BE 646

[dkp_cobra]

quote:Originally posted by Migge
   
Is it not better to remove the shell and sandblast the whole frame/chassis to see what's left?
   

   
   I don't think so. It is quite clear where the problems are. All tubes with rivets got water inside. The problem is that the water flows to the lowest point and destroyed the small tubes from inside. Sandblasting would show this.
   
   Removing the shell is a really big job. Putting the shell back has the problem to hit all old rivet holes. If you don't get these it will look wrong at the end.
   
   My bonnet was removed in the past. Now, there are a lot of holes beside the current rivets. And this is a much smaller part than the whole shell.

[dkp_cobra]

Oh, three month without any update. Well, I am still alive and I am working on the rear chassis to replace to rotten tubes. It's a lot of work. For all the people who love the original patina look of cars I have some impressions:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Every rotten tube is connected to two other tubes. These are often damaged at the contact tip and must also be replaced.
   
   As I mentioned before, the riveted tubes got water inside and rotted at the lowest point from inside to outside. If this point is a contact to another tube this is also to be replaced.
   
   Sometimes I make new parts like the rear square tubes for the rear bumper brackets
   
   
   
   and I have to notice after the work that the bent in the old part was not caused by an accident but was intentionally [xx(]
   
   So, next try:
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

To make a quite long story short: I replaced some of the small tubes in the rear sub-frame.
   
   
   
   You can't see what's new? Well, let me point to the right direction:
   
   
   
   Yes, no tube is pointed twice.
   
   Uh, and what is still original? These are original tubes:
   
   
   
   To make the tubes and fit one after the other into the existing sub-frame, checking the alignment and tack-weld them took a quite long time. In the rear section the tubes cannot be welded without removing the body. So I remove the sub-frame in order to weld it outside:
   
   
   
   I tack-welded some stay tubes to I can be sure that after the welding the sub-frame still fits into the car.

[dkp_cobra]

And yes, it still fits into the car:
   
   
   
   During the last mounth no progress was made due to holidays and a lot of work. But I got new parts these days. Oh, how I love big boxes:
   
   
   
   The tension rises:
   
   
   
   Wonderful new panels for both sides of the rear section:
   
   
   
   
   
   The panels were made by Luke (http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/forum/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=2328). A fantastic job. Thank you very much.

[Klassik Metall]

Hi Peter,
   
   I was glad to be able to help. I hope all goes well with fitting the panels.
   
   Regards,
   Luke.

[dkp_cobra]

You lucky guys paid in pounds or dollar, you don't have to think about what to do with your money, but we poor euro guys have to tax our brains what we can buy today before tomorrow it's to expensive.
   
   I decided to buy more cars. Beside a Cobra and an Aceca, a 428 coupe and a Greyhound fits quite well into the collection. And to demonstrate how the Greyhound got it's boot, a AM DB4 fits perfectly.
   
   Of course everything must be maintained. So a garage was the next point on the shopping list. Now, the wallet is empty but the result is quite nice.
   
   
   
   And yes, it's really my garage. There are two pictures of BE646 at the wall []

[dkp_cobra]

During the last weeks the car got new brackets for the shock absorbers (both sides)
   
   
   
   
   
   and a complete new bracket for the rear right lower wishbone (the rear one)
   
   
   
   This was a horror job. A single welding spot destroyed the complete allignment. I had to fix it in a quite complicated way. The complete job took more than 10 hours.
   
   
   
   But now, it's finished
   
   
   
   and the allignment is perfect
   
   
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

I nearly forgot this little friend
   
   
   
   
   It's the bracket for fixing the spare wheel
   
   

   The reason why I missed this part is that at the old sub-frame someone cut this in the old days
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

Maybe the reason for cutting the bracket was that the replacement tank is a little bit to fat in this area
   
   
   
   The rear sub-frame is finished (well, at least the welding work). It took much more time than expected.
   
   

   

[dkp_cobra]

What this hobby makes so interesting is that everytime you have finished one task there is a bigger problem around next corner.
   
   Today, I checked the clearance between fuel tank and rear lower wishbone
   
   
   
   and I had to recognize that there is a gap of approximately 5 mm between the new bracket and the lower wishbone
   
   
   
   One the other (original) side everything fits perfect.
   
   
   
   So, did I make something wrong during welding the new bracket?
   
   Checking the allignment of the rear bracket:
   
   
   
   Everything is fine. So, checking the front bracket:
   
   
   
   Here, we have the problem. The front bracket for the lower right rear wishbone has a wrong position. Getting a correct allignment shows exactly the 5 mm:
   
   
   
   I guess this means the front bracket must be shift 5 mm.
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

I checked also the front brackets of the front lower wishbones. Both have a disallignment of 4 mm [xx(]
   
   
   
   

[Klassik Metall]

Peter,
   
   What you've found on your chassis is in my experience completely normal, the chassis for these cars were by no means precision engineered! The cars with rubber wishbone bushes seem to be much worse than the earlier bronze bushed cars and I've never worked on one where you can insert a 5/8" bar through every pair of mountings. As you also probably know the camber angles can also be quite a bit out, not just from the position of the spring centre bolt but also because the front and rear towers can be off centre too.

[dkp_cobra]

Time to remove the sub-frame of the right door sill.
   
   
   
   As aspected a lot of rust
   
   
   
   but after a light stroke with a screw driver you can see into the tube
   
   
   
   and we have a hole in the main tube
   
   
   
   but due to the fact that it is sleeved this doesn't make headache. Just close it ...
   
   
   
   
   
   ... and finished:
   
   
   
   I also closed the rear end of the main tubes:
   
   
   
   first gluing
   
   
   
   
   
   then welding
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

The new sub-frame for the right door sill is welded to the main frame:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Time for the left side. The main frame is only a little bit rusty . No need for repairing it like on the right side.
   
   
   
   The left sub-frame is removed.
   
   

[dkp_cobra]

and the other side