Flying Farmers new project

[flying farmer]

Having seen all these posts about spits recently, I decided to knock one up out of scrap, and have now got my new MK1 project up in the air


.DSCF0004 (450 x 600).jpg
It is fairly solid at the back end, only a couple of minor holes. The rear wheel arches are scabby in a few places, mostly from the top back.The underside is perfect from the rear outriggers back, however the edges of the floorpan need replacing at the front, and the bodgy plating on the outriggers that can just be seen in the last photo will all have to go. Front arches are all filler on the outside and fibreglass on the inside, it remains to be seen how much metal I can find.
DSCF0002 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0001 (600 x 450).jpg
At least it will be a much more pleasant job to work on the bottom of the car without underseal and weld spatter in my hair and ears!
Neil

[Seaking]

well i wont take you long to knock it into shape now neil looking forward to seeing the progress

[Princejohny]

Excellent Neil. Any chance of a pic of the front of the tilter?
I recognise the underside view from the third pic having replaced a front outrigger, this week, whilst the Stag is up on ramps having the clutch changed. Difference is. I was inches away. A bit crap trying to wear welding helmet and see through the wrong part of my varifocals...
Just have to build one of these.
Cheers Johny

[flying farmer]

I hate stripping off underseal!
However it is now nearly all done and the inevitable extra rot revealed, fortunately not much more than I had already seenDSCF0009 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0011 (450 x 600).jpgDSCF0012 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0013 (600 x 450).jpg
This is the nearside, front arch was all fibreglass

[flying farmer]

I also found some old accident damage. I suspected the bodgy welding on the bottom of the nearside chassis leg was a rust repair. Having stripped off the underseal I was surprised to see factory paint, but as I removed the rest it became obvious that the chassis leg has been opened up then attacked with heat and hammers to straighten it before being closed up again.
It doesn't seem far out for alignment but it will have to be carefully checked when it is back on its wheels
DSCF0010 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0022 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0017 (600 x 450).jpg

[flying farmer]

These chassis legs are the only welding the shell has had, apart from a patch on the floor above the offside front chassis leg.
I am somewhat underwhelmed by the quality of the jobs done, so I am going to cut them all out and start again. At least this time the bodges are not hiding under a 4.5K respray!
DSCF0019 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0018 (600 x 450).jpg

[Rubce]

Hi Neil

What do your cows think of you nicking their barn for the resto?

Good work

Regards

Bruce

[Kevin Garrod]

Surely that's a moo-t point?

[rjahunter]

Hi Neil

What do your cows think of you nicking their barn for the resto?

Good work

Regards

Bruce

I'm sure if you hunt around in the cows' barn you may find a spare horn for the Stag.....

But what-heifer happens, it'll be a nice dry place to work. On the udder hand, it may be a bit messy ?

You cud always chew it over. Remember to check your tail lights though.

Sorry about that - just having a daft moment.....!!

[mattsay]

"Having seen all these posts about spits recently, I decided to knock one up out of scrap"

When I first read your opening line I thought it was a bit harsh on our fellow Spit (fire) owners!

[StagManiac]

I too am looking forward to seeing this progress, Neil.

[flying farmer]

Today I finished removing the underseal from what was left of the front offside wheelarch. Fortunately the rear offside is only a bit frilly at the bottom, but at the front the external panels are rot free
DSCF0023 (450 x 600).jpgDSCF0024 (450 x 600).jpgDSCF0021 (450 x 600).jpgDSCF0025 (600 x 450).jpg
Next job is to start cutting out all the rusty bits and the bodged repairs, then decide what can be home made and what would be easier to buy repair sections for. At the moment the tally is 3 outer arch panels, two front inner arches, though the offside may need something bigger, the bottom radiator support panel and a couple of chassis outriggers
The laying on of the angle grinder may reveal more though
Neil

[StagManiac]

The laying on of the angle grinder may reveal more though

Aye. It invariably does.

Would you be kind enough to show us through pictures how you make your repair sections, please? I for one would be very interested indeed to see that. I am soon to pick up the mantle and restore my own Stag shell, so it could be timely too.

Keep up the great work!

Paul

[flying farmer]

Today I applied the angle grinder and revealed less rust!, wasn't expecting that.
Front arches are horrid, first three inches are aluminium mesh and fibreglass, I don't think there is any steel in there at all, but less metal to cut away I suppose.
The rear arches were a suprise, I cut away the joining flange of the inner and outer arches leaving only about half an inch on the front half of the arches, and cut back almost to the edge of the curve on the back half and left 90% of the rust on the floor.
The areas where the rust has crept around the edge of the curve is quite small on both sides, certainly not enough to justify replacement arches and all the associated filling.
The plan at the moment is to weld together the shortened joining flange on the front half of the arches, and weld a half inch wide strip to the edge of the rear half of the arch, then fabricate the inner arch to suit.
I am going to stay with the narrower arch lips as the car will be fitted with 6x15 wheels with 195 tyres, took quite a bit of fettling of suspension components on my other stag to get the tyres to clear the arches
About one more night of grinder work needed then I can start welding
Neil

[flying farmer]

I realised I was very low on gas for the welder today, so decided to finish it off on the Stag as I need some more for a farm related welding job in the next couple of days
1st photo shows the amount cut off the wheelarch lip
2nd shows the only part where the rust has eaten into the outer arch
3rd shows the shortened arch lip seam welded, and other holes requiring attention
4th photo shows the strip I am welding to the outer skin (ran out of gas at this point)
Progress may slow a bit now as my sister is visiting from the USA for the next couple of weeks, plenty of eating and drinking rather than nights in the garage!

DSCF0026 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0027 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0029 (600 x 450).jpgDSCF0028 (600 x 450).jpg