Mk2 Escort stood since 1993

[top ghia]

previously repaired by bodgeit and scarper motors Looking good now though mate.

[HarrierTony]

Thanks Guys, deffo getting there stedily.
Spent a few hours on kermit this evening and managed to replace the scabby O/S wingrail, this corner is all bar done now welding wise, soon be able to get the wing back on. Then its time to attack the N/S of the car
Old wingrail was well past its sell by date

Nice shiny new metal in place

trial fit of wing to ensure all fits as it should

[HarrierTony]

Started on the N/S today, and as expected, this side was worse than the O/S.
When I removed the wing, I could see a section that looped down hiding the top of the turrets and pan. This turned out to be the original strut top that has been properly butched and bent down for a new wingrail to be fitted. When I took off all the underseal and gunge the old and new metal were not even welded to each other

Time to see what is hiding under here, rust coming out already and ive only just started to remove it lmao

Replacement strut top soon let go to reveal more botch jobs

Start cleaning it up to see whats going on here, and the original lighting sticker is still there lol

More bodge metal at the back, this was also a poor repair

Which had lots of gunge and underseal under it rather than having more metal to connect it to the innerwing

This is how I left it this evening. I should be able to save the original top like on the O/S, but this side needs a lot more repair work. The turrets and pan appear to be solid. I will crack on with this tomorrow evening. You can see how the original strut top has been butchered and left with sharp metal edges all over it

[13sport]

Could have been a lot worse under there tony good to know the origional pans still good it looks pretty good around that area in the pic just looks like its rotted around the outside of the pan. You will soon have that side ship shape. What's left to do after the front ends sorted?

[south west restorations]

good progress tony there .
a see rot u found again.
but u manage to fix am sure
keep it up

[Lee R]

Nice one Tony! That sticker looks like new I wonder when that repair panel was bodged on!!!!

[HarrierTony]

Thats what I thought too Jon, luckily its quite good in the pan area so just the cosmetics around it.
Whats left to do , well there is still the N/S floor, plus inner and outer sills to fit, chassis repairs front and rear once its up on the spit, finish off the heater bubble, C pillars to sort and the tank and spare wheel wells plus anything else it throws at me mate lol.

Cheers Davey, Im getting through it stedily, front end will be almost done once I get the N/S strut area and wing rail sorted out.

[HarrierTony]

Nice one Tony! That sticker looks like new I wonder when that repair panel was bodged on!!!!

Yeah, the sticker cleaned up well Lee lol. I bet the repair plate has been on for some years, Its probably lucky how the wing never buckled because the wing rail they fitted wasnt welded around the strut top area, if you look at the third photo down you can see the bottom of the replacement wing rail was just sat there on the existing strut top which was bent down out of the way for the wing rail to sit on it. I suppose it proves how strong the turrets and pan are on this side, at least when I repair it tomorrow there will be some strength in that area again.

[Lee R]

Getting through it quicker than I am mine! I don't know how you find the time

[HarrierTony]

I dont know how im finding the time either Lee lol
Carrying on from yesterday,
Chopped out the crap until I got to good metal and ended up with this

Made up a repair plate from a N/S Strut top I had, will use the rest of it to repair the back part

Tacked it into position first and then welded it into place

This is how it looks at present

Also sorted out that small rotten area at the back of the N/S strut



Will try and start on the rear part on Wednesday evening

[top ghia]

You must be putting the hours in Mate. Its moving along quickly. I bet Julie is going to want some payback though.

[Lee R]

Nice one

[SHIFTY]

coming on well, will be well worth all the hard graft

[HarrierTony]

Thanks again Guys, Im getting through it steadily, night off tonight but back into it tomorrow evening .

I do most of the evening stuff when Julie is at work Gary, so hopefully not too much pay back due lmao

[HarrierTony]

This side also had some bodge work done on it, so I decided to take this plate off to see what was under it

and this is what I found

Repair plates welded in and time to cut out more rot

Made up a new plate and welded it in, also trial fitted wingrail to check that everything lines up

A plate needed next to the bonnet hinge bracket and another small plate added next to the washer bottle mounting hole

Made a new water channel piece

Cut off the rest of the old wing rail and welded in a new one

The original strut top was saved, but needed more work than the O/S and this is how it looks now, I just have to finish welding the wingrail onto the flitch panel