Sierra XR4i full restoration.

[Domdom]

Started by fitting the centre sill temporarily as I had a feeling stuff wasn't just going to fit. I was right. Just clamped it and then tried to fit the outer sill, not a chance. Slightly loosened all the mole grips so I could tap it all into place with a hide mallet. There is a good 3/8" of the centre sill that needs to be trimmed off. You can see it hanging down in this photo.

With a couple more hours of messing about I got some clecos in the back of the outer sill and every set of mole grips I own on the car. This is about as best it will fit right now so plenty of messing about still to do.

The back arch lip is about 1/2" too far back though.

But starting to get it better in the door shut. That said, getting it to fit flush is still quite a bit of work.

That's where we got up to and now we know it all sort of fits I'm going to remove the bracing and trial fit the door, just to be sure. Once I see that fitting nicely I'll fully weld the inner sill and turn my attention to the floor.

 

[Onoff]

My brother's a barrister, I wouldn't want him welding my car, just saying.....

 

[Domdom]

Oh yes, nearly forgot. The lace thin metal at the bottom of the arch where the inner sill welds to. Cut it out and welded in a new piece. Still some tin bashing to do to get the curve just right, and maybe dress the welds back a bit more, but this was it.

There's an odd bit of old seam that needs dealing with as well. I'll get that right and seam seal it like the factory did.

 

[Domdom]

My brother's a barrister, I wouldn't want him welding my car, just saying.....

We're both (senior) IT guys. You don't want either of us near a welder........or even a computer to be honest.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Something to aim for? Looks to be done to a high standard - interior could use a tidy to make perfect though....

CLICK HERE

 

[Domdom]

A bit more done. Not a lot, just a bit. To be honest I'm losing the will to live with this R-Tech ProMIG 250. I think it has a fault as it goes, on minimum power settings it's driving 57 amps according to the front panel readout. That's way too hot for this thin stuff. I've logged a fault ticket with R-Tech, who are being super helpful BTW.

If anyone has any ideas on this I am all ears. 95/5 gas argon CO2, 0.6mm SG2 wire, zero on the power knob and about 140 inches per minute on WFS - I measured this for 12 seconds and got 28 inches of wire out. I completely appreciate that I'm not the best welder in the world but this defies all logic.

So anyway, I've ordered a Bohler Uranos 2000 from our site sponsor. Let's see how I get on with that. It certainly looks a lot more controllable at the bottom end of the power scale.

Repair to the front arch, removing the rusty bumper hanger

Then seam welded the jacking point reinforcement on the inner sill. Also trimmed back the original inner panel - this was originally the part which gets replaced by the centre sill so but it down and welded it to the inner sill.

Going to tidy up in this bit before the centre sill goes in. You can see how many holes this R-Tech has blown, and this is decent enough metal at 0.8mm thick. I have been told that I weld too hot but this literally can't be turned down any lower. Let's see what happens with the Böhler when it arrives. No excuses then.

 

[Onoff]

I've ordered a Bohler Uranos 2000

If you can't get on with it I'm happy to swap for my 1987 Clarke 130TE...

 

[Domdom]

If you can't get on with it I'm happy to swap for my 1987 Clarke 130TE...

You say that in jest, but a mate of mine has a really old Lincoln 3 phase thing. It welds so nicely on car bodywork and he would lend it to me, but I don't have 3 phase. Old is usually good IME.

 

[Domdom]

I put most of the floor in this afternoon. Tried out the new welder which is so much easier now I have synergic and lower power. There’s nowt wrong with the R-Tech 250, just that it’s not really aimed at thin panel work. Based on my experience with the Böhler so far I can’t see me keeping the R-Tech, don’t need both. Maybe just long enough to use up this 15kg roll of wire since it doesn’t fit the new one.

Anyway, lots of trimming and test fitting before I did any welding but it’s in place and the bulk of the welding is done.

 

[Domdom]

Bit of an update.
Outer sill on. Still to fully weld once checked with door fitted. Quite a lot of messing around but it's on.

Fitted a replacement front bumper hanger.

Finished closing hte rear wheel arch. Just the cleaning up to do now.

Then got the door re-hung last night. Nice to see nothing moved during the surgery.

That's about up to date now.

 

[RWD3M]

Bit of an update.
Outer sill on. Still to fully weld once checked with door fitted. Quite a lot of messing around but it's on.

View attachment 311498

View attachment 311499

Fitted a replacement front bumper hanger.

View attachment 311500

Finished closing hte rear wheel arch. Just the cleaning up to do now.

View attachment 311501

Then got the door re-hung last night. Nice to see nothing moved during the surgery.

View attachment 311502

View attachment 311503

View attachment 311504

View attachment 311505

That's about up to date now.

Great effort, you must be more than a little relieved!

 

[Domdom]

Great effort, you must be more than a little relieved!

Just a bit

 

[Domdom]

This needs an update I think. Have done a few bits but the big thing is that I've turned it around to work on the other side. That's a milestone for me anyway.

The big gaping hole where the battery once sat. First I had to rebuild the lip it rolls over.

Lip rebuilt, just a bit of dressing and shaping to be done

Then sort out where I was going to let in the new metal.

This was trimmed and shaped in the vice and on the anvil. I put some channels in it to give it more strength. And then welded it in.

Followed by some zinc primer

No photo but I also put seam sealer under the lip and on the inside of the car where the 3 seams come together.
Then came the front wing support, the bit between the inner and outer wings. Fortunately by brother found these as new old stock genuine Ford parts.

I have to say this Bohler machine is a lot easier to use. Thanks to @Tom Orrow L for this, he convinced me it was a good idea, and indeed it was.

So, turned the shell around to work on the other side. WooHoo

And that's about where I'm up to right now.

 

[RWD3M]

This needs an update I think. Have done a few bits but the big thing is that I've turned it around to work on the other side. That's a milestone for me anyway.

The big gaping hole where the battery once sat. First I had to rebuild the lip it rolls over.

View attachment 313560

Lip rebuilt, just a bit of dressing and shaping to be done

View attachment 313562

Then sort out where I was going to let in the new metal.

View attachment 313563

This was trimmed and shaped in the vice and on the anvil. I put some channels in it to give it more strength. And then welded it in.


View attachment 313564

Followed by some zinc primer

View attachment 313565

No photo but I also put seam sealer under the lip and on the inside of the car where the 3 seams come together.
Then came the front wing support, the bit between the inner and outer wings. Fortunately by brother found these as new old stock genuine Ford parts.

View attachment 313566

View attachment 313567

View attachment 313568

I have to say this Bohler machine is a lot easier to use. Thanks to @Tom Orrow L for this, he convinced me it was a good idea, and indeed it was.

So, turned the shell around to work on the other side. WooHoo

View attachment 313569

And that's about where I'm up to right now.

This is coming along well @Domdom.

Great work.

 

[arther dailey]

glad to hear to the new mig is a success , makes all the differance when doing tin work ,great thread by the way.cheers

 

[Tom Orrow L]

very nice work Dom!!

 

[Domdom]

I made a start on the passenger side this weekend just gone. First the inspection.

Dented chassis rail where someone has jacked the car on it in the past.

And the inner wheel arch at the rear.

While thinking about that I welded up some holes in the rear panel where it had been drilled for a towbar in the past

And then I turned my attention to removing all the plate repairs. Grinding off carefully to preserve as much of the good metal underneath as I could.

That's the 10 image limit so I'll make another post.

 

[Domdom]

Got the outer arch repair section off which took little more than a light rub with the grinder. Popped some tech screws in first so I can refit as I need to line up the inner arch repair section.

And made up a repair section for the back of the boot floor.

Welded it in

The rust holes behind that I didn't take photos of but it was the same basic method, cut out the rot, shape piece to fit, weld it in.

Trying to find out what that hole was for before I put it back in. A bit of shaping to do round the lip which will be done when I sort the inner arch and have to line it all up. I left it proud for now.

 

[a111r]

Great work and photos!

This thread will also be very useful should you ever sell the vehicle, or have any insurance valuation problems.
Plus for others, doing or considering the same model.

 

[minimutly]

Bit of an update.
Outer sill on. Still to fully weld once checked with door fitted. Quite a lot of messing around but it's on.

View attachment 311498

View attachment 311499

Fitted a replacement front bumper hanger.

View attachment 311500

Finished closing hte rear wheel arch. Just the cleaning up to do now.

View attachment 311501

Then got the door re-hung last night. Nice to see nothing moved during the surgery.

View attachment 311502

View attachment 311503

View attachment 311504

View attachment 311505

That's about up to date now.

Ye gods, you never covered the windscreen?