Car SOS

[Phil P]

Hi Terry.

It was a 3 day show so it was a case of finding out who was there by looking in the programme and then going to them. Fuzz had a cameraman walking round with him as well.

Glad you liked the Anglia.The replacement car was not quite as bad as the original but as you saw it hid it's corrosion well. It was a real challenge for the body guys. They did wonders with it. The rear chassis legs were just crumbling bits of 'metal'. Fuzz was 100% right in binning the original car. That would never have been made back into a useable vehicle. It was virtually all rust. As you saw there was no attempt made to conceal the fact that it was a differant car.

The crossflow engine was superb. The Renault Espace front silencer and tailpipe (Much cut and reshaped) certainly sounded better than it ever would on an Espace. Sorry Espace fans.

Phil

[sierra3dr]

Excellent show again,just watched this episode via youtube. Fuzz was correct when he said the Cosworth weren't special,it was the engines,a 2 litre pinto (OHC,205 block) with a Cosworth head,that made the car. I wish I could find parts for my Sierras so easily,i.e steering rack gaiter,bought a set for a Fiat. Seeing the latex gloves that Fuzz wears made me giggle,they're split and hanging off that's why I don't bother with them

How did Fuzz overcome the immobiliser permanently?

It is possible I've had to do it on my XR4i resto (not yet completed)

did it blow it's head gasket at the MoT station? Seemed to be an awful lot of steam coming out of that tail-pipe, yet the radiator needed replacing to cure it?

could also mean damaged turbo

These body repairs have now made the structural integrity of the cars in the series possibly better than new as all the welds are continuos and the metal thicker than originally used.

Correct me if I'm wrong,I thought all cars from factory,leave some seams not continually welded so the shell can flex?

That Anglia looks (and sounds) amazing.

I have yet to watch that.
Surprised to notice that the Coworth is still sorned. And the Sierra that Darren was standing next to,in his Freddie Mercury outfit,was a 4x4

[Phil P]

Yes that is true Sierra but we were repairing the floor and sills etc where sections had to be fabricated from seperate pieces that on the original would have been a single pressing. You can see that on the Anglia rear frame rail that had to be made in pieces to produce what was a single pressed part. There is a shell in the workshop that is a long term project and that is being spot welded as it would have been when originally manufactured because most of the panels are available. On the project cars those parts are not available and the time to do the repairs limited. Spot welders that have the reach available as used by the car manufacturers are not something used everyday and the cost of them is prohibitive to virtually every restorer. It would be very nice to have though.

Tack welding not liked by MOT examiners.

Phil

[trigger]

I'm really enjoying the series, It's just a shame it's not on a more popular channel like Channel 5, The finished Anglia was stunning, I won't lie, I was VERY jealous of the lad who's car it was! And I'm glad the replacement car wasn't hidden up like the MGB was in that other program. (spits on the floor)

[JPB]

.....Spot welders that have the reach available as used by the car manufacturers are not something used everyday......

True, but carbon pencil attachments that work with any arc welder are cheap and effective or you can plug weld - with your gas torch or even MIG - in a manner that effectively mimics an original spot weld.

[Phil P]

I think JPB this debate will just roll on. Being on site and seeing the problems that kept cropping up with each one tackled on it's merits. Perhaps if these had or may yet be shown that perhaps give you a better idea of what was faced. The combined experience of those involved runs into a couple of hundred years, as Mr Townsend often reminded a couple of us!! Yes Fuzz ya' can't beat the University of Life! Plus one of the guys is a coded welder and his welding ability is fantastic. Without him few of the cars would ever get repaired in the time.

I have used the carbon rod 'spotwelders' and they are ok for some jobs but at best you only get a 'single sided spot weld'. One of the problems is clamping pressure on the items being welded. In my workshop there is a large treadle operated spot welder. Sadly I can't get a body shell in it. To achieve a good fusion of the materials is a combination of amps, time and clamping force. If the components are not held tight enough arcing happens between the faces causing slag and a poor weld. The spot may appear ok but is not.

Plug welding is an accepted method and I have used this method when laminating pieces of 15mm plate through a 20mm plugging hole. It also works on thin guage material. Smaller hole of course.

I do have a smattering of knowledge of welding and fabrication processes as I spent 40 years as a senior design and development engineer on commercial vehicles and material handling equipment. I have also managed a large repair garage and restored several vehicles over those years.

I must go I've got another WW2 jeep/ 'money pit' to finish.

Phil

[JPB]

How about some piccies of the Jeep please?

[jimmyybob]

Nice job on the Anglia but i hate the colour looks cheap and dull.

[TerryG]

I rather like it :S

[Phil P]

Which jeep, I have 1942 Ford GPW which currently is a chassis with the front axle and suspension fitted with a pile of new and reconditioned parts painted currently being reassembled as a USAAF 'Follow Me' jeep or my 1944 US Navy Willys MB that was shown on Car SOS Phoenix Jeep programme with Tim Shaw?

I'm not sure how to post pics on here.

The Anglia in maroon looked fabulous in the flesh with a shine a foot thick! The body was as straight as straight. Another amazing finish from the bodywork guys.


Phil