The odd big brother, trying to restore a rusty A-series

[sven]

Thanks for the great comment on our work Manandvan:)

We are detemind to use the 3.5 litre yorkie, but we have discussed other options as well, but as the A series are becoming quite rare, we are going to make the car as original as we can...

as for the cold start issues, we have decided to use an electric engine preheater (ca 550W heat element which warms the engine coolant up to ca 50 degrees C using 230 volts for an hour and a half ...) and install a little 230 volts power generator in a box behind the batteries.. these preheaters are very common here in Norway and I think there is allready one installed in the engineblock...

[manandvan]

ok, i see your point about keeping it original, after the winter weve just had in england people are starting to look at the pre heat technology that you have been using for many years.
your welding is excellent, most impressive, and everyone on here is encouraging your restoration, those front cab mountings were always a problem with collapsing even in the trucks newer years. make it stronger than original! good luck. alan.

[sven]

ok, i see your point about keeping it original, after the winter weve just had in england people are starting to look at the pre heat technology that you have been using for many years.
your welding is excellent, most impressive, and everyone on here is encouraging your restoration, those front cab mountings were always a problem with collapsing even in the trucks newer years. make it stronger than original! good luck. alan.

thanks for the tip alan.... I have considered to make it in 1mm steel with an embracing inside, and in addition, bolt a rubber bumpstop in the right length on the top of the chassisrails, so they will support the front xmembers ends in addition to the rubber in the middle

[Grenadekid]

one thing you guys have is dedication and perseverance to the restoration of this old beauty besides the amazing skill you both posess

[G40GES]

[quote="sven"]
We are detemind to use the 3.5 litre yorkie, but we have discussed other options as well, but as the A series are becoming quite rare, we are going to make the car as original as we can...




Cant argue with that!..... seeing the quality of metalwork there is no reason not to keep the truck O/E in my opinion.

hope your mondays run smoothly

[sven]

Thanks guys....

there might be a little un original in the interior.... lots of dynamat and some other seats, if we cant find a drivers seat in very good condition, or fabric to reupholster it..

[sven]

well, here is the update for the last monday.... the reason why I dont update too often is due to the time it takes to make the posts taking pics from cam, sort them out and upload them on photobucket... before I make this thread:)

Jørn continued on the A pillar, and I removed the rest of the front wing on the drivers side

Jørn finished the inner a pillar, and grinded it kind of flush with the rest...



before he continued with the outer A pillar... Passenger side wasnt that bad in this area, but still a some work to be done



as you see we have installed the lower door hinge to keep the A pillar in its original postition...

We havent got materials for the x member yet, so I removed the rest of the wing, but have no pics of that... before I started out the same work as jørn did

this side is MUCH worse, so there might be some more metalwork done to this side....



so I decided to start to cut out the triangle for the area between the firewall and a pillar, removing the bracket for the wing, and giving it all a good wirebrushing...


sadly, before we left the workshop I put my hand up under the frame to the windscreen, and found out that the rest of the triangle have to go as its rusty all the way up.... hopefully I vill just drill out the spots, and brush it all clean before I reuse it....

anyway I cut out the flange to the wing by the firewall and started on making the replacement, this part has to fit before I can cut out and remake the firewall where it meets the innerwing... much easier to make the flange right before I start to cut in the firewall




well that was all for the last monday....

[sven]

Jørn and I discussed the A pillars which are allmost rotted away today, expecially the drivers side and if someone have two of them in fair contition from a MK1 or 2 which is laid off to sell we would be happy, have posted an ad on parts wanted here on the forum as well...

update from last monday will come in the weekend.

[G40GES]

Jørn and I discussed the A pillars which are allmost rotted away today, expecially the drivers side and if someone have two of them in fair contition from a MK1 or 2 which is laid off to sell we would be happy, have posted an ad on parts wanted here on the forum as well...

update from last monday will come in the weekend.

good luck sven...


jOrn looks a man on a MISSION! (hope he gets plenty of T! )

[noah]

good work keep on...

[sven]

Thanks Noah...

Even if the thread havent been updated doesnt mean that no work have been done on the old lady, but after a mild period in the hard winter we got a little problem with water melting and finding its way into the workshops storagearea.... followed by -27 degrees celcius...

you can easily see the result here...




And the old yorkie in need for a REAL glowplug:D



so finding a way for the water to go have been a few mondays work:)

but a big update comes soon:)

[sven]

first update from last time:)

I continued to work on the top uf the inner wing, and as the work proceeded I also found a hole equal to the one Jørn had to repair where the firewall meets the inner wing....


repaired the innerwing to firewallpiece


and made a piece to fit the firewall and welded it in postition



cleaned up the weld and fitted the flange to the mount of the LH wing



Jørn on the other hand continued with the RH A pillar, finishing off the inner part and where it meets the triangle between the A pillar and the firewall


and after a little discussion we decided to remove the whole panel to get access to the underside of the windowframe.



on the RH side it didnt look too bad at all:) Few holes but nothing too bad:)



That was all from this monday... the next one will follow soon:)

[sven]

the next monday... this should be the 21. feb...

Jørn cleaned up all he could reach using the brush on the grinder, under the windshieldframe, and on the top of the A pillar

after a close inspection he found out that the holes just were potholes and carefully fild them with the welder...


as you can see if you look closely on the picture the top half of the trianle wich fills in between the A pillar and the firewall is welded back in....

After this Jørn made the rest of that panel and tacked it in postition



Seeing that last panel go in was kind of a milestone:)

I continued on the left side.. and after removing the triangular panel on the left side it became obvious that there were more work needed here...



so I had to cut out the corner of the windsheldframe to get access.. here it is cleaned up:


and repaired


Well that was all for that evening too:) thins doesnt work too fast in the cold:)

[pat stevens]

this is one amazing restro project gotta admire your commitment and enthusiasm on such a major project ,
the fabrication of the repair panels is really bang on well done

[sven]

Next up should be march 3rd

I was busy doing other things around the shop this day(tidying up a bit as the shop was kinda untidy, so Jørn did all the work on the A series...

He started welding in the panel he got tacked in last time...



and before I got home from work I made a base for the step which Jørn fitted..




And of course... as any other shopday... we had to have a hot cup of coffee