advice and guidance please

[david withers]

I am attempting to restore the ravages of tinworm and time to the bodywork of my RL and have reached a point where I am replacing the metal form that runs between the A and B posts above the doors.   Rust at the top of the A posts was so advanced that they have had to be partially rebuilt and at the B posts, although sound, there was no actual contact with the post and what was left of the original metal was held in place by previous repairs so I have no idea how it was fixed.   I could just weld the new metal form into place but if there were brackets or original fixings that I don't know about I would rather replicate those. Any ideas ?

[Malcolm Parker]

I think you will find that there is actually no structural metal above the doors on the RL.   There is a shaped piece of wood (ash) about 4" x 1" in section which forms the edge of the roof structure.  The body sides rear of the doors are attached to this and at the front, where they meet the windscreen ('A' post), there is a steel angle bracket that has slotted holes. Presumably the bodies were adjusted at this point to ensure a decent door fit.  The sides of the roof are fitted with light steel panels to provide the curved shape but these are not structural.
The underside of the roof side timbers are covered with a light metal sheet.  I can't remember whether this was originally steel or aluminium.  I used aluminium on my restoration. These are only for appearance and are not structural.
Somewhere I have photos of my RL body when it was being restored.  Without the wooden roof structure, there is nothing between the top of the windscreen and the rear of the body.

[Hedd_Jones]

Heres mine as bought. The rail between the A and B post was the original. The stuff above that, a previous owners attempt at a new roof, in the general style of what should have been there, but possibly a little low

We replaced all of it new. I never covered the bottom of the timbers above the door with metal.

[Malcolm Parker]

Hedd's photo illustrates my post very well.  Quite simply, if the timbers above the doors decay, the back of the body will try to fall off.   I am sure this is why many SWB steel saloons were rebodied as specials in the 1960's and 70's.
If you find that the roof timbers are shot on your RL, I am sure that Martin Prior will be able to help.

[Hedd_Jones]

Some years subsequent, I found the doors didn't fit, due to 'the droop'. I expect that was probably the reason it was taken off its original chassis and offered for sale.

That chassis now carries a tourer body, an AF if the register is to be believed. The chassis plate for 'the car' was still on the body as you can see. Its currently rattling round the gear lever of my Focus. I was looking at it this morning. If anyone knows who has a red AF tourer with chassis number 121808 reg SV554 please point them in my direction.

I was lucky enough to find the remains of another RL, this one turned out to be chassis 121790. Basically in an old dump on a farm in north wales. The body was basically gone, the only thing we saved was the brackets off the fuel tank. The best bit was the owner of the farm had kept every bit of paperwork he had ever had. So the log book for the car was quickly found.

As the body above came with a full set of wings, running boards, the bonnett and a cowl. An engine from Mick Kirkland and some axles from stock made a viable project.

[Malcolm Parker]

Good on you Hedd for saving one of these great little cars.   Mine was a prime candidate for being rebodied as an Ulsteroid but I am so pleased I kept it as an RL.  When I got it it had a late Ruby engine and 4 speed gearbox.  I often wonder what it would have been like if I had kept it like that.

[Martin Prior]

Hello David. I still have your email address from last year and will send you some photos that way (a lot easier than doing it on here!). I'm just packing for a holiday, but will try to get some info to you before I go.

[david withers]

Thank you all, I now understand that the metal form above the door is simply a trim that is tacked directly to the timber cantrail