[Stanher]

Originally Posted by the mole

on a serious note you are doing a very good detailed job, had I known you were going to restore the car, now i feel Maybe I should have bought it.when you put it up for sale from the scrapper

Thanks amol! I feel I should be doing better than this though.

'feel you should have bought it huh? Well, aint too late for you even now I guess!!

[Stanher]

OK, clearing out the cobwebs here!!

Rear springs finally painted, and fitted back too. My mech. still had problems fitting them in, ie. he still found the 'height' too much by an inch or so. But on calling the spring resetting guy, who managed to fit them on for us, the problem seems solved for now. Next the diff/rear axle will fit and the spring height/clearance to be seen then. 'should be allright IMHO.

[the mole]

Shyam how are you going to treat the under body and the chassis members?

[wasif]

Good question. The underboday and the chassis presently look rather alarming and desperately in need of some TLC

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by the mole

Shyam how are you going to treat the under body and the chassis members?

Originally Posted by wasif

Good question. The underbody and the chassis presently look rather alarming and desperately in need of some TLC

and incidentally had wanted to ask you guys this as well- glad you brought it up. So how do you suggest I tackle this? This car being a monocoque, doesnt come with a separate frame unlike the Herald, which can be taken off to work on.

[Spitfire]

Strip everything not part of the monocoque. And go about setting it right first.

I have no experience in monocoque restoration, but thats probably what i could have tried first.

[the mole]

I think you should scrape/sand the entire body and apply a fresh coat of red oxide to identify the damage and problems with bodyline etc. I am not sure too many sandblasting places are there in India or else that would have been ideal at this stage. But in any case dont fit any of the refurbished suspension members on before you get the body work in order.

How is the engine doing?

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by the mole

I think you should scrape/sand the entire body and apply a fresh coat of red oxide to identify the damage and problems with bodyline etc. I am not sure too many sandblasting places are there in India or else that would have been ideal at this stage. But in any case dont fit any of the refurbished suspension members on before you get the body work in order.

How is the engine doing?

Engine head had been opened up, and done up some time ago but sadly deteriorated again!

'needs to be redone, and even the pistons etc. have to be changed.

Actually I was advised by DKG not to sandblast any body panels on a car for any reason, as that will simply distort the body beyond repair! So that option is out.

Scraping is ideal but then how to do so on the underside? I remember you'd done up the underside on your fiat by turning the car over on to it's side.

I wonder if it's feasible to do it to this car, being so much heavier, although knowing the way these guys restore cars, the doors, bonnet etc. would be out and so would be the engine/drivetrain, which are to be taken out to be repaired anyways. So would tend to make it lighter.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Stanher

and incidentally had wanted to ask you guys this as well- glad you brought it up. So how do you suggest I tackle this? This car being a monocoque, doesnt come with a separate frame unlike the Herald, which can be taken off to work on.

The similer case is there with Prithvi's Mercedes. There is alot of under body corrosion.So the way its going to be tackled is , the car is stripped down completely- engine and drive train has been taken off and put on a test bed, all electricals had been taken off earlier by Prithvi, Upholstry everything except one seat, all the body panels have more or less have been removed, all the suspension , steering and Brake components have been removed and have been painted. So now the car is going to be put on its side resting on tyres so that the body work can be done under the car.Once all the work is done and the new panels have been fabricated the body will then be sent for sandblasting.The reson for doing so after the body work is over is because then the majorly corroded parts will not get destroyed during the sand blasting.

Anyway have a look at a pic of the Mercedes and the rest you could see on the thread - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-1...-ponton-4.html

[Stanher]

Thanks Indrojit. 'guess the rear springs and axle will have to be out again, but its for the car's own good! It'll nevertheless take some time before this project is fully resumed. So will get the engine/drivetrain out in the meantime.

[IndrojitSircar]

So what is the status with this car ?

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

So what is the status with this car ?

Status quo for now am afraid. 'have explained to my mech. about the underside reatoration. He agreed to just fit the axle/rear wheels and leave it at that, so the car will just be on 4 wheels, until the complete resto on the car is going to start.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Status quo for now am afraid. 'have explained to my mech. about the underside reatoration. He agreed to just fit the axle/rear wheels and leave it at that, so the car will just be on 4 wheels, until the complete resto on the car is going to start.

What is the point in fitting it back when he has to open it again ? He's going to charge you double labour for it sir.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

What is the point in fitting it back when he has to open it again ? He's going to charge you double labour for it sir.

So then how do you suggest we move the car over out of its corner when it is to be worked on, sir? It has to have all 4 wheels for that, right?

He is not going to charge me for it, being my man. So no worries.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Stanher

So then how do you suggest we move the car over out of its corner when it is to be worked on, sir? It has to have all 4 wheels for that, right?

He is not going to charge me for it, being my man. So no worries.

I suppose the engine is also not off so then the option left is to put the rear suspension back and move the car and first take the engine and gearbox off and then get a good place and then open both the suspensions up after that.