In reply to TVRs2Lotus :
Hey, happy to have you on board and active! I'm sure, with your years of experience with these cars, and autocrossing them as well, you will be a valuable asset to us and perhaps many others indirectly. Please feel free to make any comment, positive or negative regarding what I'm doing or thinking of doing.
In reply to Stu Lasswell :
I'd love to come look at the TVR next time I visit Dusterdb13. If you don't mind visitors that is.
The frame got a quick rattle-can coat of primer, and now it's off to a local welding shop for repairs. Hopefully he won't find anything more to fix. He also has the uprights and the diff cage, which he hopefully can dis-assemble for me without too much carnage inflicted upon the proprietary components.
In reply to Stampie (FS) :
Sure thing Stampie. You'd be welcome... the more the merrier!
I could add a photo here, but there's nothing to highlight, really. Got the chassis (frame) back from the weld shop. He saw no structural concerns beyond the repairs I highlighted. He re-welded the joint and filled in the perforation holes noted. I considered gusseting the suspension mounts, but they show no sign of being stressed so far, and the TR6 engine, even "breathed upon" somewhat, shouldn't add significant stress. I'll probably triangulate the lower rear A-arm, as that seems to be a standard TVR upgrade. The good news regarding all the repairs... the welding repairs, in total, was $40! He still has yet to get the rear uprights apart, or separate the diff from it's mount cage. Still, it seems I'm getting off cheap.
Did he replace the tube on that back left corner? That looked pretty nasty.
Back left? Maybe you mean front right corner... the outrigger? No replacement, just ground out the weld, re-welded it. Said it looked solid, just deep surface pitting on the square tube. I've no doubt that you would have replaced it though.
$40 bucks! That is cheap. I paid some guy $100 to weld mounts in a pair of seats in the early 90s. In retrospect, I think that was the "leave me alone, kid" price.
Looking forward to updates.
Stu Lasswell said:Back left? Maybe you mean front right corner... the outrigger? No replacement, just ground out the weld, re-welded it. Said it looked solid, just deep surface pitting on the square tube. I've no doubt that you would have replaced it though.
Yeah, I got that backwards.
My rule of thumb was anything rusted thru got replaced. So I would have replaced that right outrigger. My guess is that tube is just big flakes of rust on the inside. A spring-punch would probably pop a huge hole there.
In reply to TVR Scott (Forum Supporter) :
I poked and prodded it and couldn't pierce it, but I hear you. Again, maybe I don't want to see it any worse. But now you've got me thinking I should give that area a bit more scrutiny.
In reply to Stu Lasswell :
Maybe Scott just doesn't want to believe he bought the rustiest TVR frame in North America. But it does give us nice welding porn.
In reply to Stampie (FS) :
Yup. And I think Scott actually LIKES to see the need for more welding. I might too if I could weld like that!
Yeah... It's like you guys are burrowing a window into my soul.
Scott (mostly) and others really got me thinking about the frame, so I went out (again) and poked and prodded the debatable areas. Well, at no point did the hammered punch make a hole, thank goodness. Dented one part of the outrigger, so I know the metal is a tad thin there, but it's still solid metal, not rust. Also not at a structurally critical (stressed) area of the frame.
Moving on from that, I called up Richard Good (Goodparts) and ordered the Nissan R200 differential conversion and a pair of his alloy hubs/CV jointed axles. Essentially tripled my investment in this project with one phone call! I was prepared to blow another $500 on his Wilwood dual reservoir bias-adjustable brake master cylinder set-up, but he indicated that it wouldn't clear the TVR inner fender without modification. I may yet do that, but I figured the credit card took enough of a hit already, and I wont really be setting up brakes for a while yet. Besides, brakes just slow you down, right?
I've got to say that getting on to this forum has been a real boon to this project for me. Not only do the members interaction cause me to look at what I'm doing more carefully, they also provide the kind of encouragement needed to persevere. Thank you one and all!
We're glad you're here and are sharing your build!
We have no problems spending your time and money! Any beer in the Fridge?
Pete
awesome build.
Things are happening, but not anything worthy of photos (yet). Spent most of the day assembling a Harbor Freight blast cabinet. I've got to say, it's not Ikea...got to be like 400 nuts, bolts and washers, and the instructions leave a lot to be desired. I put together, then took apart and reassembled a couple of the major components because of unclear directions that didn't indicate a sequence that was critical. Oh well, it's almost together and then I can start cleaning the smaller suspension parts.
Speaking of which, I got the uprights back, with the big through bolts removed. Like TVR Scott found, the steel bolts don't want to separate from the alloy cast upright after 45 years of exposure. Had to be cut up. However, my welder guy says the shop next door could probably make new ones, as they have a big threading machine. I suspect he can create them for less than the UK imported ones Scott ordered ($140)! A small] crack or divot in one upright did come about from forcing the shaft out, but it was repaired (tig, I believe). The differential is also now free from the mount, which also required brute force, and some large bolts did not survive. Still, everything is now apart, soon to be cleaned up and painted. The suspension bushing set ordered from the UK should be here tomorrow, Stampie is heading to the yard to collect an R200 diff for me, and my big Goodparts order should get to me in a couple of weeks. Things are coming together, and the bank account isn't emptied yet... but then the credit card bill for the worst of it will hit next month.
Oh, for anyone curious about what the farmed out labor has cost me... $40 for the frame repairs, $120 for the removal (destruction) of those frozen bolts (way more labor than the welding, apparently ).
In reply to Stu Lasswell :
I love our town. You got it all done cheaper than i was thinking it would cost for just the frame welds!
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah,and I hear if you know the right people you can get paint for your frame for free, too!
Sounds like you're lucking out on a bunch of things. I'm supportive, but jealous!
Congrats. This is a cool project, I hope your good fortune continues as you move forward.
Well, I hope you all are right about my luck continuing, as I see major dollar signs when I get to the fiberglass body. If the learning curve is not too steep I intend to do the fiberglass repair and refurbishment myself. I'll need a new windshield, and that's at least $400. New door seals and gaskets, brake lines, steering rack rebuilt, seats and interior, gauges refreshed. Then there's wheels and tires. Oh. and the springs/shocks. And paint. Things may have to slow down here or this project may (will) outpace my budget!
On a side note, I did get my cheapo blast cabinet built. Leaks media dust out of several seams. Doesn't work well yet, but I think I just need to learn more and tweak it a bit. Can't see through the dust, so I will need to get it ventilated, and add more light inside.
Oh yeah, the local shop thinks that they can make up new suspension through-bolts for the rear uprights for about $60... sounds better than the $150 Scott is paying for imported ones!
Let me know if you want art to see if he can help/do fiberglass.
It may take a bit of MacGiver-ing to make that blast cabinet work, but there have to be at least a dozen how-to videos on you-tube describing cheap ways to improve them. As to the TVR itself, nothing has been done, but today the bushing set came from England (Royal Mail!) and I picked up the chassis paint from Michael (Dusterbd13). Tomorrow is a day of rest, but Monday I intend to get the frame painted. The rest of the week may be spent getting the blast cabinet working so I can clean up the smaller suspension bits.
Bushing set... not as photogenic as TVR Scott's. as he special ordered red. Doesn't look like $300 worth of parts, but that's the price of playing with rare foreign cars. I had hoped they were the 2-piece "top hat" style, but it looks like the have to be pressed in... not really difficult, but still more hassle than otherwise.
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