24 replies to this topic

[mk3 Cooper S]

Think about trying a Portapak Ram in the drivers door jam as it looks a little tight in the photos.

[SAL 821X]

Good to see you back posting Chris but crikey that's some rebuilding you got going on there!!!!!

I thought mine was bad.

Keep the updates coming

Matt

Thanks SAL, i just took a look through your build and you have certainly kept yourself busy! hopefully i will be geting to paint in the not to distant future.
well im off this week so im gona go do some more on mine. ill try and put another post up later.

Waiting with interest then. (taps fingers)

I'm going about mine a bit backward at the moment. Nothing really worthy of an update at the moment but hopefully get an hour on it tonight.

[chris_87]

Think about trying a Portapak Ram in the drivers door jam as it looks a little tight in the photos.

the front drivers door is ok the gaps are all good, maybe the angle of the pic makes it look off? or did you mean drivers side at the back?

i finished welding the corner repair in today and then ground the welds down. and primed it to see if it looks straight (which it does!!)
i also drew two lines in the reccessed bits of the panel so it was easy to visualy see if it was straight





from the back


I then checked my measurements again found my back was still all good, but found that from the wheel arch to the roof was lower on the damaged side by about 8mm. To try sort this i have jammed some wood on the inside from the floor to the roof and just hammered it untill i got to the right level.


i then began removing the quarter panel in sections so it was easyer for one person to manage.




when id finished cutting off the panel i checked the sill and subby mounting bracket from inside and found nothing more than a bit of surface rust, i will treat this and put hammerite on it before i cover it back up.




That was it for today. Think its going ok so far.

[mk3 Cooper S]

Looks nice a solid in the heal board area

Have you measured the wheel centres side to side as there does appear to be a crease in the load bay floor above the heal board and a slight bow in the rear load bay forward of the subframe.

Nice project you have, very simular to my own van that has a lesser biff to the other side!!

Edited by mk3 Cooper S, 19 November 2012 - 09:48 PM.

[chris_87]

Looks nice a solid in the heal board area

Have you measured the wheel centres side to side as there does appear to be a crease in the load bay floor above the heal board and a slight bow in the rear load bay forward of the subframe.

Nice project you have, very simular to my own van that has a lesser biff to the other side!!

how would i do these measurements??
it would be good to know everything is good before i get to far in.
where is the post for your project? just had a look coudnt find anything.

Edited by chris_87, 19 November 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[mk3 Cooper S]

I would want to check that the impact had not pushed the subframe forward and/or distorted the mounts.

It is definatley worth checking now as rectification would be easier before it is panelled up.
Try measuring between the wheel centres as a quick/error check.

Hopefully someone on here will have a more scientific method.

Either way, if it requires a quick tweak on a jig it is worth it as your van looks very solid and original and potentially valuable as a flat roofed van,

[chris_87]

so do i check it from centre of the wheels to the heel board or is it somwhere else i measure? thanks for the input!
yea hope fully it will be worth a bit in the future will be worth the ours going into it.

[mk3 Cooper S]

I would try centre of the front wheel to the centre of the rear wheel on both sides and compare.

[chris_87]

I checked the measurements and found that there was nothing too different about them, i think when all the bushes are renewed it will be ok.

I treated the inside of the seal with krust and then a coat of paint I then cut the new quarter panel down to size and tack welded it in to place and have started to fully weld it in.




one problem im finding is that i havent got a spot welder so am drilling holes in the new panel and welding through, but i find this is a bit hit and miss. Has anyone got any tips for this??

[ChopperHarris]

Plug welding its called, and despite years of doing it , I still find it a bit hit and miss. You can get a metal punch (like a leather one) that speeds up the process. Also make sure the holes are large enough so that the mig wire doesnt start the arc at the side of the hole, but arcs into the centre of the hole to the penel behind, then pool the weld to fill the hole.

Try to do this quite quickly or the edge of the sheet will melt out (as you have no doubt found)
Im doing a Van here in France, have changed it to LHD and its 80% through total restoration. Must get round to starting a thread..............

Edited by ChopperHarris, 22 November 2012 - 02:58 PM.