AT LAST! Hairys Resto!!

Well that's the sill welded  

First off however, the last personal update for Chris Massbad69 - sorry mate, they're all gone  



So I've finished welding the A-post end of the sill;



…and there's a split in the repair panel that needs welding in the lower front corner which is split during pressing. I had to balance on my head to weld it so the front facing camera on my phone came in handy to see and take a pic to ensure it was all done ok.

One sill-selfy!



I also had a revelation when I remembered a tip that Yomp has posted up before about welding up blow holes - or holes in general. Take some copper pipe, slit it and flatten it out into a flat copper sheet, and clamp it behind the hole as below (but preferably tidier than mine!   )



Then weld the hole up - the weld wont stick to the copper;



And seen from the rear after welding;



Top tip Graham - thanks for that one!  

The only job left to do in this area is to weld in a small piece onto the door aperture/seal flange so that it meets up with the sill properly as the sill repair panel didn't extend up to the radius.



I'll just make a card template from the other side and replicate on steel for this side then Bob's your Dad's wife's sisters husband!

I may take Friday off to work on the car when it will be grinding time!!  

Looking good mate. I've been doing the old copper pipe trick myself this week on my rear hatch(oo-er)

LOL, yep it worked well, will be using it again

Boooooooooooooooooooooo

  

Took the day off work today and started the day with some nice, spangly new welding gloves    



I'd forgotten how stiff they are new, I could barely use my wire cutters on the mig wire!

I then made the smallest repair patch I think I'm ever likely to make! It was for the door aperture flange to finish the curve off



It was so small I didn't finish the shaping until after it was welded in to place;



I then filled some small holes on the inner sill adjacent to the top sill flange then spent an hour and a half grinding, first with a flap disc then with a sanding disc. My arms are dead and I'm still not finished!!    





Hopefully can get it done this arvo - there will be some tight spots I'll use my new air tool for but still waiting for some air tool oil to turn up before using it!  



After all the grinding, lead loading is on the menu for the first time!!  

Looking good Andy, you've got a fair bit done! I'm sooo jel of your new grinder ( I might have to copy    )

Melteddrummer said

Looking good Andy, you've got a fair bit done! I'm sooo jel of your new grinder ( I might have to copy    )

Don't be jealous just yet, I don't know for sure that my compressor will run it yet!!    

Well I've now finished pretty much all of the grinding on the off-side this afternoon, which I'm sure my neighbours will be pleased about!  

In grinding the welds back I had a few pin holes and bits to tidy and add a few welds here and there but all in all I'm pleased with it. Just about ready now for some lead solder, filler and primer. Just need to attend to a few tight spots with the mini grinder or Dremel





This rear corner will need the most body solder I think;

Looking realy good Andy, I can imaginge seeing it looking like that was a proud momnet for you! Looks fairly unsighly with the welds all over the car, but now it's ground down it's taken on a whole new look

Melteddrummer said

I'm sooo jel of your new grinder ( I might have to copy    )

Power tools, what are they….. lol  

I know Alfie, you're more of an elbow grease man!!

You've done a better job of the fuel filler than me, that's for sure. I've tried twice now and it keeps shrinking back  Don't like the idea of using a lot of filler.

Looking good, getting close to finishing   

Looking forward to pictures of the lead loading.

Cheers Alfie - yes I'm chuffed, it will be even nicer when it's all smooth and primed and looks like a car again!

Andy - don't forget I've got that depression above mine, so it's not over yet. Cheers for he compliment though  

pazwaa said

Looking good, getting close to finishing   

Looking forward to pictures of the lead loading.

I don't know about close!    Discovered today that the gear lever and accelerator are both seized solid so that's another couple of jobs to sort!

I'm looking forward to having a play with the lead - I hope I can master it

Good progress Andy but the project should be on hold until the biscuit tin is restocked !!

Chris

gotta love power tools, i love my gun, even if youve gotta crack the odd nut off to get started , so much quicker and worth every penny  

Massbad69 said

Good progress Andy but the project should be on hold until the biscuit tin is restocked !!

Chris

I went hungry today!

Melteddrummer said

Looking good Andy, you've got a fair bit done! I'm sooo jel of your new grinder ( I might have to copy    )

Well Andy Melteddrummer all I can say is if you're ever going to get a boner over an air tool it will be this one!        It's so useful, really cracking tool. My compressor kicks in after about 20 secs of use and doesn't stop but it keeps up with the oomph.

I feel like I've got nowt done in the four hours I've been on it this morning, but then have had some more little welds to put in and general tidying - just takes a lot of time I guess. I've just stopped for a late lunch then back out there. Have to grind the welds under the filler neck panel in the side trim groove then I think that's it! I don't think I'll get on to the body solder today but if not will skim some filler on the bottom of the A-post to see what that looks like.

The story so far today;





This mini grinder has been excellent for getting in to those awkward spots. It doesn't feel heavy when you're using it, is quiet and not too aggressive so you can get good control on cleaning up welds. It does grind surprisingly quickly too. It gets a   from me

It's always the tidying up that takes the time, like you say, you have to go over with more spot welds etc. It's all worth it though. Nice work dude

Dressed up areas look great. Will be sooooo nice once lightly skimmed and painted!  

Got some 'gunk' on this afternoon!!





Also did a few bits on inner sill and sill flange to smooth the welds out



I've not used filler in over 20 years so wasn't a bad first stab!    Far from finished but thought I'd have a little go with the sand paper before calling it a day



Next on the list - more sanding