Projects 37 Zephyr build thread

Time for an update. I haven't spent a huge amount of time on the zephyr lately, but what time I have spent has been taken up with the lead work and repairs to one of the rear inner arches.
All the welds on the panels I made and where the roof was joined back on were leaded in and filed back. Because I was only doing about 2 hours work each night and the fact that I had problems keeping the flash rusting at bay during the time between working on it I opted to spray the roof panel in zinc primer and to get the lead as close as possible and then skim fill with normal filler. Not the way I had planned or really wanted but I was ending up spending more time cleaning up the panels than I was putting on more lead. To be fair I haven't had to put much filler in so it's not so bad.
I think the main problem I had was that I wasn't getting rid of all the residue from the tinning flux properly and it was causing the flash rusting.
The panels that I put in are now pretty much leaded up and filled ready for a primer coat.
The rear arch is also coming on well, it's pretty much welded up and until my grinder cooked it's brushes tonight was well on the way to being cleaned up as well.

 

Always impressed with your updates. Really are making a silk purse.

 

I thank you, it's coming together piece by piece. Hopefully It should look pretty straight when it's in paint.

 

Wow great metal working skills . It will be a beautiful car when you are done.

 

Lookin good! Great progress!

 

What kind of tool did you use to form the metal? Very nice work.

 

Man this is gonna be fun to watch... Awesome work so far!

 

Nice work on the inner fender ! Sounds like you get the same almost overnight rust as I do here lol!

 

I hollowed a piece of 9"x3" timber with a sander to make a dish in it and used a rubber mallet that I have also sanded the end into a dome shape (like a bossing mallet). I beat the rough shape out with the mallet and dressed it out a bit on the metal stake and anvil on the bench. It was then finished of on the english wheel.
The whole shaped panel only took a couple of hours to fabricate and tack weld in.It does still show some light tram lines form the wheeling but as it's in the inner arch it's not going to show at all. I could have spent longer on it and got all the marks out but it would have been unnecessary.

 

Very nice work. I had two Zephyr carcasses that have now been melted down into Toyotas. I thought they were rusty, but they were WAAAY better than what you have. I could have saved you some time. Dang!!

One reminder, though....the Zephyr is a quasi-unibody. It relies on the stiffness of the body being structurally welded to the fame. The frame itself is a bit of a noodle. If you can't replicate the original structural welding, then I would suggest that you add some steel to renforce the frame. Mine is full body on frame. I can send you a pic or two on how I did mine.

 

great work dude....really impressive stuff! i need to do my Zephyr floors/sills over the winter and if they come out half as good as yours i'll be delighted!
so thats at least 3 zephyrs on the go in the UK right now...yours, mine and Wayne at intergalactic....any more??

 

Thanks for the advice. I have drilled the floor pans about every 4 inches and plug welded them to the chassis rails as original. I have also done the same with the rear inner arches. I think the chassis is reasonably strong it just lacks any kind of K member like the separate chassis fords. With the floors welded back to the chassis they then make it incredibly rigid. The roof is continuosly welded back to the body and I will re instate all new bracings as original.
Shame on you for turning a piece of art into a toyota...........

 

Hey fella, not sure how many more there are over here. What year/model is yours ? I know of I believ about 3 maybe 4 stock zephyrs over here, and Wicky's/Alex's old 37 sedan and there's a 38/39 sedan too I think.

The floors are pretty easy to make, the sills/rockers are a bit of a mare. They curve everywhere. I had to make mine in several sections and then weld them together to form the profile.

Paul.

 

i have a 41 4door sedan, thats gonna stay a 4 door, but chopped and Wayne has a 38 sedan that he's going to turn into a 3 window coupe...is Wicky/Alex's the sedan that originally came from Scotland?
the sills on the 41 are much straighter so shouldnt be too hard, but both my lower front door hinges have detached from their moorings which is a bit of a headache...
keep up the great work dude!
regards...Jick

 

Yep that's Wicksy's old sedan. Light blue/patina with a 350 chevy.
Just checked out your thread. If you get it anything like that photo shop then it will be as cool as.

 

I added a wee bit of steel to my frame. The woodie body had to be rubber mounted, so I made sure the frame was stiff. Had to contain the torquey V10 too.....

 

Great project,, great work.. looking forward to your progress updates .

Bash

 

Hope you're gonna chrome the steering wheel exactly as it is Paul...
We gonna see you before Christmas?

 

Talk about resurrecting the dead - that would have been barley lawn art before your torch work.

Don't feel so bad about the lower quarter panels my Dart project needs done now.

 

Time for another update. Been chipping away at the zephyr this week during the evenings. I have managed to get the other inner rear arch welded up and cleaned up and the boot floor taken out ready to fabricate a new one.
Hopefully I should get some time spare this weekend to do a bit more, been working on the house and other things during the weekends as it's the only daylight time I get now.


















Paul.

 

good job, Paul, i'm looking forward to see that beauty in person some day! keep on,

Carsten

 

Great work ! Thanks for sharing your fearless metal skills.

 

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Great work!

 

Quick update. Got the rear inner fenders sprayed with zinc primer, so they should be safe from the damp now. Started working on the front inner wings. Got the drivers side structual sub frame made and welded in ready to take the floor and the lower inner wing panel fabricated and also welded in. I still have the bottom of the door pillar to finish and the inner kick panel.

 

Zinc primer that is orange and shinny? Whats the name of it?

 

Lol, it's a zinc phosphate paint (half the price of zinc rich and does a great job at keeping the elements out) and it's shiny because it was still wet as I had literally only then sprayed it.

 

Need to look into that.

 

Wow I was thinking the same thing.
Definitely went to the right people.
TP

 

Do you know if it is available outside of the UK?? I too think this car ended up in exactly the right hands!!