desesperate moggie owner

Post by **jonathon** » Wed May 13, 2009 8:42 pm

None of this gets his door done , which is the main issue. Genuine or not he has a car he cannot use. The problem is not specific to converted saloons , if the sills have received this sort of welding, any car would be compromised.
If the car was sold privately then its a huge uphill task to prove that it was sold incorrectly.

Post by **kennatt** » Wed May 13, 2009 10:37 pm

i'm with jh.lets get the guy on the road.at least the door gap is too narrow,I once had to sort out an mgb which had opened out at the top of the door due to exactely the same poor workmanship.As a temp fix welded strips down the door edge,and stepped out the catches so the door would stay shut.Eventually had to remove the sills and do the job properly.which unfortunately drj you are going to have to do eventualy,if you want to maintain the value of the car which has already cost you a fair sum.I would also suspect that you may have problems with the hood fitting,allthough in france that might not be too much of an issue

Post by **drjones** » Thu May 14, 2009 8:46 am

Hello everybody,
I will certainly redo the sill work in the next 2 years. Not only for the value, but also because I'm 54 and, by God grace, I want to enjoy my car as long as possible.
So, what I plan to do this weekend, is to remove the flacking bitsonthe gutter witch are 3mm thick. Because the windscreen pillar is 35° tilt from the vertical, that means I can move the door 5mm up.
The other 5mm will be found by shimming the bottom hinge.
I will be near Brighton at the beginning of June to visit my elder daughter who is actually having a training time. So, I'll try to go to ESM factory witch is not far from, to buy seals , locks, hinge pins and so on, for the doors.
To end, I have one more question on sills. The B post need to go 5mm backward. How is it possible as it is welded to the rigid rear part of the car.
When I'll decide the start the job, I'll need all your help to go step by step and do the job properly.
Friendly.
Yves.

Post by **Redmoggy** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:31 pm

With all the very poor work thet has been done to your car the shell has basically warped. This is not an easy thing to put right. The best method is to have the car put on a chassis jig,then remove the old repairs and pull and push the shell till it is square. At this point you can start welding in the new panels all the time checking that all is good (the jig should do this for you). I am guessing you do not have this equipment to hand so..... you can use a good door as a template. You have to juggle removing enough of the repair to let the shell move but stop it colapsing. Adjust the shell with jacks/porta power blocks of wood untill your door fits. Now brace the apperture top and bottom and your are ready to start cutting and replacing. It is a nasty job and not for the faint hearted,but take your time and when it gets to much grab a bottle of good english ale and sit back and stare for a bit.
All the best
Rod

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu May 14, 2009 4:59 pm

Good English Ale is likely to be in short supply en France. More likely a bottle or two of Vin Ordinaire!

Post by **aupickup** » Thu May 14, 2009 7:02 pm

i just hope it all goes back ok for you
and i hope it was not a member of the club that sold you that car

Post by **bmcecosse** » Thu May 14, 2009 11:45 pm

At the price you paid - you should have received a top notch - but probably not 'show standard' car. You have received a very poorly bodged up car - quite frankly not fit for purpose - I suggest you take it back and demand your money back!

Post by **LouiseM** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:27 am

Not a particularly helpful comment

The owner is in France and bought the car in the UK - I imagine it would be quite expensive to "take it back and demand your money back".

In any case it depends on how the car was described by the seller but if the buyer inspected the car before buying - when presumably the problem with the doors would have been apparent - then the seller can hardly be accused of 'hiding' the problem. If he bought the car without inspecting it first then as always it's a case of buyer beware. Unfortunately too many people are ruled by their hearts and not their heads when it comes to buying a car and assume that because it looks shiney on top everywhere else will be fine

drjones - I hope that you get the problem sorted soon so you can start to enjoy your car.

Post by **aupickup** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:05 pm

he does need constructive advice about the car now

all thingss can be fixed

Post by **jonathon** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:22 pm

Well I have alreadt offered this Dennis

Just that some seem to have lost the plot re the original question, only to probably make the bloke feel yet more desperate, as was similary done on the 50's Minor in the for sale section.

Post by **aupickup** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:25 pm

yes i know jonathon, was just trying to bring the thread back on track

Post by **jonathon** » Fri May 15, 2009 6:26 pm

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri May 15, 2009 7:52 pm

No matter the cost to take the car back to the UK - it will be less than the cost to fix this car now! It should be returned to the seller - for a refund! Selling a car that is unfit for use - is an offence! Unless clearly specified to be for spares and repair of course.
However - if the new owner wants to proceed - then considerable welding skills will be necessary - but as others have said - it can be fixed given time/money/skills. The proposed route that has been mentioned - removing gutter trim etc and 'raising' the door is doomed I'm afraid!

Post by **aupickup** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:19 pm

well if the car was sold as seen then the buyer has no recourse at all

also it makes a big difference it the seller is a private seller, then there is really no such thing as not fit for purpose

so thats that one out of the way

we must now concentrate in helping this guy get the car back to some sort of condition that is drivable and enjoyable

to say that any work to be done is doomed to failure is really not helping roy, that is again very negative

anything cann be done £££££££

Post by **bmcecosse** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:47 pm

Aye - but not the idea of removing the gutter strips and raising the door!! It is still an offence to sell a car that is not fit for use on the road! But I will say no more - since you don't seem to be willing to accept the facts !

Post by **aupickup** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:53 pm

we do accept the fact that it is not right
but the seller was probably an individual seller and not a trader, there is a difference

Post by **kennatt** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:14 am

drj don't think the problem is in the B post more likely that the A post has dropped backwards taking the hinge with it and the sill has then been welded in permanently fixing the gap.I would concentrate on the A post,If it were mine as a temp fix I would slice through the area at the base of the A post where it meets the sill,probably about halfway through angled downwards.then with a porta power ,or jack push the top of the A post back with the door fitted and if it then lets the door fit weld some reinforcing into the base of the A and sill to hold it in place. I would use an angle grinder with would give a larger cutting gap than a hacksaw so that there is room to move the a post in or out A bodge but it may well get the car on the road. By the way BM the fit for purpose law only applies to traders not private sales where it' s buyer beware

Post by **drjones** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:25 am

I can't bring back the car to Uk for many reasons even though it is right. For me, it will be a personal failure. The only thing is I must re-fit the doors as well as possible and enjoy the car untill I'll repair it properly.
You must understand I have saved money during many years for this project. Either I try to manage with it, or I re-sell it for spare ...
Friendly.
Yves.

Post by **Redmoggy** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:52 am

However you choose to go about this i wish you all the best. My input was meant only to inform and not to make you in anyway feel desperate. Stick with it and you will end up with a nice car.
Rod

Post by **drjones** » Sun May 17, 2009 10:15 am

Thanks to everyone.
I'll tell you what's going on in the next few days.
Friendly.
Yves