April 2014

Since I bought this project I had in the back of my mind the roll cage. This just had a roll hoop, and there is a lot of sensible discussion/advice regarding having the full roll cage. Just after I started I did email the factory regarding a retro fit cage and they were most helpful. I should have committed there and then for the parts. Any way more recently there was an accident with an Ultima which re-focused my attention to this subject and I decided that it must have the full cage. I ordered the parts from the factory.

When the parts came and I was ready to tackle the job I encountered a new challenge. The space in my large shed was no longer available (you remember the big one I built right at the beginning). I start dropping hints that I need to store the body for a couple of days, eventually she agrees to let me store it in the lounge.

 Anyway back to the roll cage. After removing the body I have to remove the aluminium side panels. I drill out all of the rivets and use an old wall paper scraper that I have bent at right angles and ground to razor sharpness on the edges. I use this to slowly slice through the sealant that is still holding the panels in place. The top edge is relatively easy to do and any sharp thin blade type implement would suffice. But the bottom edge needed the right angled tool. I do this for all of the side edges and about two thirds of the way along the angled edges under the dash.

The panels were then carefully propped back with pieces of wood avoiding introducing any creases. The new bits for the roll cage were offered up and the areas identified that need to be stripped back to bare metal. The fit of the roll cage components was superb.

The roll cage was also given a clean up then put back into position using magnets to hold in place.

 Some tack welds were made to hold everything into position.

Then all of the joints were welded.

A quick tidy up with sanding disks in the die grinder.

Followed by sanding all over.

Then a coat of paint.

 
The paint I used, was VHT Roll Bar and Chassis Paint, the finish was superb.

The old sealant was removed - a tedious task assisted with some bathroom sealant remover.
The side panels then were cut out to fit around the new tubes and after applying some fresh sealant were riveted back into place.