Full Mk1 XR2 Restoration

The welding continues

Fixed the other tca on the passenger side , it just need a patch then welded up the holes under the battery tray and cleaned up the welds behind it where the new wing mounting panel was welded in which was why I took the tray out.
Then tidied up all welds in the engine bay as best I could and added a coat of primer and it looks fairly tidy.There will be very little filler needed and some seam sealer around the turrrets .Acccess is tight around the turrets and I broke a good few powerfile belts.

Wing and door alignment

Got the wings doors and bonnet all trial fitted, everything is ok after lots and lots of adjustment except the drivers wing sits out too far where it meets the door from about halfway down to the sill. I'm tempted to get the grinder out and make it fit.

Used bolts to hold the wings on as it means you can change one easier and look for the dreaded rot every year or so.Used plenty so it wont fall off.

Noticed the doors I got seem ok for the late mk1 handles with no cutting , didnt try them yet to confirm but will save a lot of bother if its true.Think the handle changed in late 1982.

Rear arch rolling

Got the rear arches rolled , used a hammer but it turned out fine.My arches are only single skin as I cut the inner arch flange off.Was tempted to weld the arch lip once it was flat but resisted.

Got the sides of the boot welds ground down last week and the tar pad of the floor.It took ages to chip it off.Tried to tidy some pinholes today but kept grinding too much off and leaving the metal too thin.Also put a patch above where the anti-roll bar mounts in the boot in the left side.

Kit fitting

Made some progress, got the front kit drilled and fitted:

Plus wings drilled for bumper mounts , door drilled for mirrors, tabs welded onto the a panel for to hold the loom and the front panel fully modded for round xr lights.

Still a few more jobs to sort and a bit of rust on the roof flange.

Roof gutter repair

Not done a lot really only had 1 day a week to work on the car due to shift rotation.
Fixed rot in the roof gutter and panel beat the back panel to take the dents out of the bulge and above the bulge of the left side was pushed in quite a bit and full of filler
Turned out not too bad will need a skim of filler to finish before paint.

Seam sealer

Seam sealer mostly on ready for underseal , primed the front wings too should get the underseal on in a week or so.

Gravitex underseal applied

Got the gravitex underseal on today, overspray everywhere. I had bought 3 bottles and ran out then 2 more then remembered I had to do inside the wings as well so back for another 2.
Used 6 bottles , got some serious runs but after they dried went over them again and not too bad for a first effort.

Moving on to the axle

Got some work done today. Got electric in the shed now so back at it. I had to tidy a few repairs at the chassis legs as I wasnt quite happy and seam down the side to strengthen it up. Then another coat of Gravitex and then I applied some silver with aerosols.

Next I pulled the axle out and the spring cups were virtually gone (passed mot like that too) so I stripped the axle down and of course everything was siezed solid and i had no wd40. I cut them off and welded new ones on.Hard to know exactly where they sit and measured another axle and it seems ford welded them where they fell. . Only problem with shiny silver underneath is its shows every ripple in the underseal.