Bespoke Panels! What next?

I have been learning a new skill this evening, making bespoke new panels and repair sections. This is the only way that I am going to complete this project on my budget.

I had really hoped (yes I know stupid) that buying new panels and welding them in would be a little more straight forward, but of course you need to weld them to something other than rust, as you can see here from this photo.

Above is the right hand wheel arch, looking at where the arch panel comes down to meet the rear bulk head (currently removed). So I needed to make up a section to cover that rusted section as shown here:

So I have cut this out and made a new repair out of the sheet steel I purchased back in the summer. I thought no problem to weld this in now, but then realised I would have to make a new repair for this section in red first.

This meant that I had to remove a supporting section of the B-Post which has rusted through and needed a replacement made. So more cutting and shaping resulted in this:

Got to be said having a nice new repair section made by yourself is a good feeling and I cannot wait to get it welded in place, but there is still so much work to be done in this area that it will be a few more evenings graft before I get that chance.

Nearly ready for first weld!

Over the last few weeks I have been making a real effort to get back into this project. Summer is now in the past and the nights are drawing in, which has drawn me back to the workshop. 

Unfortunately the restoration fairies did not pay me a visit and unsurprisingly the chassis was just the way I left it a couple months ago. But after a few hours of careful cutting and using my new spot weld drill bit, (which you have to get by the way as they are amazing!) I have removed nearly all of the rear bulk head section and have cut the new panel to fit.

I have taken so many measurements that I hope I can remember which one goes where!

The aim to date has been to remove the back section of the rear bulk head that has been badly affected by the rust and to replace that with a new panel cut to size. This has been a particularly difficult task as I am sure that there cannot be to many places where so many panels meet in one area. 

• back and front of the rear bulk head
• floor panel
• inner sill
• outer sill
• boot floor and wheel arch

What makes it even more difficult is that the areas where they all join are totally rusted so finding out what to remove or how the new panels will all fit together is a real challenge.

These photos give you a good idea as to what I am facing. But restoring the MG Midget in the state I bought it would have always thrown up complex problems that need solving. That was always part of the plan, to challenge myself and to go through the process.

So on Wednesday evening it was a great pleasure to take these photos, where the first new panel is cut to fit and is more or less ready to weld in place.

It will be some time yet until my welding skills are tested as the picture above shows the extent of damage to the wheel arch and, in order to make sure everything lines up correctly I will have to make bespoke repairs to these sections first.

But to see the new panel in situ is a massive boost for moral.