An Introduction: Chris Collins and Morris Tilly Project

[jack neville]

In the meantime Chris dissassembled his many windscreens until he had enough good condition frames, glass and various screws and brackets to put two good windscreens together.

[jack neville]

Oops! Second photo above not correct.

I also got the reinforcing panel around the handbrake added in. There was a dent in the hump I couldn't get out. By placing the panel in position and bolting the handbrake down it pulled the dent up and held it in place while I plug welded the drilled holes. A bit of clamping and tipping th body side to side to get a better welding position.

[jack neville]

While I had the body lifted on my gantry I took the opportunity to install new shackle bushes in the front. It took every bit of pressure I could wring out of this G clamp to get them to push in.
After that it was time to wipe a bit more filler around and tidy up some of the welds and other imperfections.

[jack neville]

I got all the filler rubbed back before I took off for Corowa for the week. I gave the body a thorough going over with fishoil and sealed all the seams with butyl mastic. The week in Corowa gave it a chance to dry out so it was ready to paint when I got home.

[jack neville]

First a coat of body deadener underneath and on the floor and other areas to help hide a few minor imperfections.

[jack neville]

I bolted a piece of scrap to the bumper brackets and to where the tow bar attaches, (which has also been fitted). By hoisting it on a chain at the back and using the block and tackle at the front I fashion a temporary rotiserie for painting.

[jack neville]

The firewall panel and dash panel and pedals have gone for sand blasting. The pedal pivot bolts and bushes are all flogged out so I got some bushes from a bearing supplier that will fit and bought some bolts which I turned down on the lathe to suit.