BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: Eisberg rustoration, Need some input... Options

[mbseto]

Funny, I am as nervous starting this thread as I was to start cutting into my car.

I resolved to start a rustoration thread when I made my first cuts, so here it is. I'm hoping the community will pipe in periodically with any, "Don't do that!", "Do it this other way!", "Do this first!", or "Don't forget this!" comments that are appropriate. Any and all guidance will be appreciated.

So here's the car as I got it, not quite a year ago:


Started out doing a little engine work to get it running, then drove it around a little bit before starting to take it apart. Took the engine out, put it up on a dolly, took out much of the interior and suspension, and this is how it sits now:






After cleaning out the inside and seeing the rust, it was hard to believe we were driving it at all. These are the first cuts, just straightening out the edges of the rust holes really.


More pics coming soon, I'll be documenting the extent of the damage and forming a battle plan.

[mbseto]

Puzzled over how to match up the inner long to the wheelhouse long, decided on a similar process. What you will not see in this series is me levelling the car across the little ledge in the firewall and constantly measuring the door gaps. I'm checking these at intervals as I go.

Made a template to represent the inner long. It's taped to the body. I've mode some witness marks on it so that I can remove it and then put it back in the same place.




Put the wheelhouse long in place...


...and traced the edge on the template.


Removed the wheelhouse long.

The template is then removed, cut on the traced line, and then replaced using the witness marks.

Then I put the inner long in place over the template.


Taped the template to the inner long.


Traced it and cut. Cut outside the line a bit so I have a little room for adjustment.