Page 25 of 44
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2022 11:53 pm
by SiC
Eddie Honda wrote: ↑Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:33 pm
The Reverend Bluejeans wrote: ↑Sat Jul 23, 2022 4:28 pm
It's time to start boxing clever on these shitters you keep buying. Every single one is a welding nightmare.
Shhhh!
I'm waiting for him to do nearly all the hard work on one I like.
If I'm repairing something fibreglass it's only going to be a Lotus or TVR. Reliants especially don't do it for me! I want to like even the Scimitar but just struggle to...
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:47 am
by SiC
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:59 am
by paulplom
Why do you have to over lap and not butt join? Does it make a stronger weld?
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 11:14 am
by The Reverend Bluejeans
This needs to be a keeper after all this.
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:00 pm
by SiC
paulplom wrote: ↑Sun Jul 24, 2022 9:59 am
Why do you have to over lap and not butt join? Does it make a stronger weld?
Proper overlap should be welded both sides. Welding one is a bit of a bodge but obviously can't get access on the inside for most of it. I could on this patch so I welded both sides.
- PXL_20220715_214252846.jpg (582.18 KiB) Viewed 720 times
Butt joint you can grind back and make it invisible. But you need to make the panel the exact size. Also more tricky welding as you can easily end up melting too much off the edge and making a big hole.
The patches I've taken off are overlap on one side. But if you look, it hasn't actually caused it rust as the paint was left.
It really should have the complete arch panel replaced but that's way more work and cost. Would look better but it's not visible anyway. However if you cut enough off, like that outer panel I removed, it's easier+quicker to put on a complete panel than repairing existing. Especially when panels on this are cheap.
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:04 pm
by SiC
Tomorrow will be 5 years since I bought my MGB. I think that's just about makes it the longest I've ever owned a car. Probably longer than many expected me to keep it for.
I bought this with the intention as being a keeper. Hence why I bought this big bumper that I prefer rather than the more plentiful slim bumpers.
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:30 pm
by SiC
Or course while no intention of selling it, if someone did wave a decent amount of money under my nose, I'd find it hard to say no...
(Or more likely, I need to sell for ready cash to fund some more IVF cycles...)
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 3:07 pm
by The Reverend Bluejeans
SiC wrote: ↑Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:30 pm
Or course while no intention of selling it, if someone did wave a decent amount of money under my nose, I'd find it hard to say no...
(Or more likely, I need to sell for ready cash to fund some more IVF cycles...)
That's why it's worth getting a decent paint job done. There may even be a profit which is always good. A car that is documented to be sound and not a bogged up shitter should be an easy sell.
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:16 pm
by SiC
A patch a day keeps the scrap man at bay
Getting back on this after a short break. Options are to replace the arch with a complete new panel or repair what I have. Cutting the arch out is a massive job as a lot is attached to it.
I'm using individual patches as easier to shape and contour than one big patch. Some is butt welded, some overlap. I can get to both sides when overlapping so there should be no rust risk by doing this.
Welds didn't turn out that nice as I hoped. Turned out that I was kneeling on the torch cable. At least I'm going to use that as my excuse.
Pre-cleaning up to metal
Side
Arch.
This actually now matches the contour of the arch and so won't need a heap of filler. Tbh I probably will mostly clean up the welds and not even filler. The carpet will be covering this on the inside.
Re: 1968 MG Midget
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 6:12 am
by paulplom
Are you keeping tally of the hours you're putting in? It would be interesting to see how much you've saved as opposed to getting a garage to do the work.