ConvertiblesDiscussed here are problems and solutions to convertible specific questions, including difficult to find part numbers and other convertible tech help.
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Wow I just stumbled across this thread and I gotta say man you're doing great. I love watching the progress people make with their project cars. Be sure to provide updates!!! And 350 with a T-5 huh? I wonder how that lil' t-5 was holding up.
It all depends on how you drive it, if you try to blow it up you can do it in no time flat. If you just drive the car normally and don't beat on it to hard it'll last a long time. On the other hand if you throw on slicks on it, take it to the track and launch it hard chances are it won't last more than a couple runs, either that or the rear will blow apart.
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Well got the front done so I have moved on to the trunk.Trunk is in good shape so it will just get the wire wheel and then chassis saver.
Figured I better check behind the bumper cover and as I suspected more rust. The impact bar was rusted clear through in a couple of spots. Had to cut it up just to remove it. The stove bolts that mount it spun inside their square holes.
After finally getting that crap off of course there is more rust,shocker.
The rust on the panel isn't too bad.The sheetmetal appears to be about three layers thick in this area and the outside layer is all the deaper it has gone and that sheet is very thin. I am going to sleep on it tonight. Not sure if it really needs a piece welded over it. I may just spray the chassis saver on it heavy and call it done,can't see it anyway.Oh yea and some genious drove out the lock and really bent up the lock hole.I think I got it tapped back into place good enough. Just need to weld up a small crack created when they forced it out.
Today I got the donar impact bar cleaned up and a slight bend in it straightened out. Then I started cleaning out the pockets on each side of the trunk. And what a shock again,more rust. This hole was hidden by layers of crap laying in the way.The trusty shop vac was kind enough to reveal it for me though.
Glad I found it now then later.The gfx was broken behind the rear tire so I would have found it later anyway. As luck would have it there was also a small hole showed up in the inner panel when I hit it with the wire wheel cleaning off some rust scale. Welded in a small patch in the inner panel and seamed sealed it.
This made for a good stopping point. I already have the patch panel cut out from the parts car so I should be able to get it welded in tommorrow. Glad I have a southern raised parts car, the body is beat up some but relatively rust free.
Looks good. I had to do the same thing on my car in that area on both sides. The only differance is that my patch was just a bit bigger. lol
Oh yea I'm not complaining it could have been much worse than it was.
Yesterday I finally got the prep work done in the trunk.Was having trouble motivating myself to do the trunk.Still have some work to do around the lock hole where the lock has been punched out.My parts car was worse so I had to straighten it some and weld a small tear in the metal. Also had to weld in a small piece of the lip area above the lock due to rust.
The inner bumper from the parts car was a little bent and some of the factory welds had come loose. Got it all fixed up. Went ahead and put some chassis coat on it as well. I had just enough left in the sprayer to cover it.
Looks like it is going to end up looking FLY. You are definitely putting alot of good work towards this and I think it is going to end up looking great!
Looks like it is going to end up looking FLY. You are definitely putting alot of good work towards this and I think it is going to end up looking great!
Thanks I appreciate the compliment. This project definately is taking more time than I expected though. I wanted to get all the undercoating done before winter, the cool air is already starting to roll in early this year.
I guess next on the list will be to put it back up on stands to weld in the SFC's and LCA's. Replace the fuel sending unit I fried.This should keep me busy through the cold months.
Well here is the old girl back up on jack stands again.
I spent several days with an air grinder and a wire wheel cleaning off years of dirt and old undercoating.I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of serious rust.
Spent the better part of today spraying the chassis coat undercoating on. What a crappy job this was. Hopefully the underside work is mostly done except welding in the SFC's. I think it turned out good and should protect everything for many years.
When removing the fuel tank I found a small wet spot that kept returning after wiping it off. Luckily I kept the tank out of the parts car which was in excellant shape. Only rust it had was from sitting it outside the garage waiting to scrap one day. I went ahead and undercoated it also.
Snapped a pic of the heart of the beast since the tank is hanging right beside it. Doesn't look like much now. Later on I will put on the nice looking stuff.
While I had the rear end out I decided to rework the shock mounts that I made last summer. I didn't get the angle right and the shocks were at a bad angle when bolted up. Here is what I thought would work.Pic is kinda fuzzy but you get the idea.
I took the rearend out of the parts car and partially cut the mounts off of it. Then I cut the mounts on the 9-bolt to match. Welded them in place. I think this is a lot better looking setup and everything mounts up better too. Also welded on the lowering LCA's while I was at it.
Cleaned all the rust scale and dirt of the rearend that I painted over on the first go around. Repainted it and installed a new cover. I actually bent the factory cover while moving the rearend around one day and dropped it right on the cover. Painted the calipers and put some new rotors on since the old ones were right on the verge of being worn out anyway.
Sorry the pics came out blurry for some reason,but I'm not taking the rearend out again to get better shots.
Put the rearend back in and put the rear side of the sfc's on while I had the control arms off. I started welding them in place but ran out of wire in the welder.
