- Thread starter Domdom
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Right, did a bit more tonight. Is in the same wheelarch, the OSR where severe bodgery has previously occurred.
I cut out an over plate or two and got it back to where I can start offering up repair sections etc to see what I have left to make myself. I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Took off the bumper hanger, what's left of it.
Then the blobbed on plate.
I had to cut our the panel where the fuel filler is located so I can get behind it to repair the inner arch. Kept the piece to weld back in.
I really didn't like the look of this plate. Very hard to see what was going on behind it even from inside the car so our with the grinder and off it came....to reveal this. Rotten metal just plated over. Very glad I was curious enough to dig into it a bit.
So not pleasant at all but still relatively simple. Just wish I had an English Wheel to roll a repair section.
Anyway, I refitted the outer arch which I removed earlier, again a badly fitted repair section. Some careful measuring and a couple of Tek screws and it's back in place, only this time the right place, not 10mm too low.
And then the inner arch repair section mole gripped into place while I drew round it. I'll cut to the line and butt weld the inner arch in with some tacks initially, so then I will see what I'm having to make.
Enough for one night. More fun at the weekend.
I cut out an over plate or two and got it back to where I can start offering up repair sections etc to see what I have left to make myself. I'll let the pictures do the talking.
Took off the bumper hanger, what's left of it.
Then the blobbed on plate.
I had to cut our the panel where the fuel filler is located so I can get behind it to repair the inner arch. Kept the piece to weld back in.
I really didn't like the look of this plate. Very hard to see what was going on behind it even from inside the car so our with the grinder and off it came....to reveal this. Rotten metal just plated over. Very glad I was curious enough to dig into it a bit.
So not pleasant at all but still relatively simple. Just wish I had an English Wheel to roll a repair section.
Anyway, I refitted the outer arch which I removed earlier, again a badly fitted repair section. Some careful measuring and a couple of Tek screws and it's back in place, only this time the right place, not 10mm too low.
And then the inner arch repair section mole gripped into place while I drew round it. I'll cut to the line and butt weld the inner arch in with some tacks initially, so then I will see what I'm having to make.
Enough for one night. More fun at the weekend.
Well, I did a bit more tonight. Started by cutting out a rusty seam lip in the OSR wheelarch where the boot floor meets it. Had to be repaired before I can let new metal into the boot floor.
The cleaned up article.
Then I started fitting up the actual wheelarch and cleaning back to good steel. I got the inner arch tacked in when lack of gas stopped play. I did a bit more cardboard aided design only to find my sheet of 1mm steel has got so small I can’t get this section in one piece, so off to the steel stockholders and gas supplier tomorrow morning.
The cleaned up article.
Then I started fitting up the actual wheelarch and cleaning back to good steel. I got the inner arch tacked in when lack of gas stopped play. I did a bit more cardboard aided design only to find my sheet of 1mm steel has got so small I can’t get this section in one piece, so off to the steel stockholders and gas supplier tomorrow morning.
Had an hour or so on it today. Made up a section to weld in to the arch but couldn't get the whole thing in one piece. The compound curves are a bit of a challenge if I'm honest, could definitely use an English Wheel. Ended up using a plastic mallet on a bag of sharp sand. But got it stitched in along with a length of the inner arch repair section.
Then I spied a drainage hole going rusty on the box rail chassis part. A weird one, just a hole in the outer section, presumably to prevent water being trapped in between the 2 skins. Well it didn't work. So I cut a bit of the top skin off, then cleaned up the rust which was starting to become more than surface rust, treated it with Kurust, then high Zinc primer, and welded in a new bit. Plug welds where there were previously spot welds and then gave it a rub off with the grinder and covered it in zinc primer.
Going to tackle the gap you can see which is the rotted out part of the boot floor. That's next on the agenda anyway.
Just as a by note, in case it helps anyone else, I bought a 2 stage regulator and gas economiser because of all the interrupted welding. It's made a big difference to gas consumption. I don't suppose it would be as noticeable on long runs, but all these spots make for a lot of wasted gas. It definitely stops the initial rush and I now have it spot on 8 lpm all the time.
Won't be doing a lot this week due to work and also have a funeral to attend on wednesday but hope you're enjoying it so far. I know I enjoy this, it clears my mind of work stuff at least. But I can also see my skills improving as I go along.
Then I spied a drainage hole going rusty on the box rail chassis part. A weird one, just a hole in the outer section, presumably to prevent water being trapped in between the 2 skins. Well it didn't work. So I cut a bit of the top skin off, then cleaned up the rust which was starting to become more than surface rust, treated it with Kurust, then high Zinc primer, and welded in a new bit. Plug welds where there were previously spot welds and then gave it a rub off with the grinder and covered it in zinc primer.
Going to tackle the gap you can see which is the rotted out part of the boot floor. That's next on the agenda anyway.
Just as a by note, in case it helps anyone else, I bought a 2 stage regulator and gas economiser because of all the interrupted welding. It's made a big difference to gas consumption. I don't suppose it would be as noticeable on long runs, but all these spots make for a lot of wasted gas. It definitely stops the initial rush and I now have it spot on 8 lpm all the time.
Won't be doing a lot this week due to work and also have a funeral to attend on wednesday but hope you're enjoying it so far. I know I enjoy this, it clears my mind of work stuff at least. But I can also see my skills improving as I go along.
Ok, i need some help please.
The challenge is I have to sort the back end of the sills before I can finish the arch.
But to do this I have a serious amount of metal to cut out which will be outer sill and inner sill as well as a chunk of the floorpan.
I have some well made repair panels so no shakes there but I have this nagging doubt about the body staying rigid while all those bits are missing. I don’t have the doors either, they’re in Kent at my brother’s place.
I’ve thought about a brace welded in just above the sill but in the door shut there are louvre vents right where I would need to weld it in.
What alternatives do I have then? The only fixings I might be able to use are the hinge bolt holes and the lock striker plate.
I was also thinking it might be nice to weld a straight edge so it rests on the sill top as a guide for reassembly.
I guess what I’m saying is there are a few variables I need to overcome and never having done this much in one go I’m a little unsure how to go about it.
The challenge is I have to sort the back end of the sills before I can finish the arch.
But to do this I have a serious amount of metal to cut out which will be outer sill and inner sill as well as a chunk of the floorpan.
I have some well made repair panels so no shakes there but I have this nagging doubt about the body staying rigid while all those bits are missing. I don’t have the doors either, they’re in Kent at my brother’s place.
I’ve thought about a brace welded in just above the sill but in the door shut there are louvre vents right where I would need to weld it in.
What alternatives do I have then? The only fixings I might be able to use are the hinge bolt holes and the lock striker plate.
I was also thinking it might be nice to weld a straight edge so it rests on the sill top as a guide for reassembly.
I guess what I’m saying is there are a few variables I need to overcome and never having done this much in one go I’m a little unsure how to go about it.
RWD3M
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Perhaps some smallish box section (say 20 x 20 x 3) welded across the door opening tacked to the door seal flange to provide some triangulation and picking up on both sides of the car? Maybe even tacked to the tunnel and/or rear bulkhead on the way.
Yeah, the door sealing flange will be cut out. The 3 panels which make it up are the floorpan/inner sill, centre sill and outer sill. So cutting this out I will lose the reference point. And I’m not convinced the shell will stay straight while it’s all out.
RWD3M
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What, all of it?
If you are cutting that much out maybe it time to fabricate a jig and nail it down!
Ok, these are the repair panels I have, laid out in the sequence they have to go together.
This is what I have to deal with
And this is what I have in the door shuts
And for scale, to give an idea of how much I have to cut out, this in the inner sill laid in place. Scary.
The thing with that inner sill is that it has to go in from the outside if I am to avoid cutting out that low bulkhead which is level with the back of the door shut. Which means the centre and outer sills have to come off first. And the very thought of it is causing some head scratching.
This is what I have to deal with
And this is what I have in the door shuts
And for scale, to give an idea of how much I have to cut out, this in the inner sill laid in place. Scary.
The thing with that inner sill is that it has to go in from the outside if I am to avoid cutting out that low bulkhead which is level with the back of the door shut. Which means the centre and outer sills have to come off first. And the very thought of it is causing some head scratching.
galooph
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Time to weld in plenty of bracing with triangulation before starting to cut out the outer and centre sills. I was shocked at how much a 3 door Punto I had would flex. Depending how you jacked it up, you could flex the shell enough that the door wouldn't shut!
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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Whereabouts in Kent (roughly) is your brother? Happy to donate some 25x25x2 box to the cause for strengthening as I have stacks of it. Could maybe even drop off if local 'ish. Need to get some to a mate in Gravesend sometime...
Maidstone, well Barming, just off the M20.
Thats a very kind offer, would be great if you could.
I’m sure he could collect if that’s preferable.
He’s coming up next week to bring me the doors. I think the plan is to fit the doors to make sure they shut now, drop it off the rollover jig and on to 4 big axle stands, sort of simulate when it’s sat on the running gear, that way it has a better chance of remaining straight I think. And use multiple braces to keep the door opening as it needs to be.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I've got:
25x6 flat bar 1620mm long.
25x25x2 box nom 2400, quite a lot & 3350mm long...a lot.
There's a few holes in the box as it's old server racking.
Not the best shot, a damp old stable via head torch just now.
I could get the 2400s in the estate. The 3350s, I'd have to put the roof rack on.
25x6 flat bar 1620mm long.
25x25x2 box nom 2400, quite a lot & 3350mm long...a lot.
There's a few holes in the box as it's old server racking.
Not the best shot, a damp old stable via head torch just now.
I could get the 2400s in the estate. The 3350s, I'd have to put the roof rack on.
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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The 2400’s would be fine. Even though the doors are long they certainly aren’t 8 foot. Could I trouble you for 4 of those please? Happy to pay, well it’ll be my brother who’s paying
No worries you can have them gratis. They're black painted or maybe powder coated...not sure. I could run them down or meet half way, I'm nearest I suppose to West Kingsdown aka Village Of The Damned...
Onoff
In the land of the unfinished project I am King!
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I’ll PM you my brother’s contact details and let him know to expect a call. Better than me being in the middle messing things up.
Just had a chat with him. He'll probably pop down to me Sat morning to collect.
RWD3M
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Ok, so to start, get a couple of diagonal braces (effectively a a big 'X') in across the door aperture with the lower ends coming down as far as you can on the door seal flange (I'd suggest one on the inside and one on the outside of the flange and weld them together where they meet. You may need to bend them slightly so they do meet in the middle!) Then, brace that X against the floor cross members front and rear, again bracing those braces with another big 'X'!
That 25 x 25 x 2 will be well up to the job (good show there by the way @Onoff !) and doesn't need to be seam welded everywhere! More than just a tack weld obviously but you don't need to go mad. Remember, you have to remove it afterwards!
Just one word of caution, Try to avoid building in any stresses by thinking about where you are welding to, remembering that a weld will shrink as it cools.
Normally I wouldn't replace a sill without having the door available to check for fit so if there is anyway you can get it then I'd really reccommend that you do.
Keep up the great work, I'm following this with keen interest.
Yep, the doors are coming up next week. Already looking at where I can brace to with a plate bolted to the car rather than welding direct to the shell itself.
Also going to take it off the rollover jig onto 4 axle stands to try and replicate how it would sit on its wheels. Remove as much stress as possible.
Also going to take it off the rollover jig onto 4 axle stands to try and replicate how it would sit on its wheels. Remove as much stress as possible.
