Vive le rust porn

[renaultvation]

Inspired by the sterling work of Scott on Pia and Chris on The Colonel, I have been inspired to get down to the workshop and start work on the second half of the car (nearside).

Starting at the A pillar I noticed some filler at the top. First job was to remove the windscreen, then the filler. This is what I found:

The closing panel at the top of the A pillar is not connected to anything, so off it came and the leading edge of the A pillar is the wrong profile, so away that came where it joins the inner wing. I also removed the new inner wing which had been welded over the rusty original.

Fortunately, I have another car which, although rusty, has never been welded and is a useful reference for making new panels.

By the way, the bodywork of this car has previously been "professionally" restored! [:0][V]

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[Panky]

Crikey, them Renaults rust well[xx(]

Summer's nearly done

 

[Comm-Up-Ear]

Dem french peeps are as good as us britz wen it cums ta car bildin[:0] good to see you getting stuck in Chris

Naku penda PIA Naku taka PIA Mpenziwe!!!

 

[commeracer]

That,s shocking from a "pro" [:0]. He obviously didn,t care about the person that might be driving it [V] what would happen in a crash/roll [xx(]

"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"

 

[renaultvation]

The nearside is a lot worse than the offside. Do you reckon that's because of the camber of the road causing all the muck and salt to drain to the edge where it gets kicked up by the nearside wheel?

This is the weakest spot on these cars, together with the forward edge of the rear wheelarch, but other areas such as the suspension turrets, chassis rails and floorpan are perfect.

The whole job would have have been a lot simpler if the car had not restored previously!

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[commeracer]

As you say Chris, N/S generally gets more abuse [B)]
But that is just criminal, and very dangerous [V]

"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"

 

[commerchris]

Glad Scott & I inspired you but to find that on a previously fully restored car I would be livid & it would be time to name & shame them [V]

Commer Dandy by Dandy Caravans
The Colonel Mustard

 

[renaultvation]

I bought it from a bloke in Yorkshire who had sent it away for the work to be done. It came back to him with a fresh coat of paint. It then sat in his garage waiting for reassembly until he had to move house and sell the car. I have no idea who is responsible for the work.

When I viewed it, I knew that I was not happy with the work that had been done, but thought I might get away with a bit of tidying. Nothing else has been as bad as this, but I was still not happy with it, so undid it and started again.

I know I should have walked away, but I think we are all guilty of rose tinted specs at times. A bit like Commers, there are few to choose from. There are probably less than 30 R17's left and of those the Phase 1 is rarer and of the Phase 1's the TS (with fuel injection and disc brakes all round) is the rarest with probably fewer than half a dozen. This is the earliest survivor and I have 2 of them.

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[renaultvation]

Well I've now removed much of the previous restoration and exposed the inner face of the A pillar and removed the cover cill. The results can be seen below:

That's the ecu for the fuel injection vivible on the right!

Front of cill needs repair, but the rear......

...is remarkably sound

This is the remains of the A pillar with the new metal welded onto the rusty original. I need to salvage as much of the original to make a sound replacement.

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[Enigma]

Must almost be ready for an MOT by now Chris??

''COMMER'EnSayThat''

 

[renaultvation]

Would be, but I've run out of wax!

Seriously though, I've not had a chance to get much more done and won't for a couple of weeks. I have heard from a guy in Somerset who has a shell that may have a sound pillar that could be cut out next time I am passing!

In the meantime I have plenty to get on with, fabricating a new inner wing and localised repairs to the cill.

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[renaultvation]

After months of inactivity, I made it to the workshop today and work has started on repairing the inner wing. The A post from Somerset never materialised as the guy discovered his car has similar problems to mine, so he needs it himself. He did offer to lend it to me to copy, but I will use the rusty, but original one on my spare car to copy. Fortunately, although a bit frilly, my spare car has never seen a welder and still has all original dimensions and reference points.
Don't know when I will next get to the workshop as I find there are so many other priorities which get in the way. It also doesn't help that the workshop is the other side of town.

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[paulcloke]

it'll get there in the end mate. at least you can make panels lol, i got loads to learn

 

[Enigma]

Have you managed to get to the other side of town lately Chris?

''COMMER'EnSayThat''

 

[Lulu]

You say that your car, supposedly had been professionally restored. When I bought Lulu she was supposed to have only a little rust on the back door, and the engine was supposed to have been professionally machined but not rebuilt and I fell for it hook line and sinker, as she is having to be completely restored by Mr M. As Del boy would have said about me "what a plonker" and he would have been right. I still have the ebay advert for Lulu on the computer and I will try to put it on here one day. Right it's friday the 13th and I haven't taken the dogs out for a wee yet.

 

[renaultvation]

[pre]Enigma Posted - 12 Jul 2012 : 23:37:29
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have you managed to get to the other side of town lately Chris?

''COMMER'EnSayThat''



[/pre]

Been once or twice: I have made some repairs to the inner wing and have started work on fabricating the A pillar. So far, so good, but it could all go horribly wrong yet. I am trying to make the pillar with as few joins in it as necessary to maintain its structural integrity as much as possible. It's not that I don't trust my own welding, but in a structural member like this I would like to keep it as close to the original structure as possible. It can't be any worse than what was there before.

The big question is, should I use galvanised or non-galvanised chicken wire and should I use a quality broadsheet, or will a tabloid do?

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[commeracer]

Galv will last way too long Chris. I would say use a copy of the Sun, but that,s got very little integrity

"You,re only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"

 

[JonnyCommer]

Haha maybe the Daily Mail would do as its so adverse to change

 

[renaultvation]

Well at long last I have started to reconstruct the A pillar on my car. First job is just to get the basic shape and dimensions right, before more detailed shaping and finishing. I am starting with the outer panel, rather than the inner reinforcement, as I will be able to trial fit outer panels including the door before I weld anything in place. If I get it wrong I can adjust it accordingly and when all is ok I will make the inner section. If I make the inner section and get it wrong, no amount of fettling will make the outer panels fit!

Here is the first stage (that's a 1972 ECU hanging down on the right - I will disconnect it before welding):

'I intend to live forever - so far, so good'

 

[daytona]

that looks a bit tricky[:0]all those angles, recesses and cut outs! a case of starting at the right place so as you can bend and cut in the right order[xx(]

back to my "rootes"