Welding - underside - thoughts?

[kennatt]

Cheers folks. I've instructed the garage to carry out only the R/O/S suspension mount repairs to make the car safe. It'll have minimal use between now and October, then it's getting tucked away in a nice dry garage while I save up some money and formulate a plan to get the old thing back into sound condition. Don't see any point patching up the rest just now, it won't cure the problem, better saving and getting it done properly.

looking at the front chassis leg and the corrosion near to the eye bolt,I think it would be more appropriate to repair that area as well,even just a patch up,if the front suspension collapses ,it will cause a few problems.

[bmcecosse]

It won't 'collapse dramatically' - just gently crumble and perhaps develop a bit of +ve camber... Not terminally dangerous, at least not without warning. Just keep an eye on it.

[kennatt]

You saying you would be happy to use the vehicle without doing the front chassis roy.?? theres no way I would ,it looks like the chassis is already holed below the eye bolt.Bet if you hit it with a hammer it would ...crumble. surly not the safest advice. It may not collapse but what about severe braking. Bet the insurance would also be compromised in the event of an accident,and with my X police hat on, leave the driver open to using a vehicle in a dangerous condition,failing to maintain etc. my advice would be to do the rear and front suspension mounts. But each to their own.

[bmcecosse]

None of it is ideal - I can't condone using it without it all being repaired one way or another - but that eyebolt won't fail catastrophically without early warning.

[MorrisJohn]

It'll hardly turn a wheel between the repair and October. I'm driving my modern car, a little VW, 3,500 miles around Europe in two weeks time for three weeks then back at work...so a few miles here or there in the moggy, such as to my brothers wedding...but not much at all. The guy doing the welding is very experienced with classics and owns a mint traveller he restored - he reckons it'll be fine in the short term but obviously wants doing.

[tysonn]

Makes it all the more worrying about MOT exempt pre 1960 cars.There will be people that buy them primarily so they don't have to bother about all that safety stuff.
Mick

[Mark Wilson]

To be fair to MOT testers in general, take a look at my O/S chassis leg which I started yesterday. Externally it looked and felt sound, apart from some trolley jack damage. I decided to change both legs after removing the gearbox cover and finding large volumes of flaky rust making their way backwards from the front (I did post about this on here, asking if there was any way to treat it, and was advised in no uncertain terms by a well known Scottish gentleman that I really needed to replace the legs....)

This was the external appearance.

[frame][/frame]

And this was the condition of the eyebolt reinforcement. Probably ok for a year or two, but the eyebolt could have gone with no prior warning from the external appearance of the leg.
[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Mark

[bmcecosse]

Oh dear - sorry!

[pandaselecta]

Sorry to see the state of your new purchase, Sadly I have just done the same. I bought a 1959 minor off ebay unseen, and its rotten pretty badly. A competent welder would say its nothing, but I'm not a competent welder

If the car looks like its going to cost thousands just to get it solid enough to use, it might be best to move it on and instead use a fraction of that money looking for a car that's already had the work done, one that you can have a look over before buying.

[MorrisJohn]

Sorry to see the state of your new purchase, Sadly I have just done the same. I bought a 1959 minor off ebay unseen, and its rotten pretty badly. A competent welder would say its nothing, but I'm not a competent welder

If the car looks like its going to cost thousands just to get it solid enough to use, it might be best to move it on and instead use a fraction of that money looking for a car that's already had the work done, one that you can have a look over before buying.

I'm sorry to hear you've suffered in the same way as me, I share your pain. A lot depends on how badly your car is rotten and how quickly you want to start using it, and the general condition of it. My initial instinct was to sell mine and find another.

Maybe we could get a garage to give us a bulk discount on welding!!! ;)

I've now decided I'm going to take the time and have it restored just the way I want it (as mechanically and aesthetically original as possible). Yes, it'll probably cost more but I know it'll be done right. And, it won't depreciate like a modern new or used car. That said my intention is to keep this car until I'm no longer on this mortal world...so I view it as a long term companion.

I wish you well in whatever you decide to do.

[pandaselecta]

Well at least you will know that its been done, just make sure the guy doing the welding shows you the quality of his work on other cars, and also during and after he has welded your car, as too often they clag waxoyl on the car when its finished and you haven't a clue is its a good job or an expensive bodge.

Will be wheeling my Minor out of the garage over the weekend and having a good look underneath. Hopefully its salvageable

[bmcecosse]

Oh dear - let's see some pictures..and we can advise.

[Mark Wilson]

Well at least you will know that its been done, just make sure the guy doing the welding shows you the quality of his work on other cars, and also during and after he has welded your car, as too often they clag waxoyl on the car when its finished and you haven't a clue is its a good job or an expensive bodge.

I've just come in from preparing and painting the inside of my chassis leg - weld through primer on the flanges, Brantho Korrux on the other surfaces, including the soon to be hidden parts of the floor, tie plate and the toeboard angled support. How could anyone earning a living from restoring afford to spend this sort of time without bankrupting the customer?

(for the eagle eyed the photo isn't the o/s leg I'm doing at the moment, its the n/s which I did a couple of weeks ago!)

[frame][/frame]

[pandaselecta]

Have a teaser pic of my '59 minor...[frame][/frame]

[MorrisJohn]

Oh dear. I'm no expert but at stating the obvious a big rusty hole there isn't good. I genuinely feel your pain.

[MorrisJohn]

Well at least you will know that its been done, just make sure the guy doing the welding shows you the quality of his work on other cars, and also during and after he has welded your car, as too often they clag waxoyl on the car when its finished and you haven't a clue is its a good job or an expensive bodge.

I've just come in from preparing and painting the inside of my chassis leg - weld through primer on the flanges, Brantho Korrux on the other surfaces, including the soon to be hidden parts of the floor, tie plate and the toeboard angled support. How could anyone earning a living from restoring afford to spend this sort of time without bankrupting the customer?

(for the eagle eyed the photo isn't the o/s leg I'm doing at the moment, its the n/s which I did a couple of weeks ago!)

[frame][/frame]

Looks good Mark, attention to detail. I wish I knew how to weld!

[pandaselecta]

There's always a way.....

http://www.sruc.ac.uk/directory_record/ ... ng_classes

[Tapitha]

Hi,
Just got new MOT for Tapitha. Took her to the garage I always use to have new lower left front trunnion replaced and MOT. I also said I thought some welding might be needed. Two days later I called to see how things were going. They found that the areas near the back rear spring hangers were badly corroded although they superficially looked OK. The garage welding expert cut away all the corroded areas and hand made complete new sections out of heavier gauge steel. The finished job is superb showing real craftsmanship. I was shown all the rusted pieces removed when I visited again, they could easily be bent by fingers and thumbs. It took two weeks for the work to be completed as he couldn't work on the car all the time but still put in many hours. The cost of all this work was about £700 which I thought was very reasonable. On top of that was VAT which I think should be zero rated for safety work!
I am glad the work has been done and I dread to think what could have happened if I had hit a big bump at speed. Last year everything had been OK so rusting can happen very quickly. Pre-1960 Minor owners be warned!
MOT for my MGB GT next month and clutch trouble to be sorted out.
If anyone would like to try this small garage near Ipswich, Suffolk send me a PM and I will give details.
Cheers.
Mike (and Tapitha)

[MorrisJohn]

Was that the hangers on both sides you had done for that? If so that seems reasonable. I paid £500 (inc VAT) to have one done. It appears to be to a good standard, really nice finish. Realistically the other will probably need it within a year, and a few other areas too.

[Tapitha]

Yes it was both sides and also other rusted bits across rear body and strengthening the part where the towbar fits. Away on holiday at present but will post photos after I am home in 3 weeks.
Mike