Has anyone out there fitted new sills to an RP. My question is,
is there an Inner Sill. At some time my RP has had new sills
fitted and on the o/s, when grovelling under the car I noticed
a badly mutilated "Inner Sill", or is it the remains of the
original sill chopped around in order to fit the new one.
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks .
26-05-2019, 04:34 AM (This post was last modified: 26-05-2019, 06:37 AM by Bob Culver.)
The running boards are separate and detachable. The floor folds up abou 3/4 inch to form a lap. The rear diagonal gusset is also lapped. So for a very small area there are 3 layers. If the sill has been patched on the outside can acquire another layer. Based on a car which has had some patching. There just may be one out there original!
The original vertical sill has two flutes rolled into it full length. Probably no welding otiginally; all rivets. Whatever the turnrd up floor is rivetted to is likely the original sill; repairs with rivets unlikely, unless as with my car the owner was an old style plumber!
It goes without saying but welding more or less locks up the door aperture so this must be sorted first. Previous posts on this .
With no real chassis beyond the spring base, it is normal for the rear of rusted/overloaded cars to collapse somewhat but curiously raising the A pillars on chassis seems to be a cure for door fit. Presumably for a major repair the door apertures can be carefully jacked diagonally.
26-05-2019, 05:04 PM (This post was last modified: 26-05-2019, 05:09 PM by Smiley.)
Hi Bob, Thanks for the input. From the info you have given it would appear that a previous owner has fitted a new vertical Sill on top of the old one in order to fit the new Running Board.
Looks like I will have to grovel under the car again and see if I can tidy it ups bit. Its one hell a mess.
Thanks again.
Smiley.
Hi Bob 46320, Thanks for the pics. Wow that's some job you've got there. When is the finish date ? Looking good as far as you've got. Keep up the good work. Cheers
The hard work is all done. Mind you, it took me 25 years and bringing up a couple of children, building 2 garages and moving house 3 times sort of slowed things down somewhat.
An incredible effort. I would think twice even if it had been a Bugatti. The common advice to leave on chassis is well founded! The biggest problem would seem to be the A pillar and post, all in view. How did you sort that without donor sections?
I dunno what was used as a paint but cars seemed to rot very fast. Rear and side rear window leaks contributed. My car came from a suburb where it rains horizontal salt spray. It was quite extensively patched in late 1940s but little subsequent despite at least 10 years outside. Did not use salt on roads here but dairy herds were driven to and from milking on the roads and cow dung did damage. Lodged in sills at rear and worked away for months after.
Thanks for the accolade. As a matter of interest, I used the single carbon brazing technique using an "Oxford" welder. The resultant joint was very hard, but it all seems to have stayed together well since. It was a time when MIG and Oxy sets were too expensive for me.
27-05-2019, 08:01 PM (This post was last modified: 28-05-2019, 04:37 AM by Bob Culver.)
Hi Bob 46320 The satisfaction from such a rebuild must be umpteen times that from a paid restoration. One topic leads to another. I am aware of an arc used for brazing but thought it to be between two carbons, held close to the surface. Also aware of TIG welding but just what were you doing? Could get thin coated welding rods which were useable by the very able on body gauges. Brazing as a repair method is/was theoretically banned here yet was original for parts of some cars (incl Jowett Javelin) Textbooks on panel work claim great strength for it. Main disadvantage is that cannot be later welded. I presume the steel of RP bodies is low carbon but it seems more tough than others. Maybe with all the accumulated panel beating over the decades it hardens.
Looking good as far as you've got. Keep up the good work. Cheers