flex in floor

[robandsophie]

Hi,

I am currently cleaning of the horrible black stuff and mastic from under my moggy (has had welding of sills with Charles Ware so should be ok), however the floor is really flexing a bit like tin. No rust through the floor, and is all attached as should be. I know moggies were never the most robust in the metal work but is this normal?

[minor65]

Yeah quite normal. My blue minor has no flex that I've noticed due to a thicker gauge replacement floor. My black and grey minors (original floorpans in both) , if jacked up sometimes give a 'bong' noise due to floor flexing. Nothing to worry about. Also nothing wrong with waxoyl if that's what your cleaning off.

[robandsophie]

Wish it was waxoyl, I'm afraid it is underseal over a rubbery white filler compound from welded areas. Was going to leave alone but rust was showing through so thought better clean off and have a proper look. Real pig of a job, struggling to get it off. Using blunt chisel and various scrappers; tried using heat gun. Tried drill with wire brush on end - just smeared it around. Do you have any experience/ideas on how to get this stuff off?

[Mark Wilson]

My method is heat gun and scraper for the bulk of the underseal, rag and petrol for the residue. The white rubbery filler might be seam sealer, which is what should be used. Normal body filler isn't a great idea on the underside, but isn't rubbery.

Mark

[ManyMinors]

It sounds as if seam sealer was used straight onto the repaired steel without priming first - a foolish shortcut as seam sealer has no antirust properties at all. Underseal should chip off but it sounds as if something non-hardening has also been used which is harder to remove - although generally does a better job of protecting the car. You'll probably have to use a spirit based cleaner such as petrol, white spirit, spirit wipe or brake cleaner maybe to remove this. Wear gloves. Once you have got rid of all the mess, I would finish off with one of those rotary wire wheel /zip wheel devices on an electric drill or angle grinder and inspect the floor before applying a couple of coats of a good rust resistant primer. After that, finish off with whatever you prefer - a seam sealer if you want to, a stone chip finish if you prefer, or just paint. Get some waxoyl or similar into all the box sections and hidden areas too.

[bmcecosse]

I admire your faith in Wares.....I assume you haven't read the older posts.. The floor should absolutely NOT flex. Where are you jacking the car ?? Never ever use the 'jacking points'. Black underseal probably needs heat gun and scraper to remove.

[robandsophie]

Jacking car on back axle and then on axle stands. Front is also jacked on front cross member and onto axle stands with wood to spread load.
Whole floor appears original with no welding but does feels thin, but I think this may just be typical for a Minor!?
So I am ok to use heat gun, not likely to cause any damage to the metal?

Welding was done in 2010 by Wares, both sills.
I will try and load some photos and you can tell me what you think, and equally where I go from here. I've been putting it off but suspect a welder is on the cards in near future!

[stag36587]

Hi, you'll be fine to use a heat gun. Actually my floors were quite thick steel, it was the replacements that were thinner gauge and allowed a little bit of flex but nothing serious at all - just a bit like pushing down a lid on a jam jar to test freshness.

[robandsophie]

Yep thats exactly it, like pushing a jam jar! So I won't worry too much about that

[POMMReg]

I admire your faith in Wares.....I assume you haven't read the older posts.. The floor should absolutely NOT flex. Where are you jacking the car ?? Never ever use the 'jacking points'. Black underseal probably needs heat gun and scraper to remove.

Agree 100% with Roy, only "movement" should be in the floorpans with a hefty push - Convertibles wouldn't last long with the "flexing" indicated.

As for the "underseal" - to give it its Latin name; uttervs crapus butus coverus poorus qualitvs weldingus - use biggest wood chisel available and a hefty knife with a thick blade.

[Redmoggy]

It's quite possible that heat from the said repairs has caused the original floor to shrink/stretch to the point that you now have that jam jar effect.

Rod

[SteveClem]

Ware's are ok. Not perfect,but who is? I've had three restorations done there over the last 15 years and wouldn't hesitate to go back. I'm not sure why people who don't seem to have any direct experience of working with them seem to have a problem. I'd give them 9 out of 10 and would trust the standard of their chassis repairs completely.

[olderisbetter]

For cleaning off the main underseal a heat gun has been good for me a few times but i use it with a purdy 5 in 1 decorators scraper as it gets into awkward areas and round odd shapes, screwfix sells them for £5.55 good for opening paint cans and ok to hammer if you need more power.

screwfix link http://www.screwfix.com/p/purdy-6-in-1- ... 0wodNWcNUQ
I am not Mr Screwfix and i do not work for them just incase you wondered.

[robandsophie]

Trip to screw fix it is, I have so far managed to clear of about 1/2 of drivers side, using a chisel and elbow grease (as seems best way).Plus a bit of white spirit for the gunk, which is a real pain to get off.
Also cheeky b****ers have used it to fill in holes where I'm sure there should be weld, although nothing structural found yet!

Once cleaned off going to take to local body shop (which is supposed to be spot on) and get them to look and advice further. The saga will continue. Thanks for all the advice. Will try and up load some photos soon.

Rob

[Redmoggy]

Ensure your body shop has experience with the structure of a Minor. Modern body shops are not always the best place to advise on restoration work, they specialise in accident repair of modern cars which is a completely different kettle of fish. I have seen some appalling restorations come from shops that could make a seamless job of replacing the front of a crumpled Mondeo.

Rod

[robandsophie]

Well i had planned to upload photos of the underneath of Mervyn the morris minor, but try as I might i cannot get them to load onto this site. It just doesn't like Mac.

[don58van]

I don't think this site has any problem with posting pictures from Macs. I have several Macs and have posted many pix here with them.

Look for the instructions on this site -- the process is a bit different to what I have seen on other sites, particularly if you want to load more than one picture per post.

Some people seem to have problems if the pictures are too big, even though the site is designed to downsize automatically them. Try downsizing them first.

Better luck with your next try.

Don

[robandsophie]

Thanks Don,

Yep just found the thread! Will try again. Mind you I may give it to my daughter to do as don't really get these things, I remember thinking the Sinclair ZX81 was complicated

[robandsophie]

[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame] Hi Some photos!

[robandsophie]

This is what i found when removed the black crap off. I don't think its too structural just a bit of patch welding then rust treat and paint over. What do others think? Do I replace the front N/S chassis or leave for another day when really 'gone'.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]