MG Midget Rebuild: Repairing Rust in the Structure of the Body S1E31

The temperature outside dropped which made it cold in the garage. I worked on rebuilding the structure for the floor but ran into a snag trying to get two bolts that were stuck.

[@josephtiller6105]

I've had a few midgets both chrome and rubber bumper. A 78 was the only one that was ever drivable. I've had plenty of MGBs and currently have 2 MGB GTs that are begging for my attention....both in varying states of disrepair. Both need plenty of welding. I'm enjoying your videos and the progress you're making.

[@robsrestorationgarage]

Thanks. It is definitely a process that is not for the faint of heart. Get out there and get those cars on the road again! I would love to see what you are working on.

[@MH-wg6bz]

looking good, yes treat the rust before you close anything in. I used Eastwood rust encapsulater to seal up my rust areas. Of course you have to use some weld through primer at those locations where the welding heat will burn off the protection. Those boxed areas are a real issue on a spridget body. The factory primer was not enough

[@robsrestorationgarage]

Cut out rust. Weld in a new piece. Treat everything else. **Repeat** (haha)

[@stevehill5637]

Things I would try to remove the broken bolts: 1. Soak the threads liberally with PBBlaster (or homemade 50/50 mix of acetone and transmission fluid), and attempt to turn the shafts with vice grip pliers. 2. Weld a nut to the end of the shaft, and try removing with a large ratchet and appropriate socket. 3. Cut the shaft flush with the surface with a cut-off disc, center punch the shaft, then drill the shaft with progressively larger drill bits, being very careful not to damage the threads in the captive nut. 4. You COULD cut off and replace the captive nuts on the underside, and weld in new nuts, if worse comes to worse.

[@robsrestorationgarage]

This is a great list. I have it soaking with the acetone trans fluid mix. Tackling these bolts is one of those things that is fun but has to be done.

[@stevehill5637]

Ah, my beloved OsPho! Home Depot has a similar product in their paint aisle called "metal prep" that is essentially the same thing; Phosphoric Acid. Naval Jelly is yet another, similar product, that is extremely viscous, and can be used on vertical surfaces. Chemically, the phosphoric acid REDUCES the rust process, which is the opposite of OXIDATION. (Loss of electrons = Oxidation, Gain of electrons = Reduction) Good stuff!!

[@robsrestorationgarage]

I haven’t put it in yet but I hope to give it a try. I gave you the shout out though.

[@stevehill5637]

@@robsrestorationgarage Thank you, I appreciate that. I hope that the information helps others, and keeps some of these little cars around for a while longer.

[@BryanM362]

Rob, another way to treat areas you don't have good access to is to spray a rust converter in there and then paint it with a rust encapsulator, like POR 15.

[@robsrestorationgarage]

I think I used that liquid rust converter and then sprayed it with a rust encapsulator primer. Hopefully that takes care of it. I will check out POR 15

[@jimkirby3659]

You got to get out there every day and do a little something to it. Some days I just put my hand on my Midget and say, "I'll get back to you tomorrow".

[@robsrestorationgarage]

When it was in the 70s outside it was great. The temp dropped and it was harder to get motivated. Plus I loaned out my heater and compressor.

[@billadams5194]

I used to worry about the rust inside the box channel sections but I figure that if it lasted 60 years with just surface rust that I would be long dead before I need to be concerned with it rusting out. Also, try reversing the polarity of your MIG. The wire should be neg and the clamp pos, if you're using flux core. If you are using gas, then nvm. Get yourself one of these 1/2 inch wide belt sanders. They come either air or electric. For grinding off welds there's nothing better. Keep up the good work! Yours way worse than mine by a mile ha ha ha. Oh and one more small thing. Try to fit your patches with no gap. I dunno where this notion of having a gap comes from but the idea here is to use the very least amount of heat possible. If you have to make a lump of weld to jump across a gap, you will be getting the patch too hot. This is especially true for small patches to the flanges and small holes. I use blue painter's tape and lay it across the hole I need to fill. Sometimes you need to overlap the tape to get it to be stiff enough. Then I carefully cut the tape out of the hole with an Xacto knife. Then the tape template goes on your patch metal and you cut away to the edge of the tape, leaving an exact perfect piece to fit in the hole. Sometimes I need to sand the edge a little here and there but this technique works really well. When there's no gap you use very short burst of weld and when you have the settings right the puddle will suck down flat and you need very little grinding to the seam. Go slow. Use a wet rag to pull heat out of the area between time of each spot weld. Make your welds at the 4 corners then in between then in between again and so on until the entire seam is filled. I use a step drill to make round "corners" and then use the wheel to join these round holes so that I end up with rounded holes to patch. This way, there's no tiny corner on my patch to absorb all that heat. Hope that makes sense. Not always possible but it helps if u can.

[@robsrestorationgarage]

Bill, thanks for the helpful tips!! I am using gas with the welder and I agree with you on as little of a gap as possible. It can take more time to cut a good fitting patch but it makes weld heaps easier. I didn’t think about a wet rag but that is a good idea. And I have had the same thoughts about the surface rust. I love the advice! Keep it coming.

[@billadams5194]

@@robsrestorationgarage For me, an hour to cut and trim and fit a patch piece is not unusual. Sometimes longer if involves a bend or curve. Even then I have had to start over on occasion. I had a heck of a time fitting a new ass on mine. The seam runs through the gas filler hole. After I ground off the weld seam I had a few pin holes to fill. I guess I got the metal a little too thin and blew out several rather large and embarrassing holes and had to pretty much cut the entire seam and gas filler hole out and redo. That patch alone was all of one day and part of the next. Had to scavenge the donor metal from my parts car and there was only one spare gas filler hole area to get it right. I was very very careful with the patch. Didn't need much filler (yay) to get it looking good. Patience is the key. Both with the car and yourself. Don't hurry.

[@robsrestorationgarage]

@@billadams5194 Good words. Most of the body work I have done has been with whole panel pieces which is much easier. Any patches have been things you will never see. I am getting more confident though.