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I have my "tame" welder coming to look at my HB soon. I know he is a very competent guy, but he has never done an HB before. Can anyone suggest what are the worst problems in terms of rot on the underside of the chassis? I think I picked up somewhere that the two "box sections" which run the length of the car are critical in terms of strength and tend to rot from the inside? I have repair sections for the straight runs under the cabin floor, but I think I heard that the problem area is where they dip down under when going out of the engine bay and and down under the bulkhead.

I know the old adage about anything being repairable if you spend the time and money, but I'm just trying to identify what are the areas we need to poke which might be hardest to fix?

Looking at the areas which are easy to see; the wings and inner wings were replaced in 1980, but it wasn't done well and the inner wings are now well gone. Areas around the headlights are very good. Rear wheel arches were done in the mid-1980's and seem good as are the rear suspension mountings. The sills are original, look good but suspect they are bad.

I've never done a restoration before so have nothing to scope it against in terms of how good/bad things are

The sections where the gearbox cross member bolts on. As you say, wings, inner wings, sills, arches, spare wheel well, bottom of rear wings, bonnet/bootlid edges, front/rear valences. Pretty much anywhere really, scuttle panel at base of windscreen.

Let us know how it all goes.

Peter

It never ceases to surprise me how variable it is from one place to another. For instance, on the driver's side, the area where the hinge attaches on to the bonnet is all but perfect whereas the same area on the passenger side is a total disaster.

It won't make Billing this year, but I might, ....if I can get my canoe ready!