Defender footwell door pillar and upper bulkhead repair Pt 3

[@cameronpitchers3868]

Hey Mike just repaired my bulkhead myself thabks for the video wouldn't have tried if I didn't see somone doing it first my door actually closes properly now ahha you saved me £800

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Great!

[@48sydney]

I love the North Yorkshire / Esk valley terminology that you have exported to Canada. Its like being home. Great information for how my Defender is put together too.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Thank you Allen! Mike

Hi Mike.🤔definitely making this landrove better well done looking good 👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Well it has gone back to Ontario land now so that is one issue out of the way!

[@owas92]

An auto darkening helmet would make your life so much easier 😉

[@malcolmyoung7866]

Ssshhh...Mike's 'old skool'.......

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I have one, but I find on jobs like this they are a pain - good on bench jobs and production work Also the battery goes flat and being a Yorkshireman, well you know the rest.. Mike

[@tomthompson7400]

and then some , why on earth would you suffer working that way , it makes every job hard .. and a decent auto mask also frees up your other hand , then you can use the arm youve gained as a support for the welding hand . oh , and as for having bother with the rust in the second layer ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, clean it properly first ,, you cant weld rusty steel.

[@liborsturch5146]

Hey mike.. thank you again.. for your work detail.. I have question.. whatbset up is on your welder.. and if you use Argon.. I soon be ready do same think.. but I have hole on top of the vents near the plug for switch wiper.. thankx

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I think my mix of gas is 80% Argon/20%Co2 Good gas for steel - low splatter

[@peterhutchin7540]

Hi Mike,great job yet again.What rust proofing of the underside of the new panel would you recommend..thanks scouse pete!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Well Peter, depends where you are, but the stone chip spray is excellent for under the front of the footwell and the insides of the driver/passenger compartment as a first line of defence as it can seal to prevent any moisture creeping between steel and the outside world - does not shrink or crack- been using it for years Nice thing is it can be painted to give an attractive finish As a rust proofing, Krown or Dinitrol - something non setting and creeps into seams and is easy to apply Hope his helps Mike

[@peterhutchin7540]

@@BritannicaRestorations Thanks Mike for the prompt reply..I'm off to buy some dinatrol then for the weeks foot Well repairs.👍

[@craig_chaznibond452]

Great video again Mike. Very helpful. What did you use to buff the welds. I try to use a disc grinder but it's a bit severe!

[@BritannicaRestorations]

I use these www.amazon.com/Grinder-Wheel-Sanding-Cutting-Flapper/dp/B071K7XS2Q?th=1 40 grit for heavy stuff and 80 for finishing You will never go back to a grinding disc! Mike

[@tomthompson7400]

try using a 1mm slitting disc , with practice you get a better finish than a flap disc , better control as you only thin the weld , flaps tend to thin every thing , and less heat build up too ... but it takes a bit of practice to be good at it.

[@lukejarman8136]

Did you use a welding wire 0.6 or a 0.8 ?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

My small 100 amp MIG is .6 and my big 230 amp is .8

[@lukejarman8136]

@@BritannicaRestorations which welder did you use for the bulkhead?

[@BritannicaRestorations]

100 amp as it was so rotten

[@chrismitchell45]

I’m in the process of doing the left side of my 89 UK Defender 90. I bought this nightmare on eBay while drunk... I don’t drink anymore, though I should.. Anyway, my bulkhead “in this exact area” left side, is rotted where the windscreen bracket bolts go. When I say rotted, I mean, the only metal left of the bulkhead upright pillar, looks like 22 gauge paper. In other words, there’s no structure left to hold the bolts internally. Also, it’s rotted inside the cab but there is meat above and below and left of the vent to weld to. The rest of the bulkhead is solid. My question: does anyone make an after market repair piece for this area? 😂 I’m pretty sure I know the answer. I’ll probably have to fabricate that reinforcement piece for the windscreen bracket. Or buy a whole damn bulkhead. I hate this thing. Never buy a Defender while drinking; especially off of eBay.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

Chris - you will stop drinking now, as you will have no money left for booze once you start repairing your Defender! Have a look at YRM yrmit.co.uk/product-category/land-rover-defender-110/bulkhead-right-hand-drive-land-rover-defender-110/page/2/ Everyone seems to do outside cosmetic parts but nothing for the upper inside top If it is that bad the have a look for a good used bulkhead - may be cheaper

[@chrismitchell45]

@@BritannicaRestorations 😂 that is no lie! I have already purchased from YRM. Amazingly enough, it’s cheaper to have them ship parts to Texas than it is to buy and ship the same parts from Rover’s North..... maybe soon, RN will realize they’re no longer the only game in town.. As you said, YRM does not have this inner structural piece I’m looking for but I believe I’ve got a solution. I’m going to take 16 gauge x 1” square tubing, cut one side off, cut out a v to angle it where the bulkhead slants back for the brackets and weld it in. Then I’m going to drill the bolt holes into that piece and weld some steel tubing for bolt guides in. Then cut a new section of 20 gauge to replace the cabin interior area where the bolts go and finally weld the new YRM repair panel which replaces the top edge of the bulkhead, connecting it all back together.... what a pain in the ass.. lol.

[@jaggass]

I never understood why Land Rover just didn't build the whole body out of aluminium.

[@BritannicaRestorations]

They did on the S1 but there was cracking on the bulkhead - same as the 2 door RR classic the original were supposed to have alloy bonnets but they cracked

[@ebbonfly]

Or galvanize them.

[@jaggass]

That's the thing British cars wasn't galvanised back then and that's why so many just disappeared. My friend has done no end of welding on his Series 2 Landy