Series 3 109 Station Wagon, full ground up resto and 88 redo careless resto driving project

Wagon Loon · Jan 8, 2021

I was searching for the ideal trestles to support the chassis at a good working height of about 900mm app.
The next day clearing an old store at work, came across these super heavy duty solid beech ones.
Theyr'e just perfect, and it sits solid as a rock to work on now.
Tonight to the needle de-scaler revealed some more holes

nice to be getting some air in and letting the metal get dry.
It's snowing out

auld duffer · Jan 8, 2021

get the space heater on it..

but dont waste the heat, get a load of crappy cleaning jobs that need doing as well while the shed is nice and toasty and the chassis dries out ..

Wagon Loon · Jan 8, 2021

I expect to be cleaning up the chassis fir a while, do have 2 or 3 leaks which I had patched last year so there is at least one bucket lol.
Don't have a space heater, got padded overalls which are fine and a thermal hat (•‿•) a wee bit of cold does not bother me or the dog who has her insulated nest on a deck chair

Gonna be fun driving in this morning

Wagon Loon · Jan 9, 2021

Cleaning up with the needle descaler, going to remove the rest of the brake lines and unions, being careful to maintain it's shape for future ref.
Also want to get the wiring out of the chassis, leaving a pull through wire

Wagon Loon · Jan 9, 2021

Got all the brake lines labelled

So I don't forget how it runs, under/over ect.

Wagon Loon · Jan 9, 2021

wire's caught when nearly out. Can't see with the inspection camera. But I think the block connector is caught on where a new back part of the chassis was replaced

Wagon Loon · Jan 9, 2021

Happy now. It came with some twisting and shaking

And no damage to the bloc connector, which I had taped to avoid it catching on any sharp bits

GSF 109 · Jan 9, 2021

Time to fire up the angle grinder?

Wagon Loon · Jan 10, 2021

Lol,
Did cut the battery bracket/support of with the angle grinder, great bit if kit .

Wagon Loon · Jan 10, 2021

Can't believe how much junk a chassis accumulates

Bit by bit it is becoming more minimal

And the rot can be exposed

Almost aways where water and muck collect it would seem

GSF 109 · Jan 10, 2021

Yes, my 109, once stripped down took up a ridiculous amount of space - around 3 times the floorspace!

auld duffer · Jan 10, 2021

I would swear a stripped 109 chassis is longer than a built 109 chassis LOL .. they take up a lot more space than you ever imagine they would.

Wagon Loon · Jan 11, 2021

The underside of the steering relay which is rust welded to the chassis crosmember.

And what's left of the top. Marked where I intend cutting them out with the plasma cutter. (☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ hehe.
That member is probably beyond repair for most but I want to get a better look at things and the steering relay has to come out anyway.
If I force it out, it will take a chunk of the chassis with it anyway.
So it's time for the plasma cutter...

Wagon Loon · Jan 11, 2021

first cuts with the plasma cutter, such a lovely tool

Wagon Loon · Jan 11, 2021

It's coming out

Wagon Loon · Jan 11, 2021

Looks like the steel tube is bursting with rust inside and asking the seam.
I have been bad though because I've put a dent in it near the top

time for a cuppa Infront of the stove

Wagon Loon · Jan 13, 2021

Ok si this is a bit crusty, so it's okay with the needle descaler.

A bit of a cleanup shows the older tube mount is not going to survive lol.

So here's what I need to cut out of 3 mm steel and roll to begin making a new chassis mount

Cut with the plasma cutter which does leave a wee but of junk to chip off

They chip off easily

Leaving a lovely edge

GSF 109 · Jan 13, 2021

Really handy tool, a plasma cutter. I’ve got one in my shed too. Saves a lot of time, dust and grinding discs!

Wagon Loon · Jan 13, 2021

Yes, a useful tool if you have a compressor indeed.

After a bit of cleaning up

and some bending with the help of my 3lb persuader. It's a little over length and I can get it better after I have extracted the steering relay and cut the thick base plate off to reuse or as a pattern.
There is some corrosion on the cross member behind the relay which I now have better access to.
I'm going to fix the position of the front spring hangers with a really long bolt and many nuts, to mitigate against movement. Since I'll be cutting and replacing any corrosion

Wagon Loon · Jan 14, 2021

Yep 16 nuts lol

Series 3 109 Station Wagon, full ground up resto and 88 redo careless resto driving project

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