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August 09, 2003
OK, the area around the spring boxes on the MK1 while physically solid has had patches of steel welded over other patches over the years, and the whole area including the rear inner arch and the reinforcement running round the boot floor like a chassis rail is quiet simply a mess, the whole lot needs cutting out and replacing.
Now many years ago my dad and myself cut up a frogeye, and I have had to repair this area on my 1500 shell, and I can tell you one thing for certain, the 1500 shell has within the triangulated area behind the seat above the front elliptic spring mount all the same reinforcemnet that a quarter elliptic car has, so as far as I can tell all it needs is for the top hat sections to be added to the floor and the panel that runs don behind the seat to be added along withe the bolt holes for eth spring box to be bolted to and you're done.
This is of course assuming that the previous repairs have not included welding the spring hanger to the shell!
If you study it closely it looks like BMC just changed the spring hanger and removed the external strengthening panels (visible only withe the seats out) as the two triangular sections that sit behind the inner sill above the spring box are present on both cars despite being unneeded on the semi elliptic cars
Basically I have a very solid and correctly repaired Spriget main structure, and a Mk1 sprite with 44 years worth of bodging in its structure.
If by sprite Mk1 floorpans you mean the whole structure, inner sill transmission tunnel and the cross members ETC then that would help, if not then I was already aware of that, and I am trying to avoid doing the work I did in 1991 on the 1500, as the Mk1 needs new floors, sills, major repairs to the rear spring hangers, all work I completed properly on the 1500 which I would rather not have to repeat!
But annoyingly the 1500 is turning out to be more interesting that I had first thought.. Although I have to say its the only teal blue one I have seen, but the (1989) plan was to repaint in red.. Teal blue is the original colour of the car but like most colours did not suit the rubber bumpers..
Stewart
I'm not really sure what you're trying to do with these shells, but the Sprite
Mk1 floor pans are available to purchase.
The Sprite Mk1 (Frog) has a very different 1/4 elliptic rear spring hanger
structure than the later cars and is somewhat more difficult to repair
correctly, but all of the necessary repair panels are available to purchase.
My advice is (predictably for those who know me) to repair the Sprite Mk1
with the correct repair panels, and not to use a later modified floor pan.
Nigel
"Ford Prefect" < f.prefect@... > 24221
Posted on August 9, 2003 11:21 PM
Posted to category(s) Body | Drive Train | Engine (external) | Exhaust System | Exterior | Interior | International | Miscellaneous | Restoration | Suspension & Steering | Transmission
