I see where you're coming from Sam, we're always tought to grease them but they're designed to pivot on a knife edge, there shouldn't be any sliding contact that needs grease, is the grease just to prevent rusting?

Peter, seeing as you're a pro, how about some pics of the tools, and descriptions of the techniques as you go along. The engine's looking good, hope you've got a plan to stop all that alu going furry, now it's so clean.

tbh i would never pully my finger out and get round to doing it, im still yet to attend to the surface rust on the rear nearside kick up since last feb,
ive also never really bothered greasing the knife edges, i tried a few times but failed,
when i did the suspension on the nearside i replaced all knife edges "while i was there" so to speak

Come on James,pulley your finger out and sort out that rust

i will one day dave
one day ill have a day off and do it
it will only take me an evening and some paint and wax oil

Hmm there was me thinking it was essential to grease the knife edges and what a clever idea it was to fit nipples.. >_< Might just get some new ends and pretend it never happened.

Got virtually nothing done recently due to work being very busy and having a couple of weeks away seeing family, but tomorrow I'm locking myself in the garage all day. I'll put up pics if anything vaguely interesting occurs.

Done a bit of welding.

Wanted to get all the rust around the boot floor area sorted today, so started with the worst bit, at the back. Someone asked for me to do a step by step thing showing how to do rust repairs so I'll do it for this bit, then it's over and done with.

Started with this..


First thing was to remove the chassis leg brackets, by drilling out the spot welds using a spot weld drill bit.


I then made a repair patch, and placed it over the corroded area, drawing round it with a pencil.


I then cut out the area, using a combination of 4.5" grinder with 1mm slit disc, a cut off saw, die grinder with carbide burr, and again, a spot weld drill bit. I cut it out keeping about 5mm inside the line.


That enables you to offer up the repair section and mark it out accurately. I always put masking tape on the area to be cut, makes marking out easier. Place the repair section where you want it and clamp it in the correct position. Draw round it very accurately.


I found when I cut away the corroded area, that there were more delights underneath. The two layers under the boot floor needed cutting out, new peices making and welding in before I could go further.


Inner repaired


Outer repaired


I then offered up the repair section, clamped it in place, and tack welded it all round.


Then I seam welded it, doing 10mm at a time, alternating from end to end, to prvent heat building up and causing warping.



Plug welded the rear edge


I then dressed the welds with a hard grinding stone in the grinder, followed by a 36 grit softpad disc.

The brackets were a bit past thier best so new ones were made


And welded on. I took a lot of measurements prior to removing them, to ensure they went back in the right place.


Front of the spare wheel well was pitted and holed, so cut it out



And new section made and welded in. I cut a swage section from to soon-to-be ex floorpan, and welded it in.


There was a hole either side of the well at the rear.


Both repaired



Primed repaired areas using anti corrosive primer


If there is still enthusiasm next week, I might get a little more done.

Thanks for reading..

That's cracking that is.
I love the fact that you can whip the body off a 2cv and have it upside down.
Makes repairs like this almost a pleasure.

I agree with Lenny!
Keep going, your doing v well, don't loose faith!

I love the before and after......and the bits in between.....well done!!!

great work, looks very professional painted!