Kit's fresh Fords and Swedes

[KitKat]

I knew it needed welding on the rear chassis section in the wheel arches and the rear shock mounts too. This was always going to be a sod to repair, and a job I was dreading. I stripped the interior, fuel tank and axle in readiness for what lay ahead.  

And again, got prodding

FFS

Decided to just cut the whole sodding section out and make another one. Thought it would be easier than spending my Spring under the wheel arch patching.

Had to also replace the inner tub behind it too!!! Makes you wonder how rusty other 900’s are under the carpets….

Can't argue with “Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner arch / chassis area corroded and holed (5.3.6 (a) (i))” 🤣

[junkyarddog]

Fantastic piece of fabrication,Nearly a shame to weld it in!!🤣

[Snake Charmer]

I had a read through from the start, great fabrication. 😉

[KitKat]

Few more pictures (struggling to get images to post upright!!) 

[KitKat]

 

[KitKat]

Got the axle blasted and POR-15’ed whilst it was removed

Spot of rust needed sorting on one arm before paint

Made these bushes for the rear ARB, and also made some stainless tank straps (if anyone’s interested I can make more of either 😉)

 

[KitKat]

Relocated the battery to the boot. The stock location is about the only part of these car’s otherwise fantastic design that I dislike. It gets hot near the turbo and I want to make or buy a 3” elbow in the near future too. Made a nifty battery tray for a small glass mat battery which could go under the boot floor hatch beside the spare wheel. 

(soon discovered the CCA wasn’t cutting the mustard so sent it back and hacked the tray up to fit a conventional lead acid one)

 

Although not shown, the main cable has a fusable link and master kill switch fitted.

 

[KitKat]

Going back together. I sealed the arches in stonechip, and fitted news discs, pads, calipers and hoses all round

Might still change the springs, so that's why they weren't blasted with the rest of the axle

[KitKat]

And finally, MOT came yesterday, which it passed, needing only one bulb replacing.

[Snake Charmer]

All that work only to miss a bulb, nice to know I'm not alone! 👍

[Datsuncog]

Nice going!

That's a fantastic fleet, and some top-notch fabrication skillz on display too.

Hopefully the Saab will reward you with some trouble-free summer wafting, and let you get on with some more Falconry...

[barrett]

I got all the way to the MoT photo before realising this wasn't the Falcon you were working on...

[PhilA]

Funny to look at the construction of the Falcon- it's almost a complete clone of my Fury in the way the panels are joined.

I've got most of the work you've done ahead of me, with exception of crash damage. 

People ask how it got so bad as a Californian car- nope, that's good. Wet states they dissolved entirely. California isn't all a completely dry place, up north it rains quite a lot.

Excellent work!

Phil

[captain_70s]

29 minutes ago, PhilA said:

People ask how it got so bad as a Californian car- nope, that's good. Wet states they dissolved entirely.

There is a common misconception that Yank stuff is more resilient and built to a higher standard than 60s/70s Euro stuff.

In reality they were just built heavier due to fewer constraints on size and price. There is a reason the US market had a thriving industry built around filling and blowing over 3-5 year old cars... Zero rust proofing, high speed construction and tooling designed to last 5 years doesn't bring longevity...

[Sunny Jim]

Fantastic work, thanks for sharing your pictures. Congratulations on the MOT pass.

[PhilA]

19 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

There is a common misconception that Yank stuff is more resilient and built to a higher standard than 60s/70s Euro stuff.

In reality they were just built heavier due to fewer constraints on size and price. There is a reason the US market had a thriving industry built around filling and blowing over 3-5 year old cars... Zero rust proofing, high speed construction and tooling designed to last 5 years doesn't bring longevity...

True, and if it wasn't visible to the punter, it wasn't painted.

Also on the "built heavier" front, during the mid sixties that wasn't the case- for its size, the Falcon (and my Fury) are remarkably lightweight cars.

[KitKat]

1 hour ago, barrett said:

I got all the way to the MoT photo before realising this wasn't the Falcon you were working on...

Sorry sorry sorry sorry @barrett    Title amended!!

In other news, I sold the Clio 182. I just didn't gel with it. Maybe it was too new and shouty for me, maybe I'm too sedate a driver, dunno . It just didn't suit me. I never really explored it's cited "5k rpm kick" and great handling virtues, simply because that's not how I drive.  It just stressed me out, the boot was too small, it was too noisy, had a hard ride, and I was always anxious I'd turn the key and some light would appear I haven't the ability, interest or money to fix. 

I won't say they're overrated, but it certainly reinstated by love for older cars.  It was no 205 XS, that's for sure 🙂

So I now have another Volvo 940 and feel much better

[CaptainBoom]

I recongnise a lot of those areas on the 900.  Mine has gone in more or less the same places.  Some excellent fabrication there, really top notch stuff! 

 

[KitKat]

Thanks for the kind comments peeps. Admittedly I wasn’t quite as tidy in my repairs on this as I am on the Falcon; bit more of a time factor involved. But nonetheless I’m pretty pleased with the results. 

Volvo pics

Incidentally, the reg number makes it @marm ‘s old 940’s twin 🙂

[Cord Fourteener]

Some great cars, epic fixerating, I love that you've got a Saab 900 and a 940 estate. And a big land yacht and an AX. Dream Fleet right there!