E32 - ❗Advice desperately needed❗What would you do? 🔀
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2024
- I thought it would be a good idea to take a closer look at the chassis on my old Morris Minor. I have exposed the worst of the rust at the torsion bar cross member and I really need some direction on what to do next. Any useful comments would be really appreciated. All options welcomed!
here is where you can buy complete chassis for those wondering.
www.willscompa...
The only way is too cut back all the rust till you hit sound metal, then put in new pieces,
If you plate over the top, you still have rust, I know it’s hard slog especially when your new too this stuff,
But it’s the only right way, if you want a long life out of the repairs,
I did this as a panel beater many years ago,
It’s crap work but !!!!!
Thank you for the advice. I think I will be replacing the metal with patches and I certainly do not intend on going over the top of rust. I think that is what's happened in this situation in some places. I've had the car for over 25 years so sparing a few hours just to get it right doesn't really feel like too much of a bother for me.
I had the same problem years ago. So I decided to squirt used oil mixed with diesel into the chassis. Works very well indeed.
IMHO I would strip the chassis of ALL the crap and then decide to patch or not to patch. Cleaning do a section at a time and then have a beer or two.
Great, decision made! Clean chassis, have a butchers then a beer. Have a brew night next week, so maybe more than just the one!
It looks very doable. I'd recommend butt welding the patches rather than overlapping them. If you can get the vehicle on its side it would make everything very much easier for you.
Thank you. I think I'm going to give it a go. I would love to try to get the car on its side but I'm a little bit restricted. The car is about a foot and a half off the ground and even with my gut I can get under there fairly okay. I'm just going to have to get dirty.
But weld to what? It will be a shitty weak weld. The other metal is thin. At least fish plate the weld area.
@@maxwebster7572 You cut it back to good metal, then butt weld new metal in. Clearly most of the problems on that chassis now are as a result of previous 'fish plate' repairs. They are a cop out, they trap moisture between the overlapping plate and the old rusty metal and it all starts over again. You see plates like that you know a bodger has been involved.
@@spencereagle1118 Those frames are equally rusted inside likely with layers of iron oxide 3/16" to 1/4" thick. If a fish plate is bodger's work with twice the strength then show me an NDT report on YOUR but welds that will pass inspection. Further more, when sectioning certain sections you are required to but weld with inserts. He won't live long enough for a fish plate to rot and the rest of the car will disintegrate long before that. New frame? But welds are fine but there are processes where they are done at angles and not 90 degrees. Some shithead thinks he can but weld is dangerous. A guy asking "what to do" should stiffen up his work so it isn't dangerous.
It's not just a patch. But it's not the end of the world. First job is to strip off all the underseal. Horrid job. The uprights may be fine, but the horizontals at the base are likely knackered. Now you know what you're working with. Fabricate and replace large sections. You can put the vehicle on its side while you work but you may need to weld in temporary braces.. Whatever repairs you do, put in drain holes and accesses to get waxoyl in so you don't have to do it again. A new chassis would be easier and final, but more dosh.
Yep, intend on getting down and dirty in the next couple of days to really find out what's going on! Thanks for the advice.
@@MiniorMinority Good luck. Nice to keep old vehicles on the road and I reckon it'll get more popular as new cars get ever more expensive to buy, insure, fuel and have repaired.
Thankyou! Couldn't agree more! It's also ULEZ free!
@@MiniorMinority ooh! So I could drive my '68 Viva if I ever had to drive to black bogey land again.....
Absolutely. (Not congestion charge free tho).
That undercoating has been the death of many chassis. I would be weary of wherever it is. Go check the rest of the car before you go any further. I bet it's hiding all kinds of nastiness.
If it's just there, you might be able to repair. Would be better off fabricating the whole thing. I would personally find a better chassis, but I come from the magical land of no oxidation. If money was no object I'd decide if I wanted an upgraded frame or original and not bother polishing a turd.
Thanks for the advice. I think some more exploring is required which will be my next job and then decisions can be made.
grind it back and see what good metal you have around the rotted sections....cut out sections at a time....weld in same gauge steel...... repeat till complete . what are the chances of sourcing a similar age chassis in better condition ?
That's what I'm leaning towards. You can buy brand new chassis for £2.5k ready for delivery next week!
Thankyou by the way!
@@MiniorMinority I would go for the new chassis for £2.5k. It is a lot easier than a lot of welding, and you know it is all good. It cost more than that here just to get someone to install a rebuilt transmission.
Myself seeing that it was patched in many other places I would look to source a good chassis. Have to look at time to do all the repairs compared to just changing over to a better chassis.
You are probably right, although if the rust is localised it would only take a few hours to repair. I'm still in 2 minds. I will take a proper look at the chassis and make my mind up.
I just lost my coupe to Rust, may she rest in pieces
Oh no! Sad times! I think mine would have been far away if I hadn't had make a start on putting things right.
I would clean it back to the metal and solid metal cut a hole as square as you can and weld the same thickness metal in. I'm following someone on CZcams with the same problem can't remember what his name is I'll have a look and pass it on to you. But I would say give it a try before you go and buy a new chassis
Dave garage will worth looking at
I'm feeling the same. A lot of money to spend on a chassis, and it is unlikely to be my daily car. Thanks for your thoughts
The chassis leg repair section doesn’t go back that far, chassis from Alex wills are around 2k, that’s rusting from the inside out, could be repaired, depending how good your welding is,I’d be cleaning and inspecting properly taking the top plates off the top for a good look, as I said it depends how good your welding is if it’s in the same place both sides it could folg if not correctly repaired
Top advice, I will be cleaning and assessing very soon.
I've gone through this on a couple of cars, I found a machinist/welder and put the car on a trailer and RUTHLESSLY cut away from damage. Then pull the entire car over to the shop ( at his convenience ) install repair pull the car away and clear access to the next repair.
My first project was a Triumph GT6 small very light easy-peasy.
Larger cars need more heavier trailers but I find the process about the same but more muscle required.
Skilled welders can fix just about anything.
Thankyou, really appreciate the advice. I think I will spend some more time assessing the chassis before I make any rash decisions. I've ordered some sheet steel just in case I'm feeling confident 🤞
@@MiniorMinority I've found that skilled welders can accomplish jobs that appear hopeless
Talk the guy first to get a clear idea of what you have to do to prep the job
clean it back before doing anything ,,, if your going to patch it up , then do the rest of the scruffy patches too ,, I weld land rovers , so Im seeing a simple repair job there ...
Cool, the more I think about it the more I think attempting patching before replacing. I really appreciate the guidance. I simply don't have the money (or experience) to replace full structural members. I reckon I will be on my back tomorrow covering myself in dust, dirt and rust tomorrow!
@@MiniorMinority clean it ,,, its the slow part , and its dirty and horrid , but it makes everything from there on in nicer ,,, and dont ever even dream of using waxol ,,, ever ever ever.
Oh, ok. May I ask why not and is there anything should use?
@@MiniorMinority I personally use acf 50 google it and see why ,others use dinitrol , but waxol creates more issues than it solves
@@tomthompson7400 I agree waxoyl SUCKS, I use a 3M product called cavity wax plus 08852 and get the wand kit PN8851
I wouldn't worry about the rust you can see. I *would* worry about all the rust you can't see!
Take a ballpein hammer and smack the crap out of everywhere. You'll be able to tell by the sound - and the holes. :/
Rodger that! It's going to be interesting when I get going with it! Thanks.
Not sure how deep your pockets are.... Strip it and dip it if you can afford it or get really dirty and clean it all off and see what you got. Nothing else you can do really. Good luck. Personally I would keep plugging away and see what I got.. Your only going to do it once, its half the fun and lets face it TV is really crap!
I totally agree with you. I'm going to focus on getting the cab back together now and then roll it over one way or another to take a proper look. If I need to lift the cab I will, otherwise I will keep repairing. Thankyou
if you don't know how to weld, learn.
Yep, learning to weld as I go! Not put off by welding (yet).
If you’re going to do it, do it right. Buy a new chassis. Reason is the structural integrity of the cab and chassis are both weakened due to corrosion, welding will introduce more distortion. You could make a jig from box section to brace and then fabricate new sections of chassis but this is very time consuming to do properly. Plating is only a bodge repair.
Sure, it might not be the best approach, but 2.5k is something I don't have. The other repairs have been there for in excess of 25 years and only now are showing signs of distress. In 25 years I will probably be dead and it can be someone else's problem. Let's see how I get on with thanking everything back and make a proper assessment. Thankyou for the advice.
does a morris minor really have a chassis?
Yep, the commercial vehicles do. Cab bolts on top.
@@MiniorMinority then you have to remove everything from chassis, pluck it clean of all components and nuts/bolt and repair. that is the proper way to restore.
You are probably right. The problem is the cab is knackered too! I think I am going to repair what I can see on the chassis (which is almost all of it) and then get on with the cab. I currently have the floor out so access is good. The rear is a bolt on box, so will probably whip that off too. Thankyou for the advice
@@MiniorMinority you can not properly repair the chassis with the cab onit. It is much more convenient and easier working on the bare chassis. it will be a lot quicker. Brace the cab with some angle iron. restoring the cab off chassis will be so much easier
Quit the moggy fixing and do a dog's CZcams channel if they are always going to heavily feature and interrupt the narrative. More views and then if you get to 1000 subs you can start earning - far more people are interested in dogs than rusty old cars.
If you want to fix the car come up with a picture of where you want to be in a year. Break that into 12 milestones and achieve one after another each month and you'll get there. If you have the cash new parts are good and while it'll eat money you'll save time. If money is tight then you'll have to settle for a long (long) time spent grinding and patching - it'll eat weekends and evenings but save money. Pick your poison.
Personally I don't think you have the skill to be welding anything (at the moment) and certainly not structural - I wouldn't trust your welds from what I've seen. Pigeon poo on a panel and a few taps with a hammer isn't good enough when you are travelling 30mph+ and someone pulls out and you hit them (not your fault but your Morris will crumple or rip apart and you'll be lucky to be alive and just in a wheelchair with life changing injuries). I don't wish that on you hence the concern!
Go on a welding course and get rid of than cheap and nasty welder you were given. Get a proper gas MIG and practice off the car until you are competent. Sorry, sounds brutal but a fair few watchers will just egg you on to do something they know is doomed without giving honest advice.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Really appreciate the advice. No intention to make money from this! I have a job that pays more than you tube will ever provide. I don't have a 12 month plan, so unable to provide just chipping away. Maybe it will never finish!
You are the first person to mention the dogs, so I'm not sure people are here for them, besides if I want to film dogs I will. They follow me into the garage when I film. If I ignore them they will Scrabble at the door, so I film them instead
I don't think people are egging me on to fail, I think that they are encouraging me to succeed, but it depends on your perspective I guess. If I fail, I fail, lesson learnt, but I tried.
I will not be taking the car on the road without a thorough inspection from my mechanic friend. In a crash I reckon a Morris would crumple at 30mph straight out of a factory 🤣
Thankyou for your comments tho, and I don't think you are being brutal, you might be right!