Busters Caddy - ground up restoration project (Pictur heavy)

phillis said

oh my god iv been looking at this caddy for weeks and have only just workd out whoes it was good luck mate youve got a good old girl thear

By that you mean Allan? I see you must know one another from some of the post you wrote in his thread? Or are you Phill who i bought the caddy off. I'm confused  :dontknow:  

Busters_Caddy said

phillis said

oh my god iv been looking at this caddy for weeks and have only just workd out whoes it was good luck mate youve got a good old girl thear

By that you mean Allan? I see you must know one another from some of the post you wrote in his thread? Or are you Phill who i bought the caddy off. I'm confused  :dontknow:  

yeah he knows me, we used to work together and have been good mates ever since. its not the phil you brought the caddy off. phil is a god when it comes to getting dead engines running again, so if you have any trouble im sure he will be glad to help out.  

kemk1 said

Busters_Caddy said

phillis said

oh my god iv been looking at this caddy for weeks and have only just workd out whoes it was good luck mate youve got a good old girl thear

By that you mean Allan? I see you must know one another from some of the post you wrote in his thread? Or are you Phill who i bought the caddy off. I'm confused  :dontknow:  

yeah he knows me, we used to work together and have been good mates ever since. its not the phil you brought the caddy off. phil is a god when it comes to getting dead engines running again, so if you have any trouble im sure he will be glad to help out.  

Ah right. Thats good to know. Like i said to you the other day i wished i had labeled the engine wires better so i may need his help!

I managed to get a couple of hours done today. I made a new floor stiffener thing. I was going to make a sheet steel one, but having found that a piece of 50mm box fit's in the gap on the floor perfectly, i decided to go down this alternative route. Also, being 3mm thick they won't get crushed like the original ones.

First thing i did was to cut the box down the middle.


I cut a large taper on one end.


Then i cut a 45 degree angle on the other end. I scored the flat piece of metal that was left sticking out and bent it over to cap the end off.


Then i welded it.


Here it is just being trial fitted.


Next i made the plate that reinforces the suspension mount and welded it to the strengthener.


Then stitch welded it to the floor. I'll eventually seam seal the joint.



I think its plenty strong enough.

Oh yes! dont think thats going anywhere. I must say you dont mess about do you?

I'm quite envious of the massive buzz you'l get when you first take it out.
I hope I can undertake such a project one day, need to get my head down and learn the skills!

Keep it up bud! cracking thread!

Those rails look wicked :wink: , mine are sligthly bent

Top work!

The rails look the dogs mate, i was thinking of taking mine off and straightening them out, but this looks a much better and stronger soloution.
top work, i'l be knocking some of these up to replace mine i think.
That must be the one side nearly finished now?  

kemk1 said

The rails look the dogs mate, i was thinking of taking mine off and straightening them out, but this looks a much better and stronger soloution.
top work, i'l be knocking some of these up to replace mine i think.
That must be the one side nearly finished now?  

Yeah, apart from the inner floor bit. I had 3 attempts at making the patch. In the end i gave up and smashed fnck out of them all. Just couldn't get it fitting right. Out of interest, what's the floor like in the twisted shell of yours. I just need the bit where your feet go more or less.

Busters_Caddy said

kemk1 said

The rails look the dogs mate, i was thinking of taking mine off and straightening them out, but this looks a much better and stronger soloution.
top work, i'l be knocking some of these up to replace mine i think.
That must be the one side nearly finished now?  

Yeah, apart from the inner floor bit. I had 3 attempts at making the patch. In the end i gave up and smashed fnck out of them all. Just couldn't get it fitting right. Out of interest, what's the floor like in the twisted shell of yours. I just need the bit where your feet go more or less.

To be honest i dont know!
If the outside is anything to go by then i should be fine. If you want to come and cut it out to use or make a template from it thats fine. the floor in mine is really good so i know i will not need it. Let me know yeah?

kemk1 said

Busters_Caddy said

kemk1 said

To be honest i dont know!
If the outside is anything to go by then i should be fine. If you want to come and cut it out to use or make a template from it thats fine. the floor in mine is really good so i know i will not need it. Let me know yeah?

Sound, i'll call around after work one night. I finish at 3pm. What days you working. If not i'll leave it till the weekend. Cheers

Thats cool, not sure what im working this week at the moment.
Ive been working nights more at the moment. I know i will be there tomorrow night from about 6pm if thats any good??

kemk1 said

Thats cool, not sure what im working this week at the moment.
Ive been working nights more at the moment. I know i will be there tomorrow night from about 6pm if thats any good??

Yeah, i'll try and remember to call around. Cheers mate.

i'l be up at work for most of the day tomorrow if you want to pop round and check that floor pan out, be there from about 9am.
hopefully get some done to mine tomorrow!

kemk1 said

i'l be up at work for most of the day tomorrow if you want to pop round and check that floor pan out, be there from about 9am.
hopefully get some done to mine tomorrow!

Ok mate, i'll pop round. Couldn't make it in the week. See you tomorrow.

Haven't worked on the caddy for a good few weeks now. My dads been really ill with cancer again. I bough a lathe for the workshop too, so my funds are low to say the least. Hoping to get some done this week/weekend. Watch this space.

Heres the new lathe. If you need any turning doing give me a shout. :wink:

sweet lathe mate, we used to have colchester 600 round at ours, learnt to do turning on it many years ago now, really good bit of kit.
sorry to hear about your dad, hope he is doin ok.
was that front panel any good to you?

kemk1 said

sorry to hear about your dad, hope he is doin ok.
was that front panel any good to you?

Thanks, Yeah i'll be able to cut the bit i need out, just gotta get around to doing it.