1958 Austin A35 - the family heirloom...
Discussion
Bloody hell... sorry to hear that OP! Glad you took it upon yourself to go to hospital and that they were able to do something to assist, though the remedial work was somewhat toe curling to read! Hope you're back in rude health in a couple of days, many thanks for the precautionary tale...
Ambleton said:
Can I just take a moment for anyone still reading this to make a PSA.
Please please whenever working, grinding/sanding, cutting etc WEAR EYE PROTECTION.
I have just come back from the emergency eye clinic at my local hospital.
Yesterday afternoon I started getting pain in my right eye. I called 111 at 4pm and I didn't get a call back until gone 11pm, when I was already asleep and in bed. I went this morning to the hospital.
Turns out that on Friday or Saturday I likely got a shard of metal embedded in my eyeball. I didn't feel it at the time. The pain I felt yesterday and in the evening was that shard of metal rusting into my eyeball.
After about a minute with a hyperdermic needle and swab scratching and poking into the eyeball the piece of metal was removed. I felt immediate relief.
He then went back in with another tool that I can only describe as a tiny Dremel or vibro etch/engraving tool to remove the rust and rust stained flesh. This was bloody awful. Realistically it was probably for around 30-40 seconds. It felt like 20minutes.
I'm now back at home, eye welded shut and patched over for the next 24hrs, then cream 4 times a day for 3 days and every night for 2 weeks....
Eye protection is not a joke. I've learned my lesson.
OuchPlease please whenever working, grinding/sanding, cutting etc WEAR EYE PROTECTION.
I have just come back from the emergency eye clinic at my local hospital.
Yesterday afternoon I started getting pain in my right eye. I called 111 at 4pm and I didn't get a call back until gone 11pm, when I was already asleep and in bed. I went this morning to the hospital.
Turns out that on Friday or Saturday I likely got a shard of metal embedded in my eyeball. I didn't feel it at the time. The pain I felt yesterday and in the evening was that shard of metal rusting into my eyeball.
After about a minute with a hyperdermic needle and swab scratching and poking into the eyeball the piece of metal was removed. I felt immediate relief.
He then went back in with another tool that I can only describe as a tiny Dremel or vibro etch/engraving tool to remove the rust and rust stained flesh. This was bloody awful. Realistically it was probably for around 30-40 seconds. It felt like 20minutes.
I'm now back at home, eye welded shut and patched over for the next 24hrs, then cream 4 times a day for 3 days and every night for 2 weeks....
Eye protection is not a joke. I've learned my lesson.
I had that but with a shard of rock, spat out of a fire when a pebble exploded due to the heat. Straight into the cornea which was a bit of a s
t. Amazingly it healed over and I got clear sight back again.Didn't hurt, just felt like a dose of Arc eye.
So yes, eye protection, we all use it at work then forget about it at home.
Ambleton said:
Can I just take a moment for anyone still reading this to make a PSA.
Please please whenever working, grinding/sanding, cutting etc WEAR EYE PROTECTION.
I have just come back from the emergency eye clinic at my local hospital.
Yesterday afternoon I started getting pain in my right eye. I called 111 at 4pm and I didn't get a call back until gone 11pm, when I was already asleep and in bed. I went this morning to the hospital.
Turns out that on Friday or Saturday I likely got a shard of metal embedded in my eyeball. I didn't feel it at the time. The pain I felt yesterday and in the evening was that shard of metal rusting into my eyeball.
After about a minute with a hyperdermic needle and swab scratching and poking into the eyeball the piece of metal was removed. I felt immediate relief.
He then went back in with another tool that I can only describe as a tiny Dremel or vibro etch/engraving tool to remove the rust and rust stained flesh. This was bloody awful. Realistically it was probably for around 30-40 seconds. It felt like 20minutes.
I'm now back at home, eye welded shut and patched over for the next 24hrs, then cream 4 times a day for 3 days and every night for 2 weeks....
Eye protection is not a joke. I've learned my lesson.
I too have had the needle in the eye due to rust / metal / welding …. It hurts like hell, on the plus side it will heal quickly. I have scaring in my eye that I can see if I concentrate or close my eyes.Please please whenever working, grinding/sanding, cutting etc WEAR EYE PROTECTION.
I have just come back from the emergency eye clinic at my local hospital.
Yesterday afternoon I started getting pain in my right eye. I called 111 at 4pm and I didn't get a call back until gone 11pm, when I was already asleep and in bed. I went this morning to the hospital.
Turns out that on Friday or Saturday I likely got a shard of metal embedded in my eyeball. I didn't feel it at the time. The pain I felt yesterday and in the evening was that shard of metal rusting into my eyeball.
After about a minute with a hyperdermic needle and swab scratching and poking into the eyeball the piece of metal was removed. I felt immediate relief.
He then went back in with another tool that I can only describe as a tiny Dremel or vibro etch/engraving tool to remove the rust and rust stained flesh. This was bloody awful. Realistically it was probably for around 30-40 seconds. It felt like 20minutes.
I'm now back at home, eye welded shut and patched over for the next 24hrs, then cream 4 times a day for 3 days and every night for 2 weeks....
Eye protection is not a joke. I've learned my lesson.
Becareful if you have an MRI in the next few years ! It can pull any metal that’s still in the eye out !
Now back to the topic ….
Yes indeed OP, you were lucky to get the correct treatment, now do as the doc says and rest!
I had what was described as a 'minor stroke' three years back that has permenantly affected the sight of one eye, as eyes work best as a 'stereo pair', getting a tool onto a fastener is now very frustrating and very hit and miss!
I had what was described as a 'minor stroke' three years back that has permenantly affected the sight of one eye, as eyes work best as a 'stereo pair', getting a tool onto a fastener is now very frustrating and very hit and miss!
Years ago I had to grind off the bolts holding the radiator panel on my Morris Minor, no eye protection, and just a thick wolly overcoat covering the rest of me…!
Also a top tip , don’t scare your cat by creeping up behind them and giving it a BOO! - the cat turned around and promptly lashed out with a claw, and caught my eye, pain was unreal, but it did clear up after about a week, oops!
Also a top tip , don’t scare your cat by creeping up behind them and giving it a BOO! - the cat turned around and promptly lashed out with a claw, and caught my eye, pain was unreal, but it did clear up after about a week, oops!
Keep buggering on. Not done anything for a week or two as I ran out of welding gas. Went to my supplier yesterday and the last bottle they had in the racking felt empty to me so declined. They're due some more next week so will try again next Saturday.
Done a few more things.
Trimmed the arch lip down and very very gently pushed out the arches slightly. With the car on its side on the rotisserie I could get a bottle jack in there with a timber spreader and gently push the whole lot out by about 5mm. Trimming about 10mm of the arch return in addition gains about 15mm outboard, and inboard if knocked a local flange back, which gives about another 5mm on the inside too for the tyre. It doesn't sound a lot, but every little helps
Also a few other little bits made to fill in/repair flanges as necessary...
With the shortage of gas, I've been busy doing other bits n bobs that were overdue on my other never ending project so I can really enjoy it over the summer months ahead.
Done a few more things.
Trimmed the arch lip down and very very gently pushed out the arches slightly. With the car on its side on the rotisserie I could get a bottle jack in there with a timber spreader and gently push the whole lot out by about 5mm. Trimming about 10mm of the arch return in addition gains about 15mm outboard, and inboard if knocked a local flange back, which gives about another 5mm on the inside too for the tyre. It doesn't sound a lot, but every little helps
Also a few other little bits made to fill in/repair flanges as necessary...
With the shortage of gas, I've been busy doing other bits n bobs that were overdue on my other never ending project so I can really enjoy it over the summer months ahead.
Edited by Ambleton on Sunday 28th April 21:12
Glad it was sorted though, and 100% agree about eye protection!Work has slowly been progressing on the A35.
I have a plan hatched to make a rear A-frame for locating the rear axle laterally. Initial plan was to make a panhard rod but there isn't really anywhere mega secure to attach it to. Most people use the boot floor but it's a big unsupported span and not very stiff, and thin/old - I'd be worried about tearing it to be honest.
So my plan for A-Frame will use 3 rod ends. Two attaching the the new (and very stiff) spring mounts at the front, and one centrally to the bottom of the diff with, you guessed it, an A shaped tubular frame.
I've already welded 3mm reinforcement plates to the fwd spring mounts and made up some bracketry to weld to the axle housing.
I've also made one side of panels to close off the rear if the sill into the arch area. Originally they have some good awful plate with a bit of rubber strip that's screwed into place.
I've trimmed the arch lip back a fair bit so needed to be a bit creative to make it work but think it looks good and will stop crap firing down into a void.
Another bit that's got the same treatment is the rear arch to rear wing. This is another "rubber flap" as standard.... This bit was tricky to make the right shape but got there in the end.
Once it's in one colour it'll look mega I think, then another step better when it's seam sealed and undercoated. It's hard to judge at the minute because it just looks like a total patchwork quilt. Shiny bits, dull bits, primered bits, rusty bits, ground bits, new bits, old bits.
I have a plan hatched to make a rear A-frame for locating the rear axle laterally. Initial plan was to make a panhard rod but there isn't really anywhere mega secure to attach it to. Most people use the boot floor but it's a big unsupported span and not very stiff, and thin/old - I'd be worried about tearing it to be honest.
So my plan for A-Frame will use 3 rod ends. Two attaching the the new (and very stiff) spring mounts at the front, and one centrally to the bottom of the diff with, you guessed it, an A shaped tubular frame.
I've already welded 3mm reinforcement plates to the fwd spring mounts and made up some bracketry to weld to the axle housing.
I've also made one side of panels to close off the rear if the sill into the arch area. Originally they have some good awful plate with a bit of rubber strip that's screwed into place.
I've trimmed the arch lip back a fair bit so needed to be a bit creative to make it work but think it looks good and will stop crap firing down into a void.
Another bit that's got the same treatment is the rear arch to rear wing. This is another "rubber flap" as standard.... This bit was tricky to make the right shape but got there in the end.
Once it's in one colour it'll look mega I think, then another step better when it's seam sealed and undercoated. It's hard to judge at the minute because it just looks like a total patchwork quilt. Shiny bits, dull bits, primered bits, rusty bits, ground bits, new bits, old bits.
Edited by Ambleton on Friday 31st May 23:14
Edited by Ambleton on Saturday 1st June 07:14
Also, for the area that's normally a horrendous mud/water trap behind the rear wheel, this is the solution we came up with...
Here's how it would've been originally. You can see the rubber strips in this photo, they're held in with some form of staple on a metal carrier strip that's spot welded to the wheel tub (this is post paint, clearly)
Our solution:
And here's the original style rear sill finisher peice that simply screws in place with a rubber surround.
Big thanks to Ryan from the A35 club who sent me the pics of his restoration to 100% factory spec. He bought it from an old boy who'd put the car in his carpeted, heated garage in the late 60s and never drove it, think the car has about 20k miles on it. It is totally rust free. (His is a 4door)
Here's how it would've been originally. You can see the rubber strips in this photo, they're held in with some form of staple on a metal carrier strip that's spot welded to the wheel tub (this is post paint, clearly)
Our solution:
And here's the original style rear sill finisher peice that simply screws in place with a rubber surround.
Big thanks to Ryan from the A35 club who sent me the pics of his restoration to 100% factory spec. He bought it from an old boy who'd put the car in his carpeted, heated garage in the late 60s and never drove it, think the car has about 20k miles on it. It is totally rust free. (His is a 4door)
Edited by Ambleton on Friday 31st May 23:09
Bobupndown said:
Work progressing nicely. When do you anticipate it'll be ready for paint?
That's a good question. Id like it back on its wheels this year. That's still seems a fairly long way off though and a big job.
1- To do that I need to finish all the obvious bits of welding, of which there's loads of pissy little awkward bits.
2- I need to do a dry build to make sure everything fits and enable the last bits of welding, for example seatbelt mountings I'll need the seats fitted. And I need to do the A frame welding and bracketry for the new rear dampers, for which will be easier with the axle in to mock up.
3- Then I need to finish tidying up the boot lid, bonnet, both doors and wings. They're more or less there but probably need a day on each getting them pukka before working out how best to re-attach the wings.
4- I'm fitting an A40 pedal box and steering box so need some mods too to the bulkhead and bracketry to make those fit too.
Once all that's done then it can be stripped again and sent off for dipping.
Then it's going to be a slog with the seam sealer and undercoat!
Then once that's done it'll be back on its wheels in no time.
Edited by Ambleton on Saturday 1st June 11:06
Very impressed with your attention to detail, OP, I quess the 'do it once, do it right' is your thought process.
Regarding the rear axle, have you noted the Frontline MGB kit to convert to rear coil springs?
A pair of fabricated trailing arms and upper/lower spring pads..... will make a lot of difference to ride quality.
Regarding the rear axle, have you noted the Frontline MGB kit to convert to rear coil springs?
A pair of fabricated trailing arms and upper/lower spring pads..... will make a lot of difference to ride quality.
ferret50 said:
Very impressed with your attention to detail, OP, I quess the 'do it once, do it right' is your thought process.
Regarding the rear axle, have you noted the Frontline MGB kit to convert to rear coil springs?
A pair of fabricated trailing arms and upper/lower spring pads..... will make a lot of difference to ride quality.
There isn't really anywhere on the shell that would be stiff enough to put a spring seat. At least not without a lot of work installing turrets etc, but then you're into the game of a full coil over conversion. I think changing the lever arm dampers to telescopic should give a good improvement from standard anyway, which the new springs and A frame to prevent lateral movement. Regarding the rear axle, have you noted the Frontline MGB kit to convert to rear coil springs?
A pair of fabricated trailing arms and upper/lower spring pads..... will make a lot of difference to ride quality.
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