DHC repairs #8: Gathering parts for the body repairs

A few weeks ago the DHC’s body shell was dropped off for some much needed welding. A few days later the body was fitted to the rotisserie, which should make the work a lot easier. After which it was time to gather all the parts and panels together that will be needed for the shell’s repairs, including a few parts needed for some (non-original) adaptations. Starting with the removal of the early boot lid stay bracket from the damaged shell, and cutting part of the inner frame from a very rusty door to adapt an early door for the later rectangular locking knob.

Another (less easy!) adaption will be fitting an alloy fuel filler cap. This was actually planned to be fitted when I restored the car about 15 years ago. But I forgot that it meant a fair amount of cutting and welding around the filler neck area. And I only realised that when the shell was painted. So at the time that plan went down the drain!

And of course this set, of new wings and nose panel, will be transferred to the work shop too. That is planned later the coming week. And this will also give me the opportunity to inspect the shell’s bottom properly. The spoiler is included to check the distance and alignment between the lower front parts of the new wings.

Last part that needs to be dropped off at the workshop will be the donor body. This should provide good condition sills and other patch panels. (The reason I don’t use this rust free US shell is because of extensive and badly repaired accident damage to the LH front).

DHC repairs #7: Paint removal and shot blasting finished

Yesterday, Wednesday the 12^th of March, the first stage of the DHC’s repairs were finished. The paint was stripped from the body shell after which the shell was lightly shot blasted. I have to admit that I was very curious as to what I might encounter in the transfer hall on the site of Giessen BV. Visions of the remains of a completely blasted away body shell sprang to my mind. But I needn’t have worried. There was still more than enough left of the body shell. Even though I already knew for years that it had some patchy, but well hidden, rust repairs. These rust repairs were carried out somewhere in the first 8 years of its life.

After loading the car onto the trailer it was time for a quick inspection of the shell. A few pictures of the worst affected areas!

With the inspection completed it was time to hit the road and drop the shell of for the next stage of the car’s resurrection. Welding!

FHC resto nr. 170; Fitting the steering column

Another job that needed redoing was coating the steering column’s outer tube. Actually I had to find a spare one as the original item that was powder coated got seriously distorted in the process. And with only one part to do I decided on a traditional line of approach: Cleaning the dirt from the tube and bead blasting it. After which I used primer and satin black paint from rattle-cans to coat it. Looks quite good for a piece that will be completely hidden from view!

Next stage was rather straightforward; fitting the two new steering column bearing bushes to both ends of the tube and adding the steering shaft to the outer tube. Decided to use a silicon based bearing grease as lubricant between the bushes and the steering shaft. Feels quite tight but also very smooth. Will see ones the car is back on the road!

Final jobs were fitting the steering/ignition lock and fitting everything to the car. Though while fitting the lock mechanism to the outer tube I found out that I prepared four Allen head bolts with an incorrect thread to replace the original shear bolts. I thought they were metric M8. But they were 5/16”. First idea was to drill out the holes and use a metric thread repair to get the necessary M8 thread. But I decided to try out a little bodge first. Changing the 5/16” thread with a M8 tap. The result was actually far better than expected, with smooth threads. And I could even torque down the bolts pretty tight without stripping the new threads. And much tighter compared with the original shear bolts which still had their shear heads in place. So more than good enough for a non-structural part!

The two M10 Allen head bolts, I prepared for mounting the steering column to the support rail, were a perfect fit. So no issues there.

FHC resto nr. 169; Gearbox extension take 2

One of the two jobs I unfortunately had to redo recently; cleaning the gearbox extension. I put everything together after I cleaned the alloy part in question thoroughly in 2018. At least that was what I thought. Fast forward 8 years and I found what looked like old grime and oil was coming to the surface of the alloy gearbox extension.

Time to redo the job and hopefully this time with a better end-result! First step was thoroughly washing the casting in very hot water with a good degreaser and a collection of different brushes. This removed a fair amount of grime and oil. Actually much more than expected. The water was pretty black afterwards. Needless to say, the extension was rinsed of with lots of clean hot water. After which it was time for an extra treatment, blasting the alloy parts with glass beads. Well pleased with the end result! Hopefully this time I got rid of all the oily muck in the casting.

And the final step was fitting all replated steel parts back to the gearbox extension. All rather straightforward. I only have to adjust the reverse gear baulk plate to its correct position. But for that the extension needs to be fitted to the gearbox.

Edited on the 8th of March 2025: added the finishing touches to the gearbox’s extension today. This meant fitting the new reverse light switch plus a nicely bead blasted and blackened lock nut and fitting a plastic cover over the wiring harness clip.