Vauxhall Senator

[cavalier1990]

I was thinking that, I've been keeping you in suspense far too long with the picture, or lack of!!

I've got a proper car cover over it just now so will need to lift that off and get a snap. It's got straps that run underneath so quite good bit of kit, and it doesn't blow away either!

[3cav3]

It would definitely be nice to see a whole picture of the car.

[cavalier1990]

Well, I managed to get some more work done on the bulkhead side/inner wing over the last few days. Feel like I've got over a big hurdle with making up templates and panels for this section. The scuttle area was rusting at the end- where it joins the dash panel, and where the water drains - so I had to strip out the scuttle area i.e. the wipers and the plastic cover (Plus the abs ECU I think (What a place to put it)) and the worst bit was trying to work right under the bonnet hinge area. Luckily, as I have all the section under this removed I can work up under it, and I done this to cut out the rusting section.

When I removed the scuttle there was the usual rust along the panel as well, one bit was a bit peppered with some pin holes, but not rotten, although metal is paper thin as it is, so just cleaned and rust treated it. I won't be going in there to cut and replace bits, thank you very much!

The panels I have made up so far (for this dash end area) are the dashpanel side section, a section for the drain hole from scuttle,a section for the end of the scuttle where the rust was & the lower and upper floor section, the dash side panel was a monumental job in itself, although if you seen it it doesn't look much, as well as that I had to cut a section off it off as I realised I could get away without this bit and make the job a lot easier. I think I over-engineered this bit to be honest.

I've literally spent weeks on this bit trying to fabricate that dash panel, then all the other bits, and trying to work out what goes where. Hopefully, now that I can kind of see the jigsaw slowly coming together, I can start the welding process soon, starting with the scuttle and working my way out. When I clamp all the panels in place there are a few gaps where bits still need filler panels made up, it was quite tricky trying to get the meeting points of all the panels to meet exactly at the right point and have either no overlap or short bits.

The worst bit was the top of the dash panel meeting the side of the scuttle and where the drain hole goes on the inner wing, at the same bit you also have the upper floor top section meeting the bulkhead and inner wing side panel, which are all curved and twist at different angles to each other.

Still got this Week to do a bit more on it so hopefully get to start welding things up very soon!

[Robsey]

Sounds like fun.
A jigsaw puzzle for grown ups.

Just keep telling yourself, "it will be worth it in the end".
Then you can move onto the next car in the fleet - lol

[cavalier1990]

Managed to take a wee video of the kick panel and the end of the scuttle bit that I've put on. Still miles to go but as I said big jigsaw! I'm sure this will be worth it in the end, dying to drive the thing lol!

https://andrew-cars.s3.eu-west-2.amazon ... -floor.mp4

Right click and open in new tab as it opens in main window if you don't.

[Robsey]

Wow that is a lot of missing metal.
But looks like a lot of good fresh metal going in too.

You are a MUCH braver man than me... probably because you are very experienced on these big jobs, and also you can see what the camera cannot show.

Regardless - my hat is off to you sir.

[vexorg]

I've always wondered how much can be replaced or fixed while still keeping it legal

[Robsey]

I presume, as much as can be replaced and fixed whilst maintaining the structural strength and integrity of the chassis.

That is probably based upon the materials used and the quality of the welds and workmanship.

If any one component is lacking, then the answer is not much, if any could be replaced.
If all components are the best available, then the amount increases exponentially.

By components I mean
Time and effort for preparation,
Quality of materials and parts.
Welding and / or contruction techniques.
Quality of final assembly and finishing.

Lets not forget the working environment too.

[3cav3]

I supose anything can be rebuilt. Youve just got to keep doing it in small steps and I'm sure youll get there.

[cavalier1990]

The whole box section that makes up the floor area is being replaced, the side of the floor, the upper kickplate bit and the lower section as well. I had to go and buy a core drill for the wiring loom that goes through the bulkhead at the very corner. I'd fixed that bit before but it was a total bodge with a small repair plate, and it was a very difficult bit to work in with space so limited and a wiring loom basically right above where I was welding, so the repair was just a sticking plaster.

When I drilled the hole I drilled it a bit too far outways than I should have. So I think I should be able to get away with it. Just means the loom rubber bung thing will be right at the edge of the panel rather than more in the middle. Been a really fickle bit to repair as I really didn't have muh a any reference points to work with so was welding bits in blind.

The section along the side of the top of the inner wing is off as well, so the tower is loose but sitting in place. I need to weld a panel along onto the wing mount strip onto tower, then a new strengthener plate over all that. Where part number 6 goes here:

https://opel.catalogs-parts.com/#{clien ... bgroup:3-0}

I bought the plate a couple of weeks ago so have that new as well. Most of the welding I can fabriate the panels, but the bit I really need and can't find is the lower strengthener thing for driver side, I have one for the passenger side luckily. Number 8 is the one I don't have:

https://opel.catalogs-parts.com/#{clien ... bgroup:2-0}

Pity klokkerholm don't do them like they do for the cavy.

Cheers

Andy

[cavalier1990]

Took advantage of the long weekend and the sun and got a wee bit of work done on the senny. I'm still nursing a crooked knee so I'm really limited in what I can do at the moment, like kneeling, it was a bit better at the wkend so put my big chunky knee pads on and got some welding done on the underside and battery tray. Still not out of the woods yet so need to take it easy at the moment. Sorry no pics but will try and get a traunch of them soon and put up.

I've had a brainwave with the dash side panel that the n/s door pillar sits over. I have the spare panel for the o/s but really needed the N/S, so I tried to replicate a panel for it, which got close but I wasn't really happy with it. It took me ages to replicate this, and I then had to do it again as I cut the hole for the side channel in the wrong place (double Doh!).

I then came across a 2nd hand cut off section of the A pillar that was on a German parts site, never really thought much about it until I then looked again, the panel has been cut off with the dash side panel still more or less intact, and it looks like most of the outrigger is still on it as well, so can probably fashion that if enough of it is left in place. I'll just drill out the spot welds for the old door pillar panel and that will give me a (second hand) dash side panel to work with.

This is the part below that I ordered:

https://dg-classicparts.de/products/a-s ... -senator-b

It's sold out because I bought it!

To be continued....

[Robsey]

A good price, but I dread what the carriage would be from Germany - Not a light-weight item.

But I am sure it us worth it in the reduction in heart ache of trying to make your own complex parts.
Besides - you cannot beat an original factory production part - even if it is a used part / offcut.

[3cav3]

I can totally sympathise with you about the knee, I've got no cartalidge in my left knee so often struggle, always have to have it braced up, also hence why my proper car is always an automatic.
If spotted I would of done the same as you as even a 2nd hand offcut is better than having to guesstimate from scratch. Carriage from Germany is usually relatively cheap, and nearly always quicker to receive than items purchased in the UK on ebay etc.

[cavalier1990]

If only I'd realised about this off cut part it would have saved me so much time mucking about with a repair panel then having to do it again and not getting anywhere! Every day a school day.

Shipping was about 50 'Euros so a bit pricey but more or less what you would expect with DHL.

What do you do when you're working down low / on ground 3cav3? No cartilage sounds sore?

I'd had issues with my knee since running into the clamp of a bench mounted vice in my old work Years ago, although it only flared up every couple of years and tried to be careful with it, not kneeling directly on my knee, using knee pads etc. This time though it was pretty bad, and my other knee flared up as well, probably due to the weight I was putting on it trying to keep weight off my other knee. I've had it MRI'd before and they couldn't see anything wrong with it. I've also been on a diet last couple of weeks as my weight has crept up the last few Years, so that won't be helping it either.

[3cav3]

.

What do you do when you're working down low / on ground 3cav3? No cartilage sounds sore?

It has its moments when I can't get down low. Most the time I can get by with a knee brace. For being underneath my van I tend to try and lie on some padding. I was told in 2006 by the consultant to get an office job, but I'd rather be shot in the head. However mauling heavy mounted hydraulic breakers about daily isn't doing me any good. On really bad days I have got anti inflammatories but I do try to avoid taking them when possible.

[cavalier1990]

.

What do you do when you're working down low / on ground 3cav3? No cartilage sounds sore?

It has its moments when I can't get down low. Most the time I can get by with a knee brace. For being underneath my van I tend to try and lie on some padding. I was told in 2006 by the consultant to get an office job, but I'd rather be shot in the head. However mauling heavy mounted hydraulic breakers about daily isn't doing me any good. On really bad days I have got anti inflammatories but I do try to avoid taking them when possible.

I think I'm going to have to get some knee braces for support, at least until I get the strength back in my legs, plus use my new knee pads, all that kneeling is catching up with me!

[cavalier1990]

Well, I finally got round to getting this cut off panel and removing the dashboard side panel from it. I think I drilled out about 40 or 50 (Probably more) spot welds to remove the inner sill section, then the door pillar post, and there are some braces for the door hinges that join to the door pillar on one side and onto the dash panel on the other side, so had to remove them as well.

There is a bit of the upper part of the floor left where the threads stick out for the fuel pipes so I might try and keep that bit and just put the new floor panel repair around it. Downside is I don't replace one big section, but the remaining floor section is also giving me a bit of a reference point as well for the remaining panel locations and general run of it.

To make all the jigsaw pieces fit nicely I need to model up the full inner sill that will then join onto the front dash side panel and give me a better reference for rebuilding the new door pillar panel back in place. I had to drill out the inner strengthener section from the new door pillar panel as I couldn''t weld the inside section onto the remaining post without cutting through the outer section, so just removed the spot welds and will build it back up in stages.

Just to visualise where I am going, I clamped all the bits back together and clamped it up to the car.

This one you can see the remaining bit of floor that is still on the dashboard side panel, the bit I am going to work round:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3MTE7MM3nQdyC6Az9

Here I have clamped back on the part of the inner sill I originally removed just to get an idea where it is sitting in realtion to everything, I have the full inner sill so will be joining this up to the dash panel.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/idPkcZZ5UKZoZVQZ8

I know it doesn't look much but this is the bit I had so much trouble trying to replicate a repair panel. It is the section that runs right down to the top of the inner sill then out the kick panel then up to the top of the dashboard and under the door pillar frame. The top section is generally ok, it's salvegable, but the bottom section was pretty crusty, and compeletely rotten at the bottom where it met the sill and floor.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eVxuMHYpFZR1LDM19

Still got a lot of fettling to do to get all this in the right place but much happier now that I have got something to work with at last!

[3cav3]

Its great to see some more progress. Several times with big chunks of metal cut out, I've thought what have I done? But once welded back in I find i then have the confidence to tackle the next bit.

[Robsey]

All seems very scary to me.

I am a lot more wary... I try not to cut too much out in one go, before welding something back in.

[cavalier1990]

You're right about being scary cutting out all this metal. Don't know why I do it sometimes

Been offering up all these sections around about the bulkhead side and floor sections trying to get everything nice and neat. I have now recreated the new upper floor section with the big hole drilled in iit for the cable run, drilled in the right place this time!

You can see it in this video I done yesterday:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/J8j6GYtZ6N9ExcBXA

I've now made the little box section plate that sits between the bulkhead, just below the big hole, and the strut tower and made a cardboard template for the section that runs from the bulkhead along the side of the strut tower - 3 cornlfakes boxes later!. I also had previously ordered the outer section that sits over the side of the strut tower but can't find it, so need to hurry up and order another one before they all sell out!

Will try tomorrow and actually make that section that runs from bulkhead to tower using template.

[Robsey]

Looking good -
Doesn't look as complicated when you see it all clamped together.
Hats off to you for having the kahunas to do this level of stuff.

[cavalier1990]

It's a really tricky bit this to fabricate and you have to remember the door pillar is going down across it as well so needs to be fairly matched up to that. I'm not at that bit yet, got the side tower panel made yesterday from the template, lots of fettling and final fettle will be when it's being tacked into place.

Done a wee video again, the bit I hold up at the end needs a wee bit more fettling to get to fit, now that I have the other sections made. That part was a cut off from the original side dash panel I tried to fabricate and was not happy with but I think I can use this bit off it as it almost has the right kind of bend in it I can work with.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YEfQJDpY2d6DTC1b7

Trying to get all the panels set up so I can do welding all in one (Almost) rather than going from bit to bit.

[cavalier1990]

Today's job was to prep the inner sill area for the new panel, had to cut off some of the old inner sill remaining on the back jack support area that I replaced a few years ago before fully stripping the inner sill off - a scary no going back scenario!. Happy to say everything seems to line up nicely even just putting the panels in a rough position and not being too OCD about it. Though I will have to be when I get round to welding it.

I did also finally take some pics of the car as I had to take the cover off and tidy up the parts in the boot, and put the stuff lying in the back seat area into the boot. Also touched up a few wee bits I'd missed with primer on the new rear panel and rear wing. Looks like the anti-moisture 2 pack primer has done the job and no rust showing apart from slight bits on the edges I missed. Also no water lying anywhere which is another relief. I have cut up an old vaccum storage bag and taped it over the rear wing and gutter area so any water doesn't get in there. I had a big plastic sheet over the back wing before and it was now rotten so replaced it.

Back view:


front view, well more top down.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/b3M5CV3uAx4ze3iR8

[Robsey]

Looking much further along than I was expecting.
Excellent progress.

I do love these old battle cruisers.

[3cav3]

Looking good. Got admit out the corner of my eye it looks a bit like one of those American police cars, particularly with the two tone colour scheme.
Your primer seems to be holding up well. When I was working under a sheet, I used to have a lot of issues with rain creeping underneath, even now in the winter months my canopy suffers badly with condensation at times, and thus some repairs had started rusting again.