Time I pulled my finger out

[Tom Holland]

Tom, there are loads of very knowledgeable people on this forum who are ready to help as and when you need it

Yes thank you. Once I get the hang of navigation on the forum and read up I'm sure I will have the best advice available. Just owned the car for a month now. Looking like got a few issues going on with it to sort out. It will work out

 

[Althulas]

It’s been a while but progress has been slowly made in between contracts.

You’ve all seen inner sill ends and mine didn’t look to bad and cleaned up nicely until I came to removing the last jack pad on the rear near side . As I turned the screw I was rewarded with the screw just freely turning with the dreaded feel off flaky metal letting go which confirmed dreaded rot.

Obtaining a rot free repair panel was going to be challenging hence a few days of thinking and searching I made this purchase https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/401797408868

I got let down by a mate who was keen and then not so keen to do the tackle the job and I was considering buying my own welder but weighing up the cost for a decent mig welder and hiring a mobile welder was a no brainer. I found this nice knowledgeable chap Rodney who’s got a lot of experience on Facebook and covers Oxfordshire area https://www.facebook.com/rodt.welding

I think he did a fantastic job adopting the plate I bought and butt welded into place and even formed the curve on the outside but the metal was too thick to add the corrugated drainage channel but has a stealth one. I will see if I can get his repair progress photos

Underside is now completed. Sills epoxy painted seam sealed and near matching Ral 7002 top applied, any suspicious puncture wounds to the under seal and the floor pan and chassis rails were investigated and given the treatment.

As the keen eyed will have noticed a few snapped studs on the front arch liners and the near side aero duct were drilled out and fell into the cavities must have been interference fit or a tack weld which now have 5mm rivnuts in situ awaiting for me to replace the studs with some 5mm stainless threaded bar.

Also the catalytic converter was removed as some scrout attempted to saw through it but Rod made a nice repair on that. I’ll post a pic once it’s all cleaned and given a polish. New brackets, copper nuts ordered. Luckily the spare half shaft bolts are the same size so will get reused.

All ready for me to install the rear end back in but will wait until Monday or maybe Tuesday when the wife

 

[DrWong]

Great job mate, good on you for persevering with it

 

[Althulas]

Apart from treating the inside of the box section with Dinitrol RC900 I used up the rest of my left over paint. Just some Dinitrol 3125 cavity wax to finish off.

Before

After

Missed a little with the top coat, the black you can see is some of the RC900.

 

[Dino D]

Wow that’s great progress from the first post pics!
Well done on staying the course!

 

[Althulas]

Another little update, Malc’s tank straps fitted, quality.

and a mile stone reached eventually.

As the eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed I’ve still got quite a few more parts to fit.

 

[mrscalex]

Another little update, Malc’s tank straps fitted, quality.
View attachment 194467View attachment 194469

and a mile stone reached eventually.
View attachment 194473
As the eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed I’ve still got quite a few more parts to fit.

That looks very familiar to me!

 

[Althulas]

Good minds think alike I noticed you had used one your build and thought another like minded person thinking out of the box.

 

[Lee]

Wow some serious work going on. The finish quality is brilliant.

 

[mrscalex]

Good minds think alike I noticed you had used one your build and thought another like minded person thinking out of the box.

I meant the job rather than the tools used really but yes the trolley/bike jack proved to be a good arrangement. Really wish I'd had the diff cover vapour blasted now. The only part I didn't get done - I just ran the dremmel and wire wheel over it.

 

[Althulas]

I meant the job rather than the tools used really but yes the trolley/bike jack proved to be a good arrangement. Really wish I'd had the diff cover vapour blasted now. The only part I didn't get done - I just ran the dremmel and wire wheel over it.

Me too with a polished finish but I settled for a rattle can finish which came out better than I expected and the fitting kit I got for makes the contrast.

 

[mrscalex]

Btw. If you want to be really sad you can study how the factory over-sprayed parts of the e-coat with panel colour. Looks like I can't control a rattle can here but it's copied from how the factory did it.

 

[Mazza]

Great work there Mark.
Putting me to shame as not been doing much on mine

 

[Althulas]

Great work there Mark.
Putting me to shame as not been doing much on min

You must have forgotten your on your second build Malc.

 

[Althulas]

Had some time to make a bit more progress. Handbrake shoes a lot easier to fit without the hubs in the way

Powder coated springs curtesy of Lee look great

but does the angle of that left shock look odd?

 

[Althulas]

Also face palm moment, anyone spot an oversight in the last pic

 

[Tom Holland]

These pictures are amazing! The care going into this work. Going to last for years to come. We'll done!

 

[t-tony]

No sorry, nothing obvious, until you point it out that is!

Tony.

 

[Althulas]

Or me being a drip TonyI thought the handbrake cable goes through that bracket on the trailing arm but I think It’s there for a Z3 brake pipe joint.

 

[DrWong]

Looks bloody incredible under there, top job mate!