So, a couple of weeks on from that last post I thought I'd update on the progress.
I decided to start replacing the floor to sill section at the front and trimming back to sound metal at the front left it looking like this.
Unusually for me it seems I didn't take any photos along the way, but I worked towards the back of the car replacing a 300mm section at a time.
As you can see in the photo there's a slight upward curve at the front which I didn't notice at the time, but it seems the the floor was bent upwards by someone using the production line brackets as a jacking point. This was also the case at the rear, but the inner sill was creased so it was obvious the the floor needed pushing back down.
Here it is trimmed away.
I wanted the keep the factory pressings so I cut round them and straightened it ready for the new steel. I put a plastic tube over the main wire loom where is passes through the crossmember so that I could lift it out of the way of heat from underneath without bending.
More floor and bottom edge of inner wheel arch added.
Before closing the bottom of the sill with the repair section I cleaned out the top part.
And coated it with etch primer.
With the floor now supported properly I could get on to making the sill panel itself. I got a local fabrication company to cut and fold some strips of 1.5mm thick sheet steel for me - 90mm wide with a 30mm upright. I could have stuck it straight on, but I decided I wanted to try to replicate the stepped edge that the factory and repair panels have. So I made this.
To do this.
I'll admit it took a while and pretty early on in this process I broke my vice, so I did what I'm sure most people would do and took it to my Dad's place to use his! I think it was worth the effort though.