1979 Opel Monza "Rally Car Ex Austin McHale"

[bstardchild]

Well having a break from the other Monza and this one waiting at the blasters - I'm not in a rush for it (need to make some space)

I had planned to make a rolling JIG so I could move it around and more importantly get it off the trailer and in the garage as well as move it round/turn it round when needed to work on different sections of the car.

I purchased some steel

2 x 1.8m 40mm box section
2 x 1.3m 40mm box section
4 x 0.2m square 5mm plate

Some other steel for the adjustable uprights to pick up on the jacking points or chassis rails

And 4 x H/D wheelie bin castors which look like they'll do the job nicely

So with a partial empty garage I set to work building the JIG and I'd have had the damn thing finished tonight was tearing thro it when the welder stopped - OMG my Portamig was broken

Nope I'd run out of wire ;D

Tommorrow I'll have the JIG finished then that can go for blasting and painting and then I'll hassle them to finish the Monza shell

[bstardchild]

Jig Finished



Some adjustability built in









I love my portamig

[rwdrules]

;D lol I was just remembering when you could barely weld at all,
what a marked improvement since then!!

top job on the jig!!

[Davenger]

Looks a good job on the jig.
looking forward to seeing you get stuck in to it

[bstardchild]

Mar 8, 2012 8:03:51 GMT rwdrules said:

;D lol I was just remembering when you could barely weld at all,

Three letters SIP (I could write lots more about the hatefull POS)

Mar 8, 2012 8:03:51 GMT rwdrules said:

what a marked improvement since then!!

top job on the jig!!

One word Portamig - easy to use even in the hands of an idiot

[bstardchild]

Mar 8, 2012 22:09:17 GMT Davenger said:

Looks a good job on the jig.
looking forward to seeing you get stuck in to it

I'm hoping it does the job and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it

[bstardchild]

No Narative - just pics (more than I'd have liked work wise but less than I'd feared)

Blasted shell now has a good coat of primer to keep the rust at bay

Should be home early next week

[monster]

Wow, absolutely speechless. I remember seeing this thread the first time, almost 5 years ago and hadn't seen it since then. Just clicked on the last page and there is blasted and in primer. It is most definately actually happening! I really admire yourdetermination and it must feel good to have the metal in a state where it is now repairable and ready to return to a usable state. Threads like this are legendary.

[rwdrules]

Hmm primer is porous mate!! it wont stop the rust for long!!

[Davenger]

Crikey.
Got your work cut out there mate

[bstardchild]

Mar 16, 2012 20:23:19 GMT rwdrules said:

Hmm primer is porous mate!! it wont stop the rust for long!!

It's not living outside and it's good stuff ;D

[bstardchild]

Mar 16, 2012 20:06:37 GMT monster said:

Wow, absolutely speechless. I remember seeing this thread the first time, almost 5 years ago and hadn't seen it since then. Just clicked on the last page and there is blasted and in primer. It is most definately actually happening! I really admire yourdetermination and it must feel good to have the metal in a state where it is now repairable and ready to return to a usable state. Threads like this are legendary.

Thanks pretty much summed how I felt today when I saw it after primer was applied

My only hope is I can achieve the end goal and do the whole project justice

[bstardchild]

Mar 16, 2012 20:46:22 GMT Davenger said:

Crikey.
Got your work cut out there mate

A blank canvas

[bstardchild]

I've had a busy day :lol:

Started with a journey from Thetford to Shipdam to borrow a local club members car trailer (thanks Paul) on the way I dropped of a wheel and tyre from the SLK to have a pucture repaired - dirty great big nail I picked up from somewhere

Collected it was then back to Thetford and time to bring home the Rally car

Here it is on the Jig I made - supported on the bottom edge of the sills (I made the Jig so it could support on Sills when longest length front to rear or alternatively when longest length from side to side it picks up on the std Monza jacking points)



so as I could see a little bit of sill work would be required I got it turned arround and dropped onto the jacking points

Next onto the trailer



Then adjusted to reduce the nose weight and strapped down



15 mins later with a cloud of sand and dried primer dust following I was home



So I stuck it on the drive so that all the neighbours could admire it while I took the trailer back to it's home

This might not have been the wisest idea as my long suffering better half Lisa would get home before I got back from returning the trailer so I stuck a note on it saying it will be inside the garage tonight dear

On the way to return the trailer I dropped in to collect repaired wheel and tyre (it wasn't ready)

While I was backing the trailer back into it's storage place the BMW decided that it would be a good time to start chucking steam out of the bonnet - I appear to have a pin hole in one of the back hoses so I topped up the coolant and gently trickled it back home.

Once home it was time for a shuffle around - There is my nephews (Alfie) mini project shell at the back of the garage that is balanced on wheels and tyres and axle stands (I'd made a similar jig for it with wheels so first job transfer the shell onto the jig) tonight was mini night so at 7pm Alfie arrived

I found out that two people can't lift a Monza shell but they can lift a mini shell so Mini on Jig - Monza on Jig - Monza went down the bottom of the drive and Mini came out of the garage for the first time in a while

Monza then went backwards into the garage and mini then followed

And here it is



And my Portamig did it's own informal introductions - they'll get better aquainted very soon



Bit of tiding up and re- organisation as well as loading up the BMW with some stuff for the tip and that was me done - time for a nice cold drink and catch up with whats been going on in the forum email world

[Clement]

You are a hero.

[Deleted]

Wow. There is a car that has had more than nine lives... I haven't clicked back through yet.

[CR500Dom]

Superb !!! ;D ;D

Where did you get it blasted then ? and could you let me have an idea of cost ?

I`m going to need to do the same soon and it`d be useful to have a comparison between conventional and Soda ?

[bstardchild]

Mar 21, 2012 17:21:43 GMT CR500Dom said:

Superb !!! ;D ;D

I'm pleased ;D

Mar 21, 2012 17:21:43 GMT CR500Dom said:

Where did you get it blasted then ?

T&B Blasting (Thetford) - they are in yell.com

Mar 21, 2012 17:21:43 GMT CR500Dom said:

and could you let me have an idea of cost ?

Err I was a bit hessitant to post that up for a number of reasons...... However when I taly up the costs it will come out.

I've put a fair bit of work their way for over 15 years and have always paid up promptly and without quibbling the price - as a good customer I think they did me a good deal at £250 for media blasting and then primer coat to keep the rust at bay while I try and get the shell to where I want it to be...

I haven't done a hairymel on this thread but the total budget is just £2500 and that includes everything - so price of the car, transport and storage costs etc all come out of the pot - I think I have £1450 left but I need to check (I did buy a donor car a while back as well)

Mar 21, 2012 17:21:43 GMT CR500Dom said:

I`m going to need to do the same soon and it`d be useful to have a comparison between conventional and Soda ?

You are welcome to come and have a look at it anytime you are passing this way

[bstardchild]

Mar 21, 2012 17:01:44 GMT @richardkc6 said:

Wow. There is a car that has had more than nine lives... I haven't clicked back through yet.

Yeah there is a sumary on one of the pages - it's a bit of a cat I reckon

Still I've spoiled one creating a track car from it and now I'm gonna save one from ruin - Sort of justice in that I reckon

[bstardchild]

Mar 21, 2012 14:59:29 GMT Clement said:

You are a hero.

Or certifiable......... Jury is out on that