.

 

[KimB]

Kim, don't apologise for the number of pictures - it's all very informative and will help people in the future who stumble across this thread.

Keep up the enthusiasm

That's what I thought, It kind of reminds me of doing my college projects, I enjoyed doing some of them nice to sumarise a day and think about the plan of action for the next day
Again thanks
Kim x

 

[awemawson]

I enjoy re-building (mainly) CNC machines, and keep a blog of progress on the Madmodder forum for each rebuild. Many is the time I find myself re-reading what I wrote a few weeks earlier as a useful reference that is of necessity strictly in time order. also writing up what I've done helps me sort out my thoughts for what's to come. Here's an example:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,8261.msg88581.html#msg88581 (rather lengthy this one)

here's another:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,10085.0.html

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Kim, Have a read of this thread from another forum I'm on. It may help with some of the finer points of panel making, not that you're falling short with it. You seem to have the idea of how to do it and this should show you're nearly there....this hole is getting deep, lol anyway -

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/65793?page=1

Enjoy!

Colin

 

[KimB]

I enjoy re-building (mainly) CNC machines, and keep a blog of progress on the Madmodder forum for each rebuild. Many is the time I find myself re-reading what I wrote a few weeks earlier as a useful reference that is of necessity strictly in time order. also writing up what I've done helps me sort out my thoughts for what's to come. Here's an example:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,8261.msg88581.html#msg88581 (rather lengthy this one)

here's another:

http://madmodder.net/index.php/topic,10085.0.html

Christ! That is some achievment getting the lathe up and running! I read the first page and looked at the vids on the last page, I used to love working on the cnc machines at my old work.

Both of those are incredible!

 

[KimB]

Hi, Kim, Have a read of this thread from another forum I'm on. It may help with some of the finer points of panel making, not that you're falling short with it. You seem to have the idea of how to do it and this should show you're nearly there....this hole is getting deep, lol anyway -

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/65793?page=1

Enjoy!

Colin

Hi Colin,
I've seen that before on here as well as the mini project on youtube, that helped me with ideas of how to make replacement peices.
Do you think I should grind all the welds back just to make it a nicer job ?

Thanks
Kim

 

[KimB]

Hi, Kim, Have a read of this thread from another forum I'm on. It may help with some of the finer points of panel making, not that you're falling short with it. You seem to have the idea of how to do it and this should show you're nearly there....this hole is getting deep, lol anyway -

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/65793?page=1

Enjoy!

Colin

After looking through some pages I feel like my work is a half ass'd attempt at a big job in comparison lol

 

[colnerov]

Hi, Kim, as you say if they are hidden.. personally I always dress back, apart from any corners or awkward bits. I also brush seam sealer after a flick over with etch primer. Have you decided if you are going to Galvanise or zinc plate? If so do that, seam seal, prime and colour. Then waxoyl the cavities. Also what you have done is not at all half-arsed. I also wish I was as good as Tony.

Colin