Practically Classics Forum

OK, just got back from the local metal fabricators. The steel is 0.95mm thick. The internet shows that as 20 gauge. They are making me up 6 pieces of metal to replace the corroded bits. One L shaped bit for the door rubber to clip to, one curved bit for the bulkhead, 2 short L shaped bits to fix the bottom of the seat support and one flat bit the correct length / width for the floor. I am picking them up in the morning. They are also going to give me some small offcuts to have a go with before I ruin the bits I have to pay for. They want a whole tenner! (previously I have had them make me a sleeve to adapt the crank shaft on my 4.6 for the front case from a 3.9/4.2 which they charged £5 for. They are a great bunch of guys)

+1 on the digital caliper, though I make sure the battery is out of mine when I finish using it: it was always flat when I needed to use the caliper! Mine was on offer from Maplins many years ago and has been used for all sorts of things from timber to steel, plastic etc etc. I have a small micrometer that I hardly ever use - the caliper is much handier and, as I can actually read the measurement without my specs, it's more accurate!

I fear that, in this modern world, we tend to forget the small local firms that will often undercut the big boys and go so much further than the normal grunt you get at the DIY places when you ask someone a slightly technical question! Mind you, cash seems to work well and, when you have to live on a credit card (like I tried not to do when I was unemployed), things are a lot more difficult!

I can't help with the spot-weld drill - anything I've ever taken apart has been too rusty to need the spot welds drilling out

Spot weld drill bits are on order from one of the inlaw's suppliers so it is costing me a pint on Friday night. They come in packs of 2 so I have 2 packs coming.
I did have a set of callipers, I remember lending them to someone but I don't remember who. I'll have to get another set sooner or later if they don't magically re-appear. Land rover man popped over before my trip out and said "that's nothing, I have seen them with no floor at all". He drew on the floor where should be replaced (edge 6" rather than the rough bit I was originally planning). Fortunately as that bit of floor is not shaped it should be a fairly easy job (says the man who's welding experience is playing with a TIG at the PC workshop many years ago and welding a few nuts on to make them captive).
Now I am popping to Euro Car Parts to collect the brake pads for the other half's car to change this afternoon. I'm not sure when I will have the time to work with the number of jobs I seem to be doing at the moment!

Good call on the spot-weld drills, I use them a lot and reckon they work well and are worth the trouble.

Just one thing: The secret of good welding is to have VERY clean un-blemished steel to weld together. For this reason, whoever does the welding isn't going to thank you for putting rust-killer and paint on those surfaces. That stuff's going to have to come off for a good few inches around where the weld is going to go, and will have to be cleaned up to bright shiny silver steel if your welds are going to be anywhere near acceptable. Same goes for the "new" steel - make sure it's super-clean within a couple of inches of where the welded joint is going to be.

Don't think the weld will simply burn off the paint and other stuff - it will, but a) the fumes will be horrible and b) the weld will be crap.

Cheers!

New metal is here As it has rained every single evening this week, there has been no opportunity for me to become a welding assistant and be shown how to use it. Plus (nod the the gas or gasless thread) the welding man has refused to use my gasless welder. So, I am heading over to his workplace on Monday afternoon to use their "real welding kit". I would imagine that welding indoors with professional kit will be rather easier than doing it on my driveway.

Perk of the rain, it shows you where your leaks are. I have water dripping down from under the dash (as all the trim, etc is removed it is not running down the bulkhead but actually dripping down from wiring, etc) I think it is getting in from one of the seams on the scuttle so the next job after the floor is fixed is to pull off the bonnet and cover panel again and see if I can find where the water is getting in. At least there is a nice big drain hole on the drivers side to let the water out again. I am thinking a quick bodge fix assuming there are no large holes is to use truck bed paint to coat the whole thing. I am not looking forward to the day that the scuttle has to be replaced. I'm thinking it will be a re-mortgage job

I will pop some pics up when my phone is in the mood, Car is now welded up (this particular hole anyway). I have 2 separate panels in, stitch welded and sealed rather than seam welded by Dave as my welding "is pants". I have some scrap to practice on which I will have a go at before doing anything else to the car but it is nice to have a floor again.

why is dave welding your pants?

There are some parts of Manchester where metal pants are required to keep you safe. (I do not live in Manchester and avoid it like the plague but sometimes a visit is necessary)

Bonnet and scuttle cover off today. One bonnet hinge bolt snapped as did 3 of the 4 holding the scuttle on. Tomorrow I will have to take the wings off and work out how to remove the remains of the bolts :S.
I think the source of the leaks have been between a factory seam and a patch on the drivers side. I cleaned it, found no rust so seam sealed it, it appears to have stopped water getting in on the drivers side, on the passenger side there is a new hole about the size of a 20p. I have bodged it with a fibreglass patch while I hunt about to see if I can find a disco 300 v8 or soft dash range rover with a good scuttle I can get to make some proper repair panels out of.