13/60 Rolling Resto

[Josef]

A bit more devastation, but I’m not finding anything worse than I expected so far. After digging through the utter mess of a Spitfire the Herald was always going to be better though!

[Josef]

Bit of rust killer and a wire brush and these body mounting bolts will definitely be reusable. 

[Josef]

Aside from the drivers side body mount nuts spinning meaning I’m going to have to cut something… The bulkhead is free to come off. The state of some of the body mounts alone mean this wasn’t as stupid an idea as I was beginning to think. 

[PeteH]

To be honest. I just took the angle grinder to ALL the body mount bolts and replaced the lot when it went back on. Couple had to be attacked with an air saw as the space was restricted. Your Vitesse body looks in far better condition than my 13/60 was. Where the Joint is on the upper cill they had an overwelded "repair" section driver side! which had to be cut through to part the sections. Does look as if it`s had a floor section in the driver side?

Pete

[Josef]

It’s had floor sections overlapped on both sides. I’ve hated that ‘biscuit tin’ drivers floor repair since day one! Nothing is in terrible condition really, but it was at the point where taking the bulkhead off, while awkward, will be the least difficult way to do proper repairs. 

[PeteH]

I put near 3Sq Meter of steel in the floors and chassis sections, and repair sections from scratch. The ones I took out had just been dropped in and welded without removing the originals. The only panels purchased where the front floor sections as they where too deep to fabricate by hand.

Pete

[Josef]

Well the bulkhead is loose! Almost certainly for the first time since December 1969. I’ve been wondering if this really was the right move… I’m convinced it is now though. At least one tub body mount is shot and there’s rot round where the body mount bolts pass though the chassis on the side rails and outriggers. I couldn’t have fixed this properly with the bulkhead on the chassis. Only one body mount bolt was really problematic. The OS front outer one was seized into the chassis and required a lot of persuasion with an air hammer and oscillating cutter… Resulting in me having to sweep up a worrying amount of car from the floor! Anyway, now we’re at the point where things can only get better. 

[PeteH]

Worst of the Outriggers. Replaced the whole rail, Bent up from Galavanised, A "gift" from a local fabricator. Made my own outriggers from scratch.

 

Pete

[Josef]

I’m getting some of the bits and pieces done so I can have everything squared away and ready to go back on the car once I’ve done the body repairs. Got the loom stripped and mostly repaired (wiring on some new connectors). Nipped up the the NERC this morning to take advantage of the shot blast cabinet for the pedals and some interior bits so they’re cleaned up and primed now. Also welded some washers on to the accelerator pedal pivot, cleaned up and re drilled the holes to get rid of most of the play. 

[mark powell]

Ah, the Triumph owners larder...  ( check 'Gamekeeper's larder')

[Jon J 1250]

My other half doesn't 100% approve of this use of the washing line! Lol

[steveo]

We had a handy tree in our garden !

[Josef]

Well, the side rails are not terrible. I can see the offside one has been replaced in the past as the remains of the original are still attached to the outrigger. I’m trying to decide whether to patch some bits, or do a larger chunk. 

[Josef]

I’ve been alternating between the chassis and bulkhead today. Made a side rail repair section and got it welded in. The extremity of the outrigger was a bit frilly so that needed a small patch too. On the bulkhead I’ve made a start at least, got the first pretty tiny patch made and mostly welded in, it’ll need a little extra doing from the inside. 

[Josef]

Slowly working my way through the bulkhead repairs. I think the next job is to fit one of the floors and then build the remaining patches to that rather than the other way around. 

[Josef]

After a lot of pondering and playing about, I’ve got one floorpan off and the replacement tacked in. I’m convinced the side that joins the a post needs to lean out a bit more. Leaving it for now though and I’ll sit it back on the chassis to see how it lines up with the rear body before committing any further.

[Josef]

The heater intake needed a lot of work. Way more than I thought… Awkward shapes, awkward access, but I’ve finally got it done. Time to move back the the floor pans!

[Peter Truman]

It must have been a bit draughty for the driver by the frillyness along the bottom inner A post and door opening, great work your doing, keep posting 

[Josef]

This floor pan is requiring a lot of work to get it blended in. Lots of gap filling to do and tiny patches to make. But progress is being made!

[Pete Lewis]

remind me of our jigsaw approach to the problem 

any more \tee shirts for this repair ???

Pete

[Josef]

The jigsaw puzzle continues. I can kind of see why nobody makes this panel properly, it’s really got some rather complex shapes. Had a couple of interruptions today. The first was some horrible noises from my older angle grinder, this turned out to be the rearmost ball race for the motor armature so I’ve one of those on order. The second was the arrival of some wheel dollies which I assembled and stored away. 

Then back to Herald floorpan hole removal!

[Josef]

Haven’t got as far as I would’ve liked recently, travel for business and family things has got in the way a bit. However, I have got a new toy, a throatless shear, which I’m much preferring for cutting sheet metal than an angle grinder. I’ve also repaired my oldest angle grinder with a new armature bearing, and picked up a battery powered one from Milwaukee (which is so quiet, and not trailing wires all over the place is great!)

Anyway, after being distracted fixing the Spitfire’s steering column issues, I’ve finally been able to finish and fit up some patches for the floors and a post. Not feeling up to welding today but they should go straight on in the next session. 

[Josef]

That’s the majority of welding needed for the drivers floorpan complete. Plenty of grinding to be doing now, and some infills / touch ups, but the worst of this particular section is over!

[Josef]

I’ve been taking photos of progress, but forgetting to post them! Anyway, the drivers side floor is finished except for the body mounts. I need to buy or make some. Was going to leave the front one in place as it is solid, but it’s also pretty bashed up, so may as well while I’m here!

The passenger side is underway now. I’ve been careful with the cutting as I intend to save the existing floor panel. It needed to come off though as it had been overlapped on areas that now need repairs and wasn’t on straight anyway. The hardest join to make will still be the outer edge that isn’t on a new panel anyway, and it seems daft to bin a pressing that’s perfectly fine. The original steel on this side is in much better shape though which is a relief!

[Josef]

Got the floor tacked in place. Had to re extend the original metal under the bulkhead. I really need to check the thing on the chassis before fully welding.

But to do that I needed to replace the offside body mount, and I’ve still not got around to ordering one. So, I made my own! Given the amount of repairs I’ve done to where it sits, chances are a commercial one wouldn’t have been a straight fit anyway. 

Bit of body filler and nobody will spot the cardboard right 😅