No More Cage

I spent a long day on the car today, but its was all time consuming little jobs, tidying off welds, grinding back  plug welds for the second time that were not flush, and trying to prepare the car for the Surface Treatment process.

I removed a few mechanical bits that were left too, such as the wiper arms and rack, door latches, battery earth strap, and various clips and small plastic mountings.

Finally got the cage out and the car looks like this - much better without the iron work

By the end of the day, I had finished the front end to my satisfaction, and also addressed a few dents that the panels have - I am not too fussed about inward dents, primer filler and lead loading will take car of those, but there were a few small "mole hills" that projected outwards, these have been gently hammered flatish, or at least below the surface of the surrounding panel, this will save damaging the ecoating later on.

While removing clips and other bits and pieces I had a few projecting bolt threads where the heads had sheared off, leaving thread in the welded nuts on the body shell. I drilled these out and re tapped the threads.

So tomorrow I shall continue with this type of work at the rear of the car, and if all goes well it will be finished by tomorrow night.

The remaining other jobs that I know about on the shell are:-

fit the fuel tank mounts in the boot.

fit the Stag rear exhaust hanger mounts under the boot floor.

fit the spare tyre retaining strap mount in the boot.

Because I have been away working this week I have not been to BOC, but I will get time next week, and then I can attend to the bonnet, and also put braze down the wing / valence seams. - They are welded, but braze doen't crack like seam filler.

I also got a few new parts off ebay this week, rear lamp, front chrome horseshoe, some Stanpart rear mudflaps and a reconditioned speedo (my instruments are all rusty).

So hours worked now 533 - 8 today

Costs 9256 - ebay parts, front wheel bearings and 2 gas fills from BOC