Post by toomanyprojects on Nov 7, 2023 14:39:13 GMT
So what started as a tidy and a vacuum of all rubbish lying about
turned into something a bit more productive that I should probably have done weeks ago, funny how these things just 'happen'.
After staring at it and staring at it, I couldn't answer my own question of 'why have I not put that together yet?' Which either means I've forgotten and I'm going to regret it in future , or there was no real excuse.
So assuming the latter I pulled the welder out and got busy tacking things together
Inner edge was fine, however the outer edge was ever so slightly proud of the next piece that I'd made up which was always likely to be the case.
A quick run along the edge with the flap disc to make sure the profiles matched and all was good
Now the basic 'frame' was solid enough, I could then remove the bottom piece for the final embellishments / strengtheners to match what was there originally.
Along with a couple of drain holes
So there we go, not much to show, but enough achieved to once again spark the motivation to get in there and carry on once more now the eves are dark.
Post by toomanyprojects on Nov 14, 2023 16:57:08 GMT
Two updates in a week?! oh yes, you may well need to take a seat... even more so when you hear that in order to go forwards, I needed to go backwards, again. Bear with me and I'll explain.
So we started with this
Yes, you may notice that the clecos have all but disappeared (there were a couple of strategic panel clamps out of shot).
oh and you may remember my previous prediction "...I couldn't answer my own question of 'why have I not put that together yet?' Which either means I've forgotten and I'm going to regret it in future..."
Well I didn't regret it per se, but it did need to come off again
This was for several reasons. Firstly, it meant I could deal with the surface rust
Secondly, I could get easier access to a previously made repair panel
which was helpfully hiding this little lot
that I still need to carefully cut out at some point.
In the interim however, the repair piece was cleaned up and painted
It also meant I could get easier access for working out how I'm going to sort this lot
Which after a bit of thinking, yup you guessed it, resulted in yet more metal coming off
and a bit of a cleanup
While the repair panel was drying, I also decided to turn my attention to the inner wing that was still taunting me
Now this is where discussions at the NEC on Friday would come in handy. Those that you who have visited before might be familiar with Gilbert Michelson who run restoration theatre demonstrations.
Having failed miserably to reproduce an effective buck, I chatted through my conundrum with them and a revised approach was come up with, including a couple of tips for using tools that I had lying about already... albeit with some slight modifications
first though I had to secure the new piece which I had pre-formed to the various curves using my shrinker/stretcher
Using a slowly, slowly approach, things started to take shape
albeit with the occasional use of the BFH
Not pretty but strangely effective
Once shaped, I could remove the new panel for some tidying
and cut out the offending item
Feels like another hurdle overcome, so I celebrated in true teaboy style
So yet more metal cut out as opposed to being added, but we're going in the right direction once more.. I think...
Looks much better. Was the original panel strong enough to let you hammer form into it without it bouncing about or did you have to support the underside with a block of wood on a trolley jack or similar?
Looks much better. Was the original panel strong enough to let you hammer form into it without it bouncing about or did you have to support the underside with a block of wood on a trolley jack or similar?
Thankfully it was strong enough, I did have a support underneath just in case but I think the curve of the original panel, not to mention the prior amount of weld added in a previous life, helped somewhat!
Post by grumpynorthener on Nov 15, 2023 11:45:20 GMT
I'm surprised that seeking advise from the pro's that the use of heat wasn't mentioned - this can make certainly help make the steel much more malleable and easier to form - then again it can very much work against you in the form of distortion of the rest of the panel - Ideally localised heat in the area that you are forming but it takes some practice and you can spend as much time correcting the distortion as you spend forming the required shape - worth experimenting with if you are still struggling but you now have a basic shape and some work with a hammer / dolly / former with the repair section off the car should get you somewhere close to where you need to be - final shaping can always be completed once the panel is welded insitu
I'm surprised that seeking advise from the pro's that the use of heat wasn't mentioned - this can make certainly help make the steel much more malleable and easier to form - then again it can very much work against you in the form of distortion of the rest of the panel - Ideally localised heat in the area that you are forming but it takes some practice and you can spend as much time correcting the distortion as you spend forming the required shape - worth experimenting with if you are still struggling but you now have a basic shape and some work with a hammer / dolly / former with the repair section off the car should get you somewhere close to where you need to be - final shaping can always be completed once the panel is welded insitu
Funny you say that, I have experimented with using heat previously in several spots
However it made the metal go 'tinny', hard to explain but it just didn't sound or feel right, may be the zintec sheet I was using, but either way effort number three got shelved at the time
Be careful with hitting chisels the wrong way round with a hammer as they can shatter. The side you normally talk to with a hammer is annealed so it’s not as hard as the cutting side. When you use them the wrong way round, hard hammer vs hard steel arent the best of bedfellows.
Be careful with hitting chisels the wrong way round with a hammer as they can shatter. The side you normally talk to with a hammer is annealed so it’s not as hard as the cutting side. When you use them the wrong way round, hard hammer vs hard steel arent the best of bedfellows.
Good to know... now. Job done for time being, no injuries sustained to me or the chisel 🤣🤣🤣
Unfortunately, taking the head off would have rendered it less effective as it was the perfect width, but it might just have to stay in the workshop now it's been blunted rather than go back to the paving section of tools.
Post by toomanyprojects on Dec 5, 2023 16:23:26 GMT
So more progress on the front of the Celica... or more progress on the Celica front... you decide which.
New panel repair tacked in place
I then needed to deal with the slightly bent mess that was the front part of the original inner wing, you can just see it in the original section above to the right of the picture.
After making a new panel, it was time to get rid
and fit the new section in place
before having a good tidy of the previous welds
Asides a minor distraction in the form of a new windscreen to one of the daily fleet, which involved wasting time by starting some of the xmas shopping for the nephews and nieces - my idea of hell
It was back to welding and tidying later in the weekend
which while I was really happy with the end result, the more I looked at the top rail panel, the more I wasn't happy with the gapping to that (bit of an optical illusion but the new piece isn't holding it up).
Yup, you guessed it, I decided to cut the spot welds and remake it..
So we're back to here once more
Which is probably not a bad thing as there is more thin stuff to deal with yet
Post by toomanyprojects on Dec 6, 2023 12:18:07 GMT
Some more time spent making repair pieces yesterday eve.
Starting with the top rail side
and test fitting in place after copying over the positioning holes for the cleco pins
I could then markup where I purposely left overlap, ready to trim it down a little more. Annoyingly there are two captive nuts, which if removed, would give me a straighter edge. however they are a useful reference point so am trying to keep in situ
then onto a couple of the other fiddly sections needing replacement on the tower, first the right side
Underneath, where things were a little thin and had become perforated
and the other side as well, which involved a bit of stretching to mirror the curves
which gave me this little lot
last job was the small piece hidden under the rail
Will work my way round removing the rotten bits and welding all those on when I next get chance. It's then time for a good clean up and onto the bulkhead and the final rail repair piece. Slowly, slowly...
Post by toomanyprojects on Dec 13, 2023 12:14:35 GMT
Back to my happy place on sunday afternoon for some more fiddly bits
Less of the making this time around however, and more of the replacing with the hot stick. For that to happen some surgery was required
Before gradual replacement of the offending items
Slowly, slowly things started to take shape
including all the awkward bits in the almost inaccessible places
Quick tidy and all was looking a lot more solid
Onto that fun bit on the bulkhead then
Given its location and me not wanting to disturb any more of the surrounding area than I needed to, I went for a careful dissection approach, especially as the repair piece I'd already made full size and could be cut down if needed.
Happy with that, as it also meant I could get at the holes behind in another section that I was scratching my head over
As suspected, the issue is a result of the many strengthening plates dotted about this shell and rust getting in between
After some separation surgery
The offending item could be cleaned and treated ready for marrying up to its new partner
While that was drying I had a bit of a tidy of its new home
and protected some of the areas that were now bare metal
I'd call that a successful afternoon's work, so I celebrated accordingly with a visit to the shelf of happiness
