New SJ owner - couple of q’s

As you know, we are also rebuilding (well a professional company is doing it) an SJ.

Just a note on some of the parts from "overseas".

During re-assembly, Winchfield Engineering noticed that the panel alignment of the front wings with the rest of the car was not good (I actually couldnt see it myself). So they have had to release some of the spot welds in the aftermarket panels, adjust the alignment and then re-weld the part up.

Here is the front passenger wing. You can see the silver bits where they had to release the welds and then weld the support into a better position to get the panel to line up with the rest of the car. The panels are off again to epoxy protect them.


 

I admire the progress on the pictures on page one. I threw away my SJ ten years ago from the rust at the body mounts and the cross beam there.

Martin, the welds on the original japanese SJ's weren't perfect either. Some looking like a fresh apprentices work. But position is mostly OK on them.
Admire the will to make it straight though.
But the spanish ones 1988-92(?) were often way out of placement and I guess most of them are gone now from the rust. The spanish ones seem to have thinner tin and gets flaky rust easier than the earlier japanese ones IMO.

wrote:

Martin, the welds on the original japanese SJ's weren't perfect either. Some looking like a fresh apprentices work. But position is mostly OK on them.
Admire the will to make it straight though.

 

Yes, Winchfield said on day one that the SJ would come out better than factory as the general panel assembly and alignment was poor. Some of the changes they are doing are to things I cannot see with my eyes. I was there this morning and they were taking a dent out of the outer sill that I didnt even think was there. 

I’m expecting to do a bit of panel fettling. The two panels above and below the grill are horrendous. Wings look ok.

The floor will be fine it’s a reasonable fit. Bit of a head scratcher in the sills have been replaced over the old ones in places. This and a slightly under size repair panel could be fun. Will probably just section it and leave the original in place. The location accuracy for the body mounts has plenty of tolerance. Could easily be 3/5 mm off and no real effect.

Getting stuck into the arch repair today hopefully. It’s getting a bit involved… I’ll feel better once it’s all cleco’d in!

Bit of progress today. Took the small problem. Cut back until I could find something worth welding too. 

Then pulled the new tin in. I can see why SJ’s have been scrapped for this job! It’s not easy. Lots of intersecting panels and once it’s all been bodged up not much reference to make sense of. 

Still we are making a tidy runner for trialling and the odd classic show not a show pony!!