Red Rallye resto

[Ben_w]

To make life easier with the work i have still to do on the underside, i bought a rollover jig. If im honest, i should have done this at the start but i didnt think id get this deep into a restoration. Bare metalling the underside took an ages and made a mess of my back and shoulder and it took the physio a while to get it right….not going there again.

So, i asked about on one of the Facebook groups and was recommended a self loading jig that comes in a kit form for pretty sensible money. The self loading bit sold it to me as i was worried about how id get it up onto a jig. So Tuesday night this week, i picked it up from the guy on my way home. Spent an hour yesterday putting it together.

Came with the biggest pair of nuts ive seen in ages. I think they are M486…!



An hour and a couple of cups of tea and…..ta-daah!



Fixing the car to the jig is easy enough. The front chassis legs are open with available holes to the sides so thats easy.






The rear, less so. The guy who recommended me the jig has a 306 on one but had some properly custom mounts made for the rear, involving drilling extra holes into the body. I wasn't over keen on that approach.






It was suggested a towbar might be a much better way to go. Seems sensible, given it bolts up to the chassis legs at the rear. Far stronger. So a quick post again on one pf the facebook groups turned up one 20 miles from me.

Picked it up on the way home and got home to my massive box of stuff from Bilt Hamber.



More Electrox, Epoxy Mastic, spray electrox for the hard to reach corners, seam sealant and Hydrate 80.

I've a mate whos a coded welder by trade. He popped by today and picked up the tow bar and bracket from the jig. He's going to weld some extra bars on that will connect directly to the jig. That sorts that out. Also got a brand new drivers side wing for £30.

So, this morning, with a hangover, i went out and took off the polythene sheeting. Given we are a week on from blasting, id been worried about flash rusting. No real issue in the end.



So got busy with the Hydrate 80. The blurb from BH is:

“Hydrate 80 provides powerful protection to rusted steel surfaces, its electrochemical function stabilises existing corrosion by converting the iron oxides into a protective metal complex, it also combines with surface moisture and oxygen depriving the corrosion process of the conditions it requires. Paints and coatings applied to a hydrate 80 treated surface demonstrate amazing improvements in long-term performance”

Not that the original surfaces were rusty, not after the blasting anyway. Little bit of flash surface rust but thats it. It is however, a very good coating to put down to protect the metal. It goes a funky colour…



Much application later and the engine bay has its first coat (you have to apply two, second coat at 90° to the first, to ensure proper coverage i assume)











Couple of bits the blaster missed which ill deal with when the shell is on the jig.





Called it a day at this point as i had my neighbours Jag to fix and two utterly filthy cars to wash…..