escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/21 09:00:44
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martymexico I can see that patch could've been bigger at the sides by the speed holes there.. A good trick to know is to put strips or tabs behind the main panel by plug welding and weld the new replacement piece onto that , a bit like a drywall repair in a house. Chasing those holes, I turn down the current/wire and pull back the gun so it's about 20-30mm from the panel, this weakens the current a little giving more control filling the holes bit by bit , letting it cool each tack . Glad you're using gas too
thanks for the tips. I used the overlap strip method with some plugs on one of my other patches and it worked quite well. Gave me more metal to work with. I had cut the patch as big at I thought id needed, trouble is, with the metal being so thin, if you get a little too enthusiastic with the wire wheel you create more holes... Again, in hindsight, I probably should have replaced the entire sill. Yep, using gas and .6mm wire. I did by myself a TIG on sale, however im doing mybest not to open it and play until after the body work is done. (I'm too easily distracted as it is) Shaun
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/21 09:02:03
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deano he's getting good at this. One thing I learnt chasing holes, was dont try to plug it directly. Just aim first to get a tack on whatever edge seems thicker, and build ontop of that, then repeat for the other side. Eventually it will span the gap, and you have something to heat up and consolidate with. Of course I could be totally wrong too!
Im getting better.... not that good yet! Ive certainly got a lot of holes to practice on! Definately no concourse resto going on here though. Shaun
post edited by escortinadriver - 2024/11/21 11:49:30
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MarkA
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/21 19:56:37
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Your on the money Deano. Quick dabs around the perimeter of the hole
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 11:17:48
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So moving further along, up to the rear guard. Quick explore with the wire wheel shows the inner skin is 'relatively' solid. I'll unpick it under the lip and check though. Eventually guards will be rolled for clearance. It's actually not as bad as I thought it might be. My question now is where to cut for the replacement section(s)?? I'll have to check the profile of the sedan arch I have and see how closely it matches. Happy to hear suggestions 😊  
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martymexico
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 12:56:25
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Suggestion, I would prolly cut the arch half way along the flared swoop out bit out the arch, it won't affect panel shrink as much as on the flat of the quarter. Even if it's overlapped a few mm is better to absorb heat, just slap a big chunk of rust kill in that area after. Also if the door open is same as wagon, you could cut into door open panel which can be easily hidden away.
If it was my repair I'd make a piece of strap that's folded at 90deg along it's length that just covers the outer flat of the arch and the return edge spot weld lip. I'll use my stretcher to curve the folded 90deg strip to match the arch curve and return lip, hammer and weld as usual. If the inner needs work, it can be accessed while the rusty part is cut off
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deano
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 14:07:16
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☄ Helpfulby escortinadriver 2024/11/25 19:55:37
If it was my repair: I'd probably want to focus on ideally being able to keep the top radious curve of the arch as the main key. if you had a replacement section available in one of your cuts (or new), then I'd take the cut back to about 1" high near the door corner and straight across (red line). Mind you, any old cut section you might have though is possibly in the same condition. Second option would be along Martys suggestion, the Green line repair. Make a block of timber with the same radious as a rough die, and hammer down a fold thats 10mm thick or so to become the inner guard lip. You might have to tackle it in 3 or 4 sections, repairing a few inches long each time. Without a shrinker to pull in the curve it might be a bit harder. I have a shrinker same as Martys, but still have done all bits manually. That top bit of the curve is going to be thin, from the rust and also the original stamping. If it looks like its too bad to weld, you might have to make each repair section taller, to include the top arch curve return also. You could even fold the top return back a little shorter, tucking it under whats there, and plug welding through the original panel into the new patch. Hope that makes sense. Then the 'exposed cut edge' of the original could be seam tacked off where you can to finish off. This would give you as much new metal to work with, and you are mostly welding onto the new infilled bits wherever possible rather than butting to really thin steel. Good luck. In the end, you just need something solid, and a skim of filler will help to shape out and curves that arent right.
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MarkA
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 19:34:11
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Are the arches the same geometry as sedan mk2? (or that vintage). A donor would be easier? I stand to be corrected there.
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martymexico
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 19:48:03
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I could be wrong, I think they are a match after looking at pics of sedans, he has the replacement cut piece but just asking how and where is the best way to tackle it. Shaun you could do it Fitzee style, I did it on my mk1 and it worked quite good .
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 19:54:21
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Thanks everyone.
I'll size up what I have and see what's going to work best.
I have a reasonable rust cut of most of the rear 1/4 from a sedan. The arch part itself looks identical, rear section 1/4 is different.I planned ahead, however I'm not sure how clean it will be until I take to it with the wire wheel. The front guard section I used had a skim of filler, I'll find out tomorrow when I dig it out.
I've used several methods so far, including Fitzees 'cut and butt' techniques. I find that more challenging when there are complex shapes and curves though.
I have tomorrow off so will let you all know how I go.
Shaun.
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/25 19:57:44
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Have both sides like this from the flooded sedan.  Shaun
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deano
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/26 10:09:11
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Fitzies cut and butt works the best when you have the thin slitting disks, and have the space to angle the grinder cut so it minimises the gap when you cut through each tack weld. But its a good trick to have up your sleeve.
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/26 19:58:52
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So didn't actually get to the guard today. Woke up feeling very flat and particularly unmotivated, so struggled to get going. I did clean up the last of a few holes around the sill section though and thankfully worked out the rear arch profile I have is the same. (Or near enough) Had a look at the front door. It's a lot of work, so might end up using the complete donor door. Will have to look into modifying the profile though as they are series 2 doors and the wagon has series one doors. Anyway, realised I didn't post the front guard. Needs a skim of filler however t's definitely an improvement from what it was.    
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/27 14:07:06
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Decisions Decisions..... How far up the guard, and or, do I unpick the entire inner guard. As painful as it was at the time, I made sure to keep it intact when I cut it out so I had options. Might work on something else while I postpone the inevitable 😀😃🙂🙃 
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escortinadriver
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/27 14:14:14
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Decided the door was too far gone to repair when I have an almost rust free donor. Will just have to modify the front top corner to suit the body as the donor is a series 2 and the wagon shell is series 1.  As you can see the rust was pretty extensive on the doors.  Here is the section I'll have to modify.  I have the A pillar section, though not quite the bottom bit so can't convert it to S2 at the same time. (I did think of that) I'll leave the A pillars to last. Shaun
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martymexico
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Re: MK2 cortina wagon (estate) in OZ
2024/11/27 19:05:27
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Rough handed me would just cut the A pillar and bash it in then weld up where the door hooks into it but you could do the opposite and cut the door skin and reweld the skins back together. Had no idea Cortina MK2 did that change of panel shape
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