New Toy

[Goldstar]

Evening all,

So I need to take the sills off my car so I can work out if it's a viable project or a breaker - really don't want to break it but it's a realistic option. Anyway, I started a couple of weeks ago with the grinder and cutting discs. Got through 5, didn't cut very much. Decided I wasn't much enjoying that. Anyway, I got me one of these a couple of weeks ago.

PLasma Cutter.jpg

Holiday got in the way of getting going with it but after a bit of practice today I got going. This is what I managed in 2 hours. Dead easy and quick as long as there isn't too much filler in the way.

OFFside sill 1.jpgOFFside sill 2.jpgOFFside sill 3.jpgOFFside sill 4.jpg

As you can see it's not particularly pretty in there. There are 3 layers of repair to the outer and inner sills; the last of those being a Quicksill that basically welds to the outside of the floor and then wraps round onto the outer sill. What a nightmare. Obviously the various layers combined with the fact that the previous 'repairs' were not cut back to good metal before they were put in has made the area a bit of a rust haven. Oh yeah and the tonneau cover drain tube was draining into the sill area for good measure.

Inner arches not great either but I guess that is not a great surprise

So anyone got any tips for replacing inner sills.......??

[Goldstar]

Another couple of pictures

OFFside sill 5.jpgOFFside sill 6.jpg

[iani]

Good job, looks like a good investment

[stagmuffin]

easy enough if you allow yourself time and brace thoroughly before you remove material, doing one side at a time. you could probably make up the inner sill sections that are u/s and replace and knit to the floor rather than buying the complete unit to save money or if that's not an issue buy the inner sill and cut to suit the repairs. use plenty of zinc rich primer on the inner box section before welding or weld thru primer and as soon as finished welding apply protection to welded /exposed areas inner and outer as oxidisation starts immediately the heat is removed and exposed to oxygen . doubt you will get much use out of the plasma cutter unless you are scrapping the cars !!they are handy but really only any good for decent metal cutting but not as noisy as the slitting discs they each have there own plusses etc. I use 3 phase units running nitrogen with the capacity to cut 50mm thick plate they are worth there weight in gold to me at times much easier to drag about than oxy/acet bottles.

[Goldstar]

?

[Goldstar]

Hi Steve,

Noise was a consideration. I'm not ken on being locked in my garage with the grinder plus we are just putting in a fairly hefty planning app (thanks to Pink Piscean) so didn't want to annoy the neighbours too much. What is a bonus is the speed you can work at, much quicker than a grinder I think.

I have a pair of BL inner sills so that's not an issue, just need to get the courage to take out the current sill. I have braced the door gap by welding some angle iron between the A and B post area (inside so I can fit the door with it still attached) so I'm hoping that with the T bar that should be enough to stop the shell from flexing any significant amount.

I assume it's just a case of taking it slowly, separating the inner wing from the floor and the A and B posts and then, as they say, refitting is the reverse of removal?

[Guest]

How did I know you would be out in the garage playing with the new toy today??!! Looks like you got on well too!

[stagmuffin]

Hi Steve,

Noise was a consideration. I'm not ken on being locked in my garage with the grinder plus we are just putting in a fairly hefty planning app (thanks to Pink Piscean) so didn't want to annoy the neighbours too much. What is a bonus is the speed you can work at, much quicker than a grinder I think.

I have a pair of BL inner sills so that's not an issue, just need to get the courage to take out the current sill. I have braced the door gap by welding some angle iron between the A and B post area (inside so I can fit the door with it still attached) so I'm hoping that with the T bar that should be enough to stop the shell from flexing any significant amount.

I assume it's just a case of taking it slowly, separating the inner wing from the floor and the A and B posts and then, as they say, refitting is the reverse of removal?

i would advise taking critical measurements before surgery so you have a reference afterwards before gluing the panels permanently. I assume you will be replacing the jacking points as well ? keep one side on the ground until the other is welded then fit door before doing the other this will help greatly in reducing any body flex although saying that in years gone by I've not followed my own advice and had no problems but you don't know who has been there before you . just carefully pick out all the spot welds and take pics and measure you should be fine .make sure any thing you are attempting to weld is scrupulously clean this will avoid all the porosity and ugliness in the welds ,don't try and do to long runs and weld in different areas so as not to concentrate t much heat . tip ! have a small spray filled with water and set it to fine mist this can be used to very quickly remove heat from panels after welding but dry area before welding again only use this on mild steel sections not on st st or ally etc. other alloys. post the pictures on Monday show us the finished article .................
steve

[new to this]

when i bought inner sills i had to send one back, as it was the wrong profile a long the top edge, and didn't fit by the rear seat heal board,as steve says take your time

p.s have fun dave

[Goldstar]

Morning all,

So I was feeling pretty pleased with myself, outer sill 95% off and inner sill although horrible looking possibly salvageable (is that a word?). I think to myself I'll take out the cubbys and take the hood and frame off the car to make sure I don't spray them with sparks while I get to the couple of spot welds that were eluding me.

I do both reasonably easily and then spot a small plate in the corner of the inside against the arch. I'll give it a little prod, I think - it's stuck down with seam sealer or dum dum or something similar any way this is what's under it.

Inside OS Rear Arch.jpg

So I have a look at the nearside and, lo and behold, there's another very similar plate so, being an inquisitive kind of chap, I prise it off, to find this - not pretty.

Plate NS Inside Arch.jpgBodge Inside NS Arch.jpg

I'm now very concerned about what other rust lies beneath and think that's an interesting looking panel by the B post. Guess what? When I peel it away (this one was actually welded along one edge - a superior bodge) it reveals plenty of rust beneath (picture to follow). So the job for tonight is to cut that out and a similar 'window' on the offside to see what the inside of the chassis legs and the double skinned area looks like - this car could still be a breaker dammit.

[edd]

I must admit if I'd stripped mine from the start I would have been tempted to break it. There again is paid ore for it so would probably not have recouped my costs. I have noticed a few well documented projects on here have disappeared. Some shells looked so bad they may have been scrapped or maybe some just start on the forum then when finished they add content then. If I did mine again I would fit complete wings front and rear I kick myself for not buying a new old stock one but costs are so high for the return on.
Good luck Paul keep the pictures coming.
Edd