teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 12, 2023 11:49:46 GMT
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Tea, any chance you’ll be getting steroid injections into the aggrieved disc spaces, or are the docs trying to just let things calm down my themselves? Please disregard if too medical of a question. Fellow sufferer, John They haven't offered or even mentioned that as a possibility. I've got another physio appointment in a couple of days. I hope Your photo host service doesn't follow the pbucket route! Otherwise Your fine thread may lose a lot of pictures.  Thanks for letting me know. This one was my mess up, hopefully mended now. After I had packed up yesterday the Lovely Doctor said that the weather forecast for today was rain, rain and more rain. This is not in any way unusual for me because I live under a cloud but it is not helpful because the panel is too big to work on inside my shed and anything I could do in the tent is underneath the car, which I am not capable of doing at the moment. Last night I got a break in the rain so I took the opportunity and nipped back out to finish off the spring cups. This is the picture which should have been on the last post but I messed it up (it should be there now).  I measured between the spot welds, found the centre then marked an equal distance either side of that centre so I could stitch between all the spots. It wasn't precision engineering, just my attempt to do a neat(ish) job.  The clouds were quite dark and threatening so I quickly marked out the other side in the same way, centre between the spot welds etc then stitched them up.  When I looked at it I thought it looks a bit odd, turns out that whichever trainee at BMW had assembled this panel had not used the same equidistant spacing on the spot welds as on the other side. Oh well, it isn't something I'll be looking at very often when it is welded to the bottom of the car. It all got packed away just in time before the rain resumed. Cheers. |
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Sept 12, 2023 16:49:51 GMT
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With all this stitch welding, you’ll be entering rallies when it’s all done
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Darkspeed
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,881
Club RR Member Number: 39
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Sept 12, 2023 17:40:15 GMT
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With all this stitch welding, you’ll be entering rallies when it’s all done As its limited to the back end he may only be eligible for drifting.......  The way he's luck is running at the moment when he drops it off the stands when its all finished with those 2mm plates.......  |
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Sept 13, 2023 0:52:22 GMT
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DS, those two cars must pull ALL the girls!
John
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 13, 2023 19:41:38 GMT
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With all this stitch welding, you’ll be entering rallies when it’s all done I must have spent too much time watching you messing about with that Escort.  The way his luck is running at the moment when he drops it off the stands when its all finished with those 2mm plates....... I'm not one of those people who say everything wants 'whacking with a branch' or however the saying goes, but that's just weird. Why would anyone do that? DS, those two cars must pull ALL the girls! John Presumably girls with stepladders? Well, yesterday was full on monsoon season so I never got any pottering done at all. Maybe it was this distinct lack of medically approved pottering which caused me to not be able to sleep last night. I got up in the middle of the night and was forced to resort to the emergency backup medicine.  They gave me this for emergency use only and to be honest, I have been scared to use it because I didn't want to fall into a toilet like that bloke did on the film Trainspotting. It didn't help me to sleep though, despite the warning on the box suggesting that it would. When the pain finally eased a bit and because the sun was out today I decided to get back to my pottering regime. I had stitched up the spring cups the other day so today it was the turn of the trailing arm pockets.    I don't know why I have three pictures because there are only two trailing arms, ergo only two pockets for them. Maybe one is a spare... I also had to fill in the holes in the panel from where I removed this weight thingmy.  This was the mess it left.  I backed them up with a bit of copper and welded them shut.  Then a quick tickle up with the power file.  I gave the other side of it a quick tidy up but didn't go too mad with it because it will be enclosed once fitted.  That means the new panel is just about ready for fitting which means that the old panel needs removing. I have made a start on drilling out the spot welds which hold the panel in. I would like to be able to do as many of the plug welds as possible from above so I started drilling out from inside the cab.   There are a couple of mig welds through the rear seat base, I marked their position so that I could file them flush.  Then I drilled the ends and finished them off with a die grinder.  I'd had enough of the inside of the cab by then so I made a start in the passenger rear wheel well.  I marked them with a felt pen, centre punched them, drilled pilot holes then went through with the final size drill.  Would you believe it took me all day to do this? I wasn't able to move very fast and I didn't want to risk over pottering. Back to the physio then the Docs tomorrow, I wonder what they will say. Cheers. |
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Sept 13, 2023 20:08:41 GMT
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With any sort of injury Mr. T you have to work "at your own comfortable pace" whenever possible,
Too much haste can only be detrimental to both your health and whatever work you are carrying out,
It'll still be there waiting for your recovery,
(Brilliant work as always by the way )
Nigel
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BMW E39 525i Sport
BMW E46 320d Sport Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 325 Touring (now sold on.)
BMW E30 320 Cabriolet (Project car - currently for sale.)
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Sept 14, 2023 6:11:35 GMT
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Your dedication despite not being in the best of shape is admirable!
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Sept 14, 2023 8:50:07 GMT
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"Back to the physio then the Docs tomorrow, I wonder what they will say."  |
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Last Edit: Sept 14, 2023 8:51:27 GMT by westbay
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 15, 2023 19:33:40 GMT
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With any sort of injury Mr. T you have to work "at your own comfortable pace" whenever possible, Too much haste can only be detrimental to both your health and whatever work you are carrying out, It'll still be there waiting for your recovery, (Brilliant work as always by the way ) Nigel Thanks, Nigel. You are right, of course, I do need to be careful. Your dedication despite not being in the best of shape is admirable! Thanks, Alex. I'm just trying to stop myself from going 'stir crazy'. "Back to the physio then the Docs tomorrow, I wonder what they will say." He has got a point... Yesterday was physio and Doctors and not much else happened. They told me that I am in no position to go back to work yet, which I expected. I've had enough of it now though, I just want it to stop hurting so I can get on with things. Anyway, it is still horrible so I haven't done a great deal today, I did some more drilling out of spot welds in the old panel getting ready for its removal. I did these in the 'spare wheel well' from the outside because I could get myself sat down comfortably under the car to do it.  There were a couple where the spot welds were not exactly in the middle of the thing so I drilled the holes where I wanted them to be then used the power file to separate it underneath. You can just about see the original spot welds next to the holes in this picture.  I also had a look around to find where the other spot welds were and started to mark their positions with the spot drill but it was too painful to drill them properly because they were mostly overhead.  There are still plenty more to do. Those arrows drawn on the side were to show where there were some MIG weld stitches but I think there will be a lot more on there when the new panel goes in. That was enough to finish me off for today. Cheers. |
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 16, 2023 20:27:17 GMT
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I had to go to the dark side today (over the Humber bridge to Hull) for a Doctors appointment which meant that we couldn't go to Ten Acres for breakfast. My Lovely Doctor did some Googling whilst I was in with the medical doctor and she found a cafe in Barton back on our side of the bridge so she took me there on the way home. Luckily it was a nice fry up and they also had cakes. I had a large slice of Victoria sponge. We got home just in time to watch the Formula One and it looks like there it is a good possibility that someone other than the drinks makers might win a race this year. Today's pottering started with a look at more drilled out spot welds.  It's like a Swiss cheese, you would think that it should fall out. I cleaned the horrible undersealy stuff from in the spring pans to find the spot welds in there.  I gave them a bit of a drill but didn't go mad with it because it hurts a lot drilling upwards.  At least they will be more visible when I get to do them properly. I did do both sides. There was a factory MIG weld under the floor so I power filed that off.  Then I had the bright idea that I might be able to peel a bit of the panel away from there.  It really didn't want to come off. I got the moldy grips on it and started working at it but it was stuck.  I was bending it backwards and forwards for ages when I found that I had missed a couple of spot welds because the flange they were on was hidden by a massive splodge of seam sealer inside the boot.  It was starting to go a bit dark by this time then my torch went flat so I packed up. I think I need to get more serious with it. I think I am going to go in with the grinder and cut out as much out as I can then remove the spot welded flangey bits afterwards. I just need to plan carefully so that I don't cut the wrong bits off... Cheers. |
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 17, 2023 19:09:20 GMT
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The back of my neck is hurting a lot today which is giving me a terrible headache as a bonus prize so I thought I would not bother pottering today. I had a lazy morning drinking tea and the Lovely Doctor got me some jammy doughnuts. We watched the F1 and it looked like a pretty boring race but it livened up a bit for the last twenty laps. After the race the lovely doc went to do some gardening so I settled down to do some serious lazing around. The doc obviously got carried away in the garden because she snapped the handle on the rake, so I had to go and fix that for her. As I was outside I thought I might as well have a go at something. That hidden flange I was on about yesterday. This one. I cleaned some of the sealer off to find it.  It wants doing properly later but at least I can see it now. I soon got bored with that so I sat down underneath and ran the cutting disc along the flange on the 'spare wheel well' and started to peel the flange off.  I was very careful not to put the disc all the way through in to the boot.   I did some more messing about at the driver's side but it was hard going and I wasn't feeling it so I packed up. What I need to do is to get the new panel down there so I can work out where I can cut without messing anything up but that will have to wait until next time. Cheers. |
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 18, 2023 20:14:17 GMT
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As I did the best part of F-A yesterday I was feeling a bit guilty so I thought I would try to redeem myself today. The weather was rubbish so I shut myself in the tent with my radio and a cup of tea. I wanted to bring the new panel down so I could use it as a guide for which bits I could cut off and which bits I need to steer clear of but I didn't want to bring it down in a monsoon so I just started where I knew I would be safe. In the middle.   That's a big hole, I hope the car doesn't fold up around me... I got myself comfortable underneath to have a look.  I wasn't sure what to do next so whilst I contemplated it I checked that all the drilled out spot welds were fully separated.  If the thing didn't slide through I gave the hole a little tickle with the angry end until it did.  Once I had gone all the way around the big hole I had to get on and cut something else off. I started in the middle at the back but because I didn't have the new piece to refer to I stripped it out a bit at a time, like peeling an onion but hopefully without the tears...  That was the front skin off but the one behind it also needs to come out.  The shiniest bit, in the middle of the picture, that bit needs to stay. Once I had got the middle bit out I moved to the driver's side and split the spot welds off with the scraper until they were all loose then I rived at it until it came free.  I chopped it out as far as the spring pan.  I was pleased with that.  It's a bit scabby on the fuel filler tube thing.  The spring pan is still there in the picture, I chopped it off but forgot to take a photo. With the driver's side well chopped up I did think it was time to pack up but I thought I would just whip off the centre extension bit where the so called push rod fits.  Because I was now in the middle, I thought that as I'm half way to the passenger side I'll just do a bit over there, so I chopped out up to the spring pan.  As I didn't show you what it looks like without the spring pan on the other side I decided to chop this one out so I could get a picture.  That really was enough for me by then. I had chopped all this up.  I used a few cutting discs, I need to think about getting some more.  I'm totally done in now but luckily I still have a couple of jammy doughnuts left to perk me up. Cheers. |
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 19, 2023 18:02:58 GMT
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Yesterday I got a bit carried away with myself and I chopped out the back part of the axle carrier panel. Logically, this means that the next job is to remove the front part. I started peeling away the outer layer at the passenger side first.  With the front off I could get to the bit behind it.  You can see where I had repaired the seat base in the picture above. At this point I got out for a break and a cuppa. When I looked through the boot you can see where the bit I just cut out came from.  I thought that if I just cut all the way through on the driver's side the middle bit should just drop out now. I cut all the way through bit I just couldn't get it to pull away. I was quite confused by this until I looked inside the cab.  I had not removed that seat brackety thing and it was this which was holding it on. When I unbolted the bracket the middle bit dropped off.  With that out I just had to trim back the ends of the extension bits that go to the trailing arm pockets. It was a bit fiddly but I got them out.  You can see the back of the seat base repairs again here, I will give the welds a little tickle with the power file before I paint it. Cutting those ends out did reveal this bit of rust.  It wasn't too bad so I wire wheeled it off and treated it with some phosphoric acid. There are no cracks in my axle carrier panel now because there is no axle carrier panel there. This is the view from where I was collapsed under the car, looking up.  This is the view looking forward from the passenger wheel arch.  That was a lot of chopping and it went reasonably well, I only had one bust though with the grinder. This into the rear seat base.  It isn't too bad and will be easy enough to weld back up. I need to start cleaning it all up next but I need to have some more pills first, my head is throbbing. Cheers. |
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eurogranada
Europe
To tinker or not to tinker, that is the question...
Posts: 2,556
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Sept 20, 2023 13:55:05 GMT
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wow, just wow....
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,356
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Sept 20, 2023 14:25:48 GMT
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...The Lovely Dr (Mrs) Tea thought it might be an idea that I have a car which actually worked... ...It would have to be new enough to not need constant attention to keep it going but old enough to be interesting... ...After quite a search, as there are some rough old dogs about, I ended up with this...  Just imagine how much work it would have been if you'd bought a rough one? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I am basing my comment on the fact that your physical constitution appears to have recovered enough to endure a little gentle ribbing. This does not necessarily mean we are square for the immensely hurtful "did you buy your 90 year old battery charger new?"; a comment I am still having therapy for...  |
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 20, 2023 18:04:27 GMT
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Thanks, Alex. Wow was exactly the same thing I thought when I saw you making that wiring loom. ...The Lovely Dr (Mrs) Tea thought it might be an idea that I have a car which actually worked... ...It would have to be new enough to not need constant attention to keep it going but old enough to be interesting... ...After quite a search, as there are some rough old dogs about, I ended up with this... Just imagine how much work it would have been if you'd bought a rough one? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I am basing my comment on the fact that your physical constitution appears to have recovered enough to endure a little gentle ribbing. This does not necessarily mean we are square for the immensely hurtful "did you buy your 90 year old battery charger new?"; a comment I am still having therapy for... I did say that I didn't want to buy myself any more work... Can you imagine what a nightmare it would have been if I'd have gone out there and bought myself a total lemon... WRT my physical constitution, I thought I wasn't doing too bad but this morning I woke up in absolute agony, It felt like someone had stuck a knife between my shoulder blades. It has been a rough day so I haven't been able to do anything at all. The pain has subsided quite a lot but it hasn't gone completely. The Lovely Doctor is taking us to the quiz tonight, hopefully that will take my mind off it. Cheers. |
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glenanderson
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,356
Club RR Member Number: 64
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Sept 20, 2023 18:12:41 GMT
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Liked for support, not because I’m enjoying the thought of your agony. 👍
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My worst worry about dying is my wife selling my stuff for what I told her it cost...
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Sept 20, 2023 19:24:57 GMT
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Man, you're achieving more than I am and I'm fit and healthy. Although arguably I'm crazy but I suspect that criticism could be levelled at you too.
Anyway, I thought you were repairing the car not drilling out every spot weld and returning it a pile of panels?
Hope you recover soon, don't push it too much and make things worse. I'm a master at doing FA and I don't have a reason. Some days a chap just needs to sit on his bum. Nuffink wrong with that although I have to admit doing nothing by choice isn't the same as being forced into doing nothing.
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Darkspeed
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,881
Club RR Member Number: 39
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Sept 21, 2023 6:38:22 GMT
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Liked for support, not because I’m enjoying the thought of your agony. 👍 Well, I will admit to a degree of "schadenfreude", insofar as it providing an opportunity for additional project progress. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that. Anyway, I thought you were repairing the car not drilling out every spot weld and returning it a pile of panels? Probably been reading too many Toledo restoration posts. Needs to be careful he doesn't go full Father Ted with it! |
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teaboy
Posted a lot
Make tea, not war.
Posts: 2,125
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Sept 21, 2023 19:46:53 GMT
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Liked for support, not because I’m enjoying the thought of your agony. 👍 Thanks, Dude. Man, you're achieving more than I am and I'm fit and healthy. Although arguably I'm crazy but I suspect that criticism could be levelled at you too. Anyway, I thought you were repairing the car not drilling out every spot weld and returning it a pile of panels? Hope you recover soon, don't push it too much and make things worse. I'm a master at doing FA and I don't have a reason. Some days a chap just needs to sit on his bum. Nuffink wrong with that although I have to admit doing nothing by choice isn't the same as being forced into doing nothing. I'm good at doing nothing, it comes naturally to me. I found a nice sharp spot weld drill and I got a bit carried away with it. Liked for support, not because I’m enjoying the thought of your agony. 👍 Well, I will admit to a degree of "schadenfreude", insofar as it providing an opportunity for additional project progress. Every cloud has a silver lining and all that. Anyway, I thought you were repairing the car not drilling out every spot weld and returning it a pile of panels? Probably been reading too many Toledo restoration posts. Needs to be careful he doesn't go full Father Ted with it! I do like a Toledo, my Dad had two of them from brand new. Ok, yesterday was a bad day from the point of view of being in complete agony and hardly being able to move, so all I did was drink tea, eat cakes and take pills. It has calmed down a bit today but I didn't manage to get myself fully moving until the early afternoon. I did a bit more prep on the new panel. There are some supports above the spring pans which I don't need because the originals were left on the car when I removed the old panel.  I drilled right through the spot welds so that when I fit the panel I can plug weld it through those holes.  I removed both sides.  If you compare the first picture with the last picture you might notice I have also removed the pipe for the fuel filler. That was just one spot weld at the front.   It started to rain then, so I retreated to the tent. It seemed like a good idea to remove the old fuel filler pipe so that's what I did.  There was a mig weld between those two holes and a couple of spot welds from inside the boot.  This is why I needed to remove the old one from the car.  The area where it was attached was like this.  It wasn't too bad once I cleaned it up so I doused it in spooge.  I also did a little bit of cleaning up around the flanges where the new panel is going to join up but not that much because I'd had enough by then. Cheers. |
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