Wings and nose job.

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Edosan
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Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

When we acquired our A30 thirty odd years ago it was to be used by my wife as a daily vehicle in all conditions, salt, winter etc and it was to be kept in the open. The original underseal was beginning to fail so I cleaned it all off, courtesy of a friend with a sandblaster and then painted and undersealed all without taking the wings off. To provide more protection under the wings I fashioned some mudshields from light alloy and sealed in place with self tappers, filler and fibreglass. Unfortunately there was already corrosion at the bottom of the wing and the nose of the sill which started to break through after about 10 years. I duly cut this out as best I could and filled with more glass and filler. Then about 15 years ago it was fully resprayed and I couldn't afford to have the wings removed so it was just filled again and unfortunately the piping was sprayed over which probably led to the eventual corrosion in the joint. It also spent about 10 years in a damp garage which definitely didn't help. So with corrosion beginning to show again at the wing bottom and along the piping I decided it was time to take off the wings and do the job properly.
So with some trepidation I started on the drivers wing first, I can only do one at a time in my garage. To my surprise every single bolt came undone without any hassle and then I cut off the mudshields and bottom of the wing. Very pleased with what I found inside, all the inner wing and wing itself in sound condition with only a bit of rot at the front of the wing and front valence which will need minor repair in addition to the repairs I knew about at bottom of wing and nose of sill. I'm a big fan of Waxoyl and had always kept the bolts under the wing well oiled as well as hidden sections behind wing. Think it has paid off well. Now starting the big clean up with knotted wire wheel, sanding discs and emery ready for rust killer. Some areas need de-waxing and have found a combination of scraper to remove bulk and then white spirit and a scourer to remove the rest. Removed radiator and grille to get better access to the front panel and especially the corner area below headlight. Very timely as there was some surface corrosion starting which would have become a much bigger problem if it had been left much longer.
Will be using "Rustbuster" products, specifically their cleaning and desalting products and then the rust converter followed by two part epoxy chassis paint. Not cheap but I want this to last as long as possible.
Attachments
corrosion in sill nose
corrosion in sill nose
wing 11.jpg (104.99 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
remains of mudshield
remains of mudshield
wing 9.jpg (146.36 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
front panel and corrosion before cleaning
front panel and corrosion before cleaning
wing8.jpg (129.93 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
60 year old bucket
60 year old bucket
wing 7.jpg (132.68 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
cleaned up front panel
cleaned up front panel
wing6.jpg (178.4 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
cleaned up inner wing
cleaned up inner wing
wing5.jpg (98.71 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
cleaned up inner wing
cleaned up inner wing
wing4.jpg (83.51 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
filler in wing and nose
filler in wing and nose
wing 3.jpg (148.82 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
bottom of wing cut off
bottom of wing cut off
Wing 2.jpg (53.59 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
area under headlight
area under headlight
Wing 1.jpg (152.99 KiB) Viewed 1335 times
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Duncan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Duncan »

Looks like a fine effort! great to see...
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Good progress today, sun was out so I took the wing into the garden and attacked it with wire wheel and grinder. A little bit of pitting and a couple of minor holes but easily repairable and basically very sound. The red you can see on the photo is some very tenacious red oxide primer. After sanding I used a cleaner and salt remover to prepare metal for rust converter. All rust in pits turns black and beauty of this system is that you can then put the epoxy paint straight onto it. You mix it up in equal portions and then have an hour or so good working time before it starts to go off. So trick is to get the right amount so its not wasted. Also best to use the cheapest of brushes and then simply dispose of them along with the container. Don't use this paint if you want a beautiful finish as it tends to show brush strokes. Benefits are that it sets rock solid and is totally impermeable and as its underneath and will be covered in underseal and Waxoyl it doesn't really matter. I'll be using two slightly thinned coats as well as it is easier to brush and guarantees that no bit is missed.
My aim now is to get as much of this side prepared, then it's wing back on loosely and lights etc so I can drive it round to my friends for the welding.
Attachments
Cleaned up wing prior to rust converter
Cleaned up wing prior to rust converter
wing 12.jpg (140.83 KiB) Viewed 1253 times
Wing with rust converter
Wing with rust converter
Wing 15.jpg (203.9 KiB) Viewed 1253 times
First coat inner wing 2
First coat inner wing 2
Wing 13.jpg (74.39 KiB) Viewed 1253 times
First coat inner wing 1
First coat inner wing 1
wing 14.jpg (180.31 KiB) Viewed 1253 times
Tight Yorkshireman
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Tight Yorkshireman »

Good work Ed a job worth doing. An investment. I cut the sections out on the front inner valance between the inner and outer skins to stop the rubbish building up again :thumbs:

John G
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First referred to as the Tight Yorkshireman in editions of the Clubs Spotlight: Autumn 1996 Page 40 and Autumn 1997 Page 15
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Countryboy
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Countryboy »

Good time of year to be doing this Ed :thumbs:
Rest Home for rusty vehicles
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Thanks John, not sure which bit you mean. I'm planning to use plenty of Underseal and Waxoyl in the vunerable bits but interested to know more about what you've done. :wave:
Tight Yorkshireman
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Tight Yorkshireman »

Ed this is what I did
Sounds savage but I think its best to stop the rot. It was well covered in that "No Nonense" strong paint then when dry under sealed liberally

The link to the rust proofing work

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2612&start=360

John G :thumbs:
Attachments
hole cut
hole cut
181FrntCavs180314 009.JPG (47.85 KiB) Viewed 1155 times
hole cut
hole cut
181FrntCavs180314 008.JPG (76.76 KiB) Viewed 1155 times
John (Tight Yorkshireman)
First referred to as the Tight Yorkshireman in editions of the Clubs Spotlight: Autumn 1996 Page 40 and Autumn 1997 Page 15
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Ah, thanks John, mine was pretty good there probably due to copious Waxoyl so hoping that Epoxy paint and more Waxoyl will do the trick. It is an area that gets wet since the run off round the bonnet lip drips into it and then out through the drain holes! Guess you just have bigger drain holes now. :wave:
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Some more progress, stripped the nearside down and overall it's in slightly better condition. Worst corrosion apart from wing bottom and sill nose was next to piping. Definitely a case of just in time. One weird thing I found were some punctures in the metal of the hinge support. (see picture below) Wings haven't been off before, certainly for last 30 years since I've had it and wing has not been repaired and appears to be totally original. Be interested if any of our body experts have seen anything like it before. Both hinge supports are affected and they are clean punctures, no surrounding distortion etc. Only thing which could have caused it in situ would be the hinges themselves but still wonder how such a puncture could happen. It may of course have happened before assembly and they just went ahead and used them anyway! Apologies for the orientation of some of the pictures, it wasn't intentional! :wave:
Attachments
Punctures in hinge support
Punctures in hinge support
wing 22.jpg (101.15 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
Front panel
Front panel
wing 16.jpg (190.18 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
Inner wing
Inner wing
wing 17.jpg (92.39 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
corrosion in top edge.
corrosion in top edge.
wing 18.jpg (79.74 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
Nose of sill
Nose of sill
wing 19.jpg (99.86 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
cleaned up wing
cleaned up wing
wing 20.jpg (130.46 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
previous repair to wing bottom
previous repair to wing bottom
wing 21.jpg (130.24 KiB) Viewed 1047 times
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

I posted an update on here yesterday with several images and had responses from Alan and Beko, it's now disappeared, any thoughts on what may have happened to it? Thanks Ed
Tight Yorkshireman
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Tight Yorkshireman »

Edosan wrote:I posted an update on here yesterday with several images and had responses from Alan and Beko, it's now disappeared, any thoughts on what may have happened to it? Thanks Ed
Perhaps too "revealing"? :whistle:

John G
John (Tight Yorkshireman)
First referred to as the Tight Yorkshireman in editions of the Clubs Spotlight: Autumn 1996 Page 40 and Autumn 1997 Page 15
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Hmm.... not taking it personally looks like all of Wednesday's posts have disappeared, and there were quite a lot on different threads, any update from the Webmaster?
Edosan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Edosan »

Guess I'll need to redo the update..... Basically wings loosely on, lights in, doors on and off round to my friend's garage for welding. All off again now ready for the repair sections at bottom of wings etc. Friend likes the quality of the repair panels, got them from the National last year. :thumbs: Whilst chrome bits off I've been polishing them up and the drivers wing mirror may be of interest to others. It came with the car fitted by first owners presumably from new. I've never seen one on any other car but one of the posts lost here was Alan's which said that his car had come with a couple on it. Anyway whilst polishing I noticed the brand name which is Raydyot so thought I'd do a quick search on Ebay. Couldn't believe it when one showed up NOS and still in its fifties packaging. Packaging says its for Austins and Rovers because P4 Rover 90s had same sidelights in early fifties. It's arrived and is in superb unused condition. I will now have the luxury of two wing mirrors! Ed
Attachments
Wings back on ready to drive to welder
Wings back on ready to drive to welder
Wing 23.jpg (84.66 KiB) Viewed 923 times
New home ready for welding
New home ready for welding
Wing 24.jpg (135 KiB) Viewed 923 times
Mirror fitting on car
Mirror fitting on car
Wing Mirror 1.JPG (21.24 KiB) Viewed 923 times
My original mirror
My original mirror
Wing 25.jpg (34.02 KiB) Viewed 923 times
New Mirror Packaging
New Mirror Packaging
Wing 26.jpg (67.07 KiB) Viewed 923 times
New Mirror
New Mirror
Wing 27.jpg (46.67 KiB) Viewed 923 times
Alan
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Alan »

I'm in the garage tomorrow. i'll have a look and see if I can post a picture. I did see the other post but have just returned to the UK.
Modified 1963 AV8 A35 Van
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Nelly
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Re: Wings and nose job.

Post by Nelly »

Edosan's previous 'lost post':
Edosan wrote:Quick update, finished the passenger side a week or so ago so loosely refitted wings, lights and bumper and took it round to my friend's garage for the little bits of welding to be done. It's now sitting there waiting for his availability. In the meantime I've been polishing up bits and pieces like radiator grille and wing mirror. The wing mirror was an original accessory fitted by first owner from new. It's the type that fits under the sidelight on an A30 and I've never seen another one like it. It dates back to the days when a single one on the driver's side was enough and I've often thought it would be nice to get a matching one for the passenger side especially these days with motorway driving. Also missed it last year when I was driving in France. Anyway when I was polishing it up I noticed the brandname which is Raydyot which was common brand in fifties and sixties. So I thought why not try ebay and to my utter astonishment up came an identical item. And it was brand new NOS and still in its box! So purchased it and it arrived today and its in perfect condition. Still cant believe my luck. Keen to get on with rest of work now and get back on the road especially as spring has arrived! :wave:

Apologies but couple of photos have rotated again, really annoying, they are the right way round when I load them up and then they change as they are loaded!!
Felicity and Sam, Owners of 'Nelly', 1955 Black 4-Door A30
Owner and Club Member Since 2014
Southampton & New Forest Club Member
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