Karen's Imp Sport

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 9:28 pm

Karen's Sport has finally been taken off the road for what I hoped would be a light restoration.

It was bought as a pile of bits as the previous owner had dismantled it and then lost interest, it was a solid and unmolested car that I initially said would take 3 weeks to rebuild but took three years.
Its now been in daily use for 11 years and 4 months and its shows, I got Karen a Polo to use which has been lying in the drive for 4 months and the only way I got her to give up Blu was not to MOT it. Seemingly unimpressed with the Polo - no character.

I was hoping to get away with a light restoration as I've got 3 stalled full restorations on the go but the front suspension is now off so looks like I'm going the whole hog.

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Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:34 pm

Today had a look at what panels I had in stock and found a pair of front wings I had forgotten I had

, unfortunately they had developed a heavy covering of rust. So set about them with Prep and Ready a product by POR15, in far from idea conditions (cold oustside - works best when warm) they came up a treat. So that's a highly recommended for it from me.

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Scott

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 7:16 pm

You forgot you had them Scott??

Well that's some of the insulation gone from your attic now. You may have to invest in some solar panels to offset them like we were chatting about at the meeting now.

Good to see you getting stuck in so quickly.

Cheers
Col.

Duk · Post by **Duk** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 9:21 pm

Is it a metro gti front lip/spoiler? Wondered for years

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:54 pm

colimp66 wrote:You forgot you had them Scott??

Well that's some of the insulation gone from your attic now. You may have to invest in some solar panels to offset them like we were chatting about at the meeting now.
Good to see you getting stuck in so quickly.

Cheers
Col.

Garage loft - I've bought panels when I found them at the right price and can't remember when or where I got these. Many years ago when we bought Amy's coupe we bought front and rear wings from Imptechnic as it was clear it would need them at some time. As we now have OE panels for her restoration I used the o/s on GLS (silver rally car) and knew I still had the n/s but it was a bonus when I found these.

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 12:04 am

Duk wrote:Is it a metro gti front lip/spoiler? Wondered for years

No, not a 100% sure as it was lying in a workshop when I spotted it and had been left over from previous work and was going a begging.

I have in my mind its from an audi/Vw from the OE marking on it possibly something like an early 80, it was cut down and modified and then had the rubber lip from a
mk1 Mondeo clipped onto the bottom off it. What I liked about this spoiler was its made from flexible rubber so unlike fibreglass is doesn't get broken if it clips a kerb etc.

I had a groundhog spoiler on my first Imp and it certainly helped in crosswinds but would ground in multi-storey car park ramps and high kerbs.

This is not the correct one as has holes for the towing eyes but very similar.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=au ... ay&first=1

Scott

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 5:00 pm

Hi Scott sorry to jump in your post but I am repairing the scuttle area of my stiletto and have been looking for photos of an original wing round where it welds to the scuttle and the angled bit that welds to the lip bonnet area .So could I please ask for you to post a photo of this area of wing
Thanks Gary
PS Karen's imp is very lucky to be getting brand new wings for Christmas

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:39 pm

tiker wrote:Hi Scott sorry to jump in your post but I am repairing the scuttle area of my stiletto and have been looking for photos of an original wing round where it welds to the scuttle and the angled bit that welds to the lip bonnet area .So could I please ask for you to post a photo of this area of wing
Thanks Gary
PS Karen's imp is very lucky to be getting brand new wings for Christmas

Karen's wings are reproduction parts which I'll be cutting down as they could be better around the headlight and the top of the wing however the are a million miles better than the "red" ones I've seen you fitting and I have used in the past.

Amy's the lucky one getting new OE ones all round

The top area of the wing at the scuttle are not welded but sealed.

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Check this some pics of the area without the wing fitted.
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=25623&p=254338&hil ... pe#p254338

Scott

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:44 pm

Thanks Scott I can see which way round the joggle is now and can reproduce it on mine .they do look good wings
Thanks again
Gary

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:47 pm

Further digging to find the extent of the rust - sills could go again with repairs to the front but little point risking them rusting through in a few years down the road. Bolts came out easily but bolts heads badly corroded, the benefits of copper grease and waxoyl.

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Scott

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Sun Dec 27, 2015 1:49 pm

Will the car be getting full sills then, Scott?

IM

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 9:44 pm

Full sills Paul.

As the spot welder won't weld through rust cut out the old structure and made new parts and welded them in.

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Dropped the engine box and suspension in one.

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Scott

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 10:50 pm

You make sill repair look easy, Scott!

IM

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 10:03 pm

Long way to go yet.

Little more done

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Scott

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Thu Dec 31, 2015 11:17 pm

Going well Scott. You have a lot done already.
Is the other side pretty much the same I'm guessing?

Col

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Fri Jan 01, 2016 2:41 pm

Possibly worse by the look of it but probably the same amount of work.

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 9:08 pm

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Scott

colin rooney · Post by **colin rooney** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 10:56 pm

Nice bit of work there Scott

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 2:44 pm

Great work.

IM

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 3:47 pm

Great work Scott you look to have got a lot done are you working on it full time ?

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:10 pm

Thanks for the comments

Its getting my full attention at the moment, gap in the schedule as I wait for payment for work done on the Mustaguar.

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Initially had hoped to get it done for the end of January - January 2017 seems more likely now

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:26 pm

Finished welding the sill and started on the rear quarter.

2 gallon of waxoyl seems to have worked as the inner arch in excellent condition, the rust has started on stone chips, drilled holes etc and spread from there
rather than from inside out. Just need the lip replaced.

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First fit of new panel

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Bottom of quarter took ages to cut through - 3 inches of lead where it had been repaired.
Thin bit shown

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Scott

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:42 am

Looking good Scott and great to see that the waxoyl has done it's job since you applied it many years ago.

Is the new panel being butt welded or are you joddling the edge?

Cheers
Col.

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:57 am

colimp66 wrote:Looking good Scott and great to see that the waxoyl has done it's job since you applied it many years ago.

Is the new panel being butt welded or are you joddling the edge?

Cheers
Col.

Having done both I'm thinking about spot welding a flange to the car and then butt welding.

Joggling tends to distort the panel and with butt welding there is often pin holes so hopefully this will be a better option.

Scott

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 11:18 am

bks974c wrote:Having done both I'm thinking about spot welding a flange to the car and then butt welding.

Joggling tends to distort the panel and with butt welding there is often pin holes so hopefully this will be a better option.

That's how my Triumph Stag rear quarters were repaired. It seems sensible to me.

IM

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:02 pm

Bit of a puzzle to repair the rear unfortunately incomplete

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To repair this

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Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Fri Jan 08, 2016 10:06 pm

WIP

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Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Mon Jan 11, 2016 9:59 pm

Some more progress but all takes longer than you hope

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Scott

tiker · Post by **tiker** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 9:09 am

Nice work there on the rear quarter I've got that next so it's nice to see how your doing it keep the pics coming

ImpManiac · Post by **ImpManiac** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 12:22 pm

Lovely work, Scott.

Did you make that lower section or did you have one cut out of an Imp shell?

IM

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:43 pm

ImpManiac wrote:Lovely work, Scott. Did you make that lower section or did you have one cut out of an Imp shell?

IM

Made myself.

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:57 pm

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bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:00 pm

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Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Wed Jan 13, 2016 10:40 pm

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Then ran out of gas for the mig

Scott

chris d · Post by **chris d** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:19 am

excellent work scott
your cracking on a some pace soon be in paint .
silly question
on the floor and cill repairs
the picture before you drop the engine has a couple of welds on the inner cill top about 1 inch long
have you welded straight through or cut holes to meet the existing section.just puzzled as to how you have done it
your metal work skills are to be admired ,will watch and learn
cheers chris d

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 10:35 am

Chris

What you are seeing is the back of a couple of welds that I placed along the top of join inner membrane to heater channel.
It does not involve the outer sill.

Scott

colin rooney · Post by **colin rooney** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 5:51 pm

Scott where did you get the inner wheel tub arch section

col

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 6:12 pm

Looking good Scott.
This one will be another finished before I finish mine .

Cheers
Col.

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:33 pm

colin rooney wrote:Scott where did you get the inner wheel tub arch section

col

Flippant reply is the attic.

Its not an inner but an outer because as you know the inners currently available DONT fit.
This way the arch profile at least match.

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:37 pm

colimp66 wrote:Looking good Scott.
This one will be another finished before I finish mine .

Cheers
Col.

Only if I don't get bored as has happened on the other three and move onto something else.
Trying to keep this to the structural repairs and not get involved in redoing the interior etc.

Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:52 pm

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Hope to get the battery tray derusted tomorrow and welded in.

Scott

colin rooney · Post by **colin rooney** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:29 pm

bks974c wrote:
colin rooney wrote:Scott where did you get the inner wheel tub arch section

col
Flippant reply is the attic.

Its not an inner but an outer because as you know the inners currently available DONT fit.
This way the arch profile at least match.

Scott

Ah right i was thinking you had found a supplier of good inners

col

chris d · Post by **chris d** » Fri Jan 15, 2016 8:01 pm

scott
cheers for the reply
now im not puzzled
keep up the excellent work
chris d

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:48 pm

Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.

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Can't post any pics

Scott

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:34 pm

Looks like we need a bigger board putting up then ? Before everyone disappears onto Farcebook

Is that where the formally known Noddy's gone, where the party is?

colimp66 · Post by **colimp66** » Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:09 pm

Scott,
I've always used Photobucket clunky as it is to post up any photos although a bit time consuming its never caused any issues.
Hate to think Farcebook is taking club members away from the forum. Im not on it so your stuck wth me here I'm afraid.
Doing a great job Scott, see the photos on Wednesday.
Cheers
Col

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:45 am

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Scott

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:09 am

Work on front under way

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Scott

The Nun · Post by **The Nun** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 11:36 am

Did you brace the shell I cant quite see whether you did or didnt? if not are you trying doors for alignment as you go, youre cutting quite a lot out, which is good as it means all the rot will have been dealt with.
The Imp shell I found was rather prone to movement if it wasnt braced or supported on its suspension spring mountings rather than the floor near them and even the weight of the engine can alter the shell alignment which is why I kept mine in as long as it was possible to do so when doing the sills etc, either this or its done on a proper body jig and clamped down.
Just wondering how youre keeping a check on things are not moving as you go?
Some very good detailed photos though.

bks974c · Post by **bks974c** » Thu Jan 21, 2016 9:57 pm

No bracing - although lots of metal being removed, its only been done a bit at a time and then replaced and welded in.

No sign of movement but thanks for the concern.

Certainly there are times when I consider bracing is essential such as another project I'm doing.

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Scott