Hillman imp + Datsun,then Honda flat 6 ,now Datsun again...

back parts are called sill EXTENSIONS

I wasn't sure if I should have shown the process of bending up the sill panels to replicate the originals because...well I'd already taken heaps of photos already. The rear wing bottom panel was a compound curve which I was expecting to be tricky to make. I was thinking if have to smash one into shape using a sandbag or something. But luckily it had curves, although on separate plains, genital enough I was able to bend by hand with some help from the folder.

I have to do sills on the 120y so I could always post the method up on this thread and we could pretend they are imp sills.

I'll also pop a bit more detail into the construction of the rear corners as it might be interesting.

Not really looking forward to the floor repairs... All those stamped ridges. If I was in blighty I'd just buy a replacement floor panel from the imp club I've recently joined. Cheap at £80!

All this in between jobs?! You must have 30 hour days over there!

Great progress and level of detail so far, will need to check out your other projects.

good to be genital with the parts you make...or something like that!

anyway...yeah, a bit more description on how you managed those compound curves on the bender would be great. I think I get it...but probably don't!.....



I know what you mean by thinking that forming a piece of steel will be more complicated than it ends up being...but by the same token, I have tried to make a few simple looking parts and didnt get them right until the 2nd or 3rd try!

keep at it...looking good!

JP

He he... What an awesome typo. I won't correct it otherwise the schoolboy giggles will mean nothing to future readers.

OK here ya go :-) I have taken a few extra photos this time to show how I went about what is a fairly awkward bit to fabricate. I sneaked a little bit more time on this last night (well I didn't really sneak out to the shed.. I just worked till late)

So in pictures.. here's the corner to repair...



Measured up to work out a size of steel needed. Add a bit extra because with the slight compound curve the shrinker will tease the steel and it'll end up smaller in other areas too... (hard to explain what I mean.. but yeah.. just cut a bit larger than you need)



I rolled my little folder out and in several small bends curved the edge up. The bend downwards of this corner has a 5mm or so radius... but not all the way round as it actually blends back in to the guard.





Then into the shrinker..



Then compare to original section. Its not a simple curve and has to be carefully manipulated by hand to get just right.



Cut, try, cut, try, cut.. until it just fits in neatly. Because its nice new thick steel and the area its getting welded into is good steel I don't mind a tiny gap. As I weld it the weld will sink in between rather than sitting out too far. Plenty of heat in short zaps. Meld it into one.. weld on, grind off, weld on, grind off....ahhhh grasshopper. :-)







Then the little finishing off bit underneath. A slight compound curve in itself but can be just bent to fit by hand...



Then fused in place.. ready for grinding (the boring bit..)



I have now started on the other side rear corner. Much worse inside as the battery box area was rotten. I'm not going to bother trying to make it all original like in there because there wont be a battery there. But maybe I'll make a handy space out of it. Maybe a box or something to take spare engine oil, some basic tools etc. I'll see. For now I just need to make it solid again :-)

It is actually quite easy if you take your time. Having a nice wee folder plus the shrinker stretcher helps so much though. I fully recommend anyone taking on a rusty project, even just one car, to buy those two tools. At the least a shrinker stretcher. Once you finished the work you could sell the tools on to some one else ;-)

Still whittling away at the rust. However, for a break from looking at rusty Imps here is a link to an old Rootes Group promotional film made for the launch of the Imp. Some really good factory footage with some great machine shots. Yeah... watching this last night really made me want to sort my Imp (s) out so I can drive the thing!

movingimage.nls.uk/film/0085