I have begun the "simple" task of replacing a rusted chassis leg on my 1967 Minor. Well, not so simple!
Here's the problem:
The RH leg and centre crossmember had been replaced by the former owner but the LH leg was also quite rusty. I have the parts, the cutting and welding can be done by my expert young friend but positioning the leg has presented an unexpected challenge. The RH leg seems not to be positioned properly and this now prevents the correct setup of the new leg for the left side.
(Note, I am using RH & LH to be clear because Nearside and Offside would be different on a LHD car)
We have almost reached the conclusion that the RH leg will have to be replaced as well to get a good repair. To confirm this conclusion I need a way to find the absolute co-ordinates for the position of the legs. Is there an instruction sheet available with exact measurements shown? The shop manual gives the correct position for the torsion bars but this is inconvenient as it requires that the eyebolts be in place for measurement. We can establish a centre line quite accurately with reference to the bulkhead crossmember where the steering rack is fitted. This, in fact, is the only "unmolested" part of the frame we believe can be trusted as extensive other body work has been done and there are some bodges evident.[frame]
This picture shows that the body is precisely horizontal (we measured from the frame crossmember not the wings) and you can also see the laser projected vertical line which is exactly on centre between the shock absorbers. On the floor you can see the black centre line that we hope to use to establish the lateral position of the chassis leg with the aid of a plumb bob as illustrated in the shop manual.
All this is working from first principles. There must be a practical way to do it. Surely collision repair shops had diagrams in their day. That is what I would like to find.
PLEASE!
Darrell McDonald
