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Thread: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

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    "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    Often the strut tops have been plated over in the past, usually straight over the top of rot and without any paint

    This is the top plate on Fred's car before I tackled it. Looks very good, and it was, but from underneath you could see the rot.



    Ground out the welds and took the repair panel off. Here you can see what was underneath. Typical really, plate straight over the old rot and no paint or treatment whatsoever.



    A chunk of the top skin carefully ground out to see the strut top cup, which is usually rotten too.



    Once some of the top is cut out you can see how much to take out, lining up the replacement panel as a guide. The replacement panel can be seen in the pic above, a Hadrian panel.



    You can see the cup is removed as well, along with the top of the uprights. The replacement cup normally comes with the uprights too. In this case I decided the uprights were still useable. I don't like cutting out the original stuff if it's still OK. I have done the whole uprights before though.



    These bigger repair panels tuck just under the bulkhead lip and meet up with the top of a swage at the front end. They can be made to fit very neatly.



    Top plate tacked in place. Take lots of measurements before taking anything off, to give you an idea where it has to go back. I find that the replacement panels tell you where it has to go.



    New cup in place



    Plug welds holding strut top and cup together.



    Fully welded in and all primer removed.



    Etch primed



    With a little bit of skilful grinding and a smear of filler it can be made to look original. Don't forget a good coating of paint and underseal underneath. Zinc primer between panels before welding. All helps prevent having to do it again.

    Hope some of this helps someone attempting this, it is a daunting task if you've never done it before. My biggest worry was how I was going to get the new one in the right place. To be honest as long as you compare the new panel to the old before cutting anything it all becomes obvious as you go. I don't claim to be a pro at the job by any means, but that's how I did mine and I'm happy with it

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    that looks good dave and should be use to people on their resto's

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    Dave I think this should be moved to the tech section and made a sticky Want me to move it?

    She's built like a Steakhouse, but handles like a Bistro

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    If you like Rich
    I was writing it as a pm for Matt, but thought everyone might as well see it.

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    Done

    She's built like a Steakhouse, but handles like a Bistro

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    Tip! If you got a bolt on strut brace lying around, use that to set the position as well for extra reassurance. HTH
    CheeRS Nat

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    I could do with one Dave for floors? have you got any good pics, there's probably some in your threads along the way but a lot of reading through again

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    The floors are pretty straight forward really Jules.
    Assuming you are talking about the front floor, and you are replacing the whole panel.
    Put the panel inside the car, mark round where it is going to go, cut the old floor leaving some extra to weld to. Take the old floor off the chassis by either drilling through the spot welds (from inside) or grind it back until it comes away.
    It's pretty obvious where it all goes.

    Get your panels, weigh the job up and put a post up if you are still not sure. I think there was one very recently.

    I've got some pics if you want, but they either show the floor missing or new one welded in place

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    what would you prescribe for this?


    http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7983/pete4as.jpg

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    That's a shame mate. Original tops too.
    I am not, and do not claim to be an expert in these matters, in fact so far I have only done 4 strut tops in total.
    I am happy to tell you what I would do though.

    It's difficult to see the extent of the rot from here, but if it is only as bad as it looks I might well be tempted to try and patch that, using a piece of a repair panel.
    However, it is most likely that the whole of the strut top is getting thin and a whole replacement top should be fitted. (as in pics above)
    HTH

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    thanks for that, im going to bare metal that whole area tomorrow so I'll have a better idea then

    I can tell that my drivers side gaurd has quite a bit of bog in it, it must have been in a crash years ago which also affected the strut area too

    not sure how familiar you are with expressed steel panels but would an E1E 9 or 10 do the job if it was cut it down to suit?
    http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7983/pete4as.jpg

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    A hadrian panel would be a fraction of the price

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    i like the sticky but shouldnt it be in the resto section ?

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    thanks for a great post dave; i suspect i will have to attack my strut mount pretty soon; this gives me an idea of whats involved

    by the way how do you think expressed panels rate against the stuff you used?
    is the quality good with the hardian panels? do they have a website?
    Regards,
    Kevin

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)


    Out for a drive on a sunny spring day reminds me why I got this car

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    Re: "How to" plate rotten top plates (Daves way)

    I think Hadrians are pretty good quality, they certainly are on what I have used.
    I hear some Expressed stuff is very good, some not quite so good. All is expensive

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