Its pretty much rusty all over.
..and the bottom has totally disintegrated.
I suspected a rust sandwich between the post and the hinge panel, so I decided the hinge panel had to come off. I started drilling out the spot welds, but it was soon clear that I would end up with more holes than metal so I cut the whole thing out.
It was much easier to deal with the hinge panel on the workbench.
After a bit of paint stripping, cleaning and rebuilding...
In the meantime, I paint stripped and wire brushed the rust off what was left of this area on the car. Its literally hanging by a thread! I really didn't want to remove it completely and risk losing the shape of the car in this area. (Also, I'd run out of lengths of angle to brace the shell with!)
Rebuilding the part I'd made into swiss cheese with new metal:
I'd also cut out a section of the windscreen pillar to scuttle, so I'm replacing that bit here - trying to keep it all lined up as much as possible!
Not a great shot as it was getting dark by this point, but this is the area welded up and ground down. I'd sprayed on some Metal Prep and Ready as a preparation for POR15.
All enclosed areas thoroughly POR15'd, and I'm sizing up the inner panel to flitch with a card template. Luckily, I'd kept the template I'd used for the other side. :)
Then I cut out the new panel and applied POR15 to the inner surface. I've decided this is the best way to go as it seems to be the most indestructible and rust proof treatment I have found so I am sticking it everywhere I can that is enclosed and out of sight.
This little lot took me from friday to sunday (today). I then made the tragic error of going to the cinema to watch the fast and the furious 5. Oh dear. Far too much 'plot' and not nearly enough car porn. Do avoid.
Next, I guess I really need to spend some money and get a heritage NS inner wing panel. Not ideal when you're supposed to be saving up for a wedding! As a cheaper course of action in the short term I also want to paint strip and rust-treat the bulkhead and firewall inside the car. I've got quite a few bits and bobs like bonnet hinges that I have made which also need to go back on.
Thats all for now! Sorry its been quite boring but the fiddly bits take ages!
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