After a weekend Green Laning in Wales with a great bunch of blokes, sons, wives etc, I opened the passenger door yesterday to clear the detritus and it almost fell off ..
So I decided maybe something needed doing. Ive known it was an issue when I bought it, as I knocked off well over £1000 for the issues from the asking price, so it wasnt unexpected .. I'm just glad it didnt fail on me son Tom cos he was gate bitch all weekend in Wales!!
So out with the tools and made a start ..
.. and (I also knew about this too) decided that as the wing and inner wing were off then Id also remove the old rusty floor that they simply plated, riveted, over, but left the old rust behind! .. The outrigger will get more specific attention, it's only (after a quick clean up) a small hole but I'll probably replace as a half top section, the sides being fine.
... but thought I best start on the door hinge panel.
And came across some reading material
They did try to use some kind of sealer .. I have little clue what sort it is, but it was set solid enough .. just set solid to rust, not to solid metal.
Though this next blob is a mixture of rust, sealer, paper and .. er .. well yeah
So set to and cut a shed-load of it out, I already have the repair panels, using a mixture of finesse (angle grinder), percussive maintenance (hammer and chisel) and extreme violence (Much swearing, booting and general frustrated anger) ..
Then rain stopped play
too suddenly for the grinder as it let some, but hopefully not all, the magic smoke out. I'll take it indoors and see if it won't dry out! Bloody hope so 'cos I can't afford another. Duct taped a quick plastic sheet over the open door and beat a hasty retreat for now.
Ill continue with the clean-up pictures and fixings tomorrow or when they happen
This isn't going to be a restoration, though I will mend things properly and solidly, I ain't got money to restore it fully, it'll use fixings I already have, 'cos I want it running rather than being fussed over ..
One day a chassis and bulkhead will my way come ...