Pettifordo Posted July 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 11 minutes ago, Piglet said: plod What is plod ? Filler ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 yes its a technical term for a great material that, along with fibreglass, cardboard and tin cans, can be used to repair body damage when its decided that welding in new metal is either too time consuming, beyond our ability, requires equipment we dont have or just too much hassle😁 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanT Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 18 hours ago, Pettifordo said: Had a few free mins this PM so I decided to cut out the filler I can imagine with a nice chrome grille it might look nice and cooling would be a breeze 🤣🤣🤣 Some nice plates welded in from the PO Test fitting of the new nose looks good. Now I think I have done as much as I can do without stripping the front of the car so I can access the strengthen plate underneath / it isn’t too bad but having got this far it seems a shame not to replace that - I think I can honestly say that once this is done the car will be “filler free” - except where I have used it to close joints and tidy bits up - so used to smooth things out and not as a structural component 🤣🤣🤣 Nice work. I had exactly the same goal with my resto - rust free - since my first Spit was also a rust box. Very satisfying to achieve it (and probably v. rare!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 9 hours ago, AlanT said: rust free The rust always comes for free 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted September 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2023 Update on the rust free nose. Bonnet strengthener welded in and bonnet prepared for welding in the “new” nose. Is a labour of love ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted September 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 Welded on needs a bit of knocking into shape - but generally better than I expected so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted September 10, 2023 Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 That's been some effort but well worth it I say! Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 Looking very good! How does it feel, looks like you’ve avoided major distortion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 Now be very careful a neighbour when I lived in the UK at Stokesley had spent 3 years restoring a big Healey 3000, on its inaugural drive blasting through the country lanes he misread the closing speed on a farmer's tractor, a "further 3 months" damage repair to the front end was needed!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted September 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 9 hours ago, Josef said: avoided major distortion? I think I’ve avoided the worst of it - it dips a bit in the middle which is disappointing. In hindsight I think I may of had the clamps too tight so “nothing could move” or perhaps I should have started in the middle and worked out, removing clamps as I went. What I actually did was to weld between the clamps moving as far apart as possible between welds, then remove the clamps (one and a time) and joined up the weld. I also had a piece of copper clamped behind the weld to a) spread the heat and b) mean I could be more confident of not blowing through. The dip is about 5mm in the middle third of the bonnet. I’m pondering if I should try to metal bash it up or leave well alone and fill the dip. I’m concerned that bashing will break the weld, but also want to deliver as good a finish as possible. It feels really solid and is well aligned at the front. Its 200% better than the filler and rust that was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted September 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 8 hours ago, Peter Truman said: Now be very careful What a nightmare !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 It’s unlikely you’ll break the weld, the thinner sheet metal would go first (but I don’t think you’re in danger of that either!) I’d give planishing a go to get the worst out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Faulds Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 The metal will have stretched. 5 mm is too much to fill. I would gently heat the area with a torch to shrink it in while tapping it with a body hammer and dolly. They'll be loads of you tube videos on shrinking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor L Posted September 14, 2023 Report Share Posted September 14, 2023 Was good have a little nose around this at the Gaydon Gathering Tuesday night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted September 14, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2023 1 hour ago, Conor L said: nose Did you like the new nose 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2023 This is going to keep we quiet for a few hours to get it flat !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted November 4, 2023 Report Share Posted November 4, 2023 Your repair area itself looks great though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 4, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2023 32 minutes ago, Josef said: great though! Yes it is joined really well, not even any pin hole, I had just forgotten how long it takes to get things really smooth 😩😩😩 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2023 (edited) I’m having fun with plod ! I took off most of the first go and purchased a flexible sander - https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/abrasives/sanding-discs/flexible-long-bed-hand-sanding-block-70-x-400mm/p/ZT2443508S Now on to the 3rd coat of filler 🤔🤔 it looks like quite a large area but it is actually quiet thin, just want to feather the edges so the join is “hidden”. I think it will end up looking ok and at least this filler is over good metal instead of rust - although I do feel I have kind of just moved the filler from being on the nose to being on the bonnet 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Edited November 11, 2023 by Pettifordo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanT Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 Very brave of you to do this repair. I’d have found a 2nd hand bonnet as my filler skills got lost in the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, AlanT said: Very brave of you to do this repair It was really a series of events that got me here - I figure worst case I can get a replacement bonnet. The rest of the bonnet was ok so it seemed a shame to junk it, I was lucky enough to find the replacement nose on e-bay when enquiring about a 2nd hand bonnet - so that was £40 and the strengthener was £60 That needed some repairs doing which was good for my welding skills. Parts wise I think I’m probably £150 all in plus I don’t want to think of how many hours 😱 I’ve enjoyed getting it all fitted and took advice from here about welding slowly, but I did end up with more of a dip than I was expecting - I think my mistake was to weld the ends and the middle, moving about (between sips of tea) so the panel didn’t get too warm. If I did it again I would just start in the middle and work out (taking even more time between welds) as I think this would have reduced distortion. The net result is I’m honing my filling skills which were last practiced on a 1973 Vauxhall Viva in 1985 🙂 The flexible sanding block has been really good / I hesitated at £14 but for curved surface it has been really good with the 80 Grit sand paper (£12 for 5m of hook and loop paper) cutting the filler nicely plus some 240 Grit to finish it. Lets hope the results aren’t too bad - I think that once you have a hole you can always “see it”. The filler is quite thin and a tape on it still gives a good metallic ring. The underside looks clean and with some seam sealer “it won’t notice 🤣🤣🤣 Edited November 12, 2023 by Pettifordo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piglet Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 I think you've done a cracking job sir. I'd doff my bowler to you if I had one 😀 Alex 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 I agree, it’s looking great. And I remember seeing your first posts when you were starting with tiny wheel arch patches so it’s also great to see that progress to a repair that’s pretty challenging to get right! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 13, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 19 hours ago, Josef said: tiny wheel arch patches Thanks @Josef - it has been great getting your support along the way. Pleased with todays efforts. Left side needs some knocking back and I haven’t used the 240 Grit yet, so hopefully “invisible” soon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted November 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2023 20 minutes ago, Mathew said: By giving time between coats allows time to do shrinking Thanks for the tip - I am taking it slowly but more because I have limited time and I have to allow the filler / paint to dry - so far this has been 4 months and counting 👍👍👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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