Thanks Everyone,

[redwine300]

Well Guy's. Took on board all your comments and advice,(Big thanks by the way.) and managed to achieve some reasonable results. It took me several attempts mind, but I hope you will agree that it's not to shabby. I know I've said it before, but sincere thanks to everyone involved with this forum. By the way, Sorry if I got a bit carried away with the photo's

 

[ytre]

Looks really well . Cant wait to see the finished project. keep up the good work

 

[Chickenjohn]

It's looking really, really good! Keep up the good work and keep posting the pics! :-)

 

[redwine300]

No welding this weekend I'm sorry to say, Mainly cutting out some tin worm from rear floor section. Worse than I thought. Still, cut back into good steel and treated affected areas with bilt-hamber. Just got to mock up some repair patches ready for the weekend. It's going to be a long week.

 

[Chickenjohn]

That is going to be a tricky patch to make up- is the panel available to buy?

 

[ytre]

That is going to be a tricky patch to make up- is the panel available to buy?

Its gonna be tricky alright but uve managed before and done a great job. Cant see that panel being available to buy, its a case of making your own id imagine.

 

[redwine300]

Hi Chickenjohn,/ytre, I have tried to locate replacement panels but can only find them in the USA so far. Those I did find do not export. I have in the past cut good metal from people scrapping their 300's But one's with sound panels are becoming as rare as hens teeth. As for the repair, I intend to make it up as 2 pieces so as to maintain the the original over lapped seams, so hopefully it will not be to difficult. I will post stage pictures as I go. Thanks for the input guy's. By the way, If anyone knows of anywhere in the UK I can try for panels and spares etc' please let me know.

 

[redwine300]

Managed to get something made up for the first part of the rear floor repair today. Frustrating or what? Just need to acid etch and drill out plug weld positions on the lip that joins the floor to the sill and it will be ready for welding. Who ever said welding was 90% preparation and 10% welding was not far wrong! Just a thought for anyone doing the same, I was lucky I decided to finish this repair before fitting the front sill, I have treated the inner rear section with waxoyl and will be able to spot any flames should they occur. Hopefully not but you never know.

 

[redwine300]

Drilled and acid etched repair section, No going back now, I think my welding may have suffered a bit this time, Penetration seemed to be a bit random. I put it down to confined space and being restricted on vision due to difficult access. Well that's my excuse anyway. Did not manage to plug weld floor to sill though, Repair seems to have sprung away from the face slightly. Would not tap back, so I will have to come up with some way of pressing the 2 pieces together before I plug weld.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Did not manage to plug weld floor to sill though, Repair seems to have sprung away from the face slightly. Would not tap back, so I will have to come up with some way of pressing the 2 pieces together before I plug weld.

Can I suggest Tek screws? These are self-tappers with built-in drill tips. They should pull the two pieces together. I got mine off eBay.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Robotstar5]

Can I suggest Tek screws? These are self-tappers with built-in drill tips. They should pull the two pieces together.

I've used them to hold bits together while I weld them then take out and plug weld the holes.

 

[Chickenjohn]

I have used simmilar screws before- self drilling screws. You can get them from screwfix (and possibly some DIY stores) they are used for fixing metal roofing panels together.

I got a box from screwfix. http://www.screwfix.com/prods/40192...s/Self-Drilling-Screws-6-3-x-22mm-Pack-of-100

I have a pack of these that are just under 1" long. They have done the job for me, but don't get the ones with the washer.

Although drilling holes, filing off the burrs and using a normal self tapper to hold the two sheets together might give a closer contact, though now the panel is partly welded in place you cannot follow this approach, so self drilling screws are the way forward.

The other way is to get a helper to apply pressure with the handle of a hammer to a point on the panel near to one of the plug weld holes, so the top and bottom faces meet. Then you can plug weld.

If you have enough access and no help then a bottle jack may do the job.

 

[redwine300]

Thanks for the tips and advise guy's. Very much appreciated. I will have a look at the self drilling screws option but I will first try and rig something up using a bottle/scissor jack. I am just a bit reluctant to drill any more holes than I need to as my welding over holes is not up to much yet. Which ever option I end up using I will try and get some photo's posted. I hope to cut and weld in the second part of this repair at the weekend. Weather and decorating permitting.

 

[redwine300]

Well got to the point where I was ready to throw in the towel with this piece, drove me mad today but managed to get somewhere close to what I think will suffice. Still a little fettling and drilling to do but should be welded in tomorrow, fingers crossed. By the way Chickenjohn, took your advice with regards to using a jack to hold the plug welding together and my initial set ups looked promising. May manage to get them welded tomorrow also.

 

[redwine300]

Managed to finish fettling and prepping, and tacked into place. Struggled again with erratic penetration. I think I am becoming over cautious about blowing through and not getting enough heat into the steel. Also nervous about starting a fire in difficult places to see and get to should that happen. Once tacked I then went on to stitch the but joints and plug weld the overlapped ones. Not my best I am afraid, Just could not get good looking welds. By the way Chickenjohn, jack idea works a treat. Allowed me to press the lower part of the overlapped joint closer to the inner one above.

 

[ytre]

Its looking good redwine, we can all have our off days, ive had the odd car fire and its not a good experience. Have you much more to do?

 

[redwine300]

Hi ytre, Sorry I have not replied sooner, The last major panel to fit is the front outer sill, Once I have finished the plug welding of the latest repair, I will make the final fitting and pre drill all the relevant plug welds to the sill. At the moment I am priming and zinc coating the inside, followed by welding in the inner re enforcement panel shown in the pictures below. Once that is done i think i may be in a position to get her back on the ground and start fitting the electrics back in to allow me to fire her up. fingers crossed.

 

[ytre]

Ur doing a great job redwine. Im sure you'll be glad to get it finished. will you do the painting yourself? Do you have a plasma cutter for cutting the panel shapes?

 

[Robotstar5]

Nice workbench - all the comforts of home

 

[redwine300]

Sorry to say ytre that I do not have a plasma cutter, All my panels are cut by hand from flat sheet. As for the final paint job, I will attempt some of it my self and see how I get on. I managed to get the plug welding finished off today without starting a fire, the first 2 went OK but the third was a little poor. the sound of the weld just went from sizzle to a buzzzzz and formed a large blob. Any thoughts anyone? By the way chickenjohn thanks for the tip regarding the jack idea, worked a treat.