These guys do not muck about. Kicking ass.
These guys do not muck about. Kicking ass.
Here's a catch up from the last couple of days.
I cleaned up the other front arch.
Obviously I uncovered more holes.
I'm not convinced by these patches.
Removed the remains of the frunk floor, from the donor front section, so we can tie the cars frunk floor to the front panel, better.
As ever, there was no sign of the silent killer, lurking between the spot welds.
It's not until you de-panel a section, that you find it.
This trusty (ex) wood chisel, along with a flat spot weld drill is my weapon of choice.
I hate those hole saw type spot weld drills.
My NOS front bumper reinforcer bar and body kit seals arrived.
You can see why these rot out, with the unprotected stitch welds.
The studs for the indicator and side light units are spinning inside and there is no access to their heads. Any ideas, before I hack the lights up?
I would prefer to reuse the lights. At least for now.
This section of the chassis leg was rotten and it contains a captive nut (which are shit in themselves) for the tie bar brackets. So we had to make a new one.
John and his welder strike again.
Almost a complete leg, again!
The bulkhead needed welding up here, as the donor section had been sliced into with a plasma cutter.
Charge cooler bracket holes in frunk floor.
It would be nice to replace this whole panel, if it was available.
Today, I made some patches.
Another captive nut not fit for purpose.
It is annoying that this car is going to contain so many patches, but I suppose as long as they aren't in your face and are done well, it is alright.
nails came over and helped me lift the car up nice and high, on all four corners.
Always a sketchy process lol.
Then he poked a massive hole in the bottom of the O/S sill return panel with his finger and basically pulled that panel off, by hand.
Damn, these things can rust.
Seems alright, inside.
Will probably leave this for the body shop.
I attacked the floor pans for half an hour and found the drivers part to be worse than expected.
Somehow, it still surprised me.
For those that don't know/agree, this is why you remove old, factory underseal.
It seemed fine, until A tickle from the grinder.
Safe to say, this car is not in the condition I and everyone else assumed!
At least we found the cup holder.
Yes old factory under seal can hide a lot of nasty stuff underneath, seems a lottery as some are as clean as a whistle while others are rotten as a pear.
Indeed. Luckily for me and this car, it isn't bad, everywhere.Originally Posted by snowtigger
I spent 3.5 hours under the car and now it looks like this.
No more horror holes found (just a few small one where the sills meet the floorpans and the N/S sill return is in much better shape, than the O/S, though.
I knew this was the 'good' side lol.
Despite wearing a mask, I wonder how much of this shit is on my chest?
John arrived and weaved some magic with hammers and the patches, plus the big rig.
Slowly, slowly, patchy monkey.
John shaved a touch off the frunk floor patches and let them in flush, at the back.
The fronts of them still need a little attention to be perfect, but we are pleased with how they fit.
Check it out, two complete chassis legs and a frunk floor, once more.
Same time tomorrow, avid* viewers.
I am in awe of your work. That is a serious restoration project!
I've just realised this is Greghoons old car that I worked on in 2009 you just can't kill this car lol, I thought it was familiar he would be chuffed some one is restoring his old car, he fell out of love with it when it started misfiring and needed a lot of engine mount fixing as he busted both front and rear and side mount and the inner axle bearing cage after a hard launch.
Spent a few hours underneath that car surprised it's still going as it's been through a few hands since then, it did need a lot doing to it back then bodywork wise but not having a welder at the time plus it was eating all my free weekends so the missus was getting a bit fractious cause nothing was getting done at home or on my car so couldn't help in that area.
I did think the big cut out bonnet was a bad idea and not done right but it was his car and I didn't do it lol.
I will have to tell him it's still alive and being restored when I next see him.
Awesome work, clearly rust that would scare a mortal man holds no fear for you.
I'm never going to bitch about my outer sills again.
:|
@snowtigger Interesting info, mate. I seem to be good at buying runts lol.
My RS Escort got the name Kylie, in the 90s, cos it just kept coming back...
@cdwood2010 When the front end was off, we were of the opinion that we couldn't make it any worse, so just dived in, to see how it turned out. Now, the car owes us, for saving it's life. Lol. So no other crusty bits are going to stop us, cos the worst bit is thankfully out of the way.
That, and the fact I want a fast. 80s wedge. :)
Haha if my car makes you feel better about your own, then that can only be good for yours lol.
We had a couple of hours on it tonight, so more of the same.
Bit of tidying up and more totally pro panel beating, with 100% correct tools, honest.
That saw the two massive frunk patches fitting grand and attached to the chassis legs, so John seam welded them and a few other areas that needed finishing up.
Guess who?
I cut a couple more holes - cos this car doesn't have enough - and made some patches. Waiting for the Etchweld to dry, before they can be let in.
I am thinking of mashed potato, again. Lalalala-la...
Temporarily protected (as with all areas, so far), until we dress the welds back.
Not a great deal to see, but it is heading in the right direction.
More, tomorrow.
Yep I normally buy what look like great cars then find there as rotten as a pear and spend lots of time and energy trying to fix them so the person who buys them doesn't get a bum deal like I did.
The problem is, you never really know how bad things are, with just a look over on someones driveway.
Luckily I have never been ripped off, with any cars.
Sounds as though you may not have been as fortunate!
We bring it on ourselves, with affection for old tin. Lol.
I was working late on Tuesday, so we never touched the car.
Tonight, we got the remaining frunk floor patches in.
John did the large one on his own - as well as the usual welding - and it turned out great, thanks to forming a bulge in it, that follows the original panel pressing.
The other patch (as well as previous ones) follow the same trend.
Even though they aren't in an important, cosmetic area, we think it's worth doing as good a job as we can.
Shame the welder is acting up, on occasion.
We will be dressing all of the welds back, anyway.
Trimmed the lower edges of the large frunk floor patches, to tidy them up.
They will be welded up and seam sealered.
We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, as the frunk section is 90% complete.
Hopefully the other repairs will be straight forward.
I will be working on the car tomorrow night and all weekend, so I hope for some good progress.
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