Beginner!!

[Sam_Bembs]

well the cross-member is pretty much non existent!! :'( I think I'm going to replace it! Will I need to remove the engine for that job do any of you know? Thanks guys!! :)

[Hamish]

To replace that you are going to need a donor car. That is a huge job as it will involve the whole of the front end...and that means messing with chassis rails....and not really necessary.

How are you with welding, and metal fabrication? You may be better fabbing some new metal in there to be honest..... Take the plastic bumper off (the white thing) and see what is behind there first and how that looks - behind that there should be two covers over teh chassis rails...with 5 or six bolts, they will likely snap when taking them off... now you can see the whole of the front end.... Soak those four bolts with plenty of wd40 or similar first.

Post up a pic or two when you have done that....

[Sam_Bembs]

:'( it's absolutely shot!!!

[Hamish]

You are not wrong there...can't say I have seen one that far gone before. But don't let that get you down mate. You have plenty time.

Take those two red covers off and look behind - you should get a good inside view of the chassis rails.

Lot's of inspection, put up pics and we can all see together. I would look at it as an opportunity for some good work :)

[Sam_Bembs]

Ok, cheers hamish!

[Hamish]

We are here to help.... these cars can throw up a fight, but they are worth it and you can cut your teeth on a car that is a joy to work on :)

Don't be downhearted..... here is some inspiration for you as I done my front end and it was not too clever either :)

[Sam_Bembs]

Safe to say yours is in 'slightly' better than mine at the moment!!

[flea]

As H says I've not seen one that bad at the front end either but I recon it could be put right. Plus if you enjoy working on these cars your gonna have loads of fun Itll be nice to see the progress too

[Hamish]

Hmmm .need more opinions.

Any chance of a pic inside the chassis rails... the two square/oblong holes.... like this:

[Sam_Bembs]

They're pretty rusty, but not as serious as the front!!

[Hamish]

OK...passenger side is worse than driver side. The two captive nuts have rusted through - have a look on the outside of the chassis rail passenger side at the front see what it is like there. This can be repairable - but you are going to need to learn welding, or have a mate with a welder...or if you can weld already.....

First though. Vacuum out the insides of those rails.

Go on ebay and search for VACTAN - it is a bit like Kurust, only 100 times better. This is the stuff the professional restorers use - especially those who do land rovers. It takes longer to go off than kurust does, but it is brilliant and converting red oxide - can't get better than this stuff:


Now get a pole of some sort and put a brush on the end and fasten it anyhow:


Put some vactan in a old cup/tin lid and liberally coat the whole of the inside of the frame rails like so:




I did that before I then dinitroled the inside of the rails... not that you need dinitrol after that...as it is impenetrable to water.

Bear in mind, vactan takes about 24 hours to convert - it is a much slower chemical process than Kurust....and that is why it is better :)

Now that will protect them and stop any further rot taking place. In the meantime,w e can all put our heads together to work out how to help you fix up the front end.

[Sam_Bembs]

Thank you so much!! I'll get working on that!

[Sam_Bembs]

The outside of it isn't bad at all really, not a massive amount of rust!

[Hamish]

The outside looks OK Sam....that is good news mate :)

Whilst we are all working out the front end, once you have the vactan, now would be a good time, to apply it to other areas that have surface rust...after cleaning of course, wire brush, scotch pad, flap wheel etc.... especially the underside of the car.

Now I don't want to sound like an old git or anything, and I know you are probably a big lad, but, it can never be over stressed about working safely underneath your car. Make sure you have axle stands in the correct places. If you feel you want to use more than 4 do so - I use 6. If you use triangular axle stands, don't have them all pointing in the same direction...stagger them so they are all opposite.

When underside....if dealing with rust.... or anything, use eye protection. As old as I am, I am still stupid and last year as others know, I had to go have my eye cleaned out with a dremel tool at hospital as I got rust in it. Also, you are a young lad...wear a dust mask.

As I say, I don't want to sound like a lecturing old git..... but when it comes to safety, it has to be drummed home - especially in us old gits cos we think we are invincible at times :)

Please though Sam...enjoy this time with the car...think ahead the finished car :)

[Hamish]

Oh, one more thing...when using the vactan. Wear latex gloves and really old clothes. When it dries.... it is hard to get off and turns blacker than a coal miners nostrils. Put something down on garage floor also...once on concrete, you won't get it off.