Early Javelin Restoration

[Grumpy Northener]

Repair complete & bumper iron re-attached

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[Grumpy Northener]

Peter spent most of Sunday going over the bodyshell with the angle grinder fitted with a polycarbon disc to remove the last traces of paint after stripping

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Whilst also highlighting many problems

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Heavy pot marking to the roof skin

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Rust has eaten through in some odd places - this is just under the rear window apperature

[Grumpy Northener]

It has become obvious that the car has been the subject of a previous restoration along with some very poor bodged repairs - there is extensive lead loading over previous repairs and all of the doors have suffered from impact / accident damage at some stage

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The offside front door holds several areas of heavy lead loading over dents & rust repair sections

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Nearside front door has many previous repairs and rust damage - it will now require the bottom 100 mm of the door skin to be cut out and replaced

[Grumpy Northener]

Meanwhile back to the structural repairs - the upstand for the boot floor / tool tray had seen patches of braised on metal and was quite thin on the leading edges

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I cut & folded a new section but then had to replicate the swaging on the panel - so I made a small jig up and with the help of a broom handle and suitable hammer

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obtained something close to the original swaging

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[Grumpy Northener]

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Ready for tacking up / trial fitting

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With panel trial fitted the tool tray hinged lid was checked for fit

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[Grumpy Northener]

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New end tabs were fabricated and welded to the upstand panel prior to final fitting - once the panel repair had been seam welded and cleaned back the panel was fully welded in place - I used spot welds where possible to replicate the factory finish (although none of it is seen when the boot floor is fitted) Upstand panel refitted / cleaned back - new captive nuts were spotwelded in place as required - the captive nuts retain the boot floor which is a plywood panel

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Tool tray lid fitted without issue to upstand panel and opens / closes nicely

[Grumpy Northener]

Just a few more areas on the rear of the car now before I can start to cover the structural repairs down the offside of the shell

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This is where the rear panel meets the rear shroud / wing support and it looks ok

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Buts its not under the lead is a bodged seam that is rotting from the inside out

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With the lead burnt off a reveal of the previous restoration where the factory seam has been gas welded together - the metal is weak and pinholes are showing through

[Grumpy Northener]

Seam cut out

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New section fabricated in two sections - shrunk to obtain radius and spot welded together off the car (spot welder cannot reach with the repair sections on the car)

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Ready for welding in

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[Willy Eckerslyke]

Superb work, an inspiration to us all!

[Grumpy Northener]

Superb work, an inspiration to us all!

I need the inspiration myself some days with this one - the car initially came to me for a bare metal paint job whilst the rest of the team fitted a rebuilt engine & box and sorted a few of the mechanicals out - none of us (including Peter the owner) anticipated finding the amount of weakness / rust / bodge in the bodyshell - anyway - onwards:

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Nearside of rear panel completed - I will lead load the area as per the original factory detail

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Underside of the completed repair