well, it's been a while. Almost a year, in fact. But I have updates! It would have been faster if I'd not got carried away with the midget, which now sports rear radius arms, rear disc brakes and a host of other goodies like LSDs and things.
But I've got the top joint sorted out
DSC_0368 by
1275midget, on Flickr
using the DIY tool again. If it needs to do another one it needs strengthening as it's bent a LOT doing this one. needed a pretty BFH to get the damn thing out of the top of the strut as well.
I've also been welding like a mad person. I'm on my second bottle of gas now, but getting lots better at MIGing things together. I've got it set reasonably high so it just burns away anything too rubbish to weld to.
Inner sill patched up to what was good and left:
DSC_0002 by
1275midget, on Flickr
outer sill all joined on.
DSC_0364 by
1275midget, on Flickr
lots of welding gone into here. I've also re-done the jacking points so I can jack from underneath - there's a bit of it in the bottom corner there.
Jacking point before the outer sill went on:
DSC_0348 by
1275midget, on Flickr
the outer sill welds on through the old jacking point hole to that flat plate. You can see some of the excellent stuff used to stick the cover sill on in this pic.
DSC_0350 by
1275midget, on Flickr
that square bar has had a hole made for it in the outer sill, which fits upwards round it and is welded on.
You can just about see the remainders of the jacking points in this pic
DSC_0568 by
1275midget, on Flickr
I haven't decided if I need to close off the bottom of the squares or not.
Door gap is much improved. And it doesn't change now when you jack it up...
DSC_0363 by
1275midget, on Flickr
and one from underneath. Loads better than the bucket of rust that was there before. The paint is epoxy red primer - bondaprimer. It's really thin but dries like a skin. Only time will tell if it works, but it will have a coat of underseal on top.
DSC_0371 by
1275midget, on Flickr
with the end plates almost done, I've had to make up quite a bit at the front and the back as it had all disappeared rather
DSC_0569 by
1275midget, on Flickr
I still need to have another go at the rear bit that hides behind the door, I've fixed that now and cut another chunk out and re-welded a bit in - no pic yet, I'll grab one later. It needs a hole drilling in it to SCREW the cover sill on (not silicone and weld like the previous ones!)
front is done - below.
DSC_0570 by
1275midget, on Flickr
again, I've had to guess at the shape of the front, I've copied what a lot of modern cars have which is a little flappy bit under the rear of the front arch, not sure why, but it looks nice. It might need a bit more work on here when the wing comes back from the shed just to make sure it all fits (previously bottom of wing was welded to the base unit (helpful!)
Now it just needs a coat of underseal/waxoyl in here, and more squirting in through the holes I drilled in the inner sill, and the cover sill painting, then THIS SIDE IS DONE!
It's very much next on the list, as I've told myself no more upgrades to the MG until this is running again. The big blue beasty will live again.