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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - My Front Chassis Rails Part 2

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your advice on my previous thread about my front chassis section.

I took the back axle off today (only shearing one bolt in the process!). Chuff me the back end is heavy, but thats besides the point.

I fliped the car up on it's side and propped it up against the garage wall for a look underneath (thanks for the advice there Guy, the bodyshell is surprisingly light). The underside is a mess, but I already knew that and PO gave me replacement floor pans.

Anyway... the front chassis rails are, to put it politely, a bit bodged. The front (forward of the footwells), has been replaced at some point and forward of the footwell front the rails slope downwards (rather than go straight), then the kink is I think correct so the end of the rail ends up level with the floor rather than an inch above.

Anyway... whilst the thing is upside down I think I will replace the floors as it will give me a good reference point for everything else.

Thanks for listening! I was going to post a photo but none of the ones I took are very good.

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Hi Malcolm,
If you are replacing the floors then it may well help you assess - and fix - the front chassis rails. It is very much easier to tell if they are straight, or to straighten them out if necessary - when the floor panels are removed so that you can see inside the chassis rail sections. Hopefully you then get some good surfaces to measure and align with a straight edge.

The floor panels on my current "project" needed replacing. I took the floors out in pieces cutting through them (angle grinder, 1mm slitting disc) just along the edges of the chassis rails, leaving the rail flanges intact. Further cuts along the inside of the box sections removes the floor of the box sections and then the welds can be drilled out or ground off to leave just the "top hat" sections in situ. At this stage you can check alignment and decide on how to correct the problem at the front. It is also a good time to de-rust and repaint the insides of those chassis rails!

I am kind of assuming you are sufficiently masochistic to actually enjoy doing this stuff. If not, it is time to cut your losses and buy a replacement shell!

Guy

No worries about that, I love the work. I tend to be more interested in fixing things than actually using them for their intended purpose! ha ha

Malcolm

M Le Chevalier

<<It is also a good time to de-rust and repaint the insides of those chassis rails!>>

You mean they were painted, originally?
Dave O'Neill 2

Overspray
Guy

Evening all!

Time for a mystery picture of the week!

Started removing the floor, and looked inside the chassis rails at the front of the footwell area, and as suspected rails have been bodged.

They have been cut (or replaced), folded down so the end is straight rather than pointing upwards then welded up with some plates over the offending sections. Red dots show where it has been cut, purple dots where it should join up.

So, the plan will be to grind off the crap, fold the front back up, weld up, job done. Simples!

Do all the rails have the extra internal box section you can sort of see in this blurry picture?!

Cheers,
Malcolm

M Le Chevalier

"Do all the rails have the extra internal box section?"
No, but it is sometimes done on race cars to stiffen things up.
Mike Allen

This thread was discussed between 25/03/2011 and 29/03/2011

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