1975 Vauxhall Viva HC

[pedrobedro]

Clean and strip discs work well and don't do too much damage. I've been using some lately on scooter parts and even aluminium cleans well with minimal scoring. The gloss paint on some of the parts was 1/8" thick and it came off leaving a clean surface.

 

[Paul Dawson]

My floor looks identical. I've scraped it with a heavy duty scraper and not gone through yet - the next stage is the wire cup on an angle grinder.

The other thing I've recently used is a powerfile with a ceramic belt. It's a revelation!!! Powerful enough to get back to good metal, but much more controllable than an angle grinder - and you can get into all the nooks and crannies.

There was post on the Viva forum about Argos selling B&D powerfiles for £32 which is nearly half-price.

The seam sealer - would a hot air gun work to soften it and then scrape it out?

 

[droopsnoot]

The seam sealer - would a hot air gun work to soften it and then scrape it out?

Yes, I've been using that method where any sealant (or floor) is present.

 

[pedrobedro]

The other thing I've recently used is a powerfile with a ceramic belt. It's a revelation!!! Powerful enough to get back to good metal, but much more controllable than an angle grinder - and you can get into all the nooks and crannies.

I got mine for £32.99 from Amazon last year and Argos are doing them at the same price now which is a bargain. I've been using mine today on some fiddly bits and they are invaluable. I use al-oxide belts from ebay seller johnt1102 and they are good.

 

[oli8925]

A powerfile is on my list, I'll have a shop around and see if I can still get one at that price.
In the mean time I finally got a move on with the floor. Got an angle grinder and used a knotted wire wheel. Paused half way through to get a breathing mask, goggles, gloves and ear defenders and restarted - much better. After the wire wheel I gave it a quick going over with a flap disk to try to get rid of the mountainous pitting. Didn't work fantastically so instead of thinning the metal any more I'll just use some high build primer and sand it back to get it smooth. The end result will be an 'as new' looking floor with fresh paint. As it stands at the moment, a few doses of Kurust.

Having trouble getting in the corners though and still need to take up the seam sealer.

Also managed to get the engine running, whoop!

 

[Windy Miller]

Is that an SU carb I can see? I thought they had either a Stromberg or a Zenith?

 

[droopsnoot]

That looks pretty good for a floorpan of its age, nice that it hasn't gone through anywhere.

 

[oli8925]

It is an HS4. I got sick of the Stromberg, had a left over SU and spares and needed a little project to keep my interest in the car up. I know SUs inside out and they're so simple, although they do have their faults I'll admit.

The floor pan's a pleasant surprise. It has a little drilled hole in the corner, not sure where it came from but I guess best would be to fill it with weld and grind down.

I'm still looking at those rear arches and getting the fear. It's the thought of trying to make the panels rather than welding them

 

[droopsnoot]

Just keep breaking them down into small pieces that you feel you can easily make. It doesn't matter if you have to make the repair section out of three pieces because you can't get your head around how and where to bend it to make it out of one piece - as long as you weld the pieces together it's not really any different. Oh, and keep the pieces you cut out so you can refer to them while you're making the repairs. And in that location, the precise shape isn't so important so you can afford to make a few little mistakes.

 

[oli8925]

I think I'll be alright with bends with enough patience and practice, but I'm really worrying about making the arch repair panel as it's '3D curve' so to speak. Don't know how to describe it but hopefully you'll know what I mean

 

[slimjim]

I think I'll be alright with bends with enough patience and practice, but I'm really worrying about making the arch repair panel as it's '3D curve' so to speak. Don't know how to describe it but hopefully you'll know what I mean

make a small former out of wood, or a sand bag, then use a bossing mallet, to stretch the metal into a double curve, it won't need much and as it's an inner wing, it doesn't need to be perfect, just do it a small area at a time!

 

[oli8925]

It's not easy is it! Two months later and I've finally bought the equipment and got the weather. So my first attempts at welding....hmmmm

Trying out the welder and getting to grips with it. Mostly on power setting 3 of 6 as was suggested by the tutorial on here but all I did was blow holes, as you can see

Second sheet, trying to focus on speed and technique, power setting 2.

Some of the better ones

And my last attempt

I'm finding it difficult to keep my movements fluid and to keep the gap between tip and metal about right. Still not 100% on the settings either, had wire speed between 5 and 6ish. I don't seem to be getting any penetration like shown here though. Theres literally nothing coming through on the other side, but any slower/higher power and it blows a hole

 

[Welderpaul]

Your biggest problem is there is no shielding gas. Bottle empty?

 

[oli8925]

Brand new bottle. The first sheet was with a brand new regulator too but after a while worked out something wasn't right and found it to be faulty. The second sheet was done using my dad's regulator that he's been using for years and never had a problem with. I opened it about half way as he suggested to do. Tomorrow I'll try it fully open. There is definitely gas in the bottle.

 

[Welderpaul]

Those bottles are known for being pretty poor. If you are welding outside, it could be a breeze blowing it away.

 

[Norm]

can you hear the gas coming out the torch nozzle when you depress the trigger? were you welding outside? if it is windy you need to put up a temporary screen as the wind blows the gas away from the weld and you don't get any shielding
Norm

oops beaten to it by Paul.

 

[oli8925]

It's a Clarke CO2/Argon mix bought from here. It was only after I bought it I investigated and found a refillable regulator in the service hatch of the welder. Too late.

I could hear the gas escaping the nozzle and although I was welding outside it wasn't noticeably windy at all. I would have thought it would be OK with that little wind, but maybe not. I'll give it a quick go now with a a screen of some sort up.

 

[the snooper]

if its a disposible bottle you only get around 10 minutes solid weld time from them they are useless and a very expensive way of welding

 

[oli8925]

I hope not, I'm probably near the end of that already, next one I get will definitely be refillable, only problem is the nearest place to get a refill is 25 miles away.

Much better welds this time around, so either too much wind or not enough gas last time as you said, thanks

First few tries with a wind shield

Slowed it down a bit, but still not getting much penetration

So slowed it down even more

Penetration

 

[Norm]

much better