LNT 866F, 1968 4 door

[doctormorris]

Hi all,

Having now had my 'wobble' and decided not to sell (I'm planning to do the work on LNT, let Sharon use her for a while while I refit the Land Rover, barn storing the traveller until I can sort it for myself), I'm therefore posting the work as and when I get around to it.

In short, she's not too bad. 59,000 genuine miles, and it really shows! All the nuts and bolts undo and nothing's really worn. She does need a bit of work though, mainly due to bad welding which appears to have been done a few years back to 'put her on'.

I've stripped the front end, taken the exhaust off and welded the 'harder' of the two half chassis legs, the drivers one. Isn't it a shame they don't include the captive nuts for the clutch relay on the repair panel? That required some improvisation! I have yet to do the passenger leg as the weather's lousy. I also painted up the suspension parts I removed ready for inspection. The same will apply to the king pins, as I like to know where I stand with them before I use the car, the MOT isn't a guarantee...

The driver's inner wing is also less than perfect on inspection, and I don't like doing half a job, so that will get sorted too.

Here's the photos from the 5 or so hours I managed on sat. Sorry they're a bit fuzzy, light was bad all day.

Steve


Welded the tie plates onto the chassis legs first, not a crow in sight fortunately...

Front crossmember, I spotted through the front edge as it was tricky to get a nice seam. Seamed the back though. Nice coat of zinc primer too.

Front panel off. A poor repair was welded to the inside back of the front panel on the passenger side, making removal a pig until I worked it out... Never mind, worked out well in the end.

Off comes the old leg and tie plate. Some of the newness has worn off...

On goes the new one (after much wailing and gnashing of teeth!

This is about where we are up to... Please note the crustiness of the front edge of the inner wing, another area needing attention. You can also make out the bent up patch I had so much trouble with on the passenger side, in front of the engine mounting tower. More as I get 'em...

[stevey]

good job, looking good.

[doctormorris]

Hi all,

Got a couple of hours in again today and made a bit more progress. The 'easy' chassis leg repair on the passenger side has turned out to be anything but! There were patches on patches, the eyebolt having come out with the torsion bar and the core of the bolt hole from the chassis leg.

There's also the 'structural' filler I've found on the passenger leg, beyond the end of the half leg, so I'm going to have to cut all that rubbish out and fabricate an extension to it. Ho hum... There's also some other little bits and bobs to do around this leg, some of which you can see in the pictures.

Other than that, not gone too bad. I'll finish this leg off and then move onto the driver's inner wing. Probably on Saturday as I'm neglecting my MA to get this done, so I'd better look busy doing that for a couple of days...

Photos:

Out with the old...

In with the new...

The old leg and tie plate... A bit of the newness has worn off...

Uh Oh! Structural filler!

Looking a little more like it...

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Nice neat welding! I had my first go at mig welding at the weekend and it very different from the gas welding Im used to.

Keep up the good work

[doctormorris]

I really can't gel with MIG, and I've really tried to like it.

I come from a gas and arc background although I'm finally graduating to TIG as the prices of a DC set have dropped quite a bit, TIG in my opinion is much more like it if you are good at gas...

Steve

[doctormorris]

Hi all,

Sorry I didn't post last weekend as my camera, although quite happy taking the pictures, refused to part with them. I've also picked up 'Red' the traveller finally, I've burnt the midnight oil for a couple of days on that, and now red is through an MOT, reasonably presentable and useable, albeit with a rattly big end. All in all £800 well spent I think.

LNT is now back at the top of the to do list, and now that 'Red' the traveller is here and running, the pressure's off a little bit.

Here's the photos of the inner wing work I got done last Saturday. I had to replace the inner flange in order to give me something to weld the new 'outer' inner wing panel to attach to. I'm going to do both inner wings as the other is a little bit scabby and I'd rather this motor ended up quite nice.


Outer partial repair in galv. I'll be taking this right to the door pillar in order to get a proper job.

Inner repairs, once again in galv. Appropriate precautions taken by the way...

Red the traveller


Sorry the photos are poor, but I'm on the reserve camera.

Steve

[alexandermclaren]

looking good
a lot of work but your doing it proper
keep going
if only the weather would improve
you could make more progress
well done so far though

[doctormorris]

Sorry about the lack of updates... I've not been too good following a comprehensive falling down of our stairs!

However, I managed to get a few hours in, the welding is finished, needing quite a lot of work as it turned out in the driver's rear inner sill / spring hanger area to bring it up to an acceptable standard. I've overhauled the front suspension, new polybushes have replaced tired rubbers all round. Brakes are done, replacement cylinders, new pipes, flexis and master cylinder giving peace of mind. (The brakes are a million times easier to bleed than the ones on my Land Rover, thank goodness!) Bit of electrical recommissioning was also required, but nothing excessive...

One annoying recent thing was that I had to replace the rear axle casing and u-bolts, some clown had in the past welded the rotten handbrake cable bracket to the u-bolts! Anyhow, she moved under her own steam for the first time since 2009 today and is as nicely rattle-free and together feeling as one might expect from a genuine 60 thousand miler. She is insured, and I hope to have her MOT'd and useable by tomorrow evening weather permitting. She looks quite dapper, polished up in the drive...

Photos will follow.

Steve

My daughter Libby has called this one 'Linda', so the profile has thusly been updated!

[doctormorris]

I ran Linda around this morning and decided the brakes needed further attention, and am now satisfied with the pedal. Which leads me onto the next point...

The MOT was duly passed, so I've got her taxed and had a bit of a potter. The engine needs a bit of work, the timing chain needs replacing and its a bit lumpy, but I do still need to service it, I'll do that over the next few days. Other than that I'm really pleased with Linda, the body and suspension are unusually quiet, and she just shouts originality when you get behind the wheel. I'm glad I didn't do too much work and spoil that.

I'm going to leave the few cosmetic jobs until the weather improves enough to spray without blooming, and so I'm feeling justified in just enjoying her for a week or two!

Photos:

This shows the attempt at replicating the original inner wing seam in galv...


The same from the other side:


Rear portion of inner wing repair...


Nuts let in and inner wing painted with red oxide:


That side finished, with reconned kingpin / Brake assy fitted...


Final brake check...


Sure sign of 12 months fun in prospect...


Having a rest while visiting a relative this afternoon...


Now I've recovered from the sidetrack from which I got sidetracked... I can get on with the restoration of Katie the traveller, then there's the series 2 to do...

Happy motoring...

Steve

[Rob.jones]

Hi there, do you still have this moggy?

[les]

The doctor last posted here seven years ago in 2018, so we don’t know if his patient survived !

[Rob.jones]

I hope so... it's recently been taxed. The moggy once owned by my grandad and I'd love to know that it was still going strong