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]

Another thread I was reading was talking about how much additional strength comes from the jack post. I was planning on leaving that off, and since my longs are well reinforced I thought it still might be OK. But in the end, I figured I'll take more strength wherever I can get it and since I still have the stock jack, might as well rebuild the jack posts.

Made a pattern from the old one, snipped out the metal:


Hammer time:


Got some square tube from the local metal supplier, kit needed some adjustment when all was said and done:


You don't see it here but I used the valance to position this guy:


Needed to make some adjustments to the hole in the middle, ultimately a tiny bit of patch metal has to go in. I'll adjust the pattern before doing the other side. Some tapping with the hammer to get the flanges to conform to the long, then drilled for the rosette welds and primed- switched to the copper based weld-through, it does seem to weld easier: