Surgical Choices? Options

[bkrantz]

A question for the collective: where best to cut for a front right corner splice? My floor is original and straight, except for the outer-most corner, where it is bashed in. The front panel was replaced once before (at least all but the left 1/3). The inner fender was crumpled a bit.

This photo shows the donor clip. Some options, as I can see it:

Red: separate the seam between the floor and the inner fender and front panel. I will then have to straighten and probably patch a bit of the original floor in the outer corner.

Yellow: cut the floor between the reinforcement for the forward suspension mounting and the vertical brace. Might be challenging to get a good weld with sandwiched metal.

Purple: variation on Red or Yellow to transplant more of the front panel. The donor panel is straight below the weatherstrip channel but dented a bit lower down by the holes. The receiving car panel is straight lower down but got dinged pretty good along part of the upper edge.

Other options or ideas?

[bkrantz]

And here is the receiving car.

[bbrock]

I'd do the red one. Less butt weld that route so less grinding and body work.

[bkrantz]

Thanks. Any other ideas?

[roblav1]

Thanks. Any other ideas?

Concur with red one.

[cn2800]

Agree with the others on the red outline. I did a similar repair a year or so ago. The professional body guy helping me out kept repeating that you want to leave as much of the original metal on the car as you can. Having that extra little wing on the floor pan still there will give you a larger original surface for locating the new part. Bear in mind there will be a seemingly endless number of spot welds to drill out.

[bkrantz]

Thanks, everyone. I did more surgery on the car, following the Red Line plan to preserve the original floor corner. Now I can confirm what I thought: the metal is solid (no rust) but pretty banged up. And so is the outer part of the front panel.

[bkrantz]

Here's a closeup of the floor corner.

[bkrantz]

My donor clip is very straight but has some rust-through, along the top edge and where the bumper mount reinforcement backs up the panel. The floor corner, inner fender wall, and seams look rust-free.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

replace the least to get the job done, and drill out as many spot welds as possible.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

make sure the car is very very straight before welding any new parts in

[bbrock]

Thanks, everyone. I did more surgery on the car, following the Red Line plan to preserve the original floor corner. Now I can confirm what I thought: the metal is solid (no rust) but pretty banged up. And so is the outer part of the front panel.

Nice work. If you can't bring that banged up floor corner back with a hammer, you'll probably have to chop the tip off and splice from the donor. I still think you are ahead of the game going this route. Still less butt weld, and the weld will be buried under your headlight where no one will see.

[bkrantz]

So again I have choices:

For the floor corner, work it back into shape, guided by the donor inner fender, or splice in the donor floor.

For the front panel, work the end back into shape, or replace it with a section from the donor, and patch new metal where rusty.

If I straighten and keep the original floor and front, I will be transplanting the inner fender and the headlight box only.

All suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance and helping me think through this.

[bbrock]

If it were me, I'd try to work as much as I could back to shape. Both your floor and front piece look like they may be beyond my skillset, but I would try anyway. The more you can plug weld along flanges, the better. If they can't be worked back to shape, you still have the backup option available.

[sixnotfour]

Note that your using a 70-72 front clip to repair your 73-74, the only difference is the extra flat spot for where the bumper has a extra brace and pad..that gives added crash protection..

[roblav1]

Concur with Brent again.

[bkrantz]

Thanks, everyone. I am inclined now to see how straight/restored I can get the floor corner and the front panel. I am not inclined to splice in parts that have rust to fix.

[bkrantz]

Note that your using a 70-72 front clip to repair your 73-74, the only difference is the extra flat spot for where the bumper has a extra brace and pad..that gives added crash protection..

Thanks. I do know the clip is older, since it also lacks the semi-circular horizontal braces. Another reason to keep the original front panel (or at least as much as possible.

[bkrantz]

Rough work to start getting the floor corner back in shape. Sorry for the bad focus.