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Finally getting around to a build thread for my third car It all started on a dull early may day. A Friend of mine messaged me, asking if I needed any parts from her MB4 before she scrapped it. It had been sitting on her drive since she her daughter had been born. I said to her, "let me know what the scrappy offers, and i'll chuck £50 on top and come grab it", knowing that the d16w4 powerplant in this could replace my lathargic D14 in my MB2 The next day me and a mate collected it, threw some trade plates on and ran up to my workshop. Even with the old 4 speed slush-box, and a years neglect, the MB4 walked away from my MB2 on a straight bit of road. Once we arrived, my friend parked the car up and then headed home. I then stood and had a smoke, looking at this car having a "Wangan midnight" esque moment, seeing the colour of the Sicilian Red paint for the first time. Plans had changed. (see attached image) Rust and engine work: First I got the car up on stands and made a list of everything wrong with it. The rear passenger sill and inner arch passed the good old screwdriver test, however the driver's side failed miserably, along with a few places around the front jacking point, and front inner arch. Out came the grinder, welder, and some conveniently shaped and cut sheet metal that I would be using to patch these big holes. This was a steep learning curve, as I have only ever done agricultural welding, and never thin bodywork. Once the rust was dealt with next came the auto box - I had never planned to keep this gearbox, so the hunt for an s20 close ratio box began. During this time, the auto box, torque converter and PRND lever were all disposed of in an appropriate fashion (Thrown into a skip as fast as humanly possible🤣), meanwhile, the engine was suspended by a ratchet strap around 2 on the gearbox bolts, and a random 2x4 i had laying about across the wings (See attached) Whilst the box was off, I decided to replace the rear main seal, sump gasket, and clean out the oil pickup tube. A few shiny parts were fitted during this time too, including an oil sandwich plate with senders for both oil pressure and temp, HKS oil filter, TTV flywheel and an exedy stage 1 clutch. Once I sourced a box, the new mounts were fitted up and after a copious amount of faffing around the engine and box were in. (I wish I had an engine crane!!) I altered the wiring on the PRND plug to disable the inhibitor switch, as well as the reverse lights. I finished under the bay by rebuilding the distributor, replacing the plugs and HT leads. I also added a bus bar to the firewall as my battery was going to be boot mounted. I am using a Janspeed 4-2-1 manifold, a smashed out OEM cat shell and a Skunk2 megapower exhaust system. I have a Whale pen15 air intake as well. Interior: This car had a creme interior, which I knew wouldn't survive me daily driving it. I quickly tore this out, installed a load of sound deadening and the various wires i'd be needing for my ICE setup, then fitted a black carpet and VTI "bus seat" interior. I mounted the battery and circuit breaker in the spare wheel well, as well as a power distribution block. this would be needed when I got around to building the boot and fitting my 3 amps. I finished the interior off with an oil pressure and temperature gauge set, a fire extinguisher, and an old school pioneer flipout headunit + DVD player. Exterior: The exterior is largely untouched, as it is the rare sicilian red pearl colour. This car was factory specced with a full VTIs kit and Jordan wheels. The jordan wheels went onto my other MB2, so that I could fit my 15" TSW imola wheels. I welded the rear wiper hole up, and the old spoiler holes. I then fitted an "auto spoiler", which had been preiovsly fitted to a friend's recently imported 200sx. This was an almost perfect colour match.

I'll look into those then!

Yeah, deffo another vote for the Climairs, better quality and superior fit compared to Team Heko and others.

Deffo worth it! DD was out the other night away into the middle of nowhere to pick up a pool table. Roads were all single track to a wee house that's in the middle of the hills. Was pitch dark and totally off grid. The roads (more like tracks tbh!) were shocking but she did it. Now covered in mud all over life a rally car! Defo not shiny like Tubs!😁

Okay next up, the rest of the sill and front jacking point and floor. The whole sill from front to back was GONE nothing left hardly, Thankfully it did not creep too far up, although i did cut out the bottom part of the back where the floor was spotwelded to as i didnt know if that seam was compromised from the otherside. When replacing the lower section where the floor meets i made sure that the car was supported and i also only did it in section so i didnt move the floor too much. It looks a bit rough but that lower edge was grinded straight for when i put the rest of the sill on. A photo of what i cut out A Before and After! Next bit was to weld the outer sill. Here is it is with the cover on, Panel gaps are slightly out as the doors are not yet put on properly. but it gives you an idea. Next up is the front jacking point This was some seriously thick metal and many layers of it, and with it being upside down it was very awkward to get accurate cuts with the grinder. Rot Cut out and new metal put into the floor. Not the best welding as i was upside down. Reinforcer piece put in then that was plug welded to the floor as from how it was done at factory with the spotwelds. Another piece made for the inner section of the jacking point. added some drain holes too! all Electrox Zinc Primed Then the outer section was welded in the new jacking point panels from Discount MG Rover Spares are spot on! and are made from 2mm steel so thicker than the original! All welded in Rest of the outer sill welded in, sadly i forgot to take photos of the inside section, it was all cut out replaced with fresh metal and the areas where the bolts go in for the wing were cut out, sand blasted, and re welded back in. Another section of the sill being welded in as this had to go under the jacking point piece so was left till last as it was easier to plug weld them from the inside rather than upside down. A Couple of Before photos And After Photos! The Floor inside was all stripped to bare metal and epoxy primed Photo of the car with all the work done! New Grommets were installed alongside new seam sealer. Very happy with the result. And just like that, the interior is back in! Im going to be doing some more work on it over winter, such as brakes and suspension, nothing bodywork wise as its too cold to paint etc. so that will be done next year, hopefully the car will be ready for an MOT around april time next year depending on weather!

Okay so i said id do an update some time ago and never got round to it, to cut a long story short, all the welding is now fully complete and the car now has its interior back in. but i thought id show you the work that i have done over the past year. Starting off with the Rear Drivers side sill, this side is the worst, The Passenger side was not too bad compared to this. so i started cutting away to see what the extent of it was. As you can see it is quite bad. Luckily the back part of the inner sill is nice an rust free, very solid in fact on both sides! It has only really crept up on the edges and further down to the front. I cut out the bottom bit as i am completely replacing the whole sill as it is knackered to say the least. A new section was made for the back part of the sill This section is the part where the trailing arm bolts up into, the lip was rusty, i was not happy leaving it like that so it was also repaired with 1.2mm steel not the cleanest job but strong and then filled with S50 Cavity Wax. some more reconstruction work of the rear sill because i cut away all the rust i had very little to work with to get the shape right so i had to make sure that it all lines up hence why i put a little piece in to the right of the image to give me a guide. It was also done to make sure the sill overlaps the middle section as the sill is made in 3 bits, Rear, Middle and Front, it is plug welded at the seam shown on this photo. Here is the sill panel all ready to be welded in making sure that it is also all lined up. A good photo to show the extent of the cutting that i have had to do on this side due to the rot. I thought if i have the whole panel then why not just replace the whole section, its easier, quicker and makes for a neater repair. More Cutting showing the extent of the rust around the wheel arch area. Not terrible but also not good. Some Crappy looking plug welds later and its finally in. I should really have removed more of the factory coating but nevermind... The main thing is is that the welds are strong and have plenty of penetration on the backside, they can be grinded down later. The wheel arch more opened up showing the extent of how much ive had to cut out. With even more to come! Because you cant get the inners for these ive had to make it myself, it was a pain but we got there in the end. I cut it down and got it welded in, Doesn't look pretty yet but will do later on down the line once finished. Next was to sort out this lip behind the bumper as rust had got there too! Lots more cutting atleast the rust wont come back, Right? A new boot floor lip made for the outer skin to weld onto. Another little patch repaired Fabricated the lower section of the inner arch where it comes down and meets the bit behind the bumper Here is the Inner Arch All welded up. Im pretty chuffed with that to say im a novice at this sort of stuff and it being my first car to restore. Heres it with the bumper on. A photo of all the rot ive had to cut out! Some more fabrication work, A new jacking point! Testing fitment of the Genuine wheel arch, The other one was used for backup in case i messed up. Inner arch all finished. Some more little reinforcers done for the Rear sill. Getting the Alignment right for the rear quarter panel, i butt welded rather than joggled. All tacked in place. all welded, put the bumper on to test fitment too. By no means perfect but for a first try at a wheel arch its not terrible, a few pin holes which were filled later. Lower section of the sill with the new jacking point welded. Some filler work to be required i think Atleast the panel gaps are good I will do this post in 2 sections, the next being the front sill and jacking point just to make sure it uploads with all the images etc, Overall im happy with the result, i think i could have made the wheel arch tidier but for a first time its not horrendous.