|
|
|
Mar 13, 2007 17:19:33 GMT
|
Ok, so the GTE Cab I sold last year has once again come back to my ownership - third time lucky eh? The buyer unfortunately was let down by a fair few recovery 'businesses' and the car has sat here for five months. It seemed silly to hassle the poor chap to get it shifted just so I could move yet another car into the spot for a daily driver... so I bought it back  Anyway. The sills need welding, as they did when I bought it, as they did when I sold it. Twice. I've cut the rot out now leaving some nice straight lines on the outside of the sill, but I'm unsure what to do underneath. The horizontal part of the sill is quite crusty with rust, but the bit that drops down where the sill meets the floor seems solid. Do I just scrape the rust back and find metal above it and weld to that, or do I KuRust that bit totally and put a new bit of sill over it, and weld onto the sticky-down bit? I've illustrated below:  Which one? I don't want to do anything unsafe but I'm not after a concours-style resto, I just want it not to fall apart whilst driving and to get through the MoT. Here's also some photos of the bits cut out. Am I being very silly indeed here attempting this? I was quoted £500 by a garage to sort it out, but I've got a 150A Mig welder and a bit of enthusiasm..... The only other problem is that they don't make sills for Mk2 Astra Cabs any more, where can I buy just sheet metal to fabricate my own out of? All the bits that need doing are fairly simple straight curved bits I reckon....    |
| |
Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
|
|
|
|
Nathan
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,650
Club RR Member Number: 1
|
Welding help - I'm scared!Nathan
@bgtmidget7476
Club Retro Rides Member 1
|
Mar 13, 2007 17:23:43 GMT
|
|
Looks to me like an easy job, like you say its straight cuts, it does need cleaning back a bit more though towards the floor section, could you not midify a standard astray sill. I would of thought the bottom of the door section with be the same would it not.
Let me know if you need a hand buddy.
|
| |
|
|
slater
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,390
Club RR Member Number: 78
|
Welding help - I'm scared!slater
@slater
Club Retro Rides Member 78
|
Mar 13, 2007 17:27:42 GMT
|
|
Cut out the rust and go at it with a wire rush on an angle grinder and then you will see what you have got. i am nearly 100% sure that will require some inner sill patches too.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2007 17:27:49 GMT
|
cut it all back mate cut it right back too shiny metal if theres one thing ive learnt its to cut great bit whackin holes cos they are so much easier ;D are tash and i coming up to you soon? I'm happy to lend a hand i know she said to me about the naming ceremony, and an invite arrived today. However the (new) dog ate the part that contained all the important info! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2007 17:46:46 GMT
|
Keefy: hahahahahah god bless dogs, we have much the same problem. We've taught ours to eat only bills. You are indeed invited up on the 29th April, Tash made lots of excited squeaky noises via email when I told her so I took it as a yes bgtmidget: I think the only difference between cab sills and normal Astra sills is the extra box section inside, and possibly the horizontal part at the bottom (brown on the diagram) is thicker? It certainly feels pretty heavy duty but I've never poked an astra sill before. Thought maybe a 2 door sill, or an Astramax one would do - if only to donate the middle bit for the correct curve! The inner bit is certainly solid, it's got a bit of surface rust but no holes. Just the thick bit I've decribed is really crusty, huge flakes of rust coming off. Surely if that's weakened and I just put metal over it, but only weld it on at the join to the floor (2nd option in the diagram) then I'm not strenthening the flat bit? Thankyou both Keith and BGT for the offer of help, I might well take you up on that! Keith, not sure if would go down too well doing it on the 29th (welding + Callie's weekend = SWMBO trouble!) but you could certainly take a look and advise if it's still causing me hassle..... hoping to have got the car on the road by then though! BGT, how many beers per hour do you charge for on-site welding help? |
| |
Never trust a man
Who names himself Trevor.
Or one day you might find
He's not a real drug dealer.
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2007 20:21:54 GMT
|
Cut out the rust and go at it with a wire rush on an angle grinder and then you will see what you have got. I am nearly 100% sure that will require some inner sill patches too. Totally agree Get one of these they are excellent to get rid of all rust paint etc. Just make sure you were goggles to protect yourself from flying bits of wire  |
| |
|
|
bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,965
Club RR Member Number: 71
|
Welding help - I'm scared!bstardchild
@bstardchild
Club Retro Rides Member 71
|
Mar 13, 2007 22:12:34 GMT
|
Cut out the rust and go at it with a wire rush on an angle grinder and then you will see what you have got. I am nearly 100% sure that will require some inner sill patches too. Totally agree Get one of these they are excellent to get rid of all rust paint etc. Just make sure you were goggles to protect yourself from flying bits of wire And some double thickness overalls too - they go in deep!!!! |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2007 22:23:27 GMT
|
I would cut that outer sill off and remake the inner section from 16gauge. It doesnt have to look pretty as long as its strong. Then just get a new outer and weld that on. If you try to weld to rusty metal it will look curse word, it will be weak and it will hurt  |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2007 12:35:23 GMT
|
|
what they said ^^^^
any help needed I might be available, depending on life schedule.
|
| |
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 14, 2007 18:32:29 GMT
|
And some double thickness overalls too - they go in deep!!!! Yep, I have a nasty circular scar on my forearm where the wire brush dug in and pulled it out of my hands, launching it onto my arm (I was wearing thick overalls luckily or it could have been worse!). Adam |
| |
1997 TVR Chimaera
2009 Westfield Megabusa
|
|
