Sparky's winter/spring/summer/autumn work

quattro

quattro

Administrator
Staff member
I have managed to start with the strip down, been mucking about with the badge for a while, but more of that later.

This is how Sparky looked on 9th Dec

1-091209.JPG
13th Dec
2-131209.jpg

19th
c-191209a.JPG

Found some rust, luckily not much but some to practice my welding skills with (haven't done any welding for around 15 years) :?

That wondeful underseal, which has kept Sparky in such good condition, is now working against him and holding water. He is rusting away under the black stuff, so it has to come off.

Rusty bits

100_8332a.JPG100_8360a.JPG100_8171.JPG
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Looks like you have a nice big garage to do it in .When do you estimate it will be back on the road ?
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Garage is just what the doctor ordered. I had it built specifically for Sparky last year :)

I will estimate back on the road in April, that is I will wait until April 2010, then make an estimate 8)

I hope it will be back in 2010, it really depends on how much enthusiam I can get

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Hey Rick,

It's amazing how similar they all look once their clothes off :wink: Would never have guessed Sparky looked like that under his sheet-metal but I guess that's the real advantage of bolt on panels & knowing your car - I wish my MG project had that feature :cry: Seems like Sparky needs work in similar places to INBD too although I think mine features some additional oxidization opportunities for me to have a bash at.

Good luck with the Winter work - if you take pics - would love to see the progress. I just got back into it & discovered on Saturday there's something strangely satisfying about trying to weld in a sub-zero garage. Might just be a result of a lack of ventilation from the fumes but not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. On the upside - we now will be getting more daylight North of the equator from here on out so Spring's on it's way & the clock is ticking!

Paul
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Good to see the work has started Richard, fairly standard rust you have there, nice little job to get you back into it, plus it looks like you've just caught it before it gets too bad.

It really has turned cold this weekend, I was working on a moggy minor van for a friend on Saturday and I was bloody frozen, mostly just the fingers, despite 2 pairs of gloves. Air tools are especially cold in this weather ! :cry:
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Got the doors off, front seats and carpets out, knee bins and centre consul, and most of the engine bay.

240110.jpg


I only found one more bit of rust and a bad one at that - - the bottom of the heater box has rotted away :shock:

100_8307.jpg


Anyone local lend me an engine hoist?

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Alan at Classeparts will sell you stainless steel repair panels for the heater box.

Chris
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Thanks Chris, but I have already ordered some 0.9mm 316 stainless plate to make up some brackets with (like the upper wing to bonnet hinge bracket), and I can try to make up some repair panels myself. 8)

Then I will buy some from Alan :oops:

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

quattro said:
Thanks Chris, but I have already ordered some 0.9mm 316 stainless plate to make up some brackets with (like the upper wing to bonnet hinge bracket), and I can try to make up some repair panels myself. 8)

Then I will buy some from Alan :oops:

Richard
Click to expand...


LOL
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Richard, I've got an engine hoist you could borrow.

I spent a happy day on Saturday repairing a aircon heater box, considerably worse rot than that !
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

webmaster said:
Richard, I've got an engine hoist you could borrow.

I spent a happy day on Saturday repairing a aircon heater box, considerably worse rot than that !
Click to expand...

Cheers Richard

Is there a meeting on Tuesday? And can I pick up the hoist then?

Many thanks

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Richard, meeting is next Tuesday (2nd Feb), and yes your welcome to collect the hoist then, unless you need it sooner.

It's one of these
020110142.jpg
Can't remember if you've got an estate car or not, I can get it in an 800 with the seats folded down, but you'd struggle to get it in a saloon.
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Been hard at it whenever I get the chance - engine is out (Thanks for the hoist richard) and everything else from the engine bay as well.

8-070210.jpg


Everything is caked in old oil, grease and underseal so fair bit of work needed here. A few holes which shouldn't be there, obviously drilled by ancestors fitting various things. So will practice hole filling with the welder soon :?

Found a suspicious lump under the underseal at the rear of the sill, so gave it a poke to find some rust and a weld which shouldn't be there.
100_8329.jpg

Gave it a tug with my hand and....
100_8331.jpg

D'oh!!

Never mind, that shouldn't take long when i get to the back of the car. I will cut it out totally and get back to sound metal, then weld in new metal and Dinitrol all of the box sections I can find.

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Yep

Ever got to that stage where you wonder whether you have gone just that little bit too far? :?

All that is left now is to clean up, de-rust (cut out and weld), and paint the front end (after removing the front suspension). Then turn it up onto its side and do the underneath.

Then it's just slap it back together and away we go :D

Richard
 
Re: Sparky's winter work

Blimey, Richard, you're really going for it then! Not for the faint-hearted, but well worth it in the end. And actually really useful for me. Can I ask you to grab your digital camera and take some nice detail photos of the bracket for the clutch cylinder that I need to fabricate for my automatic-to-manual conversion? Now that the engine and box are out of your way you should be able to take clearer photos, and I reckon I'll be able to see better what it all needs to look like in my car. Whilst you're at it you could perhaps also take a couple of good snaps of the area you relieved from the engine mounts to allow the headers to fit. I would be very very grateful for your help. Please don't hesitate to post some helpful pics on here or e-mail/pm me. Many thanks in advance.
Also, the very best of luck with your project.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top