Rust repair before paint, The quest for solid metal in the driver side Long - 73 narrow body/4 rebuild thread Options

[Montreal914]

Edit: I might as well make this my rebuild thread...

Original post; I got side tracked on my Microsquirt build as I have decided, after 11 years of ownership, to finally get my car painted to get her ready for her upcoming 50th birthday. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Knowing these endeavors can take a lot more time than initially planned, I hope to make it in time... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Originally bahia red 73 1.7. The goal is a narrow body 2056 Microsquirt, VW Tornado red, 5 lugs conversion with 16" Fuchs.
Front: 914-4 A arms with rubber bushings, 911 3" pin struts, Bilstein inserts, Alfa Brembo, vented rotor, stock torsion bar, 19mm sway bar, turbo tie rods, and 19mm master cylinder.
Rear: Drilled hubs, 914 PMB stock calipers edit: 914-6 calipers replica, 914-6 solid rear rotors, 140lbs springs, stock sway bar, rubber bushings.

But before I get the pleasure of installing all of these beautiful fresh goodies, I need to tackle the not so fun stuff... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

I have already started fixing some of the rust issues and will share that progress in the near future but right now, I wanted to post some of the issues i have on the passenger side front fender. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I have searched and read many of the builds here but I would like some inputs from the people who have gone through this mess.

I am trying to understand the construction of the rear part of the fender, more precisely the area joining the front cowling.

Below is a sketch of how I think it is made but i would like someone to confirm...



Having removed the seam sealer in the upper rear area, I have discovered "this" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) which is not really unusual, but clearly a pain to fix. I am not sure though what I am looking at. If my sketch is correct, I guess the inner rusted layer is from the fender rear bulkhead that actually becomes an inner layer on the rear upper point of the fender by the door and cowling junction.





I might be able to cut this from the underside preventing me from cutting the outer surface of the fender. But I would like to better understand what is happening at the junction to the body.
How many layers are there from the fender, one or two?
Is the metal peeling off at the joint to the body the metal from the bulkhead/inner layer, or is it the outer fender layer?

As a reference, this if the situation of the channel, surface rust, but how bad? Is there a way to better know without destroying? Maybe poke with a screwdriver? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)



Comments appreciated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Montreal914]

Next, time to fix some of the scars created during the rough fender cut. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

The cutting disk actually cut a little in the trailing edge of the sail panel. Nothing that a little welding can't fix (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif).






Moving along to the rear corner. Current situation, and donner fender current end cuts...






But what is hidden in the donner fender corner is the underside corner cut. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)




So before going any further, this needs to be addressed somehow...



So I delicately cut off that missing portion from the removed original fender, now the "easy" task of welding this on the fender... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)




Crazy the amount of time one can spend fixing such a small area... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) But it got done in the end...




OK, now back to fitting the fender on the car. Very first placement is definitely very encouraging! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)




That being said the rear end still needs to be figured out. Now all of this wouldn't have been an issue if the donner fender was 100% complete, but it isn't, so we need to improvise a little. That corner (yellow arrow) has been deformed and isn't part of the fender...




...out of space for more pictures, to be continued! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif)