Post by grumpynorthener on Nov 2, 2021 22:10:27 GMT
Dressed the flange back then refitted the wing - fabricated new brackets to retain the panel to the D post
So I could true the repair & wing profile to match that of the door
Tacked the face of the repair to the wing
And adjusted the profile to suit
Top flange profile of the wing will require extensive work - its paper thin - yields no strength and is perforated in places
Wing removed and the repair completed & dressed back - only tack welded on the front face
But fully welded from the rear
Strengthening plate added to the top corner of the wing to retain the panel profile
Then advanced the flange edge repairs
I'll dress this area back in the morning but 75% of the flange section requires replacement
Its all slow going because of the cooling periods required to prevent heat distortion from the welding - the face of the repairs will be lead loaded where required once I make a start on the profiles - more tomorrow
WOW, words fail me. I would really hate to take on somebody crap job.
Yep - Me too but the most of the time you don't find these things out until you get stuck into them - I'm currently considering a 2 tier charge out rate - one for the straight forward restoration repairs and another higher rate for stuff like this which is much more complex / time consuming etc - its also very difficult to manage from a workshop schedule prospective where you first estimate a period of time for the work and has you work through the car it doubles / trebles in the amount of work required which in turn places all other work in the schedule back down the queue
Post by grumpynorthener on Nov 18, 2021 20:34:51 GMT
Completed the wing flange edge repairs
Bolt apertures recut
Its a slow progress job that can only be undertaken in sections at a time due the compound curvatures involved along with the fact that I'm in no rush to create yet more work for myself through heat distortion with the welding
The rear bottom of the wing has received several welded repairs from others
At each end of the repair the metal is thin & fractured
No surprise then with what I have found to date on the car that I don't trust what is under the paint & filler
Paint & filler removed
Whoever undertook the repairs had absolutely no ideas on how to use a panel hammer & dolly
No ideas on how to weld repairs in either
Its like a cullender - which would have allowed water ingress in behind the filler which in turn would have blistered up through the paint within a short period
Some of it will weld up but the blanking plate to the original rear lamp aperture would be better cut out and started again
Once I have the wing sorted I can turn my attention to the offside rear shroud which requires remedial works - I need to add a cage nut to this section
And resolve the issues with this rusty fracture which had been just filled over the top of More tomorrow
Post by grumpynorthener on Nov 19, 2021 20:57:48 GMT
On with sorting the lower skirt apron of the offside rear wing
Bottom edge completed
With a little more strength in the panel I could address the profile better and dress the dents out
Previous defective blanking repair to the rear lamp aperture was removed and replaced
Has I came to dress the repair in the surrounding metal where a repair had been attempted was so thin nothing could be done with it - I cut it out and let fresh steel in
It will all true up a little better with use of the hammer & dolly but the wing needs to be on the car to do this
Cleaned the paint & filler off the rear shroud to prepare it for repairs
Unsurprising the seam between the rear valance and the shroud had just been caked in filler - this needs stitching with weld has currently its just a water trap from the rear
No need to answer this but I suspect your original estimate to the owner for repairs has doubled by now.
Its really hard next to impossible to quote on stuff like this has it is any involved restoration - I can advise on guide / ball park prices but it doesn't do me any real favours - has I will only be requoted it by the client when the final invoice amount is known and quite occasionally the final invoice cost is always more than the guide / ball park price - I do appreciate that clients have budget's and don't have access to endless funds too - I log all hours to a spreadsheet - photograph everything & even save & label the defective metal / repairs that are cut out - I'm one of the open & honest types of the restoration trade - certainly not unique & any restorer with a decent reputation will operate on a similar basis - I can maintain costs to a lower end of the hourly charge scale has I retain lower overheads than most - Where I can I'll invoice clients monthly so they are aware of where they they stand - Its much easier with smaller works & insurance accident repairs - You can list the obvious and underwrite the estimate with a 'Subject to stripping / further inspection & testing of components' clause - The vast majority of owners are quite accepting of the above but a few think that they know better and to be frank they are welcome to go elsewhere at that point - I run the business from a passionate work satisfaction, interest & enjoyment standpoint & its great to work with likeminded vehicle owners - the money side of things is way down the scale / list - its pays it way & keeps me happy but it will never earn me a fortune - but that's just fine by me - I wouldn't have it any other way
Chris - A wonderful attitude in this day and age. A credit to you. As for the subject in hand, had you realised it's state right from the start, a body off/trip to Preston might have been a more cost effective option.
Chris - Do I detect from a comment about this car on a different thread that the owner has passed away, hence the project has stalled?
Yes - Not so much stalled but certainly on hold - Owner fell ill in November and sadly passed away shortly after - I'm attending the funeral on Tuesday - I don't want to trouble the family until it had taken place - more than likely the car will remain with me but I need to have a conversation first
Just read this from front to back, makes interesting reading, some of that welding is honestly frightening, smacks of somebody reading "How to Weld Bodywork" in 3 easy steps from a 1990 Practical Classics, reading and not understanding.... bodged a lot, but learnt on their way, taken so long they have forgotten the places where they needed to revisit to rectify, passed the bits over to "Spread it on Ted" type repair shop piecemeal and waited for the bits to return, but FAILED to grasp the importance of doing things in a ordered sequence........ I feel there are a awful lot of cars languishing in garages and workshops that have got to this stage and will never ever see the road, sometimes has to be left to the experts with years of knowledge and skill to do these Jobs, and do them correctly like Chris, obviously there are some talented amateurs that have the ability and aptitude to build some stunningly well built cars..... but there are many more who should have never been allowed near a tool of any type........................
Chris - Do I detect from a comment about this car on a different thread that the owner has passed away, hence the project has stalled?
Yes - Not so much stalled but certainly on hold - Owner fell ill in November and sadly passed away shortly after - I'm attending the funeral on Tuesday - I don't want to trouble the family until it had taken place - more than likely the car will remain with me but I need to have a conversation first
So sad. I do hope as bit of a legacy to the owner that the family see the work through to the end now but im sure there are a lot bigger things that they need to be dealing with!
More tomorrow 
