Classic Car Restoration Projects Blog

part 9: get it ready for MOT

10/5/2015

I've still got a lot to do cause i need to get the car ready for MOT.Fit the engine back,bleed and adjust the brakes,check all lights,make sure everything is working and it will pass its MOT.
First of all fit the engine back and get it run...,but there is a problem...the engine mounts are rusty and weak...i have to make a new pair of them...

Lift the engine in:

Everything works,ready to go to MOT station...

It passed its Mot,after a good clean of the carburettor its running well,the car is ready to go home....
After spent 11 years in the barn is back on the road.

See you later little car...

part 8: some painting and reassembling

3/5/2015

All welding done,lets paint the engine bay and spray the under body seal on it+ spray waxoil inside the chassis legs and the cross member.

Here are the old bits.....

The paintwork dried,so the suspension can be fitted again with new bushes,trunnions and brake parts....

New fuel line fitted...

The engine and gearbox can go back,but i give them a good clean by steam wash before i fit them back.

I will be back soon....

part 7: lets finish the welding on the bodyshell

22/4/2015

Some more rusty bits has been waiting for me....lets get on and get rid of the rusty bits....i made new parts from sheet metal and i cut the bad parts out...

All those rusty parts what my customer wanted to be repaired, are now replaced,resprayed with primer coat...
Originally where the body panels were joined and welded,it wasn't any sealer around,but now i sealed those areas and the water can not get between them,and hopefully we can prevent to get any rust there.

The body shell are ready to spray the under body coat on,and ready to respray the engine bay....
Continue soon....

part 6: more welding...

5/4/2015

The offside chassis leg are fitted now...lets make some more new bits and replace the rusty bits...

Lots of work done now,but not finished yet...
Continue soon....

part 5: still carry on

4/4/2015

Nearside done,lets do the offside....

part 4: carry on...

15/3/2015

Carrying on repair the chassis...i think the pictures can tell you everything....i made new bits for the car and i started to rebuild it...

I had to extend the aftermarket chassis leg to reach the healthy part of the chassis on the car....

Lets make some new bits...

Continue soon....

part 3: carry on repair the chassis

8/3/2015

I cut all bad and weak bits out and rebuild the chassis....i have to make some new bits to replace the old rusty ones...

part 2: lift it up...

6/3/2015

I removed the engine and gearbox for getting enough room to do the bodywork (anyway the engine mounts are bolted to the chassis so while i repair the chassis there is nothing to hold the engine).
They are removed,but to get easier access to the chassis legs,i decided i need to lift it up as high as i can....but i need something which is will hold the body safely in that position while i do the work,also it has to hold the body without twist it or damage it....
I made a strong frame which is bolted down to the floor,and it will hold as i want.
This is how it is now in the workshop:

The frame is attached to the jacking points...they are strong enough to hold the full weight of the vehicle,which is now obviously lighter with no engine+gearbox in it.
The front suspension is bolted to the chassis legs,so i need to remove them to replace the body bits.
The pictures shown how its look like without the suspension,and you can see what is the real condition of the chassis.As u can see its quite bad,but it will be good again! The passenger side leg is twisted where the suspension arm join into it (it was the weakest point).

I started to cut the bad bits out.....

Continue soon....

part 1: strip it down

27/2/2015

Cute little Morris Minor has arrived to the workshop for repair. When i first seen this vehicle we discussed with the owner what he would like to have done on the car...welding,chassis repair,repair the brakes and check everything else,cause we have to get it MOT-d...
First thing i removed the engine and gearbox to see clearly everything,and to have more room to work on it and make it lighter to lift the body up to reach every pieces...
Lets do it:

Not looking very good.... :( there is some nice welding job from its previous life ....

Location

What Our Clients Are Saying

"Laszlo has performed the most amazing bare metal nuts and bolts restoration on my Jaguar XJS Lister. His talented ability to refabricate from scratch, metal panels that are no longer available has kept the project moving and at a very reasonable cost. It is rare to find a restorer who can weld, fabricate and also strip refurbish the engine and all of the mechanicals on the car. An XJS expert of 50 years said he had to date not witnessed such an extensive restoration of an XJS and to such a high standard of quality. Thank you Laszlo" Simon Spurrell.

Contact Us
Mobile: 07717 871 320
Tel: 01625 404825