MK3 GT6 Restoration

[John Bonnett]

This isn't too clear but I hope it helps. With acknowledgement to LKD

rgds

John

[John Bonnett]

Another. Shame the boot floor got in the way.

[JonJenks]

Thanks for that John, from the images I can see that I am also missing three brackets that presumably support the boot floor, and having inspected my rear lamp panel more closely it is obvious now that it has been replaced with a spitfire one. I am going to go and see a local guy with a MK3 and take some pics and measurements before I start replacing the rear hatch support bracket.

[RobPearce]

It's very common for the rear light panel of a Mk3 GT6 to be replaced with a Mk4/1500 Spitfire one - indeed mine has been, by MW - because the Spitfire ones are actually available, unlike the GT6 one. It does require some additional fabrication to mate up with the rear deck, and from your photos it looks like that was actually done reasonably well in your case.

[Slimboyfat]

Quoted from RobPearce

, unlike the GT6 one.

.

They are being pressed now (I helped the chap more the press tools last week).

We sold out of the last run about 18 months ago (went mostly to trade customers).

[JonJenks]

Ive been off this week looking after the kids and have managed to finish off making and fitting the missing rear lamp panel internal brackets.


Started off by getting a good reference photo and some measurements from a friends GT6.


I used these to fabricate the missing brackets and a replacement for the rather badly fitted rear hatch support bracket.


I then cleaned up the rather scruffy welds on the rear panel and gave it a coat of primmer.


New brackets welded into place.


Cleaned up and primed - another job done.

I am hoping that that is now the body tub complete and I can now start blast cleaning it ready for paint. That is of course apart from the front roof seam seal that I still can't locate - does anyone out there know of a supplier?

[JohnD]

Jon,
Very nice fabrication!
What tools did you use to form the flanges and the curve?
John

[John Bonnett]

Ditto that. The main stiffener is not an easy piece to form. A great piece of work.

[JonJenks]

Thanks for the comments and apologies for not responding sooner but I have been busy with work and changing the cam belt on my day car.

Anyway - the panels were made using a hammer and vice etc, simple tools only. I did however make the large center bracket in one straight line and then cut and added two curved sections - was a lot easier than making it in one.

As I have been working on my day car I needed to get the GT6 out of the garage so I made some axles and braces for the spit and moved it all outside under cover for a few days.





The GT6 is now back in the garage so I can hopefully make some progress over the next few weeks.

[JonJenks]

Hi, I have just taken delivery of a new roof finisher strip which I intend to fit this weekend. However, which way up does it go? There is a wide flange and narrow flange, which goes at the top? Any help would be gratefully received.

[byakk0]

My guess is wide side down...offer it up and see if the answer reveals itself.

[JonJenks]

Thanks Hazen, I offered it up and it will only really fit broad side up - so I set about doing just that and it took me all day yesterday - I thought it would only take an hour or so!

Started of by digging out a photo of the old roof finisher when I purchased the car for reference. I patcularly wanted to know how the roof gutter finishes.


I am pretty sure that this was the original roof finisher and had never been replaced from new.


The starting point was to find the center of both the roof and finisher strip and mark them.


Having cleaned the new finisher strip, I measured, marked and cut it to length curving the upper flange at both ends as original.


I then filled the the finisher strip between the two flanges with body filler and pressed it in place working quickly before it set.


When it was set, I set about finishing off the roof gutter.


Same for the other side.


Quick coat of primer and it is finished.

I am now waiting for a dry spell along with some free time so I can blast clean the body tub and get it in primer ready for paint. With a bit of luck I have it penciled in for half term.

[JonJenks]

I spent a week last Saturday using my new wet shot blasting kit to clean the lower bulk head with mixed results. The finish was satisfactory, i.e. it was very effective at removing all the rust but took far longer than I had anticipated and used far more sand than I expected, around 250kg. I was hoping to have got the whole body tub done but there was no way both in time and materials.


The setup ready to get started.


Bulk head before blasting.


And after.


The mess that I was left with - Boris, Dexter and Peggy our inquisitive peacocks were a bit upset by it all!

So, although this system is great for smaller items and panels like doors and bonnet sections I needed a plan B for the chassis and the rest of the body tub.

Whilst browsing eBay that evening I came across a second hand Hodge Clemco 1440 Grit Blasting kit (exactly the same as the one my local tool hire store used to hire out) for sale and the add intimated that there may be a ‘buy it now price’. I contacted the seller and he responded with a price of £350. This was for the blasting pot, blasting hose, carbide nozel with dead man’s switch, air fed mask and respirator system. This seemed like a bit of a bargain so I said yes.


Image from the add.

A few days later, and a bit apprehensive, as you could not really tell from the images what sort of condition it was all in, I drove up North to pick it up.  When I got there I was very pleased to see that it was all in great condition, better than I was expecting. I handed over the money to a really nice guy and drove home with a smile.


The new grit blasting kit back home in the garage.

This kit, I am told needs around 120cfm to work effectively so I am about to hire a 130cfm diesel compressor to operate it. This will cost £60 a week. I am also going to purchase a pallet load of recycled glass grit so I can get the rest of the tub and chassis done. I will keep you posted.

[RedRooster]

Your going to have fun hovering all the grit up & out of the nooks & crannys, been there done that...
RR

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Good job you have your rotisserie for tipping the sand and grit out! My mate built up a Mitsubishi Evo they had blasted... unfortunately when painting it the wet paint pulled grit out of the crevises and the heat process for baking the paint didn't help matters. I'm sure you're already aware, but be really thorough!

[JonJenks]

Thanks for that guys, will make sure I get all the grit out by rotating it and blowing it with compressed air.

[JonJenks]

At last I have made some real progress after too many weeks of not achieving anything. Last weekend I made a start on shot blasting the underside of the body tub. I used the new shot blasting pot I had purchased off eBay and was a bit unsure as to whether or not it would all work.

It just so happens that a couple of weeks ago I was telling my inlaws about the shot blaster I had and that I was going to hire a diesel compressor, when they said “we have one in our garage, been there for years”. It turn s out that it was put there 10 years ago and at the time had hardly been used. I asked if I could borrow it to which they said “you can have it”. So I did.

Having got it back home it appeared a bit tatty, mainly from storage but it only had 92 hours on it so it was is hardly run in. After a day sorting out the electrics and changing the fluids, it started up first time and works great. It is a Maco (French) with a 3 cylinder Deutz air cooled diesel engine and delivers 136 cfm at 100 psi, so should be enough to power the new shot blaster.


The new compressor, a bit tatty but works well.

So I set about setting it all up and made a start last Sunday on the underside of the body tub. Earlier on in the week I had a delivery of 40 bags of fine grade recycled crushed glass which I intend to use as the blasting medium.


Ready for blast off!


The end result after around 4 hours of work.


Then two coats of grey oxide primmer straight away, to stop any flash rust.

As it was a nice dry day on Wednesday, I decided to take the day off and do the chassis. I need tao take advantage of all good weather I can, as I am going on holiday in a weeks time and really wanted to get all the major blasting done before hand. The chassis has been stored away since last September and I really could not remember how bad it was.


Looks a bit rough but after a quick hose down with the pressure washer it didn’t look to bad.


Ready for blasting.


The finished result - came up really well with no real repairs needed, just a couple of brackets that will need replacing.


As with the body tub, it was straight into the garage to get a couple of coats of grey oxide primer.

[Steve AKA vitessesteve]

That compressor looks a serious bit of kit.  A bit like you see chaps using to dig up the road with.

[GT6]

The helmet on the blast kit reminds me of some scifi robot.

Your sheet metal skills, by trade or self taught, if the later any tips on how to get there?

[JonJenks]

As we have had a spell of dry weather I took the opportunity to finish shot blasting the body tub, mainly the upper bulkhead area and the interior.


Before


After - under cover for a coat of primer


I left the roof panel as I did not want to risk distorting it


After I cleaned it up by sanding


The finished body tub

After blasting the interior there was one area of rust that I had missed on the rear bulkhead that needed repairing.


Some pinhole rust


Started by cutting out the affected area


Formed a replacement panel


Old and new panels


Ready for welding


Finished, just needs some primer

Next up will be to stone chip the underside prior to painting.

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Wow, that looks like a simple repair to do, but VERY hard to get it to look that good. Very nice work on the patch and letting it in, well done sir!

Have you had much luck with those clamps? I have some but found it's very hard to stop the metal from 'pinching' the spacer strips in between.

[John Bonnett]

Really excellent work. I'm full of admiration.
rgds

John

[Deleted User]

Just spent the morning reading this thread, fab fabrication work mate, very nice attention to detail!

Keep it up
Rob