65 uk Moke Restoration

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j Beeton
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Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Hi all , well I have started the initial restoration of my newly acquired moke. over the last few weekends I have stripped ouit the front brakes, and removed the carb/manifold for clean up. this weekend i started to remove the rear subframe so I can clean it up and repair the front mounts which have slight rust. What fun! seized up bolts/nuts etc took some persuasion to release , but after many hours the frame is off the car- it is in excellent condition for nearly 50 years old and only has surface rust! I had to take to fuel tank out as one of the mounts had a nut/bolt instead of a captive nut. Tank looks good and all the metal/bodywork behind is rock solid.The body under the sub frame is excellent and needs no major works at all. The only bits of welding required will be the front subframe mounting areas on both sides. Are there repair sections available anywhere for these as only the botton corners have suffered rust?.. Next is to remove the engine and check over before I try to start- it is 100% original and only done around 7k miles...I bought an extra pair of car dollys of E-bay only £44.00 inc delivery and they arrived next day! They are excellent and a bargain.... Will try to get some photos up but still struggling with this!! :)
Any way I wish you all a happy new year and look forward to meeting up weith some owners in 2014
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grantourer
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Location: Kenilworth. UK

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by grantourer »

Sounds like you are having fun. Check out Leos site for your Toeboard repair panels. http://mokepanels.com/panels/
Regards, Graham & Judith
1981 Aussie Moke
1989 Portuguese Moke
1979 Clubman Estate
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pbraun
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Location: Southport (St James), North Carolina USA
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Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by pbraun »

Great! I am also working on a 65 British Moke! See thread on this forum. Good luck and have fun!
peter
1965 Mini Moke, English built, on the road again!
j Beeton
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Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Hi Peter, I saw the pictures of your resto, looks like a very skilled job being done.. I am planning two stages, 1- get car up and running for summer of 2014, then eventually a full strip down and respray etc etc.. I was having fun until I coudn,t get two of the radius arm mount bolts out . Thes are 7/16th bolts and have been rounded in the past. I tried hammering on the socket but cannot get enough grip to turn the bolts. I will try heating them up with a blow torch and see if that helps , otherwise I,m stuck!!! :( Tell me are the side panels on your car welded on , mine are rivetted? ....James
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pbraun
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Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by pbraun »

Yes, the side panels, to the panniers, or pontoons, are welded on. It's all onion skin, layer upon layer type of construction, it seems.

This thread and the items mentioned here - parts manual, Roy Scott's book, panel sources, etc was helpful to me : viewtopic.php?f=45&t=4222
peter
1965 Mini Moke, English built, on the road again!
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Ok thanks for info... I finally had to drill out the two radius arm bracket bolts, and unfortunately one has been over drilled and will not cut any threads on re tapping, so I guess I will have to slightly over size this hole and tap with next closest size up...or get the hole helicoiled? What d,you reckons best...I have cleaned up subframe and radius arms with an angle grinder ,ready to have them blasted and painted... :D
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pbraun
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Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by pbraun »

Humm......Do you mean the bracket that goes on the subframe? Either fix would be good, I'd think.
peter
1965 Mini Moke, English built, on the road again!
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Hi ,
Slow but gradual progress, the rear subframe has now been repaired/plated in a few small areas and is now off to be blasted and powder coated /painted. The radius arms and brake backplates/drums will also be blasted , cleaned and painted. In the meantime I have painted the fuel tank ready to re-install once the N/S subframe mount is plated... I will now start to clean down the rear panels underneath and check all are solid - they look good but only a good poke around will prove that they are :D ......
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Wally2
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Location: Belper, Derbyshire

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by Wally2 »

Hi James,
hows it going? More pics of progress please.
Cheers
Chris
Chris
WEEMOKE
JUX180D
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Slowly moving forward, although at each step I see to find a little more work than anticipated, I have just collected the rear subframe and radius arms from being blasted and powder coated, and they look good so are ready to reassemble . I have been working on the body panels inside the side compartments, and have discovered some early small repairs , these are sound so I,m not worried by them. I am now debating with myself, whether ,at this stage, I should bite the bullet and strip the whole car down , clean and paint, or continue to get on road asap. thoughts please :?: Removed hood and frame today for refit later, looks really strange /open without this :)
I may need some of the panels advertised for sale in the mag for cutting up for some repairs but collecting is a problem, - but hey where there is a will there,s a way!! :D . I will post some piccies when i figure out how to...
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spider
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Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by spider »

j Beeton wrote:Ok thanks for info... I finally had to drill out the two radius arm bracket bolts, and unfortunately one has been over drilled and will not cut any threads on re tapping, so I guess I will have to slightly over size this hole and tap with next closest size up...or get the hole helicoiled?
Hey Hilbert,

I have helicoiled stripped threads in the welded nuts no problem, I put a dab of locktite on the helicoil before fitting them to help lock the repair in place. Touch wood, never had a problem with any of these.

However, if the hole has been drilled too big for a helicoil repair, tap it out at what ever size it is at (or maybe open up a little further to let you do this), doesn't matter if it ends up imperial or metric. Then screw a bolt in of the appropriate size, with locktite or something else to lock it in place. Cut the bolt off flush, fit the bracket or what ever on with the other good bolts, then re-drill nd tap in to the bolt that you just fitted. Just be sure that when enlarging the hole that there is still enough meat left in it for tapping.

If there's not, then best to remove the welded nut altogether and weld in a new one.
Old Mokers never die, they just smell that way.
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Wally2
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Location: Belper, Derbyshire

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by Wally2 »

j Beeton wrote:I may need some of the panels advertised for sale in the mag for cutting up for some repairs but collecting is a problem, - but hey where there is a will there,s a way!! :D . I will post some piccies when i figure out how to...
Hi James,
I will be seeing Mark on 15th March, so could get any panels you need down as far as Derby. I should be going to Himley Hall on May 11th so could meet you there if you go. Just an idea!
Cheers
Chris
Chris
WEEMOKE
JUX180D
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

Hi Chris, thats an idea, thanks for the kind offer , I will let you know....James
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

More progress this weekend. Having decided to strip the shell and blast/paint I started to unbolt the front subframe. Easier said than done , every nut/bolt/screw I come across are well seized or rusted from the car standing so long! So are a challenge to undo. Anyway it is all now ready to lift the tub off . The track rod ends were fun!! I tried knocking out with a lump hammer-no joy! Last night watched a vid on u tube showing how these tapered joints can be separated, so tried the same this morning and a few good whacks with the hammer on the side of the steering arm and the track rod ends are now free! This afternoon removed all the lights front and rear and started to free up the wiring loom for removal. I have been quoted £400 to blast and etch prime the shell, which sounds reasonable to me?? It means that after any welding work will be easy to see and prepare...My original plan X to get the car on the road for L2B is now unlikely , only so many hours at the week end!...
j Beeton
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun Nov 24, 2013 0:40

Re: 65 uk Moke Restoration

Post by j Beeton »

More progress today, lifted the body from the front subframe, and removed engine from subframe for examination.... Front subframe is excellent condition so now have to remove all running gear and blast and paint...imagine this will be fun :( Unfortunately the ally bracket that the lower steady bar bolts to got broken so will need to replace this, are any available anywhere or are they bespoke to the moke?...James
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