X frame repair sections.

[bernd_st]

Great pics! Can you post more sometime? Interesting to see detail off the car. Maybe some full plan views from top and sides.

Took me a bit to come back to your request. Underseal scraped off using a hotgun. Underpan cutted up in 2 halves using a sabre machine saw with a 22.5mm long metal blade. Clean cut and way better/less dirty than an angle grinder. Worked a treat. Guess what I found ?

 

[bernd_st]

2 more:



Transporting the pieces to another storage now. Need the garage space for my HLM project coming back hopefully soon ;-)

 

[DanR]

Guess what I found ?

Looks like a lot of English Walnuts

 

[bernd_st]

Yep. Looks like a mice winter nest in the center of the X-frame. Amazing how they got in there. Just wondering if I had used that very bottom pan for my restoration...

 

[DanR]

Bernard, with you wondering how they got there being a great question, it is even more interesting how that stuff could remain inside. But, There being little or no means for it to get out is a major cause for our Sunbeams to rust-a-way.

I am a firm believer we should add additional drainage holes reducing any further rust damage.

Tim has an excellent Video on this subject.

 

[RichardL]

2 more:

View attachment 30943 View attachment 30944

Transporting the pieces to another storage now. Need the garage space for my HLM project coming back hopefully soon ;-)

Thanks. The pictures are nice reference for me. Oh my on the walnuts. I get those too. The squirrels get in and pack the oddest things full of them.

 

[bernd_st]

Indeed. Squirrels or mice. On the other hand hard to imagine squirrels being able enter those small X- frame holes. I bought a 1725 engine some years before which was dry stored in a garden shed for many years. The owner had a big walnut tree in his garden next to it. Guess what I found when pulling the oil pan

 

[RichardL]

Indeed. Squirrels or mice. On the other hand hard to imagine squirrels being able enter those small X- frame holes. I bought a 1725 engine some years before which was dry stored in a garden shed for many years. The owner had a big walnut tree in his garden next to it. Guess what I found when pulling the oil pan

I'm going to run outside and put a rag in my carburetors right now geez!

 

[bernd_st]

We are good to animals aren't we ? If I find the pictures of that very oil pan I'll post them here. Exciting ...

 

[bernd_st]

Found a picture finally. Not the best quality though, but gives you at least an impression )

 

[hartmandm]

Oh. That is the mess you get after shell blasting.

 

[RichardL]

amazing what cirtters will do to find shelter, I once had them nesting in a box of fish hooks!!! thanks for the fun conversation. Now it's time to get back to work on my Sunbeam now that the weather is warming up.

 

[Chad]

I’ve found nests in the A-pillars, the tank crossover pipe, up inside the front inner fender reinforcers (noticed after welding in the area and smelled what seemed like “toast”), and of course in the X frames. My solution to the latter is several shop vac access ports:

 

[RichardL]

I’ve found nests in the A-pillars, the tank crossover pipe, up inside the front inner fender reinforcers (noticed after welding in the area and smelled what seemed like “toast”), and of course in the X frames. My solution to the latter is several shop vac access ports:

View attachment 31306

That’s really interesting. Nice work. Looks like it will handle serious torque. Do you extend the reinforcements farther rearward too? I don’t necessarily see my self rebuilding that far but it helps to see what can be done.

 

[Chad]

That’s really interesting. Nice work. Looks like it will handle serious torque. Do you extend the reinforcements farther rearward too? I don’t necessarily see my self rebuilding that far but it helps to see what can be done.

Yes, I had mandrel-bent 2x3 frame rails that extend from my new MX5 front subframe (narrowed 3”), to my new rear subframe (also MX5 gen3/NC, narrowed 5.75”).

My rolling chassis was reaaallly rough from the floorboards and below, which has given me both the need and the guilt free opportunity to change the structure. The rocker/ X-frame/ rear spring arch connection was entirely eaten away for instance - and as I’ve cut most of it away I’ve seen that recreating the layered folded sheet metal connection is just not doable when it’s this far gone.

But my solutions don’t really work for most of the crowd on this site, so I’m treading lightly with posting here!

Here’s the frames heading rearward - they go another foot or so past what’s seen here:


And the back end, upside down (the angle iron bars are to brace the frame remnants that attach to my rotisserie, so it doesn’t rely just on the bent tubing that extends rearward to the bumper mounts):

 

[Bill Blue]

Wow! That's some set back. What'cha trying to do, win the shortest driveshaft award?
Bill

 

[Chad]

…or biggest firewall doghouse?

Always wanted a ‘mid engine super car’ I guess!