Lockdown Lunacy

THE NEXT INSTALLMENT

The piece of luck I needed arrived in the shape of a donor repair section I bought from another enthusiast. It comprised a cross member/front panel and some floor under the battery tray. The front cross member and panel was one of two badly rusted areas.

I was concerned that there might be some movement when I removed the corroded area so the axle stands were as solid as I could get them and the brace was fitted between the bumper mounts. One of these had been removed from my donor panel and then fitted which was another time consuming job.

I think this is probably my scariest moment so far. When I realised how much I had actually removed that needed replacing I wondered if I had bitten off more than I could chew. It took hours with a spot weld drill to get the old cross member out cleanly. The angle grinder was much quicker when I dared use it.

The driver’s side chassis member had rusted at the end. And old oak table leg provided a good former. The new front panel looks much better.

The new cross member tacked into place. The spot welds matched up and all the measurements I took before dismantling remained the same much to my relief. I welded the cross member until I was happy it was solid as I wanted to remove the engine now I was confident in the structural integrity of the front of the car.

Dave Herret