Invalid carriage blue Mk1 Cavalier

[4wheeledstool]

Kicked off a short session today by removing the steering column from the bulkhead. It's held to the bulkhead with a shear bolt - the easiest way to remove it was to cut a slot in the head and wind it out with a comedy massive screwdriver.

 

 

Nothing in the way of painting the engine bay now. (Apart from the weather!)

 

Finished up with a bit more grot chopping - this time it's the offside A pillar. I'll cut it back a bit higher before a repair piece is knocked up, I just ran out of time.

 

[4wheeledstool]

A fair bit was achieved today, both rear arches/sill ends/inner arches have been repaired. The only picture I took was of the drivers side just after the grot was cut out.

 

 

I'll take some more when I go back to dress the welds over the weekend.

[4wheeledstool]

Driver's side ground back

 

 

 

 

Same with the passenger side

 

 

 

 

A-pillar and offside swan neck still to do, but back end done.

[danthecapriman]

Excellent progress. Metal work and welding looks really good.

[4wheeledstool]

  On 16/01/2016 at 19:06, danthecapriman said:

Excellent progress. Metal work and welding looks really good.

Cheers! It's very reasonable, it'll do for me. If I'd done it myself, it would look very different!

 

I spotted a couple of bits that the main welder bloke missed, but I'm pretty pleased with whats done so far. The missed bits can always be addressed next time. Today I removed the back doors, and stripped out the locking mechanisms and check straps. It's far too cold to stay all day - so I didn't!

 

[4wheeledstool]

My polyurethane bushes arrived today, I just hope they're easier to fit than the old ones were to remove.

 

 

I have a funny feeling that new swear words will be created.

[michael1703]

Boiling hot water and a flypress, if you can't borrow a flypress, do them in the vice but wear a crash helmet

[4wheeledstool]

I have access to a bearing press, so fingers crossed it won't be a pain in the cock!

[agw9262]

Could always give this a try http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/impp-1105-diy-bushing-removal-and-replacement/

[4wheeledstool]

  On 18/01/2016 at 21:56, agw9262 said:

Could always give this a try http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/impp-1105-diy-bushing-removal-and-replacement/

Cheers!That would work on some of them, but the lower wishbone ones are definitely gonna need the press!

 

Rear axle was painted this evening at work - its 23 degrees all year round there.

 

 

Pretty awkward to carry about indoors, but worth it to avoid waiting for warmer weather!

[4wheeledstool]

Weldage now complete! I don't have many pictures at the moment, but this will be remedied over the weekend. Here's one for the time being -

 

[4wheeledstool]

Pox in offside chassis rail now gone -

 

 

 

Piece of new metal let into the bottom of offside a-pillar -

 

 

The missed bits from the last session were sorted out too.

[4wheeledstool]

The new suspension bushes were fitted today, seemingly only doable with three hands, a vice, and a bearing press! I just couldn't do it on my own, so Sam and Liam from neighbouring units supplied the extra hand required - and it was a piece of piss!

 

Panhard rod

 

 

Rear trailing arms

 

 

Cross member braces

 

 

Upper wishbones

 

 

Bottom arms

 

 

Rear ARB

 

 

Sadly , no new swear words were created.

[michael1703]

That por15 is going on nicely

[4wheeledstool]

  On 23/01/2016 at 16:39, michael1703 said:

That por15 is going on nicely

Indeed - Hopefully I'll be switching to grey soon, and doing the bare metalled shell bits now that the weldings done.

[4wheeledstool]

Back to the noisy stuff today - didn't have much time, but managed to clean the paint and sealant off the nearside sill.

 

 

I must be ill or something - I quite enjoyed it!

[4wheeledstool]

Most of my available time today was frittered away gassing, when a bloke from a neighbouring unit rocked up in his Polo GT. I did get the other sill done though!

 

 

Hopefully back to painting things black tomorrow.

[4wheeledstool]

Cleaned back the front floor sections as far as the jacking points earlier -

 

 

 

Painting stuff black in the kitchen at the present time.

[4wheeledstool]

Rear axle now ready to re fit (One day!) now that the brake lines and brackets are back on.

 

 

A bit more paint removal done too - this time it was the bottoms of the rear quarters.

 

 

Hopefully I'll be preparing some of this bare metal for paint soon.....

[4wheeledstool]

Finally got some bare metal painted earlier, just the rear wheel tubs, sills and rear quarter bottoms though.

 

 

 

These pics are after the first coat - after two more coats, I just wanted to go to bed.

[4wheeledstool]

This week I'm mostly preparing the engine bay for some of the grey stuff. It's fairly tedious stuff - certainly not photogenic - so here's a pic of the other rear wheel tub, painted on Sunday.

 

[4wheeledstool]

A bit more paint went on today - you can't beat a bit of progress!

 

This first pic shows the engine bay after the zinc phosphate treatment a couple of days ago. There's still wet patches from rinsing it off with water, but you can see the milky finish the metal thats been treated has.

 

 

I went into work early this morning so that I could finish early, and got stuck into it before it became too cold.

 

 

 

 

 

Once seam sealer is applied and its flatted back, it's ready to prime and paint. (Obviously I need to do the rest first!)

[purplebargeken]

Is that brushed on or ??

 

Bloody brilliant finish!

[vulgalour]

I'm so relieved you found some rust, it was all starting to feel a bit unreal.

[Captain Mainwaring]

I'm really excited to see how this baby is gonna turn out.

I keep looking at the first page to remind myself of what it used to look like.

Really glad you're doing it to get proper use out of it rather than flog it on eBay as well. Hats off to you, sir!

[4wheeledstool]

  On 05/02/2016 at 23:24, purplebargeken said:

Is that brushed on or ??

 

Bloody brilliant finish!

 

Cheers! It is indeed brushed on.

 

  On 05/02/2016 at 23:55, vulgalour said:

I'm so relieved you found some rust, it was all starting to feel a bit unreal.

There was always going to be some rust, I consider myself extremely lucky that it was such a piffling amount on a car this age!

 

  On 06/02/2016 at 01:47, Captain Mainwaring said:

I'm really excited to see how this baby is gonna turn out.

I keep looking at the first page to remind myself of what it used to look like.

Really glad you're doing it to get proper use out of it rather than flog it on eBay as well. Hats off to you, sir!

Cheers! I could be going all out concours with it, but life's too short. I'd also be reluctant to use it if it was show queen standard!

 

Today saw the offside inner wing/A pillar/chassis rail painted. Prep for this was done yesterday, and dried off using a space heater.

 

 

Paint was applied carefully to avoid runs (which isn't easy with this stuff as its very runny) but to ensure enough goes on so that the brush marks disappear.

 

 

 

 

 

It looked a bit translucent after just one coat, so the pics were taken after the second. The space heater ran out of gas, so I need to sort that out before any more progress with paint happens.

[tooSavvy]

I did ask earlier......

 

Was this shell 'knocked up' with clamping jigs/manual spot welders = like in the Manta U-toob we have linked here??

 

TS

[4wheeledstool]

  On 07/02/2016 at 19:21, tooSavvy said:

I did ask earlier......

Was this shell 'knocked up' with clamping jigs/manual spot welders = like in the Manta U-toob we have linked here??TS

I've no idea chief - the only thing I know about its manufacture is that it happened in Antwerp in 1976. It does have a slightly "hand built" look to it with the seam sealer removed!

[lisbon_road]

Looks good.  What sort of paint is the grey stuff please?

 

(I think that the Mantas were made on a simpler assembly line as they were making so few after main production of the Ascona/Cavaliers had finished.  Seems a fair bet that when they were making loads, like this one, they had the full production equipment).  And they weren't bad cars as I remember them, usual cliche about how few are left..........

[4wheeledstool]

Cheers! Grey stuff is POR15.