Land rover chassis fixing in progress

[jakebullet]

So after many years of doing bugger all I've finally got round to starting it.

 

The gearbox crossmember is shot to shit, so I bought a new one. And converted it to bolt on:

 

I'm pretending to be professional and added anti crush tubes for the bolts:

 

The next stage was to simply remove the seatbox, floor, petrol tank & everything connected to the gearbox. This may have taken some time and involved the invention of new swears.

 

The plan is to cut off the end of the existing crossmember, leaving it attached by the weld that on the inside face of the chassis, while I prep the bottom face for the new bolt on version.

 

Snag #1: not a lot of metal left holding it on:

 

Never mind, put a jack under it and start cutting.

 

Snags 2 & 3: bottom of chassis where the crossmember was is rotten, and the outside side isn't too clever. Er, forgot to get a photo of this bit. Have a photo with nice new steel added instead:

 

 

I know as an autoshitter I should be using the side off a fridge, but it's actually brand new 3mm plate from metal supermarket. Please forgive me. Welds are ugly, but strong.

 

Swap to the driver's side. Cut the end off:

 

Initial prod with screwdriver show this side to be better. I'm also removing the handbrake pivot bracket as some muppet has welded it on in the the wrong place, and then beaten it to death with a hammer to get it in the right place. 2 Grinding disks later:

 

 

Holes will have to be fixed next time as I'd had enough face full of sparks for one day. Apart from the holes it's solid, but quite wibbly. I think a mot man testing with a lump hammer to blame. So I'll plate over the lot so I've got something flat & strong for the new crossmember to weld to.

[HillmanImp]

Presume that was a stick welder? That's how they are meant to look with one of them IMO. Good thick welds. Its looking good.

[John F]

 

A departure from the established "white mocassins" theme, I see!

 

Good effort so far... I'm hoping to start a body-off rebuild of my S2a later in the year, I know it needs at least a couple of outriggers.

[jakebullet]

It's actually mig, but turned up to max (130 amp). I like to put plenty on when it's land rover chassis. May grind it down a bit to pretty it up.

[HillmanImp]

It's actually mig, but turned up to max (130 amp). I like to put plenty on when it's land rover chassis. May grind it down a bit to pretty it up.

 

Even though the blurb says that it can, I have real trouble with my MIG even on full to penentrate on metal that thick. Hence I use a stick welder for chassis work. I think it looked very neat.

[jakebullet]

I finally found time to do a bit more welding / can of worms finding.

 

Plated the bottom of the drivers side chassis rail:

 

'Joined the dots' to avoid putting in even more distortion:

 

Now I've got two solid & flat bottom faces on the chassis I dug out the engine crane, supported the gearbox and cut the remains of the gearbox crossmember off:

 

Spot the difference between crossmembers:

 

 

I welded on the brackets for the new removable crossmember, and then hooked the gearbox out so I can tackle the can of worms.

 

flap disked most of the crap off. It doesn't look mega bad on a quick glance, and is mostly solid:

 

But.. stupid previous owner tricks.

 

Why weld the bit of plate that you can't see?

 

Why bother cutting another chunk of plate when you can use 5kg of mig wire instead:

 

Wibbles:

 

 

I think I'm going to grind back the worst bits / flatten the hills / stick a big plate full length over it.

 

Er, I realise this doesn't fall into the epic save category that we all like reading about. It's more a case that by pretending it's interesting & sticking pics on here I motivate myself into actually doing something. Otherwise it'll be stuck in my shed for another 10 years. Thank you for your understanding.

[jakebullet]

I has more hard to tell what's going on photos !

 

After filling in holes and mostly flattening the hills:

 

Next plan, stick a big plate over the side to hide the lot. Aka, why plasma cutters rock!

 

Step 1: Make cardboard template:

 

Step 2: Glue it to plate and cut round with the plasma:

 

Step 3: Realise the schoolboy error:

 

Forgot to trim the pattern down a bit to allow for plasma cutting

But it's easy enough to burn a bit more off, followed by a quick tickle with the grinder.

 

Voila! Lots neater and should outlast the rest of the chassis:

 

It still needs the bottom edge doing, and I'll probably grind some of the weld off and redo it 'cos it's crap. I overheated the mig and whilst it never trips out the weld quality goes downhill rapidly.

 

Next stage of fixing is more scary. Remove this moderately good series 3 bulkhead:

 

Replace with this shonky series 2 bulkhead:

 

Well, after fixing it.

 

I'm not sure if I own a series 3 with a series 2a vin tag stuck on it (evidence for: series 3 bulkhead / gearbox /isn't diesel (271 chassis number so was originally)), or if it's a 2a grand father's hammer (evidence for: has been plate raped / is generally knackered / 5 different triplex glass date codes / obvious roof doesn't belong to sides etc), but either way I want it to look like a 2a to the untrained eye from at least 10 yards.

 

I'll be keeping the 'wrong' bits that I like (military no rust ali door tops), or where it makes sense to do so (series 3 gearbox - I have 2 spare 3's boxes, and no spare 2's). Plus it's fun to wind up rivet counters by having wrong bits. I think old land rovers look better for having lived / evolved rather than shinier than when they left the factory.

[scruff]

Damn right. My old 2a was a right bitsa but I didn't give a toss.

[jakebullet]

I was bored of welding so took the handbrake drum off. As usual on series land rovers everything was swimming in oil, the adjuster & handbrake expander mostly seized.

 

Lots of fun in the parts washer cleaning everything up. I then decided the brake back plate would make a good test subject for powder coating something that was old & rusty 'cos I've only done new stuff up to now. I derusted it with angry grinder powered wire brush, and then coated it:

 

 

Not a bad result. But the bits where I'd not got all the rust reacted a bit:

 

 

Not bad enough to be a problem. I'll know to take more care next time.

 

Put it back together again with a new seal and new shoes:

 

It will probably be leaking within 5 miles.

 

Today I started back on the welding. Found another 1mm plate that was only half welded on. This time between the chassis rail & the cross member that goes under the engine. I attacked it with the air chisel and it soon fell off to reveal the latest horror:

 

 

The side of the chassis rail doesn't exist behind the cross member. The cross member is also generally knackered. How anyone could see a giant hole like that and think I'll hide it with a bit of tin it'll be right I don't know...

 

I cut the top & knackered side off the cross member, and then cut the main rail back to good metal:

 

Then weld a chunk of 3mm in flush in the big hole.

 

I'm not sure if I want to stick a big plate over the full side as it's a bit bendy, and more strength is always good. Then all I need to do is repair the cross member properly. But I may need to get more gas first as it's getting quite low. I'm starting it think what it's cost in gas and wire I'd have half bought a new chassis by now

[rml2345]

At least it looks a lot better now... Top work fixing the original!