New restoration project - what not to do?

[carcathan]

Hi, well i've got the car home now (1938 12 sports saloon) and i've had a reasonably good poke around and it's pretty obvious this is going to be a ground up rebuild project over 3 years +.

I've not heard the car running as it has a fuel delivery issue. I understand it had a some partial top end overhaul since last major use (1961!)
The interior is pretty shot but i can salvage the seats, wood and instruments - but carpet, headlining and door trims are gone and the sunroof is shot. Al chrome is shot.
It failed the MOT in 1961 on various steering issues to do with column, box etc
We have a pretty rotten rear end (boot & wings), sills, bottom half of all doors and the wooden floor is rotten. The ash frame at the base of the A post is rotten but not sure how far this extends. If there is ash in the doors i assume this must be as bad as the steel frame at the bottom.

But hey, the car is at least pretty much complete and i think has been reasonably well cared for mechanically - i knew most of this when i bought it and i'm still dead chuffed to have it.

i'm very aware that this could escalate into an parts sale / abandoned project if i'm not careful. Car has to be stored outside until (hopefully) late August when garage/shed will be ready. But even then i'm working from a single garage with a 5 car drive so i think i'd prefer to keep the bulk of the car under a waterproof cover on the drive and deal with sections at a time in the garage.

This has to be a 99% home resto. So, what lessons can you guys give me in making a good start on this...
Leave the mechanical alone until i've got the body structure sorted? or
Get it running before taking it to bits again?
Take the body off the chassis? or
Keep it all together for as long as possible?
Strip the interior now to save as much of the hard to replace stuff and get it indoors in the dry, or
Leave it in place until i get to work on that part so i don't loe anything / forget how it goes together?
Start looking for second hand trim/chrome now or leave it till last?

I feel like i ought to set out a project plan and put some effort into this first - but that might just be a delaying tactic!

Richard

[Phil - Nottingham]

Good luck - take your time - I would not recommend taking the body off the chassis until the sills/backend has been repaired. The whole lot may distort permanently but even they you must brace the doors/roof before cuting out sills etc and do one side at a time for reference. This is what I did and and have still to do the doors but got it running/MOT's to enjoy it a bit first

In any event start the bodywork first as if this has gone too far you have not easted your time on the rest. The door frames will be ash I would think they are on my 1939 model 16.

The interior will have to be stripped before repairing the body and you will need to keep an eye on Ebay for parts they do turn up at good prices.

Do not regard it as an investment as even bank shares give a better return - it will never be worth what cash has been spent on it even if you do DIY

[carcathan]

Thanks Phil for your useful feedback, i feel i'm monopolising your time at the moment!

I'll definitely take your advice and won't take the body off the chassis until i've sorted the sills and backend, and i'll just tackle one side at a time.
Bracing the doors - i assume that means just tacking a strip of angle iron across the aperture. Bracing the roof? - do you mean across the sunroof?

I notice that my boot lid doesn't fit at all well, its rubbing badly on the rear wings. Does the rear bumper act as a retainer for the rear wings. Are there any dimensional measurements anywhere - giving theoretical gaps between key panels etc? I appreciate that these were hand made to a degree but that might be useful. I have a parts book but it studiously ignores body panels or dimensions.

I'm in denial about the likely cost at the moment - so long as i don't do too much at once i'm hoping i won't notice the real cost until it's too late!

Richard

[47p2]

There is some (basic) dimensions here

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and there are two salesmans books with dimensions one for 1937 and one 1939

[Phil - Nottingham]

I did not brace across the sunroof but if iots drainage frame has rusted which they do very well indeed then it may be good idea. I did support the roof just above the B/c posts onto the chassis rails though so tha roof did not sag in the middle.

The Bumper is chassis mounted and does not affect the bodywork at all - you may have to spread the boot opening apart as it has no bottom frame - the boot lid itself has shims in the hinge pins (they are big bolts) to keep it square. The boot floor may have corroded as this has mountings through to the chassis so this and the weak sills may well have twisted the body so beware and get it all straight before welding it up again

[Dirkco]

Hi Richard,

Well what you have in front of you will feel allot like marriage it will be a love hate relasionship from here on out. Phil is right don't save the reciepts from the purchases it will make you ill. Just look at it like a dinner out (every night for the next few years).

I have the bug and have restored more then one Rover. Here are my words of wisdom;

1) By stock in zip lock bags, magic markers, and plastic bins

2) Buy a easy to use cheap digital camera and take as many pictures of the car prior to disassmbly. Then take more as you approach each area. Arange these by area of the car on your computor for easy reference. If you can have a spare PC near the car you can use while working on her. You can cut the time in half if you do a good job of taking pictures before and during the restoration. Don,t take it apart unless you intend to work on it!!!

3) Dont spend money on the chrome or interior stuff yet as this uses allot of avaible cash and you can't use this stuff yet.

4) To maintain a good attitude look at this project in smaller pieces. Don't set goals like I am going to have the body in paint by. Rather set small goals like I am going to remove the body trim and mark and store it. incremental goals on a regular basis give you the satisfaction to want to work regularly on the car.

5) Buy a parts car if and when you can find one. Store it some place where you can go and look at it for reference if possible. If this is not an option take your new camera and go and visit someone that has a similar or exact model and take allot of pictures.
6) Do something every week even if it is a job that only takes a few minutes, You need to stay in touch with the car or you loose your place and possibly interest.

7) Do not assume that just because it is old that everything needs to be rebuilt. Genrators, gauges etc. may just need a good cleaning.
8) Buy a small sand blast cabinet and glass bead and a small air compressor. This is the single most important tool you can have for a restoration.
9) If you intend to build a Concours car then reinforce the body and remove it. But if you would like a nice car not Concours then leave the body on it will make life allot easier.
10) The most important thing to do is SAVE EVERYTHING!!!! no matter how small or badly rotten keep it for reference and mark it propoerly and take a picture.
11) Lastly enjoy the process as it is the journey not the destination

I have done everything wrong in order to develop my methods and I still need improvemnt in my organization but I have learned how to stay on track with a restoration.

Good luck and post photos
Dirk in the States

[carcathan]

Thanks guys, the technical information and the project guidance is so useful - feeling more confident now.

I'm amazed by the low volume of posts on this forum - hope that i don't get a bad rep for posting too often!
I've acquired a few back copies of Freewheel, which does seem to have useful articles on the P2. Buying back copies for individual articles is not an option for rebuild project like this, so it seems a shame that these aren't scanned into a the forum as archived material. Unless of course these are hidden away for members and i can access this when my membership pack comes through.

So in the absence of much online guidance, I'll keep the queries coming but try to keep them sensible.

Richard

[Phil - Nottingham]

Keep posting - total posts to date is not too bad given that Forum only been going a few months - already more posts than the old Yahoo one that has been going 6 years

If no-one exchanges views these cars will never be restored

[lakesrally]

Don't worry Richard, there are others watching your posts and replies but while others are posting such good advice there is not a lot of point in repeating it.

Best of luck & regards