I'll probably end up doing that, but the top of the side skirt nestles in there. Hopefully it won't look too different compared with the other side...
** Acme [Akagi] bought a pink estate car - E30 325i project log! **
- Thread starter Akagi
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I'll probably end up doing that, but the top of the side skirt nestles in there. Hopefully it won't look too different compared with the other side...
I'd rather not, the skirts aren't cheap these days. 
Will figure something out though, got plenty of ideas to be getting on with.
Will figure something out though, got plenty of ideas to be getting on with.
Looks decent, well done.. Well done on taking pictures that is
Haha thanks...
I was also doing some grinding, drilling, cutting, disassembly, stripping underseal and seam sealer, moving wires out of the way of the heat, passing tools, and dabbing out fires. And will also be applying seam sealer, filling, sanding, and painting!
Just I thought I'd better leave the fitment and welding to the professional.
Ha thanks.
So you've done most of it and then paid someone to weld it up?
Not exactly, for example with the first sill, I got the car up on stands, stripped out the interior, took off the sill covers and the metal re-enforcing bracket where it bolts to the subframe at the back, cleaned it up, then he marked it up, cut it, and cut the repair section to size, and did the same with the inner. Then I painted it, then he welded it up, and now I need to grind the weld flat and skim and sand.
Basically anything which requires skill he does. Cos I don't want to balls it up.
That's a lot of rust
I'm careful not to poke, prod, or indeed kick, anything too hard in this car unless I'm prepared for that to happen!
But nah it wasn't that bad really, there weren't actually any visible holes in the floor pan yet, unlike many!
Updated my reserved post at the start of the thread... I think enough has changed now for me to do that.
So after ages of trying to diagnose why it was running like crap, including replacing the fuel pump, I discovered the cause...
HT lead #1 was arcing on the exhaust heatshield... Bent the heatshield down slightly and twisted the HT lead 45 degrees, runs sweet as a nut...
FFS.
HT lead #1 was arcing on the exhaust heatshield... Bent the heatshield down slightly and twisted the HT lead 45 degrees, runs sweet as a nut...
FFS.
Nice one Cookeh
Old cars are great. If a little anxiety inducing.
Speaking of not half arsing things, I found and cleaned back a 1P sized hole in the floor yesterday and my friend had to almost physically restrain me to prevent me from smearing some seam sealer over it instead of welding it up. He succeeded and welded it up for me instead. I maintain that it would have been fine...
Also spent far too long with a wire wheel on a drill cleaning off the old seam sealer and some surface rust etc from the inner lip of one of the sills, and then put a couple of layers of zinc primer on it, ready to apply new seam sealer... Got to do the same on the other side...
Old cars are great. If a little anxiety inducing.
Speaking of not half arsing things, I found and cleaned back a 1P sized hole in the floor yesterday and my friend had to almost physically restrain me to prevent me from smearing some seam sealer over it instead of welding it up. He succeeded and welded it up for me instead. I maintain that it would have been fine...
Also spent far too long with a wire wheel on a drill cleaning off the old seam sealer and some surface rust etc from the inner lip of one of the sills, and then put a couple of layers of zinc primer on it, ready to apply new seam sealer... Got to do the same on the other side...
Took a hammer to the inner arch, its just basically not an inner arch anymore. Rotten completely...
Looking forward to the gore this Saturday! #chopchop
Looking forward to the gore this Saturday!
#chopchop
Right well, aside from us being a bit thick and not closing the door to check the alignment until after, and discovering its out (derp) another successful day of chopping. (Will figure out how to sort the alignment later... )
Rain is ideal weather for this sort of work as I'm sure you'll agree. Enter, the camo canopy!
Crispy crispy where the dirt has just sat under the lip for years.
Yum
Bit of valance...
Blurry rot
More canopy action
Cor. Still more of the inner to chop out, have ordered another outer arch to cut up and use as an outer-inner arch. (Inners are NLA)
Gape
Can see the inner bit is still crispy even after chopping a fair amount off...
Mmmm new metal!
Still lots more fab to do on the inner bit
And more cutting needed here
Door shut
Shoddy alignment of the panel line...
Peekaboo! Tread depth monitoring system and exterior jack access. Its a feature!
(Will figure out how to sort the alignment later... )Rain is ideal weather for this sort of work as I'm sure you'll agree. Enter, the camo canopy!
Crispy crispy where the dirt has just sat under the lip for years.
Yum
Bit of valance...
Blurry rot
More canopy action
Cor. Still more of the inner to chop out, have ordered another outer arch to cut up and use as an outer-inner arch. (Inners are NLA)
Gape
Can see the inner bit is still crispy even after chopping a fair amount off...
Mmmm new metal!
Still lots more fab to do on the inner bit
And more cutting needed here
Door shut
Shoddy alignment of the panel line...
Peekaboo! Tread depth monitoring system and exterior jack access. Its a feature!
@sigma indeed, the amount of work left to do is still very daunting though!
@Cleisthenes Yeeeeeeeeee - Shame about that alignment though... Should be able to bring it out flush with the door by beating it from the inside along that edge, but as for the consistancy of the trim line... Not sure... Possibly chop that small bit, move it down a tiny bit, weld it back in, and weld in a small new bit, then grind it flat but thats a lot of work so probably beat it with a hammer to bring the line down a bit and then smooth the result with some filler.
@Cleisthenes Yeeeeeeeeee - Shame about that alignment though... Should be able to bring it out flush with the door by beating it from the inside along that edge, but as for the consistancy of the trim line... Not sure... Possibly chop that small bit, move it down a tiny bit, weld it back in, and weld in a small new bit, then grind it flat but thats a lot of work so probably beat it with a hammer to bring the line down a bit and then smooth the result with some filler.
I really haven't decided for definite yet, but I think I'll give it a go...
Well this isn't ideal but its better than last time...
I didn't get many pictures today, but the other footwell area and the engine bay tray one one side is sorted. No major issues. One small fire, and we melted the accelerator pedal.
Bit less tidy that the last few bits (welding upwards is a pain etc) but it does the job.
Bit less tidy that the last few bits (welding upwards is a pain etc) but it does the job.
Welding wise, the rest of the rear arch/boot pocket area on the nearside rear, and then the inner rear arch near the fuel filler cap, the other boot pocket, and the scuttle...
Sounds like a lot, but we've already done the passenger front footwell, drivers front footwell & wheelarch, offside engine bay tray, nearside rear outer arch and valance, nearside full sill, and offside sill flush patches on both jacking points...
I'm honestly most worried about the bodywork that comes after cos I haven't a scoobydoo what I'm doing...
Nope.
I have my own welder and a load of scrap metal etc, but I don't want to do the welding on the car, and the guy who does it has his own kit anyway.
My time is spent on fire-watch, scraping seam sealer and underseal and dabbing out small fires, moving things out of the way, etc...
My time is spent on fire-watch, scraping seam sealer and underseal and dabbing out small fires, moving things out of the way, etc...
Yep, seam sealer and that hard rubber insulation stuff sure do go up fast! One moment you're just watching the other side of the bead, glowing along quite happily, and then WHOMPF! big lick of fire.
No I'm not making it wider than OEM. At least not on purpose...
Not a lot been happening cos of the weather. Edges of the new welds were starting to rust on the surface so I wire wheeled it all back, primered it again, and put some seam sealer on, ready to primer again, then put some chassis black on.
Turns out I'm useless at applying seam sealer, and I have the wrong type of brush so it just got all clogged up... So I'm going to have to wire wheel it all off and do it again. Or put more on top... The former would probably be better...
Stripped the old underseal and dirt and crud off of one inner arch which took lots of scraping and wire wheeling and scraping and cleaning, put seam sealer on the edges of the footwell repair then painted it with chassis black... The other side is next. Can you tell which is which?
Oh and I have a new shiny. Well, 50% shiny. Honestly, the tips are a tiny bit too big for my taste but I am a sucker for the angled tips and it was a really good price from a mate. Heard it on his car and it sounds awesome.
Turns out I'm useless at applying seam sealer, and I have the wrong type of brush so it just got all clogged up... So I'm going to have to wire wheel it all off and do it again. Or put more on top... The former would probably be better...
Stripped the old underseal and dirt and crud off of one inner arch which took lots of scraping and wire wheeling and scraping and cleaning, put seam sealer on the edges of the footwell repair then painted it with chassis black... The other side is next. Can you tell which is which?
Oh and I have a new shiny. Well, 50% shiny. Honestly, the tips are a tiny bit too big for my taste but I am a sucker for the angled tips and it was a really good price from a mate. Heard it on his car and it sounds awesome.