fitting dposts????chicken/egg

[Phil Nottingham]

Its a big job as is explaining it and doors have to be removed after measuring gaps and prefarably welding in support stays. Whats left of the sills/floor can then be removed. Support the floor with some 2x3 timber. Trial fit doors after tacking up inner/middle sills. Then weld the lot and fit the outers - again trial fitting. Leave D posts till last. Look at unrestored P5s to see the correct end finishers to the sills - these are the giveaways always

[Phil Nottingham]

Angle iron is very good - as to front finish under the front wing trailing edge quite few pictures were posted on this about 9 months?.

Nothing on the back ends though but its very difficult to take phoos of these being all dark and black around. Its this part that no repair sections are made for and its usually disappeared by the time that anyone gets round to fixing it!

A spot weld cutter is useful if the floor from crossmember undr middle of front door to D post end is to be released from the top of the inner sill section. The front footwell is likely to be rusted away and this spot welds to the back side of the inner sill sloping up the aforesaid cross member.

This is why you need to look at unrestored one first if poss as its very difficult to describe properly!

PS

The car WILL sag in the middle (Coupes especially as the roof is weaker) if not properly supported and the giveaway when its too late is the front door leading edge gap being wider at the bottom than the top and with Coupes in particular to top rear corner of the window frame catching on the door frame. Its Zero torque door locks are very particular to correct striker adjutment also.

Badly rusted sills may even have allowed this to happen already

[Deleted]

When I did mine the second time due to the lack of struts, I had the sills spot welded as a unit before fitting. It involved a clear run from the rear but saved any amount of messing around afterwards.

[Phil Nottingham]

MOT require spots where spots were (or seams will do) but only seam welding where no joins before. Plug welding should be closely spaced.

If the car is jacked up it will distort - it must be standing level

Spot welding the lot together first is a good idea although its a lot easier to fit the outer on last as this not structural in the sense of the chassis but the A,B, C and D posts rests on these. The biggest problem is the B/C post which can distort the roof if handled roughly

[Phil Nottingham]

I have just modified it recheck please

[Deleted]

I used a cutting grinder to remove the spot welded floor edge which leaves the edge flatter and easier to weld back. (There is plenty of metal here)
I welded short runs there. The mot man complimented me on the work which as a part time welder surprised me.
As the rear arch was rotted anyway, i removed the lower part in order to slide in the spot welded 3 part sill.
Get a sheet metal firm to do the job properly.
Pay carefull attention to the original as the placement of each part can go anywhere.
Another thing i would recommend is that only one side should be done at any one time. so as to have a rteference.

[Deleted]

Er no, I was referring to the rear floor as it does not have a flange. It does not sit on the top like the rear but on the inside edge of the inner sill. There is underfelt to bring it level with the sill for the carpet to sit on.
I used a large angle grinder to chop out the old sills leaving small bits around the posts and front for final removal.
[glow=red,2,300]Better take out the two fuel lines unless you want a fire.[/glow]

[Deleted]

After cleaning up, you will have a better idea where everything goes. Does the entire three part sill need replacing?

[Phil Nottingham]

The bent over bit with the tabs on for the sill trim is the middle sill.

As H says the floor is flat on the inner sill top mots of the way from crossmember under seat (ends of which also corrode!) and L shaped on the side of the inner sill at the front.

Patching can be very effective as long as its all seam welded.

With any repair panesl its best in most cases to use only what is needed leaving as much as the old in place as it causes less disburbamce.

Always do one side at a time so you have reference pointer

[Colin McA]

I would add that if you get a wire brush on a drill and take the paint off around the posts.

you should be able to see the spot welds and this would give you an idea where to cut.

Colin

[Phil Nottingham]

The bottom pocture is the front footwell is not bolted its a spot weld flange underneath

[Phil Nottingham]

Correct - that is not the footwell that is bolted on its a the front foot rest!

If that is you car the inner sills look OK? On my Coupe I had to replace the out 6" of floor edge!

[Deleted]

Just one other warning. Grinding near glass, particularly windscreens will cause pimples and pits resulting in an impossible to clean glass.
Also, get a fire extinguisher and keep it handy when welding and grinding.

[harvey]

humphrey said:

Just one other warning. Grinding near glass, particularly windscreens will cause pimples and pits resulting in an impossible to clean glass.
Also, get a fire extinguisher and keep it handy when welding and grinding.

Grind close to the outside of the glass and the windows will go rusty!