In the workshop at present

[suffolkpete]

You should be ok, I think Hall 7 is in use on the Thursday, so we aren't allowed in until the previous occupants have gone.

[Grumpy Northener]

Work progresses albeit slowly - the front wing reprofiling is now complete with the other panels on the offside at various stages - I tend to stick to working two to three panels at a time - that way drying times can be allowed for - if you try to run too quickly and work too many panels at once the progress becomes very slow and it is very easy to loose your way - although the wing has a skim of filler to circa 80% of the surface area - it is literally just a skim - I always get my panels to a less than 5mm tolerance of true before skimming - but with the vehicle heading for 70 years old and this being the second restoration along with no new panel availability there is no other way of correcting the panel profiles

[Grumpy Northener]

So fast forward a solid week of skimming, blocking and flatting in order correct the profiles and that is just the one side done but includes all the apertures - will move onto the nearside tomorrow - still have the rear shroud between the rear quarter glass and the rear wing to do - but need to remove the wing first and cannot do that until I remove the chassis tilter and support the bodyshell on to axle stands (bumper irons fasten to the tilter but travel through apertures on both the front & rear wings)

[vulgalour]

That's really not bad at all for the age of the panels and is going to make a world of different to the paint. Quite exciting seeing this bit coming together.

[Grumpy Northener]

That's really not bad at all for the age of the panels and is going to make a world of different to the paint

Yes I appreciate the fact that it's heading for 70 years old - seen a poor previous restoration along with several other bodged repairs combine that with the fact for 60 years it was a resident of New Zealand and have you seen the state their roads ?

More progress today I found a supplier for door hinge pins sets which included new brass bearings (turned out the series 1 Land Rover has identical door pins) so with these fitted I had to make a few minor adjustments to the aperture gapping - Then cracked on straightening up the panels on the nearside and started skimming up - the rear door is being left for a photo shoot / article feature for PC which happens on Monday

[UKJeeper]

I may have a challenge for you...







Actually, I have another, intact, roof (only took to 3 years to get it!).

Would it be easier to drill out the spotwelds and just swap the roofs, rather than bodge two roofs into one?

[Grumpy Northener]

Would it be easier to drill out the spotwelds and just swap the roofs, rather than bodge two roofs into one?

That is exactly what I would recommend but drill the spotwelds out from the underside of the roof skin i.e. drilling through the sections that the skin is fastened to (saves plug welding the holes on the roof skin and avoids distortion) (apols if I am stating the obvious)

Let me know if I can advise / help further

[UKJeeper]

Would it be easier to drill out the spotwelds and just swap the roofs, rather than bodge two roofs into one?

That is exactly what I would recommend but drill the spotwelds out from the underside of the roof skin i.e. drilling through the sections that the skin is fastened to (saves plug welding the holes on the roof skin and avoids distortion) (apols if I am stating the obvious)

Let me know if I can advise / help further

Not at all. Thanks for the suggestion. I've been holding off on getting started as I don't want to F it up. Not too worried about getting the old roof off, but if I screw up the 'new' roof, i'm in trouble as I highly doubt I can get another one. Had to drive to Port Talbot (from Essex) to get it!

'Full size' Jeeps are rarer than rocking horse poo in the UK today, so decent body parts are essentially non-existent. And this one is even rarer, as it had the 'proper' RHD conversion, instead of the janky 'chain box under the dash' conversion my other 3 had.

Fortunately the roof is the worst part of the car. Everything from the gutter down is good. Bl**dy good, considering. None of the pillars have swollen (yet), which is a result.

If I can get the roof done, i'm about halfway home. I can do the mechanicals, but bodywork is way out of my comfort zone. So any advice would be appreciated.

[Grumpy Northener]

The roof skin will be largely spot welded on but they may be a few stitch welds involved - if you don't have access to welding equipment or cannot weld yourself then you could always source a bodyshop at your end of the woods to fit the roof - you can save a load of ££ though by doing all the prep work yourself - so if you remove any gutter trims - the windscreen will more than likely have to come out - I would strongly advise removing the seats and any floor trim / carpet etc - otherwise these will only get damaged by the grinding / welding sparks. If you remove the old roof skin and get the aperture edges cleaned up (use a good quality weld through aerosol primer once complete) - by observing the replacement roof panel whilst removing the old one it will guide you to where all the welded points are on the replacement - once you have unpicked all the welds on this and got is cleaned up - it's just a matter of getting it fitted - I am miles from you so probably better if you find someone local for the welding but let me know if you hit a brick wall (totally not touting for business but hate seeing people in the lurch) - good luck - keep us all posted - don't hesitate to ask if you get stumped or need further advice it's here for the asking

[vulgalour]

Those hinge pins look really complicated, I always thought door pins were just sort of non-threaded bolts, if that makes sense?