my 59 AH BN4 restoration project

[Hawkscoach]

Hello,

This is my first time posting. This is also my first time ever posting pictures on a site like this. I was inspired to try this when viewing Aristocraft's project. Mine started a bit less solid. I have been reading posts on this site for a while and finally joined. My project is a 59 BN4 that was heavily raced prior to my purchasing about a year and a half ago. If this post works, and anyone is interested in more pictures and information, I will take some more shots and give a more detailed account of the project. Currently, I am aligning body panels and preparing for paint in the spring. Took about 1 year of metal surgery in between work, kids and coaching. The pictures (if I got it to work) were taken early last spring after spending the winter welding and grinding. The hulk was then soda blasted (not snow on the ground). It is an on-going project that will probably take a few years, however, I restored a 66 mustang coupe, a 65 mustang covertible and a 69 SS396 convertible camaro the same way and just keep plugging away.....Thank you for all the information on this site!!

Doug

 

[Healey 100]

Your car looks fabulous! It's always nice to see a Healey come back to life. Keep us posted.

Getting all the panels to fit will be your next challenge. But it can be done, most restored Healey's fit better than they every did from the factory.

Bill S
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Jerry]

Excellent prep work and welding. I also have a 59 BN4 and wish I could weld like you can. Keep posting , with pictures.

Jerry
BN4
BJ8

 

[Hawkscoach]

Thanks guys. I will find some of the before pictures and take some of the current status this weekend and post them. In the mean time, I laughed at the panel alignment statement as I have never had such a difficult time getting panels to align. It is as if someone sneaks out in the night and moves things just to mess with me. I think the problem is my quest to get it as good as possible and like you said, they did not come from the factory all that good. Also, I am putting on the rocker panels now and have a question: Does the top of the rocker panel have a slight slant/angle to it to match the slight angle of the door bottom? or is the top of the rocker panel level or put another way, at right angle to the outer sill? It seems to me that it has a slight angle, however, it has been so long and any pictures just don't seem to show it difinitively. Thank you in advance.

 

[dougie]

Welcome aboard Doug.......you're in good hands. Do you plan to put your Healey back to it's racing form or stock street? Good luck and keep us posted on progress.

Dougie

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Doug,
Welcome to the forum ! You will find a lot of great people on it to help out when you come across the usual Healey gremlins ! Looks like a great job so far and as others have said, always nice to see a Healey come back to life. I would highly recommend that you join the Austin Healey Club USA and get hold of the excellent ( an understatement) series about restoring a big Healey done by Roger Momemt and Gary Anderson. It is available on the club website and can be downloaded as a pdf file. Unbelieveable amount of information and will really help as you put it back together. Website is www.healey.org. Good luck and don't be shy asking questions as we all love to help when we can and read about the fix when we have no idea !!!
Regards,
Mike

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

Thanks guys. I will find some of the before pictures and take some of the current status this weekend and post them. In the mean time, I laughed at the panel alignment statement as I have never had such a difficult time getting panels to align. It is as if someone sneaks out in the night and moves things just to mess with me. I think the problem is my quest to get it as good as possible and like you said, they did not come from the factory all that good. Also, I am putting on the rocker panels now and have a question: Does the top of the rocker panel have a slight slant/angle to it to match the slight angle of the door bottom? or is the top of the rocker panel level or put another way, at right angle to the outer sill? It seems to me that it has a slight angle, however, it has been so long and any pictures just don't seem to show it difinitively. Thank you in advance.

I may not be good at explaining this, but the rocker panels do have a curvature to them. There were replacement panels supplied several years ago(in the 70's), that did not have the correct profile. I was one of those unsuspecting people who bought them and had them installed and the panel guy made my lower fender bottoms match them. Now, I'm going to have the shop that's going to do my body work rework the fenders to match the correct profile. The amount of diference in the gap is about .75". I had to have a Jule frame done and Marty at Jule took care of supplying the correct rocker panels. I wish I had taken a picture of the car when it came back from Jule showing the gap between the fender and rocker panels.
Patrick

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Doug, yes the bottom of the door edge and rocker panel edge that form that gap are not perfectly straight. Moss sells the correct panel made by SC in England from original tooling. It will still need quiete a bit of fitting ( as the British say...) to be right. The rocker that is made by Kilmartins is not correct ( sold by British Car Specialists) it is squared off more like a TR3 rocker is made. Actually the body fit was pretty good when new . Of course the chassis needs to be assembled with the drivetrain and suspension installed and resting on its axles for your outside panels to ever hope to fit , but of course you probably know that ! Best of luck, it looks great. Kevin

 

[mjobrien]

Oh those were the days, simple steel to work on! Looks cool and best of luck keep all of up to date.

 

[Barryp]

Hi Doug,

I'm also neck deep in a '58 BN4 race car restoration, and am replacing the right side rocker due to a poorly done crash repair in the late sixties. I bought a replacement rocker from British Car Specialist,(Kilmartin sheetmetal) and it is very nice. It appears that the top of the rocker should have an even gap with the door and the bottom of the better quality rockers have a slight curvature to them as do the originals.

I have a question for those that have done this repair: I have temporarily attached the rocker with sheet metal screws. I've read somewhere that Healeys need to be on the ground with the engine or equal weight in place before welding the rocker panel in place or the gaps will change. Any comments from those who have done it.

I'd post more pics but can't figure out how to do more than one at a time.

Barry

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Barry, for best results , yes the car has to have the weight of the engine and gearbox and suspension in it . The car then supported on jack stands directly under the axles. For all hinge pillar , latch panel, outer sill , repair. The weight of the engine / gearbox pushes the hinge pillar down , taking the door with it and closing the gap in the rear of the door where it meets the top of the rear fender. Do it this way and you have no surprises when assembling . Kevin

 

[bob hughes]

Barry

I did mine with the car supported on 4 axle stands. The stands were supporting the stub axles, so it was if the car was on the road. The engine was in position. I used self tappers as you have / are doing and I did not have any problems.

Bob

 

[longbridgehealey]

Hi Doug, I found Pylesville on the map, I thought you were closer to me than that. I'm down in New Market, MD, near Frederick. We also have a BN4 which is in a constant state of repair/restoration/just keep it on the road! It's great to see another one on the way back.
Welcome to the Forum! These folks have a wealth of knowledge about the Healeys, and are always willing to help. You couldn't have come to a better site!!!

Larry

 

[Hawkscoach]

thank you for all the responses! It is great to hear from car guys. I feel more inspired now.....I spent some time doing more panel alignment last night, until the snow hit and the wife insisted I push snow.

I am working on the d-side rocker, door, panels, etc. and appreciate the help with the rocker angle question. Made sense, I just wanted confirmation. With all the previous bangs from it's racing years and the age of the car, most everything has issues. Combine this with the way they were made and it will drive one insane. I have learned that eventually, you have to walk away and be patient. I have also learned that you have to do what you have to do to make everything line up. Now. sometimes that means cutting/pulling/bashing things that you would normally not touch. After a while, things will line up. After I took the car off the rotisserie, I made a mobile body cart and the frame sits on the appropriate spots. Not sure if this is true, however, I have read that if the frame and sills are strong (fixed), there should be little or no body flex. I guess maybe I should set the engine and axle in to make sure. It took days to get the doors to line up, now I am hestitant to find out that the weight causes any problems as I don't know where or how to get the gaps any better. I am very happy with the d-side now. Lastly, I wish to make this car as original as possible, (what i did with the other cars)not return it to racing.

 

[John Turney]

I also welcome you to the forum.

.... Not sure if this is true, however, I have read that if the frame and sills are strong (fixed), there should be little or no body flex. ....

That may be true in theory, and it may be better than other 50+ YO roadsters (think MG T-series, although a '59 MG is a MGA which is pretty stiff), but not by today's standards.

 

[Barryp]

Moss sells the correct panel made by SC in England from original tooling. It will still need quiete a bit of fitting ( as the British say...) to be right. The rocker that is made by Kilmartins is not correct ( sold by British Car Specialists) it is squared off more like a TR3 rocker is made. Actually the body fit was pretty good when new . Kevin

Correction: My rocker panel did come from Moss and it fits perfectly which is why I was tempted to weld it in place. I got some sheet metal from both places, no problem with fit from either so far.

Barry

 

[Brinkerhoff]

My comment about the rocker panel was because I had both Kilmartins and SCs ( Moss) rocker panels in my hands at the same time and was curious what fit the best. The SC panel was by far the more accurate of the two, Kilmartins not even close. The rest of Kilmartins panels are perfect so here's the problem : if the average guy with a rusty Healey did not know any better he would try and fit his door and rear fender dogleg around the incorrect panel ! Sound crazy ? Then I took a closer look at some of the restored Healeys in club magazines and I could pick out the ones done with the wrong rocker panels; the bottom of the door line is not even and the rear dogleg area is too "boxy" instead of a nice uninterrupted bottom edge. You're on the right track! I've fitted the outer panels without drivetrain and suspension installed and with and I can tell you you'll get a much better fit with as much weight in the car as possible and with the axles supported by jack stands. Kevin

 

[Johnny]

Looks good Doug, sounds like your as qualified as most to undertake a AH resto. Appreciate the photo's, makes it easier to comment. I did a complete frameoff resto some years ago on a '60 BN7 model. It was quite a learning curve, enjoyed all of it. Lots of satisfaction when completed. IF your going the original route, get a heritage certificate to see how the car left the factory. Doesn't look like you've replaced any of the outriggers so you shouldn't have too many problems getting the rockers on right. Some of us used square tubing to brace up the doors from the A to B posts. They kinda hold the chassis straight while you're cutting and welding. AH's do flex a bit so yes that's good advice to leave the engine and tranny in until the doors, rockers fenders, etc. are fitted.

Welcome to the Forum and come back often.