160 replies to this topic

[Ben_O]

^{I had the same problem when i tried to repair my top rail.}

 

^{I just chopped it all out and put in a new top rail as they are cheap so it wasn't worth the trouble.}

 

^{Good effort}

[alchall]

Aerospace and Engineering Tools Ltd. Good friendly guys.

Thanks!

[alchall]

^{I had the same problem when i tried to repair my top rail.}

 

^{I just chopped it all out and put in a new top rail as they are cheap so it wasn't worth the trouble.}

 

^{Good effort}

 

Likewise, having repaired the top edge of the bulkhead replacing the dash rail was relatively straightforward.

[Stu.]

I'm gonna try again and if this one is unsucessful I'll order a rail. I need a shelf and lower rail anyway, but I'd like to get this repair nailed if I can. I know it's more work but it's a challenge thing. Anyway I've got 4m2 of sheet steel to use so I may as well have another bash.

[Minidarren83]

This is looking like a very good project and you are doing really well it will be one of those to remember keep it up

Darren

[Stu.]

Cheers Darren. I worry no ones reading and it's a bit boring (hope not). I'll take a few hours time out to have a look through your project pages when I get chance (53 pages !).

[Minidarren83]

Cheers Darren. I worry no ones reading and it's a bit boring (hope not). I'll take a few hours time out to have a look through your project pages when I get chance (53 pages !).

You will find with most projects that they get lots of views but not so many comments most people just don't have anything to say but keep it up as those lurking often learn from the projects pages keeping more minis on the road. It's a pretty long thread my one I also don't get many comments just a few regulars most stopped when I put a mg engine in lol

[Stu.]

True that. I think I'd be screwed without the forum. MG engine ? Looking forward to reading it even more now :)

[Stu.]

Last night I re-welded the second attempt repair section. Due to telling myself to be patient with the welding - cooling, welding, cooling, welding, it turned out great and kept it's proper curve, so I'll be trimming it and welding it in hopefully tonight. It looks correct against the scuttle curve so I'm hoping it'll be ok.

 

Edited by Stu., 25 April 2015 - 06:56 PM.

[Stu.]

OK so I got the new section cut to size and welded it in place. To be fair it went in better than the first, so I guess the practice did me good.
 
Once I'd ground the welds down a bit I offered up the scuttle to make sure it was ok this time, which it was.
 

 
It needed a good few clamps to get it in place but it all fits well.
 

 
I thought it'd be a good idea to fit the windscreen and top shelf too just to make sure everything fitted before I went any further. Turns out the screen wouldn't fit because I needed to trim the upstand of the new section.
 

 

 
Trimmed this bit to get it to fit properly.
 

 
So I finally got the screen to fit in nicely.
 

 
The corner radius margin has worked out well.
 

 
and I'm happy with the alignment between the screen, seal and new section.
 

 
I need to finish some welding to the edge and finish grinding the welds down but I'm glad I tried again as it's worked out good this time.
 
Next up will be to make a bulkhead section to go around the hinge bracket.
 
Thanks for looking, and please feel free to leave me a comment so I know you've been here.

Edited by Stu., 26 April 2015 - 09:53 PM.

[carthorse]

Cheers Darren. I worry no ones reading and it's a bit boring (hope not). I'll take a few hours time out to have a look through your project pages when I get chance (53 pages !).

I've enjoyed reading your updates geezer - I like how you've made up those repair sections rather than just buy the panel. When the cars finished and your driving along you'll be able to look at the bottom of the screen surround and think ' I made that '
Wish I had the patience to do the same, but I'd just have been on the phone to m machine!

[Stu.]

Cheers fella. It took a good few hours to do and it's still ever so slightly out on the curve, but nothing you'd ever notice when its all done. I do order new panels where needed, but I like to at least try some scratch repairs where I can. The only problem with these tight repairs is getting a tool small enough to grind the weld flat. With the windscreen I've not gone all the way down as none of it'll be seen because I'm fitting a top rail pad, but I've done enough to make it respectable.

 

I'm not new to messing with motors, but I am new to this welding and grinding stuff so I thought I could learn more by trying some difficult patch repairs. It must be working because I'm getting more confident using the welder and grinder.

 

It's starting to feel like it's an art I'm learning rather than a skill !

Edited by Stu., 25 April 2015 - 07:56 PM.

[Stu.]

I cut some 1.2mm sheet from my stock today and started to fabricate the top bulkhead corner section. It was, well, difficult. It needed a double bend in it to form the windscreen lip to go over the top rail lip section I did earlier, but also has to curve to follow the screen. Jeez that was a pain. If you've ever tried to put a curve in a section of sheet steel with two bends in it you'll know what I mean. On top of that I needed to put reliefs in the section to follow the original pressing.

Anyways, after lots of bashing and bending and cutting I ended up with this



Please ignore the wavy line at the top, I was just trying to work out the bends.



I need to sort out the hinge relief in the panel and might need to make this up seperately and weld it to this one, but I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for looking & please feel free to leave a post.

Edited by Stu., 26 April 2015 - 09:50 PM.

[Stu.]

Finished fabricating the bulkhead section today. Still need to seam weld it and weld in some small closing peices but happy with how it turned out. Well worth the effort.



Not many straight edges on this section.

Edited by Stu., 28 April 2015 - 10:44 PM.

[Stu.]

Got the bulkhead section welded in tonight. Just need to finish a bit, plug weld the hinge bracket to it and get some primer on.