Wee update again. The car was needing a few bits welded; n/s rear sill, battery tray, drivers footwear and mk2 rear antiroll bar mounts retrofitting. I hummed and hawwed for a while about renting a welder or getting someone to weld it for me. In the end I bit the bullet and decided to buy my own. After doing some market research ie; joining the welding forums and checking out reviews I went for a Clarke mig welder. A 135te to be precise.

*

While waiting for it to be delivered i removed the rear end as well as the tank and fuel pump so I wirewheeled and wax oiled the rear floor area. I prepared the repair panels and areas to be welded. Chuffed with it, after a playing about with it on some scrap to find the settings I cracked on with the rear antiroll bar mounts that I cut and trimmed from my donor xr4x4

Tidied up a bit with the grinder and seam sealed. Not pretty but it's functional ! Apologies for cack photo quality



Sill repair:
Offside sill and a bit of the arch was pretty crusty
*

I cut out the rust from the rear of the outer sill and a rusted piece of the inner sill. Handily I was given some outer sill repair panels with the red xr4x4 so I cut a piece to size and made a piece for the inner sill.

Mocking up
*

Finished, primed and sealed. Form over function
*

With that welded it meant I could mount the rear beam again. New bodymount bushes were fitted into the beam and swing arms have been cleaned up and painted with hammerite black. I stripped down and cleaned the callipers & RARB too before giving them a lick of red paint. A new set of pads, new arb links and a new handbrake cable went on too.

All back together
*

*

*

Back out and running again.
*

*

*

Main things left to do right now are welding the driver footwear, bleed brakes properly, fix blowing exhaust, amongst other petty things.

Will try to update.