The Bulkhead
Exterminating the Rust Bug
Pulling the bulkhead is often the point of no return. I have been pleasantly surprised by Maggie. Her bulkhead is in great shape compared to Beula's pre-resto bulkhead. There is only one footwell hole to be patched, along with 33 years of drilled holes to fill. Before taking off the bulkhead, I circled all the vestigial holes to be filled with the welder. Surprisingly, I was able to punch out the large outrigger bolts, and I got my wife to help me lift the bulkhead up and over the steering column and gearshift. Please take note that this is not a good idea, especially if your wife is as short as mine. She persevered like the trooper she is though, and we got the job done. 
Once the bulkhead was on it's back, I went about cutting off years worth of extraneous screws, nuts and clamps. I also pulled the breakfast and stripped it down. Because I will use an off site sand blaster, I plan to do both these mild steel items at the same time.
All in all, Maggie's bulkhead was in pretty good shape. A rotary wire brush will always show up rust holes if they are there. Maggie had one, in the passenger footwell. I plan to patch it with 22 gauge mild steel. While the ready made foowells are nice, they are pricey, and can easily be fabricated from flat stock. The replacement footwells I have seen are missing the ribs as well, so you may as well fabricate your own.
Be sure and cut out enough of the rust. I like to use a cut-off wheel on my angle grinder. It works faster and cleaner than a saw. Be mindful of where the weld will be. The metal of a weld is often much more susceptible to rust. Try to keep any beads away from water areas.
I sandblasted the bulkhead, the breakfast, and the steel panel of the transmission tunnel. I concentrated the blast of sand into the bulkhead voids, attempting to remove as much hidden rust as possible. The commercial sandblaster made short work of the multiple layers of paint and patina. There are a lot of medias available for blasting, from baking soda to walnut shells. Whatever you use, wear the proper equipment. If you do not, you could have long term complications.
I taught my son to weld this time around on the bulkhead.
When it comes to welding a patch panel on, use a MIG or TIG welder. They heat up the metal a lot less and reduce your chances of warping the bulkhead. If the bulkhead warps, it may not bolt back up, and the doors will not align. I also weld on the clutch flex hose bracket. It tends to tear off when trying to get the line undone with everything put together.
Once the patch panel was done, I went about welding up all the holes in the bulkhead. The best way to get rid of all the unnecessary holes is to simply weld them up and grind them down. The bulkhead is an integral part of the Series Land Rover, second only to the frame itself. Also, the firewall of an engine compartment affects the handsomeness of the vehicle every bit as much as a pretty engine. For these reasons, the time spent cleaning up the bulkhead is a investment with a great return.
They are not a how to guide on vehicle maintenance or restoration. If you are going to weld your bulkhead You MUST use a low amperage TIG or MIG welder. Anything else may cause significant warping. If you bulkhead warps it may not bolt back to the frame, your doors may not align properly. If you don't have the proper equipment for the job, find someone who does. If you cannot weld, this is NOT the time to learn. For more of this legal CYA stuff, click here. |
[ Rover Assessment ] [ Steering Straight ]
[ Minimal Wiring ] [ Worth $500? ] [ Fuel Supply ]
[ Idle Thoughts ] [ Tough Decisions ] [ Spinning Wheels ]
[ Stripping Down ] [ The Bulkhead ] [ The Bulkhead 2 ]
[ Maggie's Motor ] [ Chassis Prep ] [ POR15 & Parabolics ]
[ Synergy ] [ The Breakfast ] [ Waking the Neighbors ]
[ A New Look ] [ Test Drive! ] [ Designing Woman ]
[ Mystery Solved ] [ More Juju ] [ Whoa Maggie! ]
[ Finish Line! ] [ Epilogue ]
[ Due Thank Yous ]
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