1985 Opel Monza. Mothballed 12/08/08 Pg 11.

Well, last night I started adding some weight!

Sod's law! The camera battery ran out before I could take any more pictures, so the low quality one's off my phone.

I don't proffess to having fab'ing skills like Street, I'm trying to take things easy to start with to get back into it again as it's been a looooong toime since I've done anything like this. It's all just tacked on for now until I'm happy it all fits, then it'll be welded proper.

Sod's second law!! I measured about a dozen times and cut once! and cut it about 4mm too short!! Never mind, I'll stick a patch in and it'll be as good as new.

Sod's third law. Since it's not been used for ages, I had to give my welder a service before it complied with my requests.

Pics.................

Inner sill repair.


Bulkhead repair.


Can't remember the name of this bit, but repaired the frilly edge.


Something dawned on me while doing the last bit that it'll be a bit of a water trap, so the 'A' panel repair won't be like factory. I'll be doing it in two pieces so as to let water out from the gulley and restrict water ingression into the cabin.

That is all for now!

I'm charging the camera batteries for tonight's efforts!

Ah, putting new metal in means that half the battle is won! Top man for not being scared off!

Got some more done on her last night!! 8)

Hole!



Panel fettled by Big Rod's own fair hand! (Notice the cleft in the middle to add rigidity!!)



No hole. (OK, a bit less of a hole!!)



Starting to weld the seams. (Sorry, but many pigeons were abused during the fabrication process!) I think I'm going to have to get myself a new welder actually. It's difficult to get a good continuous feed off it. Hey it was a real cheapy I bought about 6 years ago in an emergency, so I guess it's earned it's keep. Also I'm using gasless wire. I know, I know, I'd get better results from using shielding gas, but we've had this conversation already!!




I'm going to have to think very carefully about how I go about fixing this bit. It can wait until I have the front of the car finished though. I started with the intention of starting at the front and moving back, so I should stick to it. It will mean getting the car rolled over or very high at the front though. Not quite sure how I'll manage it, but I'm sure I'll figure something out.



Now this is how I'm going to go about (a) repairing the inner wings/wing mounting strip and (b) bracing the turrets. I need to think long and hard about what order I do it in and how I'm going to join the lot together, but I think it's a goer. The section you can see will be braced against the currently non-existent 'A' pillar with a triangulated section and I'll use some more box section to brace the turrets on to it too.




See how it's curved? Well, I spent about an hour last week with my blow torch and vice trying to do it gently and got nowhere! Last night, I elevated one end, rested the other end on the floor and jumped on it a couple of times. Result; A near perfect curve!!!

Also in hindsight, I actually think I've done the 'A' panel/bulkhead join wrong, but as long as the wing fits on, I'm going to do the other side to match!!

Brilliant progress! Really looking good now, quality workmanship!
That bracing technique seems to be the way to go with these Monzas aswell, should be mega strong when it's finished

I doff my cap to you for persevering! That section does look a little complicated... I think (and I can't see everything from that pic) I'd do it in three or four sections.
The main inner wing piece which seems like its just a right-angled bend. Then I'd do the lower part of the front panel. Then the end of the slam panel which looks as if it welds to the inner wing end.
That slam panel piece looks the trickiest piece to do as it's all curves and bends... might need to make that in numerous bits!

I might be over-simplifying it as I can't see the full extent of the rust, and the amount of curves and shapes in that area.

I like your idea of getting inner wings from something else and adapting them - could do away with having to form compound curves and the like!

Hadrian only list sills for the HA, HB and HC Vivas. They do slam panels for stuff like Mk2 Cavaliers and Carltons which might be adapted to fit?

Might be easier to get a donor or hack the inner wings off on down the scrapyard? Although I don't know a) where you'd find one and b) isn't rotten... I don't know!

Keep at it Rod!

You have my total admiration for taking this project on, and for not giving up. At least every time you venture into the garage it gets a step nearer. Keep up the good work.

And there's me worrying that my rear spoiler on the 205 has lifted on one corner and doesn't fit as i'd like

Thanks for the encouragement guys, it really helps to keep my enthusiasm up! (It beats the cr@p out of some of the less than supportive comments I get some other places!)

Tell me if you get bored with this guys wontchya!!

It just seems like I'm updating you with every last little thing I do. (I just don't want you to think I'm slacking or giving up you see!)

Anyway, to last night's developments..........

I sat for long enough the previous night staring at it and thinking how to go about repairing it whilst accomodating my modification(s).

Tonight, I thought, 'Let's fire up the grinder!'

So It went from this...............



To this in a short space of time.............



Which in turn turned into this..............




Then having carefully measured where the wing mounting flange would run to and from, added this...............




To which I was able to cut and paste a couple more little panels to fill the gaps............





It's all 'mocked up' just now 'cos I'll have to fix the inner wing before I weld that little lot in place in very strict order, but I'm fairly pleased with what I achieved last night.

Won't be much progress for a week or so as tonight's Torchwood and Ashes to Ashes and then I'll be away next week again.

So tune in the next time you see some new posts!!

Yeah, I know, but considering the point in case I'd've had to chop it to bits to put it all back together the way I want to anyway, so again, it's a bit of a blessing that the ends are so shot anyway.

Thanks for the thoughts though.

(Pssssst! y'got any inner wings? )

Just been doing some catching up and bloody hell these things rust like 60´s and 70´s stuff.

I thought my mates one was a one off as his rear arches/innerwings- doorsteps -A-B-C Posts wings , floor just dissolved..i spent ages trying to get it through a MOT for him...

Not sure if this is a help but if this was mine.....


i´d go at it in the following order...

make a paper template of the outer sill and the crossmember.

You´ll have to start building up this corner from the inner sill out.

Cut off the outside sill in one piece and don´t throw it too far away.

Before you cut out the rot from the inner sill try and make a papertemplate of that too.

You could always use a bit of box section put inside the sill to strengthen the whole lot up a bit.

I´d then replace the bottom of the A post, then the inner sill.

You´ll probably have to do part of the floor next, then i´d whip out the fuel lines and replace that crossmember.

Last job would be to replace the outer sill.

I find what helps me (i´m only an interested amateur) is to try and rebuild it in the reverse order as was originally built, if you know what i mean.

Whatever you do don´t just cut out all the rot in one go, otherwise you´ll have a big hole and no reference points for measuring.

I´d love to give you a hand mate but i live just a bit too far away.

Hope you can understand my waffle and keep up the great work. ;D