192 replies to this topic

[carthorse]

Have a go at practising actual joins. When lining up the join, make sure you have a 1mm gap between the two.
 
You will soon get the hang of it
Ben

Thanks Ben, I find mig welding a very 'perishable' skill and it's one I've never really fully mastered anyway. However there's plenty of inspiration on this forum to show me it's possible to get the hang of it, and just what good results can be achieved with plenty of practice!

[wingnut]

HI carthorse.Hows percy?

[redminijim]

Loving your write ups and impressed by the pick up improvements. I also own a pick up and will start a projects / write up soon. Keep up the great work!!!

[carthorse]

Thanks guys, Percy is sat rather forlorn and dusty in the corner of the garage at the moment due to a prolonged period of life getting in the way.
However, now I've finished my OU courses, decorated the kids rooms, rebuilt the ultility room for the wife and extended our driveway Percy is perilously close to coming to the top of my todo list!
My missus '94 Sprite needs some attention next (which I should really start a thread on) then that will live outside come the spring so I can get Percy properly stripped down and started. I have had some quotes for getting his bodyshell taken back to bare metal from companies like Envirostrip but it's a lot of cash so the current plan is to get him up on a spit and just get stuck in.

[Mr Frosty]

Thanks guys, Percy is sat rather forlorn and dusty in the corner of the garage at the moment due to a prolonged period of life getting in the way.
However, now I've finished my OU courses, decorated the kids rooms, rebuilt the ultility room for the wife and extended our driveway Percy is perilously close to coming to the top of my todo list!
My missus '94 Sprite needs some attention next (which I should really start a thread on) then that will live outside come the spring so I can get Percy properly stripped down and started. I have had some quotes for getting his bodyshell taken back to bare metal from companies like Envirostrip but it's a lot of cash so the current plan is to get him up on a spit and just get stuck in.

 

I have just stripped the rest of a partly stripped Clubman estate (roof and both rear quarters). Its a bit of effort but worth the time and was not as hard as I thought.

I made my own spit and its been a revelation.

A little jealous of your pick up as would love one myself.  

[-IR-]

This has made me realise how much I need one of these for MTB road trips with my GF

 

Wonder if I can fit a tallboy in the back in the same way you have, what size is the cotic you've got there?

[carthorse]

The Cotic is a small, the bikes are on the back at the mo to keep them out of the way - I need to make some sort of mount to hold the rear wheels to the tailgate before venturing out on the road but that's a long way down the jobs list at the moment!
Looking forward to taking the trail center car parks by storm - it's way cooler than the usual T5 van or a L200 pickup

[-IR-]

Exactly my thinking, just wondering how much of a struggle it'd be to fit an XL full sus 29er in...

Guess I'll be rocking an open tailgate for sure!

[carthorse]

Exactly my thinking, just wondering how much of a struggle it'd be to fit an XL full sus 29er in...
Guess I'll be rocking an open tailgate for sure!

One of my mates rides an XL Tallboy, if I get the chance I'll try it on the back and take a pic for you

[carthorse]

Well after months of poor old Percy gathering dust in the garage while annoying stuff like paying attention to the kids and having to earning a living had to take priority I've finally managed to make a start. Mrs Carthorses Sprite has been temporarily evicted from the garage and Percy's strip down has begun. 

There's no great rush - Percy is very much a long term project and i've really no idea what I want him to look like or what his final spec will be yet, but theres plenty of time for mulling over the options while I get stuck into some welding.

Heres a few pics just to prove I really have done something!

 

The floor really is a patchwork quilt - whoever did the last patch (prob for the last MOT) didn't even bother to paint it! A lot of the repairs also seem to have been seam sealed with what looks like bathroom silicone sealent ....... the mind boggles 

 

[GraemeC]

Bit of work to do - but should be nice when done.

 

Are the aluminium running boards your pick up is sat on something you have had made?  I have a similar lift and the same problem with clearance - they look a nice solution.

[carthorse]

Bit of work to do - but should be nice when done.

 

Are the aluminium running boards your pick up is sat on something you have had made?  I have a similar lift and the same problem with clearance - they look a nice solution.

 They are part of a drive on ramp I've had for years made by company called Levo-Artis, but sadly its no longer available. Laid either side of the lift they make ideal raisers for getting the mini over the scissor lift. 

[carthorse]

The long slow strip down continues, engine and box are out and will be making an appearance in the For Sale section when I remember to reactivate my TMF+ membership.......

[carthorse]

Got a couple of hours in the garage today and managed to drop the subframes out, only had to take the angle grinder to one of the rear bolts which was spinning merrily in its captive nut buried far under at least two layers of sill.....

The rear subframe looks quite new which is a nice bonus - deffo worth spending some time & cash getting it blasted as it looks reusable.

I do keep finding loverly 'mot' issue patches and bodges all over however - both rear arches are only loosely attached in places, they're held in more with silicone bathroom sealant than spot welds 

I'm coming to think that the next step for Percy is to send the complete shell of for stripping & blasting just so I can see exactly whats under all this sealant and underseal. I did get some quotes ages ago from Prostrip but it was horribly expensive - I think I'll try and find a local alternative.

[GraemeC]

Try http://www.paint-strip.co.uk