LouisW Posted August 15, 2014 Author Share Posted August 15, 2014 I welded in a new repair panel into the rear quarter on the drivers side the other day with seam welds all the way and some plug welds which i ground back. Just need to line up my repair panel now for fitment and then I can trim this inner one down when the time comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Received my spring compressors from John today (cheers mate 😉) and set to disassembling them. On both the top spring plates the threads were stripped apart from on one but taking them apart was still as easy, and i never felt like I was going to have my face re-arranged, which was nice 😀I ground out the studs from both top plates and then inserted new bolts through the holes and welded them in. Much cheaper than buying new spring plates and just as strong, if not stronger than original. Just need some nyloc nuts of the correct size now. Just need tidying up underneath.These were how the springs and shocks looked before I took them apart These are the shocks now after I ground them all down and primed them. How do I go about checking the condition of them? They give me a fair bit of resistance when I compress them which is good? What colour shall i paint them aswell? Had been thinking good old silver to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 A hammer finish type coating would disguise the pitting. Should be available in spray cans in various colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 I have some old hammerite in a tin. Before regulations made it crap! Think I have silver hammered, might use this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nang Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Louis,Your welds are looking better 😀 Are you using gas yet ?Tony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Nope still gasless I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Painted the shocks with some hammerite I found in the garage. Decided on silver in the end, as it's just what I happened to have and will look good with the rest of the silver in the engine bay.I also finished painting the bonnet underside after finding some more black paint. Really windy here today so didn't get much else done... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIMPUS Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Quoted from LouisW Painted the shocks with some hammerite I found in the garage. Decided on silver in the end, as it's just what I happened to have and will look good with the rest of the silver in the engine bay.I also finished painting the bonnet underside after finding some more black paint. Really windy here today so didn't get much else done... Very nice, like new ! Around here it's also been a bit windy, but only from this afternoon a bit more . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Quoted from WIMPUS Very nice, like new ! Around here it's also been a bit windy, but only from this afternoon a bit more . They'll do for me When on the road they'll get mucky anyway. The paint was hammered finish anyway so it wont be perfectly smooth but behind the springs, who cares? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Right on, my friend. Hopefully you have bushings for those shocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Yeah, got some in the garage. Bought them with the rest of the bushes for the front suspension. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Cleaned and painted up my springs today ready for rebuilding of the shocks. Also painted up the top leaf spring bracket and the front valance brackets. I tried inserting my new bushes into the shocks too, but using the vice and socket method with some wood on the bush they just wouldn't go in. When I got one halfway in, it wouldn't go further and when removed it had a split in it... I had cleaned out the inside of the shock where the bush sits but it was still overly tight. How do you recommend inserting these bushes without damaging them? I also welded in my repair panel on the other side today. My welds were much "flatter" than before and the panel is really strongly in position. Just need the welds grinding back and a skim of bondo. Took me a fair while to get the positioning correct as I wanted it to match the other side so when my bumper is mounted it isn't lop-sided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 I rebuilt my shock absorbers today with the newly cleaned and painted parts. The only thing I did notice however when putting one of the shocks back together the top leaf spring plate was on an angle with the bush inside also not equally compressed. I tried putting in new bushes but they were incredibly tight, and ripped the bush? Any ideas onto these issues? I'm thinking the shocks will "settle" once actually on the car but i'm not sure. I also welded in the sill section back into position and sprayed some zinc phosphate into the middle of the sill. Will be inserting some wax-oil into both sills before welding on end plates. Here's some before and after engine bay pictures. Quite proud of this 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 21, 2014 Author Share Posted August 21, 2014 Plastic welded the cracks, filled and primed my overriders. Just need spraying black next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Keep up the good work. Sorry to hear about the paint situation, but at least you are making progress. I'll probably end up doing the same thing, but I plan on painting and undercoating(color matched) the bottom and firewall, so when it comes time for paint those areas will already be done.How did you plastic weld the covers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Used a soldering with some sacrificial plastic rod, melted it from the inside and teased in some molten plastic. Worked fairly well, but time will tell! I've not lost anything if it cracks again anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phwoar Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 "Here's some before and after engine bay pictures. Quite proud of this."So you should be, great work, keep it up. You'll have the best car on your street before long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Here's hoping cheers mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selftapper Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 LouisW,I follow your thread with great interest. You are making great progress. Well done and keep up the good work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Quoted from Selftapper LouisW,I follow your thread with great interest. You are making great progress. Well done and keep up the good work Thanks very much! Its not on par with most of the restoration threads standard wise on this forum, but as a first resto it'll do for me! Mainly just allowing me to build up my skill level. Now I'm doing the drivers side, as it's mostly the same I completed on the passengers side it makes it easy to compare my work. The quality is much higher, and it's not taking me as long to carry out the tasks whether it be welding, sanding, spraying etc which is nice for me to see I welded in a last "v" plate into my rear quarter repair panel. Just need some bondo in order to bring back the smoother curving profile of the wing. I also sprayed my over-riders up in black and was happy with the finish as it kept the matte plastic look and was fairly similar to the original finish. I was gutted to say the least when the passenger side rider cracked when tightening up the bolts. Ahh well, win some you lose some. It'll do for now, and i'll search for a new on in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Welded in the curved front panel onto the front of the bulkhead like I had done on the passengers side. Did a much better job this time, and can feel my welds improving! Lot less holes There is a large "dent" in the bulkhead which I didn't do but the metal is really thin. Thinking of just knocking this out from inside or welding in a flat piece of sheet metal. Will see.I also bondoed up the rear quarter from before and will sand it tomorrow.I re-connected the door hinge thing again, but instead of using the rivet I just put a nut and bolt in. Will this be ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byakk0 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Coming along. As for the bolt., the threads could wear the holes prematurely. A clevis pin would be a bit better as its smooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Cheers Hazen, i'll bear that in mind. After advice on my other thread I set to having another look at the front bulkhead panel. I had made my panels "oversized" as I was unsure on exact measurements and didn't want anything too small. It doesn't look like i've done anything at all from before, but i drilled through and plug welded the bulkhead repair to the a post and trimmed the repair into the proper size. I also re-welded in with a higher power the repair panel on the passengers side and there's no holes now! Just need some more of the welds grinding/ filling but will do that once the sill end plates are in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Well I sanded down the bondo on the rear quarter. As the panel wasn't exactly the right size which was welded in it needs some more bondo to build it up to the correct profile. I am happy with it's positioning however as on both sides it measure the same height for the bumper mount.I also made a sill end plate, which was harder than I thought it would be but got there in the end It still needs some more finishing, but now I will be able to apply bondo over my welds and then put some stonechip onto the bulkhead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouisW Posted August 30, 2014 Author Share Posted August 30, 2014 Thought i'd have a better look at the heelboard/ rear radius arm bracket rust. It seems when that the bracket had been re-inforced in the past and along with the spot welds were seam welds. Made it interesting to remove in such a tight space but anyway... I set to it with my grinder and got the bracket off. I cut the majority of the rust out just have some more to get to and tidy up. Has anyone done this particular area before? Doesn't look too difficult to form the panels. I also drilled the crusty parts of the windscreen frame until I got to solid metal. I will just put some metal into there and it'll be good. I have put some primer onto it for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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