The '76 - doing it right this time, Finishing the interior Options

[76-914]

Continued with removing pieces before paint. The front stabilizer was an add on like the rear stabilizer but the attach plates looked rough compared to the rear plates.



My intent was to clean things up and reattach but the plate was too rough and I didn't care too much for the slotted holes so I made another pair from 3/16" plate.



When I cleaned the trunk metal I found this.







I welded the crack and the pitted spots before grinding smooth. Then I primed the pan and brace before tack welding in place. I'll add some seam seal around the base to prevent a replay of this repair in the future.

[76-914]

[76-914]

3 of the 4 attach points had cracks, tears or rusted out slots. The 4th had an 1/8" pilot hole that wasn't ever welded close. The left rear was the worst tear that was basically a distorted "X". The backing plates should have been welded to the pan but were not. Wasn't expecting this detour but they're done and I'm ready to move on to the next thing. Plugging those holes where the rear reflector mounted.

[76-914]

One more item off my list.

[rjames]

Any signs of your front clip being replaced earlier in life? It doesn't look like it has holes cut out in front with the plastic plugs.

See this thread for more info:
914 Front Cross Panel, how they are different

[76-914]

Any signs of your front clip being replaced earlier in life? It doesn't look like it has holes cut out in front with the plastic plugs.

See this thread for more info:
914 Front Cross Panel, how they are different

Very interesting. I'll take a close look today and check the serial number. Thx for posting that link.

[76-914]

First let me respond to @rjames question. No evidence of the front panel being replaced as it is spot/fused welded in place on the right side. However, it appears the left fender was replaced as there are some seam welds on that side. And from seeing the red oxide primer I'm thinking/hoping it was an OEM replacement. More on this as I progress. This is the good news!
During the sanding process on the left side quarter panel I found a large area of Bondo. After sanding down 1/4" I decided to grab the torch and putty knife. The abortion was about 3/16" deep at one point and thinned out from there. Obviously an insurance repair. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) Anyway as the title says, time to fix it right, weld some studs and pull the metal out so a skim coat will suffice. I found a similar repair on the front fender but his one was only a 3" long crease which could have been accessed with a dolly and hammered out. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/WTF.gif) The quarter panel I kinda get but the front fender. Give me a break. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) Anyway, I have quite a bit of work yet just to get the rest of the car down to metal so it will be awhile before I have anything or anytime to update this thread. Here is a pic of the qtr panel. I didn't capture the entire panel in this pic but you can see the holes that were drilled for the slide hammer which I doubt they used effectively.



One off the back panel; not done with sanding here yet. I keep moving around to avoid the doldrums.



And the right qtr panel with it's many parking lot dings. Hopefully I'll have some updates in a week or two. Unless I find more insurance repairs and commit Hari Kari. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Root_Werks]

You never really know what you have until you start removing paint. My 75 had a front end repair that was so-so. Shop that's painting it did better work to correct a few things.

Looking good!

[76-914]

You never really know what you have until you start removing paint. My 75 had a front end repair that was so-so. Shop that's painting it did better work to correct a few things.

Looking good!

I guess you have to expect it with a 50 yo car, eh? Whoever replaced the right front fender did a good job. But the guy that did the left qtr panel; not so much. Sanding is 85% done. I need to do the frunk lid, windshield frame, door jambs and those hard to access areas. The windshield is just sitting there since it's safer than sitting on the floor.

This little rear panel took lots of different attachments to get it down to metal



After removing the the bondo on the qtr panel you can see holes from when they used the screw type slide hammer. They didn't pull it out much though. They must have had bondo on sale that week. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) Before I could weld those closed I need to remove the undercoating and clean up that inner fender.



Some more pic's of sanded areas.





Oops. I see a little bondo spot I left on the right front fender. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)



Looks like a Porcupine with the all the studs. Many more were added and sanded down as it progressed. You can't do them all at once or it's a PITA getting the slide hammer attached. That and it would be like reaching into a Cactus patch. You can better see the holes that needed to be welded up in this pic.



A few more:





Some almost finished profile pics. I'll hit it with the DA once more then a skim coat.

[Mayne]

Looking really good, Kent! The Copperweld is interesting stuff. I wasn’t aware of that product until you posted.

[Superhawk996]

Really nice body work.

It’s pretty atrocious what some of the commercial shops call “repaired”. Bondo was the miracle product for quick cheap repair work back in the day.

[Chris H.]

Looks great Kent! That takes quite a bit of talent.

[rhodyguy]

And Texan determination.

[FL000]

Nice work Kent. Motivates me to get started on some bodywork I have been putting off.

[tygaboy]

Kent - REALLY excellent work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)
That's going to be one great looking car.

[76-914]

Looking really good, Kent! The Copperweld is interesting stuff. I wasn’t aware of that product until you posted.

They have their place for sure. I borrowed the gun and HF has the studs in 100 packs.

Really nice body work.

It’s pretty atrocious what some of the commercial shops call “repaired”. Bondo was the miracle product for quick cheap repair work back in the day.

It doesn't add up. It takes me longer to sand down Bondo than to pull out a panel. There will be some Bondo but only a skim coat.

Looks great Kent! That takes quite a bit of talent.

You'd be surprised Chris. A straight edge and patience will get you there.

And Texan determination.

Would you please tell my wife, Kevin. She says I'm a CSOB! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

Nice work Kent. Motivates me to get started on some bodywork I have been putting off.

Josh, what could it possibly need? Your car was a work of art the last time I saw it.

Kent - REALLY excellent work! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)
That's going to be one great looking car.

Well it wouldn't hold a candle next to your's Chris. I'm just aiming for a nice, honest OEM '76. And I'm posting the work here so that the next person that buys it can see it isn't a polished turd. It gets under my skin when people try to pass off one of these 914's knowing it is a rust bucket. Will it need future repairs? It's a 914 and approaching 50 yo so it goes w/o saying. What, I don't know but it won't need body work or paint in the next several years. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[76-914]

Continuing down the Rabbit Hole I began the attack on the rust area in the Hell Hole today. After dropping the drive train I removed the fiberglass and wire brushed a few places. Most of the fiberglass came out in one piece with allot of effort. What remained was chiseled or wire brushed out. There were no surprises since I'd taken pics of the carnage 13 years ago. In the next week or so I'll be welding in some patch pieces to correct my previous abomination. BTW. those areas I'd previously cut out were heavily pitted but not rusted through. So the metal at the edge of those cut out areas is pretty stout. I will square them up later to ease the task of replacing metal. Then I realized I'd never pulled back the deadening material on either side of the firewall. As long as I'm making metal repairs I needed to take a look. Not that I really wanted to but.... So I removed the sponge (the material on the engine side) and was elated. Other than the remnants of adhesive it is in fantastic condition. As is the lower firewall. Dirty as an 8 term Senator and just as solid. I'll post pics of the repairs in coming days/weeks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The area needing help:







The opposing side; clean as a whistle:



The upper firewall with adhesive yet to be removed.





And the lower firewall dirty but solid:





And the NOS battery tray I've been rat holing for the past 18 months that put me on the "Road to Redemption".

[76-914]

A few pics of the Crime Scene:

[Root_Werks]

Good progress! Wait until you get it all painted. I just got my 914 back from paint and it was glorious! Everything was so nice, clean and perfect....for a few months until I start driving it.

[76-914]

Good progress! Wait until you get it all painted. I just got my 914 back from paint and it was glorious! Everything was so nice, clean and perfect....for a few months until I start driving it.

Yes. I'm looking forward to a paint job done by a professional. It will probably feel weird that I won't need to sand out some paint runs! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)