Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration

Let us all know what you are up to with your current restoration project. Get that Minor on the road!
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taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 27

Post by taupe »

Thanks Rob

Can you do me a pic of the jacking point mounting on the end?

Heres an update...

Im having to salvage my original drivers side A post.

I thought I was sorted for this as I have a Henric replacement panel complete.. the trouble is it is so far out its not useable :(

Most Henric panels were an excellent fit so it was probably just a rogue one.

Here is my A post panel with the rot cut out and after its first dip in Citric.
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Ive several hours work ahead repairing the bottom section of that one!

Ive made a new front crossmember top panel tonight as the panel I had was rather rusty and shopsoiled and the front flange was too short.

The trick with this was to hammer in the big scoop shape first before folding the front flange... otherwise quite straightforward.

This first pic is the shopsoiled one and was used to make a template for the scoop shape.
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Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ptitterington
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 28

Post by ptitterington »

I have just fitted that worktop in my flat!!
Taupe the work that you do is fantastic, the pictures you post are sh**e may 10th.(latest ones are fine!) If you need a camera, I have a spare that I would happily send. If you want just PM address Peter
Traveller rebuilt in 2007 by Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre
Pickup Fully restored 2011 by Rich Legg

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taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 28

Post by taupe »

Yes Peter

Rose Quartz worktop to go with the Taupe paint!!

Very generous offer thanks :D :D

Have a new phone with a much better camera and my workshop is quite dark/ poor daylight and is not a good environment for any camera.

Remind me in a few weeks if my pics are rubbish again and Ill take you up on your offer. :D :D

Thanks

Taupe
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ptitterington
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 28

Post by ptitterington »

Taupe, the work that you do is so good, it really needs good quality pictures. Not just for showing off, but as a bechmark for others to follow.
Traveller rebuilt in 2007 by Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre
Pickup Fully restored 2011 by Rich Legg

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taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 28

Post by taupe »

Hi

A bit more progress today...

Ive prepared the main crossmember for trial fitting prior to welding in. I cut the old captive nut and plate off the old one which holds the handbrake lever and spotwelded it on.

I also put the two small holes in either side of the big round hole... not sure what these are for, maybe for brake pipe clamps on LHD cars?
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Ive also welded in the drivers side engine tie plate and trial fitted the flitch and wheelarch
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The lower hinge on the drivers door was a bit loose so I punched the pin out...
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As you can see its a bit worn!!!
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The bottom of the A post is very rusty.. fortunately I have a spare hinge plate and screws.
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Ive just completed the A post repairs and will post some pics later.... I need some beer now :D :D

Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:12 am, edited 2 times in total.
taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 28

Post by taupe »

Heres the A post repairs done earlier

I decided that I could use the bottom section of the Henric repair panel I had so cut off what was needed and clamped and tacked it
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Then seam welded it in and fettled the flange with a tapered end as the original
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The A post cover panel was still a bit rust pitted on the inside so I decided to try and make a replacement...

A paper template and use of the metal stretcher tool later..
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Ready for trial fitting it seems to all line up ok... next job to change the bottom door hinge and refit for alignment, then the A post can be welded back on. :D
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Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
davidpidge
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by davidpidge »

Amazing as usual.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1956 Traveller - work in progress

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Dryad
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by Dryad »

Certainly is amazing! :D I'm at exactly the same stage on my Traveller restoration (refitting the O/S doorpost), but I'm delaying it because I'm not sure of the best way to go about aligning it. How did you do it? Did you fit the door into place to make sure the hinge bolt holes line up? Also, you seem to have some pretty serious looking clamps there to keep it in place - did you make those as well? :o I'm also replacing the part of the flitch panel which covers the kidney panel, but the replacement one I bought doesn't seem to be quite the right shape.

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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by polo2k »

Hi Taupe, great looking work.

Although... ive got to put my 'elf and safty hat on here:
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Cinder blocks tend to crumble without warning and vibrations can make this happen.
Axle stands are better, cut down railway sleepers are awesome

Good to see someone else going down the major surgery route!
- Ash
  • [MONA] - 1963 4 door saloon
    [IGOR] - 1970 trav (In Surgery)
    [GOLFIE] - 2001 Golf GT TDi 200 (my daily "fix")
- The only way your guarenteed to fail, is never to try! -
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Click on the middle pic for progress!
taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by taupe »

Ash

Theyre 7n concrete blocks so pretty strong and the car is still supported each end on the rollover ... its just lowered onto the blocks spanned with timber to keep the chassis rails horizontal. :D

Taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by polo2k »

Ah cool, I just didnt want to see you get squished :)
- Ash
  • [MONA] - 1963 4 door saloon
    [IGOR] - 1970 trav (In Surgery)
    [GOLFIE] - 2001 Golf GT TDi 200 (my daily "fix")
- The only way your guarenteed to fail, is never to try! -
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Click on the middle pic for progress!
taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by taupe »

Dryad

I measured the position of the old A post quite carefully before removing the old one. On mine the dimension from the back edge of the B post to the seam on the A post was exactly 38" so on most travellers it should be about that dimension.

The position vertically is set by it sitting on the flange of the boxing panel, also the door check strap holes in the flitch need to line up with the slots in the A post panel. This is ok if you know those points are correct.. if not which was the case on the n/s of mine then bolt the door on using the hinge bolts and place them central in the adjustment holes..then fit with the door onto the car..the door closure peg should help if it was left in place...then check and adjust door gaps and once happy tack weld (or fix with self tappers) the A post. in place. Then try opening and closing the door to check its ok, bearing in mind you still have a little adjustment on the hinges. If its not right you need to work out where it needs adjusting, grind of the tacks and reposition again to suit.

Even if you know from measurement that the A post is correctly placed; the door should be trial fitted before completing the welding to ensure the door shut is just right.

Hope this helps.

Taupe
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Dryad
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by Dryad »

Thanks taupe, that is extremely useful. :) I foolishly removed the a-post so I could replace the flitch panel and a-post cover panel without measuring anything. :oops: Still, I'm learning as I go along, and with your info (and following your fantastic thread!) I feel more confident to proceed. I shall start my own restoration thread soon, so you can all see how I get on.

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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 29

Post by taupe »

Hi

Ive done a little more work tonight.

I started by welding in the wheelarch panel then I made a couple of brackets for the front brake hoses and spot welded them on. (I will seam weld the edges later)

I cut off the bottom section of gutter on the drivers side as there was a rust sandwich there :)

Im thinking about the best way to deal with this as its quite an awkward place to weld in repairs and I will have to make up a new piece of guttering too.

Lastly I repaired a corner of the bulkhead panel... its quite thin metal only about 0.5mm so tricky to weld. after welding I stripped and rubbed down the bulkhead panel on the drivers side which had a lot of surface rust under the paint. most of it came off alright and I will treat whats left.

Here are some pics.

Taupe

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Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 30

Post by taupe »

Hi

More progress on the A post tonight :D

I trial fitted the A post and door and found it miles out !!!

Much head scratching, repositioning, clamping, undoing it all again etc later I realised that amongst a lot of slight misalignments and adjustments needed on the hinges... there was a twist in the door itself due to the bottom seam being rotted out completely.

Its important to get the door height and edge gaps right and also the correct gap between the door frame flange and the door when fitting the door seals later on. This must be done before the A post can be welded in.

After a couple of hours adjustment :o It was all pretty good so the A post was clamped with the door in the right place and fixed with self tappers ready for spot welding.

Theres always a bit of compromise when fitting doors and I had to accept that the door sticks out slightly from the B post just above the door handle. Its nice and flush down the rest of the B post so I may be able to dress the door slightly later on in this area and improve it a little.


Heres some pics

Wedging the door forwards slightly leaves me room for a little adjustment later...
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Fitting the A post and cover
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fit at the back
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and at the gutter
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Flitch panel clamped ready for welding it all
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Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dryad
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 31

Post by Dryad »

Nice work again, taupe! This bit is especially useful to me :D Luckily, my doors are very solid so I won't have the same problem you did.

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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 31

Post by taupe »

Hi

An update on todays progress....

I started by fitting some ancillaries for the flitch panel. (I need to strip and clean the surface rust before fitting.)


The cable clips for the front wiring harness to headlights etc
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The bump stop support plate
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And not forgetting the threaded bar for the door check strap screws... Its all to easy to forget to fit this :)
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Heres a view of the hinge plates before the cover is welded on.. I need to paint in there first!
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I then made a start at removing the old main crossmember....

Here the spot welds are marked and the gas stitch weld lines (These are welded underneath but you can see the discoloured metal once the paint and underseal stuff are stripped off).
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The spot welds are drilled through with a generous hole size to ensure all of the spotweld is removed (8mm drill)
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Then its under the car to grind off the gas stitch welds

Then a bit of wiggling and light hammer blows later... its out :D :D :D
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You need to grind off every bit of weld after the crossmember is removed... you can see the bits of weld in these pics
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Heres the old and new together
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Trial fitting the new one .... It popped in suprisingly easily
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A couple of general shots before the front floors are welded in after Ive got the crossmember just right and welded in.
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The floor edge panels are now welded in at the front
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Thats it for tonight

Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Fingolfin
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 32

Post by Fingolfin »

Wow! And I thought mine was an extensive restoration! You'll have a whole new car when you're done, T! :lol: Your impossible talent is a testament to the collective grit of the Minor community...
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.

taupe
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 32

Post by taupe »

Hi

The main crossmember is now welded in and the toe boards repaired. I painted the underside of the floor first where the crossmember sits at the middle.

Here are some pics
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There is a small section of floor edge which dosent come with the repair panels where the jacking points are?? so I welded in a couple of 1mm angle plates in first.
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The next job was to weld in the new front floor toe board sections fabricated earlier.
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I was able to spotweld most of the floor in place with only a few plug and stitch welds needed where I couldnt get the spotwelder in.

Because I have new chassis legs I lined up the brake and clutch bearing holes in the chassis leg, cleared through to 3/4" with a reamer and slid in a 3/4" bar to keep the holes in alignment whilst the floor is welded in.
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Thats all for now :D :D :D

Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rose Taupe Traveller Restoration- update 33

Post by taupe »

Hi

A bit more progress this week ... It begins to feel like Im getting somewhere now although theres still masses to do. :D :D

Now that the main crossmember is in I have been working backwards setting up alignment of the cars rear end components.

I wanted to get the leaf spring front hangers correctly located first so that I could progress with the repairs to the rear floors and 'rear seat crossmember'.

The Jig I’ve made is in four parts... the first is bolted to the torsion bar rear mounting nuts at the rear of the crossmember and sets the datum height.

The second runs across the car and sets the height and width apart of the rear spring front mounts.

The third part fixes and sets the height of the rear leaf spring shackle pin mounts in the chassis rail. I’ve made this part with removable pins through the shackle mounting pin holes so I can replace the mountings without disturbing the jig settings.

The final part is a stout angle frame that is used to carry the datum level from front to back. (It’s the relative heights that are important – not the height from the ground)

There is a bit of a dilemma developing.......At the moment the middle of the car appears to be about 6mm longer than it should be despite this area having not being changed!!!

At this point I think Im going to have to live with the wheelbase being 6mm longer than spec!!!!

Here are some pics
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I trial fitted one of the torsion bars on the drivers side. The position for this was previously set using a spare torsion bar made into a jig and set to 39” from the crossmember to the eyebolt centre in the chassis leg…….. Well the torsion bar fitted on fine but certainly doesn’t want to be set any more than 39” from the crossmember, as there is about 3/16” of the splines showing… though there’s still plenty of spline within the rear arm so I’ve decided that I’m happy with this positioning.
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Next I carefully measured the distance apart and location of the remains of the old front spring hanger brackets before I ground them off the floor panel. These were the original factory brackets and have not previously been replaced.

I found the original rivets and rivet holes remaining in the rear seat crossmember rear flange and in the chassis rail sides. The front ones were there too but were still in the spring brackets the floor having rotted away around them. So the front ones are no good for reference! Incidentally the rivets are ¼” diameter with round dome heads.

In theory the rear rivet holes are good reference points for mounting the new brackets.
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Rear Jig 048.jpg
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The pic above shows the spring hanger plate to far forward before I made adjustments the the mounting position. You can see the holes in the plate where the rivets will go.

I fitted the jig components on to the car & frame and mounted the front spring hangers…. What I found after several hours of adjustment was that if the hangers were located to the specified 25” from the centre crossmember the rivet holes in the rear seat crossmember missed the spring hanger bracket rear ends (edited) completely and the centres to the rearmost spring mounts were to great. The front of the brackets were also sitting to far forward under the passenger floor.

I ended up setting them both sides to 25 1/4”… the rivet holes were then ok and the centres to the rearmost spring shackle mounting holes were spot on. It was interesting that a small movement of the spring hanger had the effect of a larger movement to the rear shackle centres?

It’s annoying not to get it spot on the spec dimension but maybe it’s just about within manufacturers tolerances?

I drilled and bolted through the spring hanger mount on the driver’s side using the hole where the rivet was removed and double checked all the measurements.
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Chiltern-20110611-00278.jpg
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The spring mount centres are exactly 43 3/32” apart horizontally and at the correct relative heights.

The overall width across the front spring hanger brackets was 42 1/8” and approx 38” between the inner faces. This was the same dimension as the old brackets were welded to and according to my calculations works out at 40 1/8” for the centres of the springs. This seems to agree with my measurement of the rear axle pad centres as well.

I ignored the width given in the manual over the ends of the mounting pins as it didn’t seem quite right and I didn’t know for sure what the original mounting pin thread length should be.

The next job is to drill and bolt the n/s hanger then fabricate and weld in chassis repairs behind the boxing rear extension panel.

Once that’s done I will do a final check of the relative mounting point positions and a very thorough check that its all level, then weld the spring hangers and their plates in place.

Im also going to put new rivets in to replace the old ones.

Oh and Ive also braced the 'cab back' as shown in this pic
Chiltern-20110611-00273.jpg
Chiltern-20110611-00273.jpg (1.69 MiB) Viewed 1404 times
That’s it for now

Taupe
Last edited by taupe on Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:22 am, edited 4 times in total.
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