Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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cavalier1990
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

beermonsterblack wrote:you can buy the outrigger sections now http://www.carz2.co.uk/vauxhallopel-vec ... 8358-p.asp
Thanks M8 have ordered some
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

So I'm nearly there with making up all the little panels, only bit left is a little bit on drivers floor to do. Shouldn't be a problem to make that one up as it's about the size of a fun size mars bar! Other work done was to rust treat any flaky rust under the front end and bulkhead. That's all done.

By the by just take note: the drivers side chassis leg (also goes for N/S too), where it meets the bulkhead, and also the foam insulator comes down, it is like a little contained crevice that collects a shit load of dirt and dust, and is usually sodden wet, or at least damp with all the crud stuck in it, as well as any brake fluid spilled or leaking from master cylinder. Well work taking a day out, get under and scrape it all out and rust treat it/check for rust.

I'm getting a bit naffed off as I would like to get all doors resprayed at bottom, plus the wings and arches plus probably in and around the fixes in the boot. However I'm a bit on the thin side with cash, although I really don't know how much that will cost. Going to see a guy I know who does body repairs and try and get some prices.

Latest activity is a box of parts came in. Most GM stuff except flexi hoses, which are Delphi and I think that is as close to original as you'll get. Other parts are anti-roll bushes, air filter housing securing bolts, seals for side indicators, pile of new bolts for subframe, 2 spring seats for back and back bumper bracket. Oh yeah and I ordered a bran spanking new rear saloon reflector plate - £50 bucks - ouch - but been waiting for one to turn up for ages. I want it to look the bizo so no expense spared here :santa

Image

Tomorrow's work starts early. I'll be finishing off the metal work and getting ready for welding - wish me luck!!
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Over the last couple of nights I've been starting to do the welding. I started with the annoying fiddly bits first.

Spring Seat plate, still got the spring plate to weld to it though.
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The box section at the back of the sill
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the bit where the bumper hangs at the back of the wheelarch. Needed this bit for the little lug locating the bumper more than anything else.
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Hope to get a good bit more done over weekend.

P.S. Meant to attach this pic before this post, it's a pic of up under the bulkhead, the black bits are where I put rust eater as it was starting to flake a bit.

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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Today's I managed to get spring seat plate onto the O/S chassis leg and also weld in panel to N/S/R boot floor.

Boot floor section
Image

Spring seat
Image

Welding to finish on N/S:

spring seat plate and seat
Box section at rear of sill
Sill repair for front
front Inner wheel arch panel above crossmember
Front jacking area cross member support


Welding to finish on O/S:

Front jacking area cross member support
front Inner wheel arch panel above crossmember
Full sill

Hope to get first 4 on N/S done tomorrow.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Update from last post

Had some time today to get these done on N/S:

spring seat plate and seat
Box section at rear of sill

Pics below

Decided to weld the spring plate to the chassis repair section as it is easier welding it on the deck that upside down like a bat!

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Although I do have to do that upside down weld with the chassis repair section
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This is part I made up for the back of the rear wheelarch where the bumper wraps round. There is a new section on it for the bumper to clip into, apart from seal and paint, just got the hole to drill in it for bumper clip and it's ready to go.

Image
cavalier1990
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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Tack welded on the N/S rear arch repair panel I made up and sized up the floor crossmember repair panel for O/S/F. Cut some of the repair panel off as it reaches right in to where the metal is sound, so I just cut off the bit I needed, cleaned off the old metal from old panel and then offered it up.

The remaining bits to be welded have been painted with zinc primer on the insode so that they do not rust internally after welding on.

Image

Image
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Robsey
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by Robsey »

Excellent looking work :thumb
It is coming on nicely.
I love a good refurb thread. :)
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Robsey wrote:Excellent looking work :thumb
It is coming on nicely.
I love a good refurb thread. :)
Cheers Robsey, aye it is slowly taking shape now. I did get a bit lazy and not make up templates for the little arch repairs, meaning I didn't finish all the welding in one go plus hadn't managed to get round to it of late, so progress fell back a bit. I hastily made some arch repair panels up, and they fitted fine. It's really just something to hold onto for a skin of filler so not that fussed about how it looks right now.

Welding wise, just the rear panel, front inner wheel wells, and that cross member bit on the floor to be welded up then can get on with sealing and painting/filling.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Welded up the O/S front inner wheel housing plate but not done much else recently, too cold to be out working, but to be honest I think I'm just being really lazy :) bit of a pisser as the metal I welded on is starting to rust so I need to electric wirebrush it all to get rid off. I did primer the remaining panels on the back end so at least they won't rust internally, not best time of year to be welding but then it's Scotland after all we don't really get a choice of good and bad weather lol! I need to buy that zinc coated metal to use for welding next time (Next time?) :)
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Robsey
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by Robsey »

Indeed - zintec would slow the progress of rust on your panels.

It is the welded seams that you need to be extra vigilant with.
I am sure you will soon get it sorted :)
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Robsey wrote:Indeed - zintec would slow the progress of rust on your panels.

It is the welded seams that you need to be extra vigilant with.
I am sure you will soon get it sorted :)
Ahh......Zintec, was wondering the name of it. I remember 'your man' bttcroy recommended it somewhere but couldn't remember the name. Gave the panels a buff with leccy brush and quick paint with zinc primer the other night just to stop it rerusting.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Keeping up some sort of progress on this during the dreich Winter months has seen me perform some more bits of welding today. The points in question were front and rear parts of N/S sill. I done a little mod to the front sill section I made up, this was to allow the drain tube for the sunroof to poke out the side instead of into the sill. I also painted the panels afterwards to stop flash rusting. This has been a nightmare with all the other bits I done welding, meaning I had to buff them all down and give them a lick of the old zinc 182. So decided to paint the rest of the panels I had yet to weld, especially the back of them so it would not rust inside the box section. Then paint the front bit after welding them on.

As you can see from the spring plate as an example the flash rust is still evident around where it was welded, but where I have missed with the paint. The welds on the sill section bits have not been buffed down or sealed up yet. I will do this later on.

Image

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ilovedmymantas
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by ilovedmymantas »

Nice progress there.
Hope I regain this level of enthusiasm sometime soon , It's been a while !
" It's not rust. It's age-related patina " ;)

1980 vauxhall cavalier MK1 1.6L, 1982 opel manta berlinetta 1.8s, 1985 opel manta 2.0 gte, 1990 cavalier 2.0 gl ,1994 cavalier sri x20xev

-1995 cdx x20xev

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cavalier1990
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

ilovedmymantas wrote:Nice progress there.
Hope I regain this level of enthusiasm sometime soon , It's been a while !
Thanks m8 is slowly but surely getting there, although enthusiasm is hard to come by this time of year lol!
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Last couple of days I have rubbed down the rust on the wheelarch, under chassis at back, along sill and under front wheelarch on N/S, treated it with rust eater then painted it with zinc paint to stop it rusting again. Even after treatment if you left it long enough it would start rusting again.

I also repaired the corrosion on N/S back wheelarch inner area just behind seatbelt mount - common spot on these - and have made up a little repair panel for the outer wheelarch where it drops down toward the sill.

This is the repair panel for wheelarch on N/S. I made an identical one for O/S and just spot welded it on. Probably notice all my repair panels are painted now to stop them rusting.

Image

This is the repair behind seat belt mounting at back. Luckily the rust was only really on the wheelarch inner panel rather than right down to the seat belt mount, although I took the new metal down towards it anyway. This is just after the repair and have now painted this too until I get round to sealing it all off.


Image

I have still to do the following:

Get new sill for O/S and fashion it to the repair needed on mine, which is the length of the sill but not outer section of sill, just along the way where it is creased.

Weld on the N/S/R wheelarch repair panel

Weld on N/S/F inner wheelarch panel

Weld on O/S/F outrigger panel

I also have N/S/F outrigger to purchase but klokerholm are waiting for them to be re manufactured first.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by Envoy CDX »

Very kool!
Let me know how that outrigger fits and if you can link me up I'd appreciate it.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by Robsey »

The link for klokkerholm parts is usually -

Carz2

http://www.carz2.co.uk/vauxhallopel-vec ... 8334-p.asp
cavalier1990
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Envoy CDX wrote:Very kool!
Let me know how that outrigger fits and if you can link me up I'd appreciate it.
Robsey wrote:The link for klokkerholm parts is usually -

Carz2

http://www.carz2.co.uk/vauxhallopel-vec ... 8334-p.asp
Envoy, they have it listed on the carz site but if you check manufacturer link below it is currently N/A. Patti from carz has emailed to say they don't have due date for availability:

http://www.klokkerholm.com/xProductCata ... oup=110714

It does seem to fit up quite well although haven't welded it in yet.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by Envoy CDX »

Cheers :) will be uploading pics of that panel tonight :)
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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Today's job was to finish up some more of the welding and prime and underseal some of the box sections.


This is the N/S/F inner wheelarch repair just after I finished welding. The inside of this box section was then sealed with spray on underseal using the probe thingy to get right into the corner.
Image

The two grey bits are the patches I welded onto the subframe. This will be going to get sandblasted so primer just to stop the rust.
Image

Primer on the repair at back seat belt N/S
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The panel I made up to replace the lower section or rear wheelarch spot welded into place
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Second view of wheelarch repair
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Chassis at back N/S is now primed. I wirebrushed all the dirt off, grinded any remaining flakes, rust treated it then primed to stop it rusting again.
Image

Welding left now is the O/S sill, back panel and the two cross member bits at the front of which one I am waiting to purchase. Getting there now. Still need to seal up most of the welds, some need ground down still too. As I said primer was to stop rust mainly and it seems to have not came back through the bits I painted, which is good.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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Nice bit of progress there.
Do you use gas when welding, or is it gas-less?
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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Envoy CDX wrote:Nice bit of progress there.
Do you use gas when welding, or is it gas-less?
It's gasless Envoy using flux cored wire, although I would prefer to go back to a gas bottle machine, as you get much better welds.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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cavalier1990 wrote:
Envoy CDX wrote:Nice bit of progress there.
Do you use gas when welding, or is it gas-less?
It's gasless Envoy using flux cored wire, although I would prefer to go back to a gas bottle machine, as you get much better welds.
Can it be converted? As you say, you will get much better welds. Not that I am slating your work at all - you have a good eye for detail.
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

Post by cavalier1990 »

Envoy CDX wrote:
cavalier1990 wrote:
Envoy CDX wrote:Nice bit of progress there.
Do you use gas when welding, or is it gas-less?
It's gasless Envoy using flux cored wire, although I would prefer to go back to a gas bottle machine, as you get much better welds.
Can it be converted? As you say, you will get much better welds. Not that I am slating your work at all - you have a good eye for detail.
Lol aye welds never look pretty unless you are welding two nice panels of equal thickness together on a straight line with correct ampage. Actually the welder I have only has high and low setting 45/90 Amp which makes it a pig to weld very thin car steel. This is quite a new welder and doesn't seem to have the ability to add a gas bottle. My old welder conked out, but this was much easier to match weld ampage to thickness of steel as it had (low/med/high) on both a low and high setting so was very versatile. This also had the ability to add gas bottle. I'm hoping to try and fix it soon. It conked out once before and it was the little transformer on the circuit board had went tits up, luckily I had an old board with a good transformer!
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Re: Rescued a One elderly Owner K plate Diplomat saloon

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cavalier1990 wrote: Lol aye welds never look pretty unless you are welding two nice panels of equal thickness together on a straight line with correct ampage. Actually the welder I have only has high and low setting 45/90 Amp which makes it a pig to weld very thin car steel. This is quite a new welder and doesn't seem to have the ability to add a gas bottle. My old welder conked out, but this was much easier to match weld ampage to thickness of steel as it had (low/med/high) on both a low and high setting so was very versatile. This also had the ability to add gas bottle. I'm hoping to try and fix it soon. It conked out once before and it was the little transformer on the circuit board had went tits up, luckily I had an old board with a good transformer!
Fingers crossed it doesn't take much to fix then.
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