Pretend repairs
The pace set by the fitment of the rear tub continues. This month my aim was to fit the roof, cross my fingers and hope the chassis repairs aligned satisfactorily with the body. To remove the rear tub, you may recall I cut the side sill supports just inside the rear side doors, knowing they would be easy to access for welding when the time came. That time isn’t this month, but it should be next.
The roof was refitted with the help of workshop Matt and Gez Hughes after last month’s product test. I’m glad to say it bolted down fine and I’m happy with the improved rear door gaps. As I spent a good hour fitting all the nuts, bolts and washers to retain the roof, I found myself daydreaming of how I hope the family will use it… they’re certainly keen, especially Elsie, the youngest.
Back to reality, there’s still rot to contend with, though not on the scale of the rear chassis repairs. Both bulkhead outriggers need replacement, in addition to the driver’s footwell. I thought I’d get these areas prepared for welding and then embark on another weldathon, to include the sill side supports.
The driver’s footwell had a bodged repair of impressive magnitude. Only when I’d removed the clutch master cylinder and pedals (the brake master and servo were removed previously) could I see how it had been repaired. A proper repair section had been poorly
tack-welded over the A-post pillar and bolted to the old footwell below the master cylinders. Seam sealer disguised the join. Little wonder it was corroding merrily, too.
Armed with an angle grinder, the rusted bolts were swiftly dealt with, allowing me to peel back the bodged section like a sardine tin. The frilly, original footwell was now exposed. But, in order to access the area of corroded bulkhead above the footwell to make a good repair, the lower dash panel had to be removed. And this is probably one of the factors that determined the bodged repair in the first place. The lower dash panel is only held on with a series of screws along its lower edge and a couple secured by captive nuts higher up the bulkhead and inaccessible from the engine bay. The screw on the driver’s side came away easily, not so the passenger side. Although I had good access, I couldn’t get the screw to loosen sufficiently at first. Preferring not to escalate to Rambo status with an angle grinder immediately, I instead used a large pry bar against the panel’s lip edge to lever the captive nut tight against the bulkhead. I then tried to undo the screw at the same time as levering. I got lucky and it worked – eventually. The lower dash panel was then removed, revealing the damage it had also sustained due to brake/clutch leakage from the master cylinders in the past. Repair or replace? If a good secondhand one becomes available for the right money, replace. If not, a repair and vinyl recover is simple enough. The same goes for the
…allowing me to peel back the bodged section like a sardine tin
tired dash top – it’s peppered with screw holes and has frayed corners. Proof, if any were needed, of the Series 3’s classic status, is that a new dash top can now command over £250, assuming you can find one. So, next month, driver’s bulkhead outrigger and footwell replacement. Bring it on!