It is interesting to hear your thoughts about the door re-skim. As I think I have mentioned before, I had always thought that the problem, especially in my case, was due to the mis-alignment of either the replacement rear wing or the sills (or even badly pressed panels)which were fitted without taking the care to brace the door gap before removing the old sills. The problem only appears to start about half way along the door base and continues to the rear sill extension, giving exactly the same problem that you highlight. The near side is a much better fit, even though it got the same treatment. There have been several 'cures' that I have seen, the most 'popular' one being to split the sill about half way along under the tread plate (if fitted) and let in a fillet of steel gradually pushing out the back section of the sills and rear wing. Not for the faint-hearted and certainly not something I personally could undertake. Here is a link... forum.tssc.org.uk/topic/6985-gt6-mk3-sill-alignment/?tab=comments#comment-92232
I don't think its down to misalignment on previous repairs - more down to fact that they were never correct when the cars left the factory if you undertake the cut & opening up on the step plate that will misalign the stainless step plate which would be really odd fitted at a tapered angle
It would also carry a high risk of putting a kink in the sill doing it that way - I've got another idea - read on
Post by grumpynorthener on Oct 26, 2020 21:27:26 GMT
Floorpan welding in progress
Started to spotweld the inner sill section to the floorpan
And was doing ok
Then the spot welder started to play up
Normally behaves its self - great piece of kit and hard to come by now days (3 phase ones are plentiful but a single phase one with this output are rare)
The other end of it with the timer unit - everything checked out but kept tripping the RCD every time it was operated - called it a day but as I switched everything off in the workshop I realised what the problem was - I had the oil filled heater on - it draws 3.5Kw - my spot welder another 4Kw - that will be the problem then 9Kw drawing on the garage supply (by the time I had allowed for everything else in the workshop / lighting etc) - confirmed the following day - leave the rad switched off and the spot welder is very happy again
Post by grumpynorthener on Oct 27, 2020 8:45:59 GMT
Fully welded the seams on the floor pan (Yes I could have brushed seam sealer over the top of the spaced welds & refitted the carpet - nobody would have been none the wiser but its simply not how I work - I don't like things that keep me awake on a night and a short cut like this would)
Inner sill strengthening plate on its way in
Then the inner sill - note that is has no connection to the floor pan
Floor pan is temporary bolted to the chassis outrigger to maintain its correct location
And now the box section cross member can be welded insitu
Outer sill on for alignment checks / trail fitting
Then the door could be refitted (after some more adjustments / refitting / hinge adjustments / door catch adjustments / large hammer treatment)
And what's this then a door alignment with the sill and lower back wing
Yes despite my not to get involved / leave until the car returns for a proper paint job in a few years time / car is only here for recommissioning etc - I had to face up to the stark reality that I couldn't let it out of the workshop with the door miss-fitting like it did previously
So for all those that had already assumed that I wouldn't 'Well Done' you know me & my inner OCD status far too well
So how did I get there - tempting as it is to cut the broad section of the sill step and let the sill out to alignment (because the cut / weld is hidden under stainless steel tread plate - this would put the tread plate at a odd & obvious angle - it also carries a greater risk of creating a kink in the outer sill face - instead I opted for a cut on the top face edge of the sill and then to let a small section of steel in
Throughout the works on the nearside the A post has been quite problematic - it has started to show / reveal further elements of bodge in the hands of previous ownership including deep areas of filler over areas of structural weakness like the A post to windscreen pillar
Along with areas further down the A post - these have come to light as I sought further adjustment on the door hinges / door striker plates / locking mechanism etc - with the pillar having suffered from a good dose of rust ingress over the years due to water running down the internal faces from a leaking windscreen - its all correctable but it just adds a further dimension along with the time factor to the repairs required
Continuing onwards though - rear wing repair section now welded in - we are nearly up to date on the progress front but not quite - more to follow later
Im sure none of us thought you would possibly let it leave the workshop without sorting the door problem! nice job
With regard to anything using a 13A 3 pin plug they really do not like heavy loads for any period of time, the pins get warm then you get a bad connection, the connection resistance goes up which means it draws more amps compounding the problem
Have you got any of the blue industrial style 16A plugs & sockets in the workshop?
Im sure none of thought you would possibly let it leave the workshop without sorting the door problem! nice job
With regard to anything using a 13A 3 pin plug they really do not like heavy loads for any period of time, the pins get warm then you get a bad connection, the connection resistance goes up which means it draws more amps compounding the problem
Have you got any of the blue industrial style 16A plugs & sockets in the workshop?
Yes - The MIG / Spot Welder & Oil filled rad are all on 16 amp industrial type sockets - I need another visit by johnthesparky to extend the 16amp ring in the workshop though (along with fitting a new CCTV system in order to comply with my insurers latest requirements - I have until the next renewal to get it done but our travelling friends are getting hungry and our nice & quiet neighbourhood has already seen some recent close encounters)
This is very reminiscent of my current project - looks bad when you start, and gets progressively worse as you dig in, and largely because someone has messed around with it before. I am still jealous of the speed at which you are able to get things done and, in this particular case, the availability of panels that actually seem to fit.
This is very reminiscent of my current project - looks bad when you start, and gets progressively worse as you dig in, and largely because someone has messed around with it before. I am still jealous of the speed at which you are able to get things done and, in this particular case, the availability of panels that actually seem to fit.
To be fair its a sort of full time occupation and I can access the workshop and get stuck in when I want - there's always other things / distractions with the business that can chip away at the hours though - last few days have only been 4 hour days due to running around and attending to other things but normally I can get 6 - 8 hours a day in - repair panels on this one have been very good but don't take into account the poor fit of the doors - I had to laugh last night when I watched the latest episode of 'Bangers & Cash' when Derek went through a virtually mint early Spitfire and explained that he judged the recent restoration was of a very high quality because the doors open / closed & fitted perfectly stating that doors don't fit like that on any standard Spitfire
Post by grumpynorthener on Oct 30, 2020 10:13:29 GMT
Fabricated / welded repairs to the front bulkhead return
Then to the side return on the heelboard
Floorpan trimmed in & temporally secured for trial fitting
Retained to the chassis outrigger
Center sill strengthener & inner sill trail fitted
Then the outer sill
Complete with forward closing panel
Door refitted
Bonnet checked & adjusted to level up the horizontal gapping on either side - aperture gapping between the door & bonnet allows for clearance
After some adjustment the forward gapping / alignment between the door & sill are ok
But the rear will require the same treatment with the sill being cut & let out / rewelded & dressed in order to match the alignment with the door
Aperture gapping between the rear of the door & the rear wing is not has profound as the nearside but will still require some work to correct
I have new hinges on order for the door - these are badly worn and are allowing the door to sag - I want to check the alignment with the new hinges fitted before I commence welding
Floor cross member fitted to complete the trail fitting of all the new panels
Whilst trail fitting the floorpan I spotted this novel reuse of a inlet valve which had been trimmed on the valve head then reused to act as the pivot for the clutch fork arm!
Post by grumpynorthener on Oct 30, 2020 22:36:27 GMT
So whilst waiting for the door hinges I cracked on with other jobs
Profiling the nearside repairs whilst the door is off - allow for access
Now ready for the door refitting then I can check the alignment profiles
Anti roll bar requires removal to allow for chassis mounting repairs
Need to clean back the previous poor repairs first
Both mounts require work
Completed & primed to allow the anti roll bar to be refitted
Hinges then turned up
Door fit rechecked
Tight against the windscreen pillar
And the rear wing but not has bad as the nearside was
Lower rear wing repair panel trial fitted - still requires some adjustment - I can now remove the repair panels and prepare them for fully welding back into the car (tomorrows job)
Mean while some of the oily bits can be stripped off
I will referb the radiator whilst its off the car
That's everything that is getting replaced off the front of the car - plus it allows better access to the front of the car / chassis etc for getting them cleaned up - the chassis shall be treated to new Dinitrol rust proofing
Construction primer applied to the bare metal areas on the nearside that will be seam sealed - more tomorrow
Looking great Chris. I keep going into the garage, looking at mine and thinking "why am I bothering"!! Keep it up, this is turning into a modern Spitfire restoration 'bible'.
Chris - Please tell us it needs new carpets!!! The perfect thing for the re-trim thread (no pun intented). I really need some new carpets (to hide my 'restoration' work), and need Sharon's tutorial when she gets home, assuming that Boris will let her back into the country before Christmas.
