1968 Morris 1800 - another one.

[penguin45]

You're starting to see a pattern here, no doubt... I seem to have become the "go to guy" for 'Crab welding. This is the one that meant the grey one was done in two stages. At first glance this was a tidy car, but the sills had some very obvious lumps of filler and the owner was aware of several bodged repairs. He had obtained new BMC outer sills and two r/h centre membranes - no such things as a l/h one any more. The job was compounded by a former owner from 20 years ago following the blog on the Landcrab Forum. Had to get this one dead right!



Usual start - n/s first and drilling out myriad spot welds.





Frilly arch bottoms.



Outer sill off. Note bracing bars.



And the centre one off as well.



That had to go.



So it did.



And got replaced. Bottom edge doubled for extra strength.


Grotty bit at the front.



Much better. New bottom flange going on as well.

Then the problem of getting a r/h centre sill to fit on the left. Dead easy really.....



Drill off the jacking points.



And persuade my two large chums from the Wolseley Princess 18-22 project to fold the edge over. I'm quite small and feeble really.



Weld jacking points back on and it fits in the inner sill. Yay!



Weld it to car.







Weld outer to car. Something like 180 plug welds if you include attaching the bottom flanges. I'm really good at plug welds. It would have been a lot quicker and easier if the spot welder worked reliably.



"A" post sorted.





Frilly wing bottoms sorted.



Closing panel in the rear tub.



Primer, stonechip, underseal - that's this side done. Then came the curve ball....

P45.

[penguin45]

The owner rang up - "The MoT's out next week and I'd like to keep the date." Got it booked in for the Moday. Sunday saw me and my mate Mark chopping out horrible grotty wiring, redundant wiring, nasty red and blue plastic crimp on connectors, Lucar connectors (Surely a sin before God?) until finally all the electrics worked as they should. Then we had a play with Mark's car. Monday lunch time - failed. Break imbalance across the rear axle. Pointing out that it didn't have a rear axle but trailing arms did no good.

Drove back down to the garage and stripped the rear brakes. One cylinder seized on the back plate and some weird brake shoe wear discovered.



Freed everything off, new shoes - pass!

Out with the angle grinder.



So, excuse me, how come that passed then? Next is really, largely a repetition of the other side.



Sill off - more bodgery found.





Filler and mesh up to an inch thick.



Drillinmg out spot welds? Find the dimple. The black liness indicate that the dimples are up the inside of the panel. Genius.



'Ole.



Not 'ole.



Rear inner sill repaired - same as the other side.



Check panel fit.



And weld it all home.



"A" post has to be cut away even if it's not rotten to allow the plug welding.



Done.



Rear closing panel.



Finished.



Penguin Towers c.1972.



And it's off. Owner very happy. Stuart from up the road's lad damn near killed himself pulling that Herald in. Set the timing for him.

P45.

[Father Ted]

I love the two-tone Herald. Cactus and conifer.

[Willy Eckerslyke]

True craftsmanship!

[penguin45]

Mar 3, 2017 9:21:44 GMT Father Ted said:

I love the two-tone Herald. Cactus and conifer.

Nice, isn't it? His Dad's got Austin Sevens and a trials Dellow, so inevitable that son would finish up with some sort of oldie.

Cheers, Willy.

P45.