Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

I have finally got my traveller back from the panel shop, where they have been completely rebuilding the body ( its taken 8 years, but thats another story).
I have to rebuild all the running gear, so I have just stripped off the rear suspension to see what needs replacing.
The bodyshop has replaced both rear spring hangers and cover plates with new repair panels.
however i think they have botched the job, as the cover has not been welded to the tube for the shackle bushes.
I'm think it should be but I'm not sure. Here a couple of shots showing what I mean.
Should the cover plate be welded to the tube ?
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hi ,yes it should be seam welded for added streangth and to stop the ingress of water.

I second Nezza' s recommendation, seam weld.

It may be the angle of the photogragh but the cover plates don't seem to have been positioned too carefully...both look off centre to me.

One of the covers, first photo, has been mangled with a screwdriver/pry bar and has a jacking dent on the lower edge...the other appears to have a rust hole, bottom right on the second photo.It's difficult to judge ,just from a photo, but I fear your
"botched job" comment has some element of truth.It's not the worse I've seen and is "fixable".

Brand new replacement cover panels ? ? I assume you were charged for " new " cover plates ? How do they justify the damage and rust holes to new panels ?

Bob

Hope they haven't just fixed these 'cover panels' over the old panels!!!!!!!!!

I'd guess the 'rust hole' is a hole drileld for plug welding that hasn't been fully welded. Not a neat job but not a disaster as afar as I can see.
I'd clean the paint and stone chip off and see how it looks. Assuming they are new panels, just rushed in the fitting, the easiest thing to do is to weld, or get welded round the bush hole, and the missed bit of plug welding, and recoat/seal/paint - whatever you prefer. The mismatched hole can be ground off wher it covers the end of the tube and welded satisfactorily enough. No real excuse for not welding it before, unless whoever fitted it just didn't realise how it works....

The flange where the inner leg and outer cover meet (bit that has been plug welded) needs to be shaped so that the leaf spring end 'eye', misses the bodywork. Pic 1 shows evidence of this contact.

From the paint 'shadow' it looks like the shell has been supported at this point and someone has forgotten to weld it up. I would look for other 'signs' of poor work around the shell if it were me.

Regards Ian

Thanks everyone for confirming my thoughts.

I have spoken to the guy at the bodyshop, and he said he will fix it.
so far he has been really willing to fix any issues.

I will get him to fold over the join, as it has been hitting the spring as Jonathon suggested.

also as Ian46 suggested there is a problem where the new crossmember has been joined to the chassis legs.
the flange on the chassis legs partly covers the holes for the torsion bars. I should be able to grind it back with my dremel.

cheers
Moray