The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Cracking work!..

Jon Tilson wrote:....Don't bother with drums...they are for Marinas...

Jonners

Sorry to disagree there, Jonners, but I believe that the Marina prefers the piano.

yes 96 is saphire looking forward to seeing it progress

Any chance of some high-resolution pics and write-up for Toledo 2-4? E-mail me at: triumphtoledo@hotmail.com

R

Well its been a while since i uploaded any progress so here we go. Also thank you for all the interest and positive comments people have been making, much appreciated!



Doors off now so the new sill can be properley welded on all the way along the top..




Heres the sill partially welded on (ran out of gas halfway!)




A seperate repair needs to be done where the bottom of the wing had to be removed for access to get out all of the rotten metal inside



And here's a view from the bottom, the bottom of the outer sill is spot welded at the moment to the bottom of the sill reinforcer while new metal for the back section is made to fit so far so good

I love to see good, thorough work like that, where nothing is bodged and the end result will be a car that's every bit as strong as it should be.
It is a good little car that one, so it's satisfying to see that its preservation is being carried out with such care.

Indeed, quality work like this will not only preserve the car but also maintain it's structural strength in case the worst should happen. My hat is off.

thanks very much Alan and John! i must admit though that the actual welding up of the metal was done by my brother, as thats his trade so i though it best to leave that side of it to him! iv just about finished knocking up the finishing pieces to run along the bottom now so hopefully almost all of this side will be finished by the weekend

That's great work Andrew. As has already been said, it is great to see the job being done properly. How are you planning to protect the new metal once you have finished?

Well, the outside will be stonechipped and painted with the original blue colour of the car but as for the inner sill iv come to the conclusion that waxoyling is probably the best option as there are already a couple of holes in the floorpan allowing access to get a tube into the sill to spray it.
But on the other hand id love to hear anyone elses ideas or advice on the matter!

The club sells lower wing repair panels, which are top-notch.

Do not use Waxoyl, it is cheap c**p! Use Dinotrol 3125.

R

Cheers Rob, il look into that! i may well end up buying one of those repair panels, it ought to be a lot more straightforward than hammering out my own

Waxoyl's not the best for inside box sections as it tends not to creep when the conditions are cold, just as well the North East's bathed in hot sunshine all year round then.....

I've only heard good things said about the various Dinitrol products but my preferred chemical is Shell Ensis fluid, available in various grades and can be bought cheaply from Ships' Chandlers and specialist Shell agents such as Smith & Allan.
They're down Darlo way but are good at sending stuff out through their eBay shop and they'll advise which of the many grades of Ensis is right for the job.

Ensis is a product I am able to recommend based on the fact that my Dolomite remains free of rot yet has been in constant use, including being driven in salt areas the past two Winters. Sills, chassis legs, inner wings and all vulnerable areas were dosed up with Ensis Five shortly after I bought the car and Waxoyl was used underneath where I can keep an eye on it, as it's good for softening up original underseal and ideal for areas where it can be touched in with a brush, such as under the floor.

haha yes its certainly an advantage living in the sunny north

iv been having a read up on ensis fluid, it sounds pretty effective, and if i remember rightly i saw your Dolomite at Ryhope last year and it was distinctly rot free.

That's right, car and self were there both last year and the year before, good event that and steadily growing in stature as folk come from far and wide to enjoy the tropical conditions on the last day of October. (All joking apart, Ryhope usually manages decent weather, but best I just think that, rather than write it).

Are you aiming to be there this year, or will the car make its reappearance before then?
There's a new event happening this year in Wallsend, First weekend in July I think.
Your challenge is to have your car looking ready to show by then. Go on, you know it makes sense.