Cary's 73 1.7 Rustoration Thread Options

[cary]

Then on to adding the rocker panel channel. I cut off the rotten portion earlier.



Super In Law created the piece.



So have cut off wheel will travel. Off came the bottom of the fender. Trimmed the new piece to fit.



Then back to stitching. Once again took my time. Used the backer to absorb the heat.
Used the cooling gel to knock down the temp.



Gave it a couple passes with the DA.

[cary]

Todays task will be finishing the fender.
Yellow squiggles will get a little bit of All Metal.
Looking back I should have flipped it over when I welded the upper line. It's not flat enough. That's the lower line in the picture.
There is a good sized dimple in the middle (circle). It's perfectly smooth So I'll try and shrink that out. I knew that it was there when I started. But I didn't to hammer on it.

[cary]

Here's where I was at after the guide coat was sanded off. This was done after some reworking with the shrinking disk.



Here's where I ended the day. The circled area is the last low area.
What you see is the skim coat at 80 GR. Other than the one low spot. She is silky smooth.

[cary]

Super In Law went to work on the cover for the inner hole on the bottom of the targa bar. This is up inside the fender. We're going way beyond what the factory did.
Below is the opening.



Making the pattern. I think this is version #4. The others are on the floor.



Cardboard pattern installed. We're going to drill drain/vent holes of the metal piece.

[cary]

Last work day for this vacation. Forecast is for 76 degrees. We'll push it out and do some more bead blasting to get the inner fenders cleaned out. And finish up the rear trunk. I hope get everything epoxy primed before it gets cool.

I'm having an open house with a group of my Pelican 911 buddies tomorrow. If anyone is interested in stopping by PM me. 11am - 2pm.

[cary]

Got most everything blasted until I wore out my HF Deadman Valve.

I got the fender almost finished. Once everything was smoothed out I found a high spot dimple from one of the back side welds. Dammit ........



When I was sanding I opened up another thin spot along the rolled edge. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Pretty scary. It would gone thru the paint in a few years. There's one on other side. I'll shoot a picture today after I open it up with the pick. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[worn]

Got most everything blasted until I wore out my HF Deadman Valve.

I got the fender almost finished. Once everything was smoothed out I found a high spot dimple from one of the back side welds. Dammit ........



When I was sanding I opened up another thin spot along the rolled edge. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) Pretty scary. It would gone thru the paint in a few years. There's one on other side. I'll shoot a picture today after I open it up with the pick. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Nice work guys! I swear I could give you guys a piece of Swiss cheese and you could make a Porsche from the pattern! I am old enough to be a super in law but lack the skills. Sigh.

Quick edit: that incubator /heater is a piece of lab equipment, the twin of which I walk by regularly. Pricy new.

[cary]

Quick edit: that incubator /heater is a piece of lab equipment, the twin of which I walk by regularly. Pricy new.

Quite a few popping up on Craigslist. Should be fun.

[cary]

Here' s what I was talking about. Short of a NOS fender I don't know how you'd completely protect yourself from the inside out factor. This is the same thing you see on the bottom edge of the door skins.

I'm going to make an attempt at soaking it with OSPHO for starters. I know starting with a better car would help for starters.



I opened it up with the edge of the die grinder. Forgot to shoot a picture, folks started showing up. I might start a thread just on this subject.

[cary]

Another episode of Tool Whore :

Those of you that use Rustoleum for rust protection. You know that the cans Rustoleum uses don't have the noozle clearing feature. Turn the can upside and vent till it blows the paint out of the nozzle. When I remember, I drop the nozzle into a cup of lacquer thinner. Then blow out with air.

But I searched the web and found a 10ct bag of replacement nozzles. $10. Much more better.

[cary]

Time to catch up on things .............

1. Finished glass bead blasting the paint off the fenders.



2. Blasted the removed rear fender portions. Then I OSPHO'd the front and back. Focusing on the pitted inside.



3. It was time to spray some more epoxy primer. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)



I welded the cut out fender edge. Waiting for one of the horsey people to leave so I could paint. New Lexus ES 350.

Picture to follow.

Got one the jack points welded in.

Picture to follow.

[cary]

I'm going to be so busy reading/watching every one else's build off projects work will probably stop on mine. LOL

Seriously, I'm thinking of taking a time out. Switch over to stripping the paint off my 73 2.0. Doing a little rust repair and re paint it in time from WCR. The car runs and drives so well. Its a shame it doesn't look better.

Just strip, rust repair, exterior paint, new windshield and a new carpet.

[cary]

I decided to redo the previous work on the bottom of the right front fender.
Like the left side, I cut out the section that was over worked and rusted.

Here's were I was at after I removed all the rusted layers.



Tried filling in as many of the gaps and bumps that I could.
All sealed up. Tough going. Pretty beat up after removing all the old welds.



Ended the day spraying a little more epoxy primer.



Stopped by the paint store and ordered some 2 part Fusor seam sealer.
Both direct to metal brush on, and a dual tube that is applied after the epoxy primer has been applied.

[saigon71]

Lookin good! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[cary]

Decided to tackle reinstalling the right fender portion.

Millermatic 180 set on auto .23
Voltage set about 21 gauge/2



New clamps set up. Pretty cool. They let you level the panels flat.



Ready set go ...........
Maybe it should have been just a smidgen hotter.



Taking my time. Stitch is real quick, not generating much heat.

[cary]

It really went pretty smooth.



Maybe a little over zealous linking the spots together. Hindsight, I should have been a little hotter.
But I had to take it up to 22 on the formed fender lip. Blew a couple small holes.



In the end, just a little disappointing. The weld created a ridge. Too hard to shrink with my 4" shrinking disk. Might look at getting a rose bud for the torch. I wish it was a 32 Desoto, there'd be enough steel to grind it smooth.

Back with the tools of the trade. I'll get it. Inch by inch.

[cary]

While I was working on the back fender Super In Law was working on the front patch.

[cary]

Onto installing the fender patch. It took quite a bit of fiddling to get a nice fit.



Welding went much better. I have one low spot on the weld.
I used the shrinking disk on the back to pull it back up. Got most of it. I'll probably try some more when I get back to the shop.

I spent quite a bit of time working it with a hammer as I was welding.
Maybe I didn't cool it enough when I was grinding down the welds. I'll keep trying to get this figured out.

Doing hammer and dolly work around the weld is a PIA.

I think I'll try a straight edge as I finish the next butt weld.

[cary]

Ok, I think I have it figured out. I think the warpage is always in a spot where I have a blow out. My mistake is filling the hole right then. I'll try walking away and filling it in tack by tack after letting every tack cool to room temp. Plus I'll start using the infrared temp gun to check the temp, rather than me hand.

Here's some good ideas .............
http://autobodystore.com/forum/showthread....t-it-!!!

[sixnotfour]

use your compressed air to cool ...your almost done (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)