Sill/Box Panel Repair "HELP"!

[themadmoggy1965]

Hi all,

I am after some advice......This is my first restoration project, a morris minor 1000 2 door saloon.

With my hubby's help I am slowly getting there. I had an article on my project in Minor Monthly a couple of months ago.

Today I removed the kick step to reveal more holes and rust than the rest of the car. A common nightmare my friend has told me. Anyway, I just wondered if anyone could give me some advice on the most cost effective way to repair this. Also the best way to tackle it....My little Hannah is being restored on a budget, she will never be a concourse vehicle but she will look nice, be used and be loved....

HELP!

Thanks in advance

Lisa

(1965 Morris Minor 2dr Saloon "Hannah")

[chickenjohn]

Hi Lisa,
don't despair as all these panels are available. Do you have a picture- as there are holes present in the long boxing panel (the vertical panel) as part of the design , or do you have holes in addition to these?

[themadmoggy1965]

Hi John,
Got some pics for you, but how do I attach them to my post for you to see?
Thanks,
Lisa

[flying]

make a account here www.photobucket.com and then upload your pics then once you have uploaded them copy and paste the img link over into your reply box

[chickenjohn]

you can e-mail me the pics (follow the link to East Kent website for my e-mail address).

[chickenjohn]

Lisa, you'll find the pics here http://homepages.gotadsl.co.uk/~jgm/ekm ... nsills.htm

What needs doing is the sills (and bottom of A pillar) cut out and new pieces welded in. Not a problem if you can weld, if not, then its time to learn ;-)

The good thing is there is no previous bodgy repair work in the area. Cutting out rust is one thing but its much worse when somebody has had a go before.

I'd therefore say your car is a good candidate for sill repair and part of the floor as well. I'm doing simmilar work at the moment myself.[/list]

[chickenjohn]

I would remove the door, then weld a brace across the door opening to keep its shape- as the floor and parts of inner sill are weak.
I would then cut out all the sill pieces, except the inner sill step, as this one looks savable with some steel repairs welded in at the bottom where it meets the floor. Then you need to cut the rust out of the floor- might be able to get away with a strip a few inches wide of 1mm steel to weld in. If the rest of the floor is sound then you can get away with this.
Then drill out the spot welds on the boxing panel and remove this from the inner sill step, and using a grinder cut off the lower sill panels.

Then with a sound floor and inner sill step, I would plug weld the new boxing panel to the inner sill step flange, then weld in the other panels.
I'm doing a web page on this type of work so will keep you posted.

Let us know how you get on!

[stag36587]

It's good to know that I'm not the only one doing sill and floor repairs!

A thought has struck me - what (if any) are the implications for MOT regulations on distance of welds from structural points of the "usual minor repairs"? I'm thinking particularly of where front spring hanger (available on a plate) joins to new rear floor and floor side (sill) extensions, etc. On my car, I have decided to replace floors and sills in total as well as spring hangers - a big job but will be worth it in the end.

thanks
Alastair

[chickenjohn]

Where the metal was continuous, as long as the weld repair is continuous and strong (i.e. looks "OK") in any repairs then that passes the MOT standard.

I've got away with plug- welded sections (where there were spot welds on two overlapped sections) in the MOT.

Good on you Alastair for doing this kind of work- in the East Kent branch there are quite a number of us who are doing or have done floors, sills, hangers, inner wings, A pillars even chassis sections. Much much better than patching IMHO!
cheers
John

[themadmoggy1965]

Hi John

Thanks for that....I will check out the floor and see how solid it is...if ok with yourself, I might send you some more pics of problems I am unsure of to get some advice. I'm a total beginner....my first restoration only cost me £50, a real bargain....a friend just wanted rid.

My husband is my welder and loves your ideas, a big help. I have to add though he is very kean to get me welding.....erm! I think I will.....eventually

Thanks again, look forward to seeing your site on sill resoration etc.

Lisa

[chickenjohn]

Thats fine Lisa, send as many pics as you like. BTW- look at "Flying"'s thread- he's done a really excellent job of re-building a 2-door Minor. http://www.morrisminoroc.co.uk/index.ph ... ic&t=12278

The good thing about your car is the pics look as though no-one has done any horrid lap-welded patches- cutting through beads of weld and several layers of metal that result from MOT patching makes the repairs much harder. You may be able to dismantle many of the sill pieces by drilling theough the spot welds with a spot weld drill, then chisel the pieces apart. Its a good idea to remove the front wing as with sills this rusty, the a pillar and inner wings will almost certainly need attention as well. Before removing sill pieces, brace the gap and take lots of measurements.

Don;t worry, this is normal for Minor restoration these days- all the panels are available and most project cars nowadays need this kind of work. I know of a few ladies who are excellent welders- I would definitely say have a go yourself.