So it's been a long 3 days and there's still more to go.
My cousin has managed to get the P (now named Abbi as she was bought from outside Aberdeen) on display with an online ford group at Fordfest 2016 at SantaPod on the 18th of this month.
So I thought I'd crack on with a few of the long list of jobs and get her looking more presentable.
Job one - fitted a new steering wheel, leather with red stitching - easy, except the boss adaptor means it sits 45* round when driving in a straight line - simple enough to rectify but moved down the list for now.
Job two - cut out the old seats, the previous owner had welded them in for some reason and cut the original mounts.
So I started on the passenger side so I could keep her driving.
I forgot to take a before - but this is the outer forward mount, can you believe I've straightened it so I can get some measurements?
This is the inner forward mount after I've straightened it and attempted to weld it back in place - why the PO thought it was a good idea to cut through the chassis rail like this I do not know.
After a day with the grinder and welder, this was the final result - I ended up cutting the mounts out of a donor Sierra estate and welding in a plate were the old welds had burnt through. I've also painted it all red since, I keep forgetting to stop and take photos.
Then came the drivers side, full of confidence that I knew what lay ahead I cut out the drivers seat - except this one was welded in much better and put up,quite a fight to get out.
Once out I was confronted with this!
So an even larger piece of chassis rail has been cut out and the outer forward mount is missing altogether - back to the donor for some appropriate panels.
However I also discovered that the rear outer seat mount and inner sill were rusty! I was quite surprised as from the outside she seemed really solid.
There has been water in the footwell occasionally and the under carpet is matted and horrible so I suspect I have a leak to find.
Out with the angle grinder and I was left with this.
I had to call it a night after 11 hours yesterday, especially at 9 o'clock at night in the dark on a Sunday. But all the patch panels were made and ready for fitting.
Back at it tonight and the panels are welded in - no chance of winning a beauty contest, but Theres good penetration and the rear outer seat mount and seatbelt mount shouldn't fall,out anytime soon - I'm certainly happier driving it with these repairs than the previous butchery I've uncovered.
(Excuse the green photos the torch has gone missing at the workshop so we hooked up all that could be found - a 5x5 green led interior light, hooked to a bike battery.
I will of course dress the welds a bit anyway and paint the repairs as well as redo the under seal that has burnt off the underside. But again 9 o'clock was my limit so I don't upset the neighbours, and the next set of seat mounts need cutting to size and final shaping, plenty of banging and grinding probably best suited to 6 o'clock tomorrow after work instead.
My cousin has managed to get the P (now named Abbi as she was bought from outside Aberdeen) on display with an online ford group at Fordfest 2016 at SantaPod on the 18th of this month.
So I thought I'd crack on with a few of the long list of jobs and get her looking more presentable.
Job one - fitted a new steering wheel, leather with red stitching - easy, except the boss adaptor means it sits 45* round when driving in a straight line - simple enough to rectify but moved down the list for now.
Job two - cut out the old seats, the previous owner had welded them in for some reason and cut the original mounts.
So I started on the passenger side so I could keep her driving.
I forgot to take a before - but this is the outer forward mount, can you believe I've straightened it so I can get some measurements?
This is the inner forward mount after I've straightened it and attempted to weld it back in place - why the PO thought it was a good idea to cut through the chassis rail like this I do not know.
After a day with the grinder and welder, this was the final result - I ended up cutting the mounts out of a donor Sierra estate and welding in a plate were the old welds had burnt through. I've also painted it all red since, I keep forgetting to stop and take photos.
Then came the drivers side, full of confidence that I knew what lay ahead I cut out the drivers seat - except this one was welded in much better and put up,quite a fight to get out.
Once out I was confronted with this!
So an even larger piece of chassis rail has been cut out and the outer forward mount is missing altogether - back to the donor for some appropriate panels.
However I also discovered that the rear outer seat mount and inner sill were rusty! I was quite surprised as from the outside she seemed really solid.
There has been water in the footwell occasionally and the under carpet is matted and horrible so I suspect I have a leak to find.
Out with the angle grinder and I was left with this.
I had to call it a night after 11 hours yesterday, especially at 9 o'clock at night in the dark on a Sunday. But all the patch panels were made and ready for fitting.
Back at it tonight and the panels are welded in - no chance of winning a beauty contest, but Theres good penetration and the rear outer seat mount and seatbelt mount shouldn't fall,out anytime soon - I'm certainly happier driving it with these repairs than the previous butchery I've uncovered.
(Excuse the green photos the torch has gone missing at the workshop so we hooked up all that could be found - a 5x5 green led interior light, hooked to a bike battery.
I will of course dress the welds a bit anyway and paint the repairs as well as redo the under seal that has burnt off the underside. But again 9 o'clock was my limit so I don't upset the neighbours, and the next set of seat mounts need cutting to size and final shaping, plenty of banging and grinding probably best suited to 6 o'clock tomorrow after work instead.