Early Javelin Restoration

[Chris Spencer]

There is a difference between the early inner wings and the later models - here is an image taken from Peters early Javelin - note that the lower section of the inner wing is flush from the air tube intake cowel back to the bulkhead

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The second image is taken from the same area on Jacks later built car fitted with rubber suspension - note the inwards bowl on the panel just before the bulkhead

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Here is the outer face of the panel and the reason for the bowl being let into the panel - this allows clearence of the through bolt on the suspension and prevents it fouling on the panel - with the early suspension this bolt is set out further (towards the road wheel) and therfore did not require this pressing on the inner wing

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[Chris Spencer]

Back to the restoration then - Keith & Peter had been kept busy building a new partition for the workshop so that it divides the bodyshop and keeps the dust at one end of the workshop - we have a large extractor fan and booth filters so that we can now at least vaugely control the dust / air quaility

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Peter had spent a day or so having a go at grit blasting the bodyshell

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Has expected this is a long drawn out and very messy process despite the investment of new blasting kit

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So we are just waiting to hear back from couple of the processing companies that can immerse strip the shell & panels - has soon as we can obtain a booking date we shall arrange to transport the car to them - in the meantime we shall carry on with the structural repairs to the bodyshell along with the stripdown & assessment of the mechanical sub components - Keith & Peter had reems of notes on bolt sizes / part numbers / parts required from what they have stripped down already - I think it's a lenghty call to JCS tomorrow evening !

[Chris Spencer]

The nearside chassis leg had taken some minor impact damage and one of the factory welds had started to fracture

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[Chris Spencer]

The impact damage had left a dish in the chassis leg so a tab was welded on and the slide hammer utilised to draw the metal flush

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I have to say if anyone out there is planning to undertake a restoration - the first thing on your 'to buy list' must be a chassis tilter - it just makes everything so easy - and I turn the car single handed without effort and makes the welding as easy has shelling peas !

[Chris Spencer]

Next on the list was to sort the steering box mounting which on the inner face had broken away & on the inner wing had been elongated in order to get the box to fit after previous accident damage

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[Chris Spencer]

The inner mounting was cut back with new metal fabricated & welded in, the elongated hole was also repaired to the inner wing - with the steering box trial fitted the holes were redilled to true and the steering box removed

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In order to reinforce the mounting holes I welded in washers to both outer faces of the mounting and reattached the box for a final trail fitting

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[Chris Spencer]

Further welding / metal fractures were found on the front suspension bump stops

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These were made good

[Chris Spencer]

Last repair on the offside front inner wing was just a small section where the front of the panel meets the bonnet slam cross brace

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Cut out, fabricated & tacked

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welded in & cleaned up

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[Chris Spencer]

Nearside inner wing assessment

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There is obvious signs of deep rust between the 4 skins of metal where the inner wing / bumper iron / air tube join on lower front of the car - the air tube will be removed so it will also probably require replacement

[Chris Spencer]

Last job before I left was to template the horizontal repair ready for my next session

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but why did they build this so that all the debis sat there - surely if the panel had been set at a suitable angle then there would have been nowhere for the debris to hide (I can see a deflector plate being added before the wings go back on)

Has anyone come across a source of supply for the Javelin captive nut - this is a metal cage spot welded to the bodyshell to retain a 1/4 BSF threaded square nut

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There are over 70 of these on the shell to retain the wings / main floor / boot floor & inspection panels - the nuts seize & the cages rust out

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I need about 10 for this restoration - and then about 30 for the restoration of Jack's car - so the rest of you Jav owners must have the same problems ? - If we cannot source them then I am looking into fabricating a die & stamp to make the cages up but I am having problems locating a source of square 1/4 BSF nuts - Sure I could just chop the problem captive nuts off and put a nut & bolt through - BUT has you may have already gathered - 'I am either doing it right - or I am not bothering at all'

All Javelin owners - please see my seperate post on Javelin steering box mountings ASAP

[Keith Clements]

Well there are so many interesting posts on this topic I do not know where to start.
Sorry for the lack of involvement but I have been engaged running the 'Gulag' as Peter calls the 'Jowett Health and Beauty Shop'.
Firstly the New Zealand mods to the front suspension involved machining the bronze yoke to take conical rubber bushes. It does not involve changing the upper arms which I do not think could be done on this chassis as Chris has already described unless a big hammer was used to make the indentations in the inner wing.

I will give more detail when I have more time.

I was shocked to learn of Chris's findings on XMG as the steering box was changed last year. Was the fraxture overlooked or had it just happened? I suspect it was there and it looks like the broken bit was pushed back on insertion of the replacement box. This fault had not been found even though the car has been frequently checked on the lift in the last few months.

[Jack]

Has anyone come across a source of supply for the Javelin captive nut - this is a metal cage spot welded to the bodyshell to retain a 1/4 BSF threaded square nut. There are over 70 of these on the shell to retain the wings / main floor / boot floor & inspection panels - the nuts seize & the cages rust out. I need about 10 for this restoration - and then about 30 for the restoration of Jack's car - so the rest of you Jav owners must have the same problems ? - If we cannot source them then I am looking into fabricating a die & stamp to make the cages up but I am having problems locating a source of square 1/4 BSF nuts - Sure I could just chop the problem captive nuts off and put a nut & bolt through - BUT has you may have already gathered - 'I am either doing it right - or I am not bothering at all'

Via the magic of the internet, I think I've sorted this one, albeit for a price, £1.14+vat each. http://www.mgbits.com/contents/en-uk/d229.html - 1/4" captive nut and square nut to go in it. Fourth item down.



I should be a professional googlist or something.

Jack.

[p.p.]

had a hell of a good time!!!!!
10 days of learning about my girl "Rhowina".....
the Gulag" with the "Gulag" master keith is also a fitness center, i lost with work and.... 1.5 kilo !!!!!!!!!!!
the food was perfekt!!! thanks to Amy, Keith (Oskars the pizzaria, china food, indian food and fish and chips (the best in the world) and to chris the cooking master.....
also a good intertaiment with rugby!!!!!! two wins of saracens!!!!
looking forwarts to eastern to work again
peter
missing GT

[Jack]

Great to hear you managed to lose a few pounds Peter - you see why Amy cooks so much food now

Sorry we were busy yesterday and couldn't see you off, or join you at the rugby - looked like a good game to watch from the highlights last night. I did, while you were having a nice time playing at cars, spend 6 hours skiing and getting pushed pretty hard to improve, it certainly felt like I'd done some work last night! Amy definitely got the best deal sitting around at a health spa.

Looking forward to getting things sorted with the cars now - I think we've done most of the stripping down, but I suppose now the cleaning really begins...

Jack.

[Chris Spencer]

Via the magic of the internet, I think I've sorted this one, albeit for a price, £1.14+vat each

Well done Jack - I just think that £1.14 for a bent bit of sheet metal & a 1/4 BSF square nut is quite rich for something that jointly has a material value of 15 pence - so if you can find the square nuts - I will still fabricate a stamp & die with a veiw to producing them