So I took the cill covers off the 3.2.....

[Kevin Wood]

Spend about £50 more and pick up a Clarke TurboMIG 135TE (or very similar) model; much more capable and has provision for shielding gas so you don't have to use 'gasless' wire (which is harder to use, IIRC, and produces less pleasant welds)

Practice on metal of a similar thickness for a while or get someone to show you how to get going and a job like that (hidden behind sill covers) is a good place to start out.

The first 'real' thing I ever welded back together was the fuel tank cradle for a friends Porsche 928 as you can no longer buy the '78 model cradle and he'd have had to update the entire fuel system to the '79 on (at a cost of £500+) to replace it after one of the straps 'fell off' due to rust. It was not a pleasant job but we got there in the end (and it hasn't dropped off again yet..) - I got quite adept at filling holes that I'd blown in the <1mm thick metal

A pair of sills, by contrast, should be a doddle as long as you cut back far enough that you're clear of the crusty metal and into 'good' full thickness steel; just get someone who knows what they're doing to come round when you start (Kevin etc).

I have one of the aforementioned Clarke welders if you want to borrow it, Tunnie, but alas have no experience welding car bodywork with it. Thinking I might need to gain some soon, as I'm working up the courage to remove my own sill covers.

[Kevin Wood]

.. and I would say it's a false economy not replacing the whole sill, as it looks rusty all along and the rust looks confined to the sill, although removal might reveal more problems, of course.

[tunnie]

.. and I would say it's a false economy not replacing the whole sill, as it looks rusty all along and the rust looks confined to the sill, although removal might reveal more problems, of course.

Kinda wish did that on the initial sill removal, ignorance would be nice. But that said, better to know now that when something serious happens with rust. 

Looking at the sill though, you would have to angle/grind cut out the section? I think I could do welding, given some practice but it's the whole package cut/weld/prepare.

I have one of the aforementioned Clarke welders if you want to borrow it, Tunnie, but alas have no experience welding car bodywork with it. Thinking I might need to gain some soon, as I'm working up the courage to remove my own sill covers.

Thanks Kevin 

I'm tempted to buy my own so I could practice then do more if required. 

[aaronjb]

If I was still close by I'd say get a few of us over and we can all take the p*ss give advice.. in fact I'd have offered myself up rather than Kevin

I have the same Clarke welder btw - it's a great bit of beginner kit; though I'd love a more advanced model now. There is something incredibly satisfying about being able to stick bits of metal together and make something out of nothing - quite addictive! (Most recently I modified the pedal box for the Cobra to add a 'throttle stop' - the welds wouldn't pass any beauty contests but once dressed back it looked rather passable if I do say so myself)


But yes - chop out the section with an angle grinder/cut-off wheel (latter is easier to manoeuvre but doesn't have the grunt of a grinder) - heck even a dremel would work given enough cutting wheels - dress back the paint a little to get a clean weld, make a template (cardboard and a dirty finger) and cut the replacement panel to suit (or cut the original panel to suit the replacement - easier if you have a full replacement sill!) and weld in.

You could joggle the original panel back and avoid butt-welding if you wanted to make life a little easier and had a joggler to hand.

[tunnie]

Sounds like I need a visit to Northampton, not been there in years!

I'd rather drive somewhere and get stuck in and learn how to do it, than pay the garage.

[Nick W]

I keep saying this: it is much easier to replace the whole sill than make several patches. Not least because you can repair the inner sill where necessary.


I've another to do on the Metro in the next couple of weeks; I'll take some better photos if it would help. Sills are a good first welding job.


What you MUST remember is to remove everything that could be damaged/catch fire: trim, carpet, wiring etc. That could easily be half the time you spend on the whole job.

[henryd]

And unless its and absolutely windless day the baby migs will struggle to provide enough shield gas,indoors much preferable if possible

[tunnie]

Hmmmm.

How do you actually remove the sill itself, as a whole unit?

My concern is when removed, as Kevin suggests, it would highlight vast amounts more welding required. 

[Kevin Wood]

Some jobs you just have to dive into with an attitude that you'll do whatever's found to be necessary, and you have to prepare yourself accordingly. It's probably not one for a Sunday afternoon when you need to use the car for the commute on Monday morning.

[Kevin Wood]

Looks like at least the bottom edge of the sill is spot welded, so drilling those out might be a good starter. This is where I run out of experience, however.

[Nick W]

Hmmmm.

How do you actually remove the sill itself, as a whole unit?

My concern is when removed, as Kevin suggests, it would highlight vast amounts more welding required. 

If you're not going to fix whatever you find, there's no point in starting the job. And often, the crusty bits are what you need to weld to.


Remove the sill by slicing it just under the door jams, and just above where the bottom is spot welded to the inner, cut vertically at each end and it will come off. This is an angle grinder job if you don't have a plasma cutter.


I then weaken all of the spot welds with a grinding disc, and split them with a thin chisel. I find that spot weld drills are more work, and you still need to dress the edge with a grinder.


Then you try the new sill for size, and trim whatever gets in the way, depending on where it needs to be welded.

[tidla]

As Nick is highlighting, theres a bit difference between MOT repair and restoration.

[tunnie]

I think I'm swinging towards MOT repair, to buy time to save up for a replacement.

[TheBoy]

Another vote for the Clarke 135 turbo here

[Nick W]

As Nick is highlighting, theres a bit difference between MOT repair and restoration.

What I suggested IS an MOT repair. Restoration would involve considerably more work in fitting the new sill to the door shuts and a LOT more finishing of the welds


My point is that it is easier to fit an entire sill than it is to make a couple of separate repairs. It's stronger too, which is the reason for doing the job.