Repair or Replace

[chimp007_uk]

Been spending ever spare minute working on the Nova to get it to Mallory on the 13th October. There have been some major surprises good and bad... The worst of which was the repair the previous owner had done to the front tie bar mounts on the cross-member!

Filler... Sh!tty welding and a poor bit of fab work, so we cut that out

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e229/chimp007_uk/89CB3198-47E5-4153-A135-5D04EE0DE8AD-3793-0000058FF28F63EA.jpg

Then started welding a plate back in

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e229/chimp007_uk/6EEE42A8-33C1-48BB-8FEC-9D014510EF04-3793-0000058FE52D312C.jpg

As per the pic, the front panel was so thin it just blew through even on the lowest setting.

We've made a decision, after a bit of banter with my mate, but what would do you?

Chris

[NOV4_SPORT]

If it was me mate I would replace the complete front panel for more strength and piece of mind do it properly and forget about it, but I would also paint the inside of the box section on the front panel before I fitted it so I knew it was sealed and protected and also pump waxoil into the box sections and chassis legs to further protect from corrosion .

Iain

[MK999]

lop the bottom cross member off, and refab something up in a decent size bit of CDS tube, lower than before for a bit of anti dive and redesign the mounts :thumb:

[turbojolt]

plate over it

[chimp007_uk]

I am going with a full top to bottom front panel. Then will plat the tie bar mounts for more strength, and bought a underseal gun with sill attachment so I can fill the crossmember with waxoyl.

My view, was that it was save-able, but my mate is building a tornado (similar to a bowler) and argued for a new front panel lol

[tom reid]

I have to agree with The professor on this, scrap the panel and fab up one from box or cds tubing, takes a little longer, but it will never move or rot again.

[Paul]

speaking from experience, replacing fornt X member with box/CDS is a complete waste of time.

[turbojolt]

is it just me, or does that not sound like overkill if thats the only problem with the front end?

[Jon_nova1]

it didn't blow holes on the lowest setting because its so thin, its only thin anyway, your runs are just too long, you can tell by the scorch marks

[chimp007_uk]

it didn't blow holes on the lowest setting because its so thin, its only thin anyway, your runs are just too long, you can tell by the scorch marks

You stand corrected, the areas where it blew through was literally short bursts to keep the heat down. Problem was then, that we couldn't get any heat into the 2mm plate, hence why there's no penertration and the weld is sitting on the surface.

Tom; we did think about tubing it, but Rich my mate then said if youre tuning the front, why not space frame the front end. Decided against it and will fill the new crossmember with waxoyl to preserve it. It's taken 25yeara to get this bad, I'll be happy if if a new panel lasts that long...

[Pistol Pete]

Imo a new panel is a no brainer.

[Jon_nova1]

You stand corrected, the areas where it blew through was literally short bursts to keep the heat down. Problem was then, that we couldn't get any heat into the 2mm plate, hence why there's no penertration and the weld is sitting on the surface.


Your obviously doing something wrong then, I did this just last week, flush welded using 0.5MM sheet at the owners preference with a 185Amp mig running just under 50% power.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/582717_496808490347724_1173366193_n.jpg

I work doing this so please don't try to correct me, i can see by the rest of the weld that your runs are around 1 inch long, your welds are also wider than they need to be on steel that thickness, that would cater for 6MM assuming you have full penetration.

As for the weld sitting on top of the 2MM plate, set your welder up to penetrate the 2MM plate then have your weld going onto the 2MM plate and going onto the thinner steel just enough to penetrate it. If you can't do that then start your run on the 2MM and work your way upwards to the thinner steel, as you get to the thinner steel pull your gun away from the steel approx 10-20MM, the further you pull your gun away the cooler the weld will be, not trying to sound arsy but that panel is perfectly weldable, obviously its not going to be as easy as other things, but hope you take something away from what i put and have better success :)

[pottersrebel]

have to agree with the above i had a hole in my stockcar back bumber and that was 1mm plate and i was able to slowly fill the hole and weld it all back together you just need to move the gun further away from the metal.

[Mieran]

if its the original gm one I would keep it and repair

[chimp007_uk]

Appreciate the comments, it is the original one. Where the original owner butchered it and played it, he's ground the front panel so thin.
I am believer in saving things, but for piece of mind I'm going to replace the front end, then plate the tie bar mounts.

[Rickyb]

if your going to be tracking it i would fab somthing up tbh but if its just a user the repair it.

[nova_stee]

I used 3 by 2 box section best thing i ever done no more twisty cross member constantly cracking

[BRoadGhost]

I'ud do this

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/afeb3308e5de5a24f76de38893b3ea4c.JPG

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/166e6aad23da1a4db6e35634330297b8.JPG

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/a1ca3f84086873d7ef555937108aa515.JPG

Which can then lead to

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/065b77d169acc381d72efd6c2f1c42a5.JPG

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/2d140d8272c06fc69538deafa118c4f1.JPG

http://brontopixel.com/upload_image/55618a727cff17daa51c499d777dce88.JPG

[turbojolt]

ghoast you worse then a dick tease bird, get a fooking wip thread up you muppet

[chimp007_uk]

Ghost, you have a pm.

Anyone else got any pics of custome crossmembers? Been searching, but not returned a great deal...

[chambers1984]

how i done mine mate
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/van002.jpg
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/nova004-1.jpg
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/corsa001-1.jpg

[chambers1984]

http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/novavan041-1.jpg
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/novavan036-1.jpg

[chimp007_uk]

Cheers Mark. Is that on a car you've still got? Or sold? I could have a look when I collect the bonnet ;)

[chambers1984]

iv sold that car mate. iv got another one what iv cut out for cooler to fit but prob no use to you as its the std front panel modded but you are welcome to look

[mowgli]

chimp.. just go for strength. slap some 4x2 box section in & let the bumper cover it up

[Count Vaux Alot]

They all look familiar lol

follow the link for my version http://www.pngclub.com/forum/showthread.php?161851-The-Counts-Beige-Mk1/page22

[chambers1984]

thats the other one mate but dont think it will help you.
http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k588/chambers1984/saloongreen010.jpg

[chimp007_uk]

Can anyone remember what size box they were running?!

Is 50mm*100mm big enough?