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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2012 :  19:06:15 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Had a bit of garage time this afternoon so fired up the welder. Started with repairing the floor at the front.

Here is the repair panel welded in:


And tidied up:


And from the bottom:


Hard to see in the photo but the folded down bit at the front is plug welded to the wheel arch.
Pretty happy to have started welding - lots still to do! And hopefully my welding will get neater with practice!

Cheers

Edited by - Dirtbiker on 23 Feb 2021 21:57:50
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 22 Jan 2012 :  19:07:50 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Plug welded, not pug...
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 04 Feb 2012 :  17:48:00 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Bit more progress today on a rainy afternoon.

Here's the front bit of floor painted, actually from last time.


Upper sill at the back.


Floor at the back welded in



Was hoping for another session tomorrow but got to put a new gearbox in the work van.

Cheers

Edited by - Dirtbiker on 23 Feb 2021 22:01:41
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Woody
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
2758 Posts

Posted - 05 Feb 2012 :  00:10:54 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Coming on now, good to see. Shows that the rot can be cut out and fixed.
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john-saab
Administrator

United Kingdom
2679 Posts

Posted - 05 Feb 2012 :  08:31:59 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Excellent work. I like the way you replicate the original panels rather than the "plate over and forget" method.
Keep up the good work.

current V4 models..'72 95 (The Flying Banana),'72 96 (Bridget),'74 95 (Veronica),'74 96 (The Brown one)NOW SOLD..destined for greater things
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 07 Feb 2012 :  18:10:57 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Thanks for the comments guys, hoping to get a bit more done one evening this week...
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 14 Feb 2012 :  21:29:41 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Had an inpromptu day off work today so got stuck into some more chopping and welding!

First up was a bit of upside down welding.


This is under the box section that runs under the seats. With the crusty bit cut out I got a pretty good view inside with a mirror and a torch. A little surface rust so I stuck the hoover in there followed by a liberal spray of marine rust converter.

Next a fairly fiddly bit at the end of that box section.


Then the upper sill in the same area.




Then a bit I really enjoyed, the floor behind the front passenger seat.








Really got back into the swing of the welding with this last bit. Been faffing a bit with the setup up till now but on it now!

Away now for the next week but might get an evening or two later next week.
Cheers
Gareth

Edited by - Dirtbiker on 23 Feb 2021 22:09:09
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 17 Mar 2012 :  18:40:54 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Got a bit more done today! Been either racing bikes or working the last few weekends so progress has been slow...
Finished the floor all the way along the sill on the NS, didn't get any pics though as left camera at work. Will take a pic of it done though.
Had a good bit of garage time this afternoon, did this:


and tagged in


welded


and tidied up


I decided to show a bit of restraint with the tidying up as the flap disc is a bit vicious. I have taken a bit too much off in other areas leaving the metal a bit thin. Thinking if buying a power file for accurate grinding of just the weld.

And on to the front...


Well, I did get further than this but messed up... Made up a really nice section with that fold line in it and half the access hole filed in. Tagged it in then started the seam weld and noticed I had cut it too high to reach the end of the sill!!! So gave up but after a cup of tea realised I don't have to do it all again, I can just weld a staright section to the bottom. Happy welding days!

Big thanks to 1970V4 for the pice of the sill ends, I think I have figured out how they should look - hopefully pics of the process will help others doing the same.

Exciting news is that the next session will see the NS sill welded on - don't know when that will be as racing in Scotland next weekend...

Cheers for now

Edited by - Dirtbiker on 24 Feb 2021 22:22:59
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 05 Apr 2012 :  19:59:07 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Update time! Progress has been made up of a couple of hours here and there so not loads done but happy with where it's at.

Here is the front of the sill with the extra bit welded on.


And tidied up.


So next up was to get the new lower sill ready to be welded on. First up I attached the jacking points by plug welding from the top.


Then replicated the bit that holds the small mudflap in front of the rear wheel.


Then it was time to get the sill welded on. I'll try and explain this in a way that helps others doing the same job. Bear in mind though that This may not be the best way - it just seemed right!

Held it in place with jacks and mole grips and plug welded from inside the car and along the outside edge. The lower sill was solid at the bottom with the floor and upper sill both drilled. Made an effort to really get the weld penetrating right through the lower sill to make sure it sticks and it seems rock solid. Outside edge was easy - upper sill already had holes on from the old spot welds.





Next up were the ends. Rear first. From looking at the other side decided the extend the lower sill further back than the vertical surface and seam weld along the 90 degree edge.


For the front decided to bring the vertical section further down (by about 5mm) based on what I could figure out from the other side. Giving this.


And here we are cleaned up with some primer sprayed on.






Happy days!

Not sure what to do about the panel behind the passenger door. Its fairly rippled as far as above the trim strip. Think I will probably leave for now and come back to later when I am more confident with panels that will be on show!

Cheers and have a good long weekend.

Edited by - Dirtbiker on 24 Feb 2021 22:35:56
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2012 :  21:16:47 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Bit more progress here and there over the last couple of weeks. The Sill is done so next step was to remove a couple of small (!!!) patches and properly repair a couple of small (!!!) holes where the bulkhead meets the floor.

Holey Moley!






And tidied up.


A new strip welded in along the bottom of the bulkhead.


A new bit of floor.


Repair to the engine tray.


And the new bit of floor welded in.


And cleaned up and primered.


All good so far. Next up was to patch the small hole on the inner wing. This bit is double skinned so I figured I would enlarge the outer hole, fix the inner then fix the outer...

But disaster struck! Rust has got in between the two panels. I cut back the outer about 10mm at a time hoping to find SAAB Grey primer...


Got as far as here and wished I had stopped earlier, carried away with the grinder!
Decided instead that the outer panel will be coming off and being replaced. So out with the spot weld drill.


This is as far as I got then it was time for tea!

And to finish on here is a sneak preview of the other side.


Earlier in the thread I think I claimed this one is much less rusty...!


Edited by - Dirtbiker on 03 Mar 2021 22:07:50
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melle
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
3830 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2012 :  21:32:05 Show Profile Reply with Quote
All looks painfully recognisable... Keep up the good work!

1970 96V4 "The Devil's Own V4"
1977 95V4 van conversion project
1988 900i 8V
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James Ranaldi
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1475 Posts

Posted - 22 Apr 2012 :  23:45:38 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Very interesting Dirtbiker.
What welding equipment are you using and what gauge of steel ?

Cheers
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 26 Apr 2012 :  21:15:51 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Cheers for the replies guys.
Melle- Thanks!
James - A big old Mig Welder, not much information on it like power or anything but pretty heavy duty. Using a rented bottle of welding gas and i'll check the wire thickness next time I'm in the garage...
Metal is 1.2mm Zintec sheet which seems a perfect match for the floor. The sills from Malbrads are 1.5 galvanised so knot wheeled all the areas to be welded first. I will need to get some 1.5mm for the panel I am half way through removing and should really have used thicker for the engine tray (it was only a small bit and wanted to get it done!)
Hope that is helpful,
Cheers
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James Ranaldi
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1475 Posts

Posted - 26 Apr 2012 :  22:10:17 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Hi again.

Thanks for reply.

The reason that I asked is that I am a Design and Technology Teacher. I can now show my pupils your restoration work and talk with some degree of authority and understanding. !!

One step ahead is just enough

cheers

Edited by - James Ranaldi on 26 Apr 2012 22:11:48
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Dirtbiker
V4 Guru

United Kingdom
1060 Posts

Posted - 26 Apr 2012 :  22:25:11 Show Profile Reply with Quote
Hi James,
Funnily enough I was a D&T teacher for nearly ten years before my current job! I now teach Bicycle Mechanics to kids who have been excluded from School as well as working as a Mountain Bike Instructor. I miss the D&T workshop though! Good to have something to show them but bear in mind I am no expert metalworker. There are a couple of really good threads on retro rides, I'll put a link on here next week to a couple of my favourites.
Cheers
Gareth
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