57 Saloon, rotten!

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SageGreenPete
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57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Hi I'm new here so I thought I'd better put some pics up, I've had this since 2009 and used it regularly for about 6 years until I found a 'bit of rot' near the rear spring hangers.

Edited after the Photobucket disater of 2017!
This is how she looked at her best a while ago.
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Last edited by SageGreenPete on Sat Aug 05, 2017 8:52 am, edited 4 times in total.
greendefender123
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by greendefender123 »

That will keep you busy for a day or 2. Keep us updated. The work soon grows!
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Haha thanks, my "plan" is to go to the NEC show in november in it but we'll see!
les
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by les »

One of the nicest colours for a Minor.

jagnut66
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by jagnut66 »

Ouch!!
Still you will have the comfort of knowing she's solid when done. And it is an excellent colour.
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Thanks folks, it's surprising how many people think it's a non original colour, the inside has never been painted so it certainly is, it's an acquired taste but it's grown on me over the years, lol. Original plate is nice too and it's not gone far as it's always been in Staffordshire.
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

The grill and wheels should be sage and the indicators have obviously been added but I can't decide if I should try and make it original or not? I threw the broken leather tub seats away ages ago too and I had the wheels done white /new tyres and added the stripe just to tidy it up.
DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH »

I agree, next to maroon its probably the best colour!

I hope you dont mind me saying, as a word of warning I would be wary of cutting to much of the original metal all away at once as it leaves you with no reference points to line your new panels up to. The repair panel that goes below the boot is often a very poor fit and chances are it will need quite a bit of fettling to make it to fit. Same goes for the new inner arches they often need some careful re shaping at the top edge.

I like the frame its resting on, looks like a great idea!


Too many Minors so little time.....
irmscher
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by irmscher »

I like limeflower its a real 70,s colour but sage is one of the nicest :)
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Hi David that's as much cutting out as I'm doing, I have the other side for reference but tbh it's already had loads of badly carried out work in that area, the rear panel came off almost by hand it was so rotten, the arches I've removed were 3 layers thick in places so not much use to compare to. I have actually kept the corner of the boot floor and the end of the upper chassis rail (which will need cutting out later) which gives me the width as it was between rear hangers, I'll do the same on the other side so they cant move left or right, in or out.

This is the first time it's been unpicked right back to the inner upper chassis rail, thankfully they are solid even where I can see down the boxing plates.

What can possibly go wrong? :D
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Image
Had a game butt welding the floor but it's in now, I'm going to extend the strengthening plates all the way over the joint on both sides where the bumper irons bolt through the floor instead of those little rectangular ones, I've only kept that as it's my datum point to show where the chassis rail should meet. I'm going to reinforce the boot floor across it with a strip 2 inches wide and overlapping the new panel instead of trying to butt weld it now I've seen how thin the floor is!


Image

Image

Got my chassis rail and inner arch in place, need to weld around the hanger hole fully, make a reinforcing plate for the shock mount, fit the lip repair section and reinstate the c post bottom and floor down that area then I think I'll do the other side and try and fit the rear boot and opening last?
Redmoggy
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by Redmoggy »

I would be thinking about clamping or screwing the rear valance in place using the boot lid to line it up. That should help stop anything moving while you weld the rest of your repairs.

Rod
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

It's surprisingly solid on that rear section just from the brace that holds the boot boards, the passenger side is all still in situ I'm not going to cut any of that until this side is in.

I've left the boot lid attached to keep checking the aperture opening, so far so good.

I was thinking about putting all the rear sections in next but it might make getting the other side inner arch and chassis rail in quite tricky?
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

I've got the lip in, boot panel clamped in place and it all looks good, phew!

The C post needs jacking up a couple of mm before I repair that bit as the rear door is just catching by a whisker, I've run out of gas now and it's too late for grinding welds back, ha.
davidmiles
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by davidmiles »

sounds like it's coming along really well, but come on Pete, pictures! or it didn't happen :wink: .
smile, you never know, you might be winning.[IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/2ro3j37.jpg[/IMG]
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

I'm banned from the garage due to valentines night and we are out with friends tomorrow, hopefully get in there on thursday night to finish tidying the welds and give it a lick of red oxide. I need to go and get a bottle of gas on saturday but I've got an mot booked for my wife's mini first! :-?

Image

I've just given it a bit of a bodywork tidy up and a full service so as the garage is empty during the work on the Minor, the wife is not happy about her car not being in It's garage and the second garage I'm building won't be done for a while so it's under a stormforce cover right now.
irmscher
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by irmscher »

Nice Mini its got me thinking about buying an early one :D.The Minor is coming on nicely Pete when are you hoping to finish it ??
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Thanks, I'd like to go to the nec classic show in November in it as it's taken a group of us a few times before, I think that's possible but not easy either, it will need a mechanical refresh and half a cross member before I can refit the interior etc, I'm hoping to do the front end as a rolling resto as it's not too bad, hopefully!
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Image

Here you go then, had to build up and grind back the edge with mig weld but it's solid and will be ok hopefully once it's had a skim of filler as it had filler there before.

Had a good clear up ready for the next batch of welding, C post bottom, sill, floor edge, bump stop and around the hanger and damper mounting.
SageGreenPete
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Re: 57 Saloon, rotten!

Post by SageGreenPete »

Image

Made a little double skinned stiffener for the bump stop area, I had a bit left but this fits snug between what was left and the inner arch, I've welded it in along with a plate for the shock mount all covered in weld thru primer inside and out.
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