55HG98. Para Recce Rebuild.

[AR4412]

Thanks guys. Don't get too axcited as I'm not sure when the next update will occur yet.

Why will you need a windscreen? A fine pair of pilots' goggles and an Irvin jacket should suffice for road trips!

If the numerous years spent driving armour around didn't cure my love of windscreens and a roof Fred, driving a screenless WMIK in the sleet and rain all the way from Sennybridge to Hounslow just reinforced the desire for them.

Regards,

[AR4412]

Seeing everyone getting on with their projects, and especially their tubs, I decided it was time to do something with mine and the damage that happened to it when strong winds broke it free from where it was sat on its end against the house, and rattled it off of the wall, a wooden post and a stack of tyres. But, mainly I decided to do some work to annoy Andy as he is having aluminium woes on his tub at present. (Hiya Andy! Only joking about doing this to wind you up.)

The first job was to convert the MIG welder from a steel welding set up to an aluminium welding set up. The next job was to remove the primer, and cut into the two cracks were the 'dog's ear' panel meets the tub with a Dremel so they could be welded up. In the pic, you can just see the first dressed weld above the one yet to be cleaned up. (I will apologise for the pic quality now, the light in the garage was good enough to work by, but not good for taking photos)

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With the second weld dressed a coat of primer was applied, restoring that part of the tub to how it should be.

DSC02235.JPG (28.61 KiB) Viewed 1743 times

Regards,

[AR4412]

Next, after straightening the panel out, I tackled two cracks in the front of the seatback panel which were coming from the radio socket holes.

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Regards,

[AR4412]

Whilst attempting to weld up the maze of cracks on the back fold of the panel at the hole, I suffered a 'birdsnest' in the welder which took a while to sort out, delaying me a while, but eventually the seatback panel was repaired, I just need to do some rivetting at some point.

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Not sure what happened to the before pic of the damage? I must have deleted it when sorting the welder out.

Regards,

[AR4412]

With the seatback panel done, I turned my attention to the crack in the back of the dog's ear and cut out the crack,

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before clamping on a backing piece of steel bar, welding it up and giving it a coat of primer.

DSC02239.JPG (25.88 KiB) Viewed 1740 times

That seemed like a good place to leave it for the day, as the aluminium wire in the welder birdsnested again just as I finished this repair, so I need to sort that out again. The joys of ali welding with a MIG.

I think that's all the welding repairs done, but I do still need to bond panels back together again here and there. A job for another day, when the tub is turned around in the garage.

Regards,

[andrewjsimpson1977]

With the seatback panel done, I turned my attention to the crack in the back of the dog's ear and cut out the crack,
DSC02238.JPG
before clamping on a backing piece of steel bar, welding it up and giving it a coat of primer.
DSC02239.JPG
That seemed like a good place to leave it for the day, as the aluminium wire in the welder birdsnested again just as I finished this repair, so I need to sort that out again. The joys of ali welding with a MIG.

I think that's all the welding repairs done, but I do still need to bond panels back together again here and there. A job for another day, when the tub is turned around in the garage.

Regards,

Lovely work there squire - how do you make it look so good! I’m jealous that you’re able to fix the ally cracks yourself. I’m going into look into a few options for mine. My neighbour works with someone who has a TIG so maybe that’s the way forward, as I have a few bits to get de-cracked (sounds painful).

Keep up the photos bud - we’ve missed the Sunday evening Recce Programme

[landymad]

great to see you back on the project mate.

[landylees]

Rob, maybe the club (you?) should be running an improvers ali welding course for us all? Howard

[landymad]

Rob, maybe the club (you?) should be running an improvers ali welding course for us all? Howard

Well ive only just got myself a Tig so ive plenty of improving to do myself!

AR4412, Looks like its down to you to teach everyone.... Although im not brave enough to try welding ali with a mig, so you miles ahead already.

[landylees]

Rob, maybe the club (you?) should be running an improvers ali welding course for us all? Howard

Well ive only just got myself a Tig so ive plenty of improving to do myself!

AR4412, Looks like its down to you to teach everyone.... Although im not brave enough to try welding ali with a mig, so you miles ahead already.

Just realised it was Neil's ali welding that was making me jealous...

Neil, what welder are you using ?