Gumby

[Tom P] My car was back halfed at some point...

Tom,

Long time ago we had a chat in a thread and I said something about it looked like my car had a "new" rear body on it as you could see the seams in the wheel wells. You wanted me to let ya know what I found out. Its been a while but today I started picking at things and found a mess.

I didn't take any pics after clean up
[hr or so chiseling hard goop and lose rust out] but I got the left side done and the right side about half way done. I will take some pics tommorw. I worked until I was about to cry from my back.

Gonna cover it all with fiber bondo inside and out once Im done welding.

[FYI chicage electric flux wire is %1000 times better than the "name brand" Forney brand the local stores sell. CE stuff I had the feed set barley on 1 and was welding nice. Ran out and put in my new roll of Forney wire andI gotta jack the wire speed up to 7 + to get a smooth weld.]

Matt


------------

Looks like the car got a new rear end at some point but they did
a half *** job on the underside.
<BR>The top side had a plastic like goop over the seams but the under side
was done half ***.
<P>The seams have now rusted out and its time to fire up the welder.
<P>The good part is it is only on the inner fenders. It did not make it
way into the main frame or shock mounts.
<BR>&nbsp;
<P>Everything is shiny wet from the rust killer stuff I got.
<BR>&nbsp;

<BR>Tape and tar that was covering wheel well seams.
<BR>The tar alone would of saved the car from rusting but the duct tape
kept it from sticking to the metal.
<BR>&nbsp;
<P>Left side

http://viragotech.com/P101z0149.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0150.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0151.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0152.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P10z10154.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0155.jpg

<BR>In the pic above you can see the plastic yellow like bondo they used
had pulled away from the fender.
<BR>&nbsp;
<P>Right side

http://viragotech.com/P10z10158.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1z010159.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P10z10161.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0162.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P101z0163.jpg

TomP

Wow, dude, that really sucks!! At least it's fixable, though (with a welder)! Glad to hear the rest of the subframe is okay; looks like it would've been getting plenty of stress.

You bought the Campbell-Hausfeld MIG, right? The flux core can weld that metal okay? I thought it would've burned thru. How's the welder treating you?

I get Lincoln Electric L-56 wire (solid, GMAW, 0.025") from the local welding shop...actually, I just bought it once. I think that 12.5 pound spool is going to last me forever!

Gumby

The body was very forgiving ‘knock on wood”. I only found two broken spot welds, one on each side. And while I was there I went over most of the seams I could reach. Might as well stiffen up what I can while its apart.
[wish I had a roll bar handy or the proper size pipe [I got a pipe bender]

The welder I got is for mild, stainless and aluminum. I burnt 3-4 spots but only when I stayed in one place to much. The 4 power settings really help. I have been just buying the 2lb spool but now that I know which one is the best $35 for the 10lb spool of CE is a deal compared to the $55 they want for the Forney crap at andersons.

I do have a tank of welding gas but am saving it for the out side body work. I was about ready to start working on the body when I started picking at the goop in the wheel well. Im gonna fix the body to about 85% right [I could use a new fender and 1 door[spent that insurance money months ago] and then shoot it in super gloss jet black. I am only looking for about 5 years out of the outside body and paint.


Matt

Gumby

Man that Forney wire sucks. With the CE wire I made a metal stand for my buffer, fixed the shock on my wagon, fixed a broken office chair and welded up the left side of my car. I have only done the right side of the car and most of the Forney spool is gone.

The digi cam has wandered off for the 4th so no pics yet.

Have you ever looked at your shock towers??? It is just like a 8x8 hunk of metal stamped into shape and held onto the body/frame by about 8 spot welds.

I went around both of mine and welded them up good.

Gumby

Ya know, since I had most of the car tore apart I might as well yank it all out. SO I pull the modling, seats and carpet. Sure enough I found a couple of spots under the floor. Nothing bad but bad enough. Suprisingly the majority of the car is really nice and factory looking under it and under the carpet.

Course I got so much of it torn out I think Im gonna hafta just take my time and weld away. I wonder if there are any threads or sites about do it your self roll bar, frame rails and other things that need the interior out.

Matt

2_point8_boy

so could you say that your car is only half assed??? :sillylol:

Gumby

Its gonna be a full *** when Im done??? [ If a full *** is good???]

I got the carpet out today, hung it over a railing and stood there for about 45 mins hosing it down. The water still comes off a dirt sandy brown, no matter how long I spray.

I think Im gonna haul it down to the u-do-it car wash and use some degreeser on it or something.

There is really nothing wrong with the carpet and just a new front half is about $140 in jcwhitney. Might hafta get creative on the carpet too.


Matt

Gumby

I did a sample test and it looks like cheap black spray paint is the perferct cheap carpet die. I soaked a small piece down. Let it dry 4-5 mins and then took a 100 grit foam sanding bloack to it for a min or 2 [to simulate a few year of feet rubs] and the color does not come off. The carpet is a plastic fiber and it must soak to the core well.

Matt

TomP

Front half is $140??!? Damn! Go to http://www.1aauto.com, you can get the whole passenger compartment for $120, and it's made by ACC. Cool tip about the carpet "dye", though! Thanks!

I wish I didn't have to do so much cutting and measuring to change my 1/4 panel - actually, the whole back half of my car - out. I'm thinking of looking again at the half-a-car in my backyard and seeing if it'd be worth it just to patch my car up instead of swap the whole section on.

Basically I just need time... (sigh)

Gumby

$120 is still kinda high [$50 would be a nice deal] For $120 I could get a 4 point roll bar or a truck load of steel and make my own bar and some subframe connectors.

I think Im just gonna go the cheap paint route for now on the carpet. The carpet is grey and in good shape and black will hide everything. I did some more real hard sanding on the piece I did and it still looks good. It was just so hot the last two day anything to get out of welding was nice.

Matt

Gumby

Just some quick pics before it rained.

Gumby

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TomP

What kind of sealant is that? Looks like some sticky stuff!!

Gumby

It was a can of fiber bondo, I can not even find it anymore. Its regular bondo with chopped fiberglass in it. I can see why they do not make it anymore as it doesn't stick well to anything till about 30sec till its hard and mixing in the hardner is more involved as it doesn't stir well. If you look you can see I used my finger to apply and smooth it around.


I got a gallon of bondo for the rest. Whish I could of gotten some pics before I put on the fiber bondo. I did some real tricky / nice welding.

Matt

http://viragotech.com/P1010164.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010167.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010169.jpg

Gumby

The back half took two can. I did a couple of coats brushing the carpet with a heavy brush. To keep the fibers "free" and to move to nap and get all 4 sides of the carpet fibers. Other wise with just one pass you would be able to run you hand over it and it would change colors how house carpet does sometime.


Matt

TomP

Very cool! So you sprayed it on, then rubbed it in with the brush? You should share those details & pics on the appearance forum, too! I know they still make a fiberglass-filled plastic filler; I think it's called "Cat Hair" or something like that; http://www.eastwoodcompany.com definately has it, I'm sure it can be found locally somewhere, too.

Gumby

Well I brushed after the paint was mostly dry.

[one of them hard bristel brushes for cleaning rims]

Just to make sure it was not matting and to get "each" side of the carpet fibers and pentrate well.


I have gotten lucky as the rust I found under the carpet was rusitng from the inside out. Kinda good. Lots of small spots starting and just a few small holes. Most I was able to just weld over.

But that dam "padding" just hold water. [just like a house] My car has not been wet forever and the padding was still damp. Combined with the rubber backed carpet, it is just a breading ground for rust. Even if your car looks factory underneith like mine. Yank up your carpet sometime, geese.

I also scraped all the factory calk from the seams and "welded" them. [If anything to displace any moisture] any spot that had just surface rust got wleded on too. Just to heat it up and burn anything off then sprayed with the prep and paint.

The CC P&P is great stuff but very hard on the skin. Don't touch your eyes or put your finger in your mouth. like eating battery acid.


Matt

Gumby

http://viragotech.com/P1010170.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010171.jpg
<BR>[Ran out of fiber bondo for the inner right side.]
http://viragotech.com/P1010175.jpg
<BR>[The alien invader foam shot everywhere I can think of.]
http://viragotech.com/P1010176.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010179.jpg"
<BR>[Small holes in the floor I fixed.]

<BR>[The wheel throwing crap through the wells made some holes behind the
driver, so I just made some good patch work over the spot.]
http://viragotech.com/P1010183.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010184.jpg
<BR>[Same kind of thing, just a bit of cancer on the sides so I patched
over it.]
<BR>&nbsp;
http://viragotech.com/P1010185.jpg
<BR><FONT SIZE=+4>[What a mess!!!]</FONT>

<P align="left">My only problem is now how do I clean the floor real well so I can glass and paint it without using water???

<BR>&nbsp;

Matt

Gumby

Well it's done. Finished at about 11pm. Bondo over the welds to smooth things over and seal. A few cans of under coating and the "new" black carpet was in. I left the nasty padding out.

Now I guess I can work on the body and stiffing up the "frame".
I really want some roll bars now. I gotta find some steel cheap. I also need to find some sub frame connectors to copy.


Matt

Gumby

http://viragotech.com/P1010190.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010191.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010193.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010192.jpg
<BR>[left side LCA]
http://viragotech.com/P1010195.jpg
<BR>[My pan hard bar had a slight bend in it, so I crammed a long piece
of steel pipe into it and welded it.]
<BR>&nbsp;
http://viragotech.com/P1010199.jpg
http://viragotech.com/P1010200.jpg
<BR>[Right side LCA is a bit wider than the left. Looks like someone use
it to jack up the car, could explain the bend in the pan hard.]

<BR>[I love my welder!!!]



I boxed my LCA today and stuck a steel pipe in my pan hard bar. Welding with flux core upside down is not fun. I am sure glad I didn't shower this morning when the firery hot piece of slag did a swish down my ear as I heard the wax and dirt put it out. Trashed a good tarp and got burnt lots but I hope it was worth it.

I am to bushed to even try or think about the sfc's now but they are top on the list.

Matt

Gumby

So far so good. The car feels solid and rides much better.
Point it and it will go. I am not getting killed by exhaust fumes any more either. I may hafta try and give her a run this 31st at Norwalk Buick Chevy shot out. I know a guy bringing some slow Buick to the event, high 17s cars and I would be able to compete and pass the no **** rules by marriage.

I really want a hoop or roll bar. Nothing to fancy just enough cause really I should have one, wear a helmet and a firesuite just going down the street for some milk.

Matt

Z28guy83

been a bunch of them done like that mine had a pass side quarter put on the only place that i have a problem is in the tire compartment and have to reweld some stuff if i can take pic i will

Psyte

you seem pretty devoted to your car, nice job on the welding. that must have been alot of work, i wish i had that kind of motivation to do a huge job like that. my drivers side floor panel is rusted to hell and im surprised i dont fall through it every time i go over a pot hole. was that a licence plate you used on one of those patch jobs????

Gumby

yep, an old plate from 91 still laying around my shed.
It was allot of work but the Bird is much cheaper to drive than my wagon. Wagon is $5 a day, $5 is half a tank in the Bird and 4-5 days worth of gas.

Matt

TomP

Pretty cool! I see you did the same thing I asked on the suspension board when you boxed your LCA's; you didn't close off the rear-facing side. I think it's a way that'll keep condensation from puddling inside the LCA and rusting; it gives the water an exit, with the help of forward-acceleration!

My panhard rod has a bend in it too; the car was rear-ended on that side. WHen I swap the 1/4 panel over, I'll be replacing that (bent) track-bar-to-body bracket as well. I have a spare track bar in the backyard; just need a track bar brace.

Gumby

Check out this panhard bar.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=42609&item=2425291803

It looks like a part I would buy.


The guy has some neat stuff, them $35 mustang subframe connectors look they they could be use on almost anything.

nadster

YIKES! I thought my Jeep was crying with it's floor pan rust holes, but damn. Sorry to see that At least it's my Jeep rusting and not my 89RS *grin* Good luck with that, looks like a big project.

-Dan

Psyte

i have a bad feeling my floor pannels look like that under the carpet..... im almost afraid to look. looking under the car, im surprised my a$$ isnt dragging on the ground yet

Gumby

That was the worst part. From under the car everything looked good. pull up the carpet and its a nightmare. I had only planed to pull it part way but i just kept finding crap. The crapy insulation they use under the rubber backed carpet will hold mostiure for years and year and slowly rust form the inside out.

I lost a good 50lb in insulation.

Matt

Back halfed part II [ Body & Paint]
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=192017