GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Got some more work done on Fly today

Removed all the rusty metal round the strut top and wire brushed everything in sight




Then had a quick look at one of the rear turrets, cleaned it up and found a hole

[alladdin]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

just caught up, looks like it was time for a freshen up

[Graham]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

good stuff keep it up

[Retromotorsport]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

The Joys of used cars hey Gavin, still you'll soon have fly flying again

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Made some progress this weekend with some help from Carrie and Guy

5 hours welding by Guy Sat afternoon and the worst side was done - top plate is puddle welded through the spot weld holes, overlapped and seam welded to the original inner wing inside and out, and the edges of the strut tower uprights are stitch welded underneath the plate - it should now be stronger than it ever was






While I investigated the better side and found just as much rot so decided to cut it all out as well




Another 4 hours of welding by Guy today and the other side was done






So a bit of cleaning up to do, before further reinforcement takes place

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Finished the front end reinforcements today

Extra top plates on both sides - these are Rally Design ones with about 1" taken off all round so they look more like RS top plates





Then added some box section underneath instead of the usual strengthening plates

[inquild09]

GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

My buddy in Germany also has an E-class wagon and that car is TIGHT MB and Audi make some nice looking wagons, you cant tell them apart from the sedan when you look at them from the front - for some reason I dont feel the same way about BMW.Congrats on the purchase.

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Started work on the rear turrets - filled in the hole and added some triangulation


Then got a bit carried away - chopped the rear stays and diagonal off the cage, removed the main hoop, ground off all the old welds and refitted it


And I've made one new rear stay to link in to the turrets, got to make the other and hopefully a cross diagonal before welding it all to the main hoop

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Finished the other rear stay and tacked it in place


While I was working on that side, I investigated some paint bubbles at the bottom of the C pillar, somewhere I've patched a few times before, and removed all the paint and rust to see how bad it was

Over Christmas I had a look in my parents shed, dug out a quarter panel off Fly's original shell and cut out a repair section

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Got some more done on the cage this week, tacking each bit in place then removing it before welding it all the way round

It's taking a bit longer like this but it's a lot easier to weld



Just got to fit a harness bar then I can weld it all onto the main hoop

And I've finished the rear stay mounts on both sides



One thing about doing all this welding, it keeps my hands warm when it's -12 outside

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Finished the cage today, all painted as well




Then trimmed the C pillar repair section and fitted it behind the current panel


All welded and a couple more plates to form the window surround and air vent


Needs a bit of grinding and some filler but all the rust is gone

Next job is some small plates on the floor and a bit of welding to the chassis

And I've entered a Road Rally in 6 weeks, plenty of time to finish her

[davblue]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

some work going on there mate .

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Some rot in the chassis


And on the sill where I'd put a partial sill on a few years ago


The inner sill, jacking point and floor had gone at the same point


After welding all that back together, another small patch on the chassis, straightened and reinforced the front spring hanger skid plate where it has been battered over the years, various plates on the floor to cover the holes where the seat had been moved a few times, and reinforcement plates for the seat, I filled the C-pillar, rear arch and sill repairs


Last night 3 coats of primer over all the repairs




And 4 top coats tonight

A few final bits of welding left - there are cracks in the diff tunnel and boot floor, and the driver's floor needs a couple of patches and reinforcements plates

Hopefully this weekend I can start bolting bits back on

[Tazman]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Looking good for her age

[GavinR]

Re: GavinRs Mk2 Rally Car FLY

Finished all the welding last weekend, found some more bits on the driver's side chassis, the spring hanger skid was quite bad so I cut it off to find the chassis rail was non-existant so I repaired that before making a new skid, and the seat cross member looked good from the top but had split underneath so that got a large patch. The crack in the diff tunnel I just welded back together which just leaves the boot floor which will be done when she's back on the ground

So I spent a few evenings last week undersealing both sides under the front wings, along the chassis rails and sills and anywhere I'd done some welding. Inside the floors got a coat of black hammerite and the rear turrets & inner arches a coat of yellow





And last night I started putting the axle on and finished it off tonight

Next job, a bit of wiring and battery cables to replace some I'd borrowed to finish DVY last year