Shite Ron

So for the first time since March, I've got an arch and wheel well made of 1mm steel. I dare say it's been years since it's had steel this thick right here too.

I've warped the panel at the top, I've got to add some spots to some places I've missed, and remind myself what I did with the sill. Then I can prime this all up and move on to the driver's side.

I tell you one thing, throughout the whole of this process I've learnt a lot about myself.
I have learnt that I fucking hate welding upside down, and that there is a reason these boys who do this day in/out use a rotisserie! 

More going on.
I haven't quite finished with the one sheet I bought, but decided for speed I'd cut the strip from the fresh sheet.

Made a new panel, and tacked it together, then checked it again. This time, thankfully, it was a good fit. Ish. Got a little to fettle but will do that when it's complete on the car.




And the violin - that's et viola isn't it? - another section offered up and welded on (not in this photo).

Tacked one bit on the underside of the arch. Light was crap and I needed to do a bench.
The rust is from the flash rain we had at the weekend, when I was drunk, and didn't even think I had left that unprotected. I'll Vactan in when I grid back the welds. All of that panel, by the way, is welded. 
I'm so used to the panels flexing, now it's solid. Even the bit above, although I have warped it slightly. Nothing the filler won't sort out! 
Or a hammer.

Today has not gone well... 


Totally fucking fucked. 

Due to the welding wire running out last time I was working on the car I had left it how it was, I returned to RPE today to find I had a small amount of water inside the car after last week's rain,
a quick feel of the bottom of the door card confirmed my suspicion that the door membrane had either split or was missing letting water in, once I had removed the door card it was plain to see that it was in fact missing, this door the drivers door is not original to RPE and the membrane had been removed while it was fitted, so while I was in there I changed the door handle and the chrome trims as these are not correct for a Series 3the door membrane here I got from the spares car, I used stretched butyl tape to seal the plastic membrane to the door then taped up the bottom section as Austin had done in the factory, I will wait and see if this works before I look at the door seals.

Appeared to be on the school run. You wouldn't mind going to school if you got to ride in this. 

I finally got a picture of this yesterday outside Wilkinson’s.
Google tells me it is a Mitsuoka Galue. I have seen it around occasionally over the past few years, usually in Asda car park. It is great to see it used as a car should be.

Superb cars, had more than I care to remember over the years. You could pick up some fantastic examples for noting in the noughties. Not so much now though! 😄
I 'graduated' to Montegos for a while, which was great for slightly plusher interiors and the more substantial feel that a saloon car brings over a hatch back.
I still own two Maestros, though they are both off the road and have been for some years.

No Spanish waiters as far as I know. Or HBOLs, but I won't know for sure until I get there. 

This just happened, which is nice 😊

Massive thanks to everyone for the support, it’s much more motivating to know people are watching and hopefully enjoying the little films.
Just finalising the edit of the next one, which will be out at teatime on Tuesday.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/944113329655062

I've done many a car collection over the past few years but never actually documented any of them, so I thought it was about time that changed. 
Today was an early start, quick cycle to the station, first train to London absolutely fine. Use an app called Seat Frog to get upgraded to 1st class on the next train for a tenner - yay! Train cancelled - balls. 
Got an hour wait so time to take a mortgage out on a Cornish Pasty (seeing as I'm headed in that general direction) and a coffee. 

That reminds me of an old joke. 
What do you get if you cross London with an iPhone?
Stabbed. 

The real reason for facemasks is so that you can't smile at Londoners  

Rail traction achieved, Chester to Crewe.
Largely empty train, not much of a surprise for a Sunday morning these days. 

And our lord God with a capital g looked down on what he had created and said that it was good with a small g. 
Then he shifted from foot to foot because he felt uncomfortable, like he should say something cool in case someone wrote a book about him later. 
He threw open his arms and declared:
"And on the seventh day Yee shall travel around the land to collect daft auld cars. And lo, Yee should bring them home to the place that you live and also count your poos"
And he smiled and nodded because he was one cool dude. 
 
From the book of Greg. 13:21. 

Crewe achieved 

TMI

Chester Station achieved. 
One plan could have been cycle the 5 miles (mostly downhill) to Ruthin, get the bus to Wrexham and get the train from there, but I got a family lift to Chester which probably saved me a million hours .


Poo count = 0 

There, brekky for family. 

Currently sat in the ferry queue.

I went from this delight.











To this finally last night.



I’m looking forward to a rest working for a month or so.

I jumped about 25 years in tv tech today. I had a Philips huge box thing with a digi box which died suddenly of, probably, old age. I was having a chat with a mate today and happened to mention it, I was thinking about not bothering with one anymore coz most of it is quite crap and getting worse, and he said his sister had done the upgrade thing to one of these massive things and I could have her old one. For FREE ! I thought it might be a huge one but it's a 32 inch and fits fine in my little hovel. So I now have my first flat screen, where I can put you toob and stuff on and it's HD and all that.  I'm suitably impressed.

Try to have a similar thickness of new metal going in, the Acclaim is made of tinfoil so most of it's repairs were done in 0.8mm steel, aside from chassis legs which were in 1.2mm I think. Also rather than trying to run a weld just tack in alternating corners and slowly fill in the gaps. Gives the metal more time to cool and less chance of blowing holes.
If the metal isn't welding because it's rusted thin from the inside the best course of action is to just hack it out. It's easier to weld big square patches on to good steel than to try and weld tiny patches on to compromised steel, just a bit daunting to chop big chunks out of your car... Just think of it as doing next year's welding as well as this years...

Out and about in an ageing Volkswagen.