Rear Crossmember - Replace or patch (properly)

[the_chisholm]

G'day ladies and Gents,

I haven't posted up for a while, but have run into some potential probs with my current '54 107 restoration.
The rear crossmember, after cleaning 50 years of crud off it, has some fairly major rust problems. As a bit of history i believe it was an ex Fire appliance at some stage looking at what is left of the paint job.
Now, i would like to retain as much originality as possible, however i have a 55 107 chassis in better nick on the rear cross member, but the front spring shackle area is a bit second hand.
So to cut a long winded post short, should i repair (patch), swap, or replace the crossmember with the better one?

Thanks,
Glenn

[chazza]

Post a pic or two to help us decide

I made a new crossmember for my 80" and it wasn't very difficult to do and rather enjoyable as well. If you like, I could email you an article I wrote about the exercise for my Rover club,

Cheers Charlie

[the_chisholm]

Probably not the best pic, ill get a couple of better ones this arvo.

[the_chisholm]

Hopefully these detail some more of the rusted areas i am referring to.
Chazza was it a difficult job forming the new steel to fit ? I can weld well enough however i am cautious of biting off more than i can chew

[chazza]

After looking at your photos Glen, I would make a new crossmember rather than try to patch it but it all depends on how you want it to look.

In my case I got the local engineering firm to do two long bends on their Hydra bend. Everything else I could do with basic hand tools and bending jigs in a 6" vice.

I have emailed you the article; I am sure you will enjoy doing it - the best thing is that it will probably only cost about $30 to make a whole new crossmember

[Outlaw]

If you don't mind Chazza but that tutorial could be quite handy to include in the Files section or uploaded in the projects section for others to use

[Shonky]

Could I ask you to send me that article as well Chaz?

I'll PM you my email address.

[the_chisholm]

Not quite sure if i want to cut up a perfectly good chassis, however it does present a good solution to the problem.
If i cut and graft does any one want other bits from a 107 chassis?

[chazza]

G'day Outlaw and NM,
Captain Dimwit here - I haven't the foggiest clue how to post anything to the files section or tutorials but if you like I can email the files (7) to someone who can. They contain photos (some not very good quality) and they outline how I restored my very rusty S1 chassis. All were written some years ago for my club magazine but would be relevant to most Land Rovers especially S 1,2 and 3.

Procedures covered are fabrication and fitting/repair of: rear crossmember; both gearbox crossmembers; the bottom of the longitudinals; the front chassis where the springs locate; front bumper; steering relay cylinder; removing and replacing spring hangers and the joys of using molasses.

PM me if you are interested,

Cheers Charlie

[series1buff]

Charlie posted his shortened story on the sister forum :the pics have gone West unfortunately.

Trans Tasman Land Rover Series 1 Register Forum • View topic - Making a rear crossmember

For those who dont know it, he virtually made a 80" chassis from scratch. His chassis was a swiss cheese version , and the dreaded mice had taken their toll on it . All of us would have junked it , but he has rebuilt it, to his credit.