196 replies to this topic

[MikeRotherham]

Hi Ben, do you do all this removal yourself or do you have a willing assistant to help you?

 

With regard to the black coating that was applied before my ownership. I suspect when the car was purchased or very early on.

 

The car had obviously been looked after, some one had even undersealed the bumpers.

Edited by MikeRotherham, 10 September 2021 - 07:43 AM.

[Ben_O]

Hi Ben, do you do all this removal yourself or do you have a willing assistant to help you?

 

With regard to the black coating that was applied before my ownership. I suspect when the car was purchased or very early on.

 

The car had obviously been looked after, some one had even undersealed the bumpers.

Hi Mike.

I unfortunately don't have an assistant, willing or otherwise so everything done is by my own hands.

I am kn the lookout for perhaps an apprentice but it's not easy finding someone sadly.

 

The car has certainly been looked after. And now once complete with up to date sealing and protection systems applied throughly, it will be good for years to come.

 

Cheers.

 

Ben

[Ben_O]

 

 

Just need to let that fully harden now, 5hen I'll fit the valance and it can come off the rotisserie so I can prep the rest of the body and replace the door skins.

 

Cheers

Ben 

[Ben_O]

Im edging closer to finishing the body work now.

 

With the floor primed, I can now fit the valance.

 

Here it is offered up in place 

 

 

And then welded on

 

 

Next job is to prep the engine bay.

 

 

 

 

This wing is a genuine rover item which has obviously been kicking around for a while and the e coat is flaking off

 

 

So I stripped it back to bare metal

 

 

And then prepped the rest of the front end panels

 

 

Few last details to sort out before primer.

 

The body number tag

 

 

And the welds between the wing and slam panel each side

 

 

 

Then primer

 

 

 

With that done, time to move onto the doors

 

 

 

The frames were in great condition with just some minor rust along the edge of the frame which cleaned up nicely.

 

 

 

Before I prime the frames, I need to drill a hole in each to pass some wiring through later on.

 

 

 

Then time for epoxy primer on the frames and insides of the new skins

 

 

Once dry, I can fit the skins.

 

Cheers

Ben 

[MikeRotherham]

Hi Ben,

 

A great update.

 

I'm pleased that you didn't have to do a lot to the door frames.

 

Looks like the factory applied waxoyl and subsequent Dinitrol treatment did their stuff.

 

Do you apply any seam sealer between the door frame and skin when you crimp them together?

 

Mike.

[Ben_O]

Hi Ben,

 

A great update.

 

I'm pleased that you didn't have to do a lot to the door frames.

 

Looks like the factory applied waxoyl and subsequent Dinitrol treatment did their stuff.

 

Do you apply any seam sealer between the door frame and skin when you crimp them together?

 

Mike.

cheers Mike.

 

The door frames were remarkable. there was a lot of crusty rust embedded in the wax along the edges but fortunately this was from the skin itself and was just sitting on top.

 

I don't apply seam sealer between the skin and frame. 

It just makes a mess, prevents you from being able to weld the skin on without burning it all off and contaminating the weld and doesn't really have any benefit in my opinion.

 

I like to seal the edge of the fold after it fitted and then fill the seam with wax from inside the door so it creeps between the skins.

 

Cheers

Ben

[sonscar]

Was that a little crack near the door hinge holes?Steve..

[Ben_O]

Was that a little crack near the door hinge holes?Steve..

Its not actually a crack although ill agree it looks like it in the photos.

 

Its actually a depression from where the hinge has been tightened and the edge has pulled it in slightly.

The dark line is green paint that the sanding disc missed.

 

Cheers

Ben

[sonscar]

Knew you would have had it covered,Steve..

[pete l]

Ben,

 

when you fold the door skin edges over, does your epoxy primer crack ?

[Chris1275gt]

Ben the rubber pipe on the door for the cables to pass through what is it and where did you get it from.

[Ben_O]

Ben,

 

when you fold the door skin edges over, does your epoxy primer crack ?

No. 

Once the epoxy is cured, it stays put very nicely.

 

Ben the rubber pipe on the door for the cables to pass through what is it and where did you get it from.

The rubber sleeve is from a Metro tailgate used to run the wires from the body into the tailgate.

 

I have done the same thing on a previous job but using mk1 golf tailgate rubber sleeves.

 

The owner of the car supplied them with the car and asked me to fit them so i dont know where he got them from,

 

Cheers

Ben

[MikeRotherham]

Ben is right, they are from a Metro and carry the wires and washer tube between the body and tailgate.

 

There are two on each car.

 

I spotted someone on ebay was breaking a Metro and asked if they still had them.

 

Interestingly, have had them stored for a few years but there appears to be no deterioration in the rubber.

[Ben_O]

Whilst waiting for the primer to dry on the doors, I started the prep on the interior floors.





But as soon as I could handle the doors, I got on with the first reskin





And then onto the car for tweaking before welding into place







It went smoothly and didn't require any intervention with the welder and steel rod.

Cheers
Ben

[MikeRotherham]

27 years apart but those swage lines look really good!