Tipping point, ‘72 rebuild Options

[Ishley]

I’ve been working on my 72 1.7 since March when I decided to tear it all down and rebuild / fix rust and update all the things that were never done. It’s a mostly all original car with 94k miles. The car was painted twice (poorly) and had rust in the longs and some bad repairs.

I’ve repaired the longs, hell hole and most of the misc rot areas (bumper mounts etc) and today a started on the floors.

The jig I built is based on the restoration design bottom section built with 1 1/4 square 1/8” walled steel. I fabricated and bolted it to the trans mount and front suspension mount area. Then I attached 2x6’s and 3/4 plywood and lots of constructions screws.

We rolled it on its side today so I can weld in the new floor and finish up what I hope is the worst of the metal work.

I’m sending the hoods, engine cover and doors to a dipper next week to have the paint stripped. Also some parts I can’t fit in my blast cabinet will be blasted there.

After the new floors are done I might wheel the car out of the garage and have one of those mobile sand blasters come and do the trunk areas. I plan to paint the whole bottom before I get it all off the jig.

Been a lot of work but I feel like i really making progress. A lot of lonely days cutting welding and grinding. The disassembly of the suspension parts took a while along with cleaning and sandblasting all the parts.

I’ve only seen one othe post with a tip over jig like this… but it was easy and it works. 3 of us tipped it… but 2 people could do it.

[Ishley]

Small world. I grew up south of town in what is now Darien. We spent our summers at the CH pool during childhood. I went
To school in Hinsdale and I went to Hinsdale So. After I got married we’ve been here 37 years. We love it here. Center of the universe.