Steep learning curve

if its a d1, i dont think yu can get replacement chassis for them . D2 - yes.

I was thinking more from a healthier breaker. I will give the repair a shot anyway. I have nothing to lose going for it. Already have the steel here so it's just time. I need to pay attention to strengthening plates though!

My old D1 was a 5door kitted out for recovery work.
No alpine windows. No rear glass in all the doors or sides. This then had a bulkhead put in to keep all the kit & bed separate.
I done a lot of work to this and sold it
only for it to be trashed by dropping down a drop without winching. Chuffing idiot.

If I had the chance to do another RR/disco I would look at the forward control kit as it looks intresting & no body work to weld

So...

I need a solution that allows me to get the brace plates in and close her up. My initial thoughts were, fillet weld 3mm lateral section to existing then weld vertical. Finally chop too and weld another 3mm lateral across the top. My issue then though is I have 3mm box that I won't benefit from because the 2mm is disconnected....
Now thinking, go 3mm lateral but short. Weld my 2mm over the top then lap weld the overlap I.e. 3mm to 2mm. Once in chop out top and try and achieve same up the side.

Boot floor order is off. I'm trying to remind myself no rush do it all right. I'll order up some more paints and spring seat etc instead. I'm also thinking I may lift the body now. I did consider this before but thought it too much work. Now I'm thinking address every inch of chassis. I'm thinking I'll build a rig from scaff or use lorry axle stands. Just not sure how I'll raise the body high enough?? Lots off food for thought. I'm not actually gutted about the chassis repair. It's a challenge that hopefully I'll solve

2 long scaf tubes down the sills
2 tubes front & back
Jacking points for high lift.
Jack & block.
Or use heavy duty jockey wheels on each corner to move around.
Minis were easier

Gap, heat, wire speed and preparation.

Weld it up mate and add some strengthening plates to cover your seams.

dieseldog69 said:

Gap, heat, wire speed and preparation.

Weld it up mate and add some strengthening plates to cover your seams.

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Weld as normal and put strengthening plates of outside? That will knock everything out by s couple mm when I weld the spring seat and boot support posts back on?

resto_d1 said:

Weld as normal and put strengthening plates of outside? That will knock everything out by s couple mm when I weld the spring seat and boot support posts back on?

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Inside, you weld in a plate on the inside and then when you cut the new plates you can leave a bigger gap and drill some holes to plug weld it to the internal plate.

Bit more progress with strengthening plates. I made the plate a ridiculously tight fit to make sure chassis stays square. I think where weak the crush tubes for shock bolts have angles down slightly though. I have to chop it anyways as the far side from that point down to tube cross member is dead anyways

Cookin on gas now buddy

How much longer you got left on the MOT?

October I think. Not a prayer. I know its sad but I wanted it done by Chrismas eve. Even if its not MOT I just wanted the body/chassis done by then. I can't afford the crossmember and boot kit at the moment. Had a shocker of a month last month and just about to upgrade the daily for a decent motor with warranty as lost faith in it. These 3mm welds are ok but I could've done with more power. I need a power supply capable of 16a. My mate is going to run a cable off the main board once I bought the cable. I did them on 3 minimum trying to hold and build up heat. 3 max I could've got some really nice welds and penetration.

I have over egged the strengthening on purpose. As you can see, I am spanning the lot rather than two 'U' sections. Going to do as you suggested and puddle the 2mm to it.

Was making a racket with the grinder at weekend and next door but one came over. I expected to have to apologise. Instead he looked around it all and told me "fair play, don't give up" which cheered me up!

I'm also going to buy a 300tdi engine and build it probably January time whilst the weather is rubbish and dark. I HATE winters - going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. Having an engine to build inside will perk me up and keep my head busy.
I really enjoyed the last build I did. Was far more complicated than a 300 and I learnt a lot from it. I won't be building up the head myself - I'll probably send that off but will build all bottom end. This is thinking way ahead and providing I get the car itself on the road!! The existing engine actually ran quite nicely when I drove it although it really struggled getting up a big hill. Maybe I wasn't used to how slow it was but I know I could've got a tipper up the hill far quicker. I think something is killing the power - who knows - its the first car under 200bhp that I've driven for a while haha. I would like to finish the major works with a fresh engine. means I can get all the work in the bay done and a lick of paint in there too also.

My blacktop running on ITBs

LR head is easy to rebuild. Nothing to them.
Do the turbo with 360 bearings

Some of you may have seen my leaky merc thread. I am in shock. Merc left a windscreen pad in the middle of the seal line and sealed over it. The car has clearly leaked from factory. Disgusted!!! 36k car and its probably been damp since the day its left the showroom

If you're struggling with penetration on lower heat as not enough juice then bevel the edges and use the 1/3 land 2/3 bevel 1/3 gap technique, on thick stuff this is where you run a root pass fusing the lands and then a circular filler/hot pass to fill out the bevel and then cap it off to be ground flush, on 2/3mm a bevel and a gap with one hot pass would be enough I think.

dieseldog69 said:

If you're struggling with penetration on lower heat as not enough juice then bevel the edges and use the 1/3 land 2/3 bevel 1/3 gap technique, on thick stuff this is where you run a root pass fusing the lands and then a circular filler/hot pass to fill out the bevel and then cap it off to be ground flush, on 2/3mm a bevel and a gap with one hot pass would be enough I think.

Click to expand...

near enough what I did as it reminded me of watching someone welding beams on youtube. I filed a 'v' in and used a little root gap to dig into it.

resto_d1 said:

View attachment 156145

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I was putting off my front screen replacement until the cut & weldathon was over but I'd had a couple of coppers point out that it needed done so needs must, spent 2 & 1/2 hrs getting the new screen fitted with 3 guys doing it

The final piece of the puzzle for the outer rear n/s.

A drop more