Project Talbot (not so) express

[Danez]

exhaust has since been fitted as it runs like a dream
moved onto tackling some rust next. Tried to book it in for MOT so I can have a list to work to but got let down three times due to ramp being too small and then miscommunication, but every time I drove it to the garage it drove so well, was really fun to drive too!

So thought ****** to it I'm just going to crack on and sort anything that i know will fail the MOT. With that said i started with the rear nearside where the leaf spring mounts. very crusty around there.

Removed the rear quarter sill to see what the crack is, most of the inner sill is alright thankfully

see if you can spot the difference between the new and old sill

onto removing the leaf spring, all the bolts came off ok after using plus gas but this last one decided it didn't want a captive nut and just spun freely

to get to the nut i needed to cut away more of the inner sill but thankfully it was to all come out anyway with it being rotten!

There's the nut on the right, managed to get a spanner on it and away it came. looks like someone's been here before though, wonder how long that other nut and thread has been rattling around in there for!

Managed to remove the leaf spring after some struggle, was a lot easier to take out once i'd moved the axel stand from underneath the axel

looks to be in ok condition, will replace bushes and clean it up not forking out £200 for a new one!

Next job was to just remove the shock, piece of **** right?

 

[Danez]

....no...took me a good 4 hours!

To start with the captive nut failed (surprise surprise) so had to squeeze a spanner up there after figuring out its 19mm. thought it was strange that the nut came off and the bolt didn't move out one bit but whatever

the bolt would not budge, it spun with a breaker bar but would not screw out.
Couldn't push it through the other side using a breaker bar as the metal was far too thin to lever against.
So decided to use the dremel and make a gauge in the head so i could pry it off that way

the gouge ended up being much bigger. used a lot of heat and penetrating oil to try and pull it out but it didn't budge.
so had to use the reciprocating saw to cut the bolt off, that itself was a ballache with the saw being so bulky it was hard to get the blade lined up right so i ended up cutting part of the bushing

Then, because there was still thread sticking through i had to cut the other side which meant cutting the shock shroud off to i could just about fit the saw in!

finally got it out and was rewarded with more rust and a distinct lack of metal

That white stuff is the shower tray....which apparently is a proper bad job to remove so i'm going to try and cut the bad metal out and slide new metal behind that upright and hopefully butt weld into the wheel well and possibly plug weld it with some holes drilled into said upright. will apply some foil tape to the fibreglass to protect it from splatter

Here's the aftermath

the mrs brought out a victory beer which was well needed

so next job is to try and weld up that gaping hole without removing the shower tray...
would some metal tape be enough to protect it? i'd get the other half to fire watch so it should be reyt....
ordered some brackets that the leaf spring mounts too from custom campers so those to weld in too after a good clean up

hoping for a mild spring so i can get it ready for this summer, annoying it all has to be done outside!

 

[DanZac]

I love these threads. One man's struggle against the evils of rust for no other reason than "It's a nice vehicle and it makes me smile".

Keep Chipping away at it and before you know it you'll be sat at the seaside with a cold beer in your hand watching the sun set. All memories of freezing your bits off with rust in your hair, long forgotten.

 

[Danez]

I love these threads. One man's struggle against the evils of rust for no other reason than "It's a nice vehicle and it makes me smile".

Keep Chipping away at it and before you know it you'll be sat at the seaside with a cold beer in your hand watching the sun set. All memories of freezing your bits off with rust in your hair, long forgotten.

haha cheers, good motivation that!

It can be disheartening after sinking so many hours and money in only to see more rust but as you say it'll be that much more rewarding to use once it's done.

It's also a good way to improve on skills as well as the fact I genuinely enjoy doing it

 

[lazybones51]

Following this with interest. My old man has one sat in his barn that's not moved for about 5 years, so is going to need recommissioning. It's also got a few scabby bits (scuttle panel for one) that needs sorting.

 

[Danez]

Following this with interest. My old man has one sat in his barn that's not moved for about 5 years, so is going to need recommissioning. It's also got a few scabby bits (scuttle panel for one) that needs sorting.

a common place for these to corrode is on the scuttle/windscreen surround meaning a windscreen out job. thankfully someone's making new scuttles still. It's something I'll have to do eventually but that'll be in a couple years time and when i've found somewhere indoors to do it

 

[dobbslc]

Could you stuff a piece of plumbers soldering mat in the hole to protect the shower tray and then fit the metal? The mat can just stay there.

 

[Danez]

Could you stuff a piece of plumbers soldering mat in the hole to protect the shower tray and then fit the metal? The mat can just stay there.

That's a good shout! Didn't know they existed..

 

[winchman]

A few years ago when I had a Talbot I had to remove the shower tray to repair the floor, I just stripped the bathroom, repaired the floor then fitted a new tray sink and wall panels, I spray painted the bog it came up like new and was a great improvement for what it cost.
Got the bits from Magnum motorhomes, when I sold it the first to view it bought it and told me it was the Bathroom that did it.

 

[Danez]

A few years ago when I had a Talbot I had to remove the shower tray to repair the floor, I just stripped the bathroom, repaired the floor then fitted a new tray sink and wall panels, I spray painted the bog it came up like new and was a great improvement for what it cost.
Got the bits from Magnum motorhomes, when I sold it the first to view it bought it and told me it was the Bathroom that did it.
View attachment 484545

looks lovely that! would like to fit a cassette bog in mine but it looks like your bathroom is bigger than mine

 

[bricol]

If you don't take it out, how will you get to the back of the newly welded in metal to clean it and paint it? If you don't, you'll be doing it again sooner than you might want.

 

[redlig]

I love these threads. One man's struggle against the evils of rust for no other reason than "It's a nice vehicle and it makes me smile".

Keep Chipping away at it and before you know it you'll be sat at the seaside with a cold beer in your hand watching the sun set. All memories of freezing your bits off with rust in your hair, long forgotten.

As the remaining bits slowly rust away in the bracing, but salt laden , sea air.

 

[Danez]

If you don't take it out, how will you get to the back of the newly welded in metal to clean it and paint it? If you don't, you'll be doing it again sooner than you might want.

planning on using some weld through primer for the back side and spraying in some cavity wax if i can find a way to get the long nozzle in there

 

[minimutly]

looks lovely that! would like to fit a cassette bog in mine but it looks like your bathroom is bigger than mine

View attachment 484550

Be a job to hit that hole every time....

 

[Danez]

loving this weather! finally got more done
onto the first patch...
Cut it to shape and then used the old bit to form the strengthening ridge on the new part by filling the gap with steel epoxy and then heating up the new metal and going to town with a hammer

Messed up measurement so had to add an extra patch at the bottom but it fit well otherwise

only the finest cad material used

some of the welds weren't great, but it'll do, kept improving as i went and when it got to the last little patch i was actually happy with the welding

only blew the one hole but managed to chase it out

 

[Danez]

got a bit excited and went to town with the seam sealer

Just need to spray some primer on it and then waxoyl then that's the wheel well done!
this was my position most of the time, bloody pain in the neck! proper awkward to get to but managed it

Next time i'd prefer to add some sort of rust barrier like hydrate 80 to it all before using seam sealer so i'll do that going forward
am hoping that's the most awkward to get to welding done... famous last words and all that

and then this morning i got to removing one of the leaf spring brackets to be replaced

 

[Danez]

all waxoyl'd up, nice to have a section all boxed off now

Need to get me one of those spot weld drill bits, right ballache to remove

shower drain not looking too good

only thing scarier than all this rust!

discovered yet more unplanned welding

and then i ran out of gas

 

[Danez]

Finished off the shower drain and other bit

Very happy with those plug welds

Cleaned up and applied hydrate 80

Drilled and welded some captive nuts to the bracket and then bolted the hanger on to line it up

Attempted to remove the front bush from the leaf spring to no avail

Nothing a VAT free sale can't fix

Next job is the rear bracket for the leaf spring hanger

I've got a deadline too, got camping tickets to thruxton retro weekend for the 19th june, so if i don't pull my finger out we'll be tenting it!

 

[xillent]

What a job, yer some man. Were there naughty words when the gas ran out?

 

[Danez]

What a job, yer some man. Were there naughty words when the gas ran out?

More relief as it meant no more hot metal globs finding their way down the back of my neck

Don't get me wrong though there's been plenty of naughty words said while working on this rusty french bucket, must be where the term pardon my french comes from