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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ My first rust repair

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Jan 7 2005, 06:07 PM

It's time for my first rust repair project.

Thankfully I got lucky when I got lucky when I bought my car, it doesn't have a lot of rust, just a couple of spots.

I am going to tackle the worst first so I can get the refreshed 2.0 in. Here is a photo of the spot. It is foward of the batt. tray and right in the lower front corner of the engine bay. I removed a funky metal patch that the previous owner had riveted and thrown some kind of gunk on to seal it up,

How much more should I cut away? and then ...

IPB Image

Posted by: elocke Jan 7 2005, 10:49 PM

When I learned to weld and practiced enough to take the wire to the car, I practiced on the circled spot on the right on the pic below. It was pitted metal, and I had trouble and kept blowing though. So I repaired the big hole, welding to mostly pit-free metal, and it went much better. Later, I replaced much of the upper wheelhouse metal with a piece from Restoration Design.
An ice pick may identify areas that you definetly want to cut out unless you're really good with a mig on pitted metal.
Ed

Attached image(s)

Posted by: Root_Werks Jan 8 2005, 11:14 AM

Hey Sean! Well, it really doesn't look too bad. IPB Image I would only cut away what you need to, which will probably be a little more than you think? If the metal is thinned due to rusting, but still feels solid, you may find welding to it will only punch holes in it. So best to cut it out as well.

Also, it is harder, much harder, but try to butt seems together, don't lap them. It sure makes for a cleaner looking repair. Above all, weld and add metal. If you have a decent grinder, you can always clean it up later.

And if you get really stuck, let me know. Maybe I can make a day trip and come help out! IPB Image

Posted by: trekkor Jan 8 2005, 03:23 PM

Here's my take, as I just finished this one last week.

Unless you are going for a show car, just lap the patches.
Easier, faster, maybe even stronger.

Look here.
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=22699&hl=fabbers

I'm happy. IPB Image

KT

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Jan 8 2005, 04:13 PM

Trekkor - thanks for the link I knew I had seen a recent thread but couldn't remeber which it was, some good info there.

Dan - you better watch what you offer, you could find yourself taking a long drive.

Ed- thanks for the advice.

Just so ya'll know most of the welding I have done is good ol' fashioned stick welding with pretty thick steal on commercial fishing boats, with some wire feed aluminum welding (but not much of that). A friend of mine with quite a bit of welding experience will be helping me out.

Now if I could just find the time.

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Jan 13 2005, 09:52 PM

Some cutting done. Kinda tuff getting the cut-off tool in there.

IPB Image

A little more cutting, some grinding, more cutting, it's always more and longer than you think.

Posted by: trekkor Jan 14 2005, 12:15 AM

Way to go!

I think our cars rust areas are about the same, damage wise. Maybe mine was a little worse on the firewall.

Do you want my templates?

KT

Posted by: skline Jan 14 2005, 12:41 AM

Just my take on this, maybe I have done it wrong in the past. I would sandblast that entire area and clean it really good and then weld it. The sandblasting will remove the rusted metal that is weak leaving a good surface to weld to. It will also show you where you need to replace. I have done that on every car I have ever had to reapir rust on and its been the best solution for each one. I never had a worry when I did it that way. The only problem was the sand went everywhere.

Posted by: trekkor Jan 14 2005, 01:20 AM

Just used a #60 grit lap sander disc on my grinder.
Fast. Easy. IPB Image

KT

Posted by: spare time toys Jan 14 2005, 07:43 AM

Never and I can not say NEVER enough start to work on one of these things. You will get sucked into a never ending vortex of while Im in there...... close the lid and drive and enjoy the car. Dont ask how we all know. The stories about oh yea I did that on mine ask if they got it back on the road yet or what they are doing to it now IPB Image I started with a simple finish up on some one eleses car. Now it sits off to the side while I try to get the engine swap ready, I have a 928 Im parting out, and another 14 outside paitintly waiting its turn in the vortex. Good luck with it.

Posted by: trekkor Jan 14 2005, 09:45 AM

Or you can be like me, and do it all in four weeks IPB Image

KT

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Jan 14 2005, 10:42 AM

Trekkor can you email your templates? That would be great.

I don't think I am going to do any sand blasting, have enough to do as it is. Think I'll just do some sanding with the grinder.

Yes Larry this was going to be a pull the engine, clean the engine bay up a little then put the engine back in. Then I picked up a 2L andd cleaned it up and put new rings in. Then I found what some previous owner had done to fix this hole and couldn't leave it. it'll have to stop at some point, guess I'll know when I get there.

Sean

Posted by: type11969 Jan 14 2005, 11:00 AM

take a real good look down into that long to see what kind of rust is going on in there. I thought mine wasn't too bad, ends up my long is rusted from the back all the was to the front along the bottom! Wasn't too bad to open up the long, just a bunch of spotwelds and one cut at the front end of the outer long cover.

-Chris

Posted by: davep Jan 14 2005, 12:01 PM

They don't call that the hellhole for nothing. You had better check the suspension console and see how bad that is. That area tends to be the most critical on the car.

Posted by: JCG Jan 14 2005, 12:10 PM

Sean
Keep digging. My car had a "small" hole under the battery. Look at my avatar, thats what I'm up against now. Make it stop!!
Jim

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Jan 14 2005, 04:40 PM

Jim if it looked that bad for me I think I might cry. From what I have seen so far I don't think it spreads that far from the hole. Suspension console looks fine.

Posted by: SpecialK Jan 14 2005, 06:07 PM

Sean, I'm going to be dealing with the same mess on my '74 (weather permitting), plus some inner long (seatbelt area), firewall (Thank you Paul URY914!), and rear trunk (Thank you Greg robbins!).

Dave (Hi-Ho-Silber), his wife Kim and my wife and I went out for Prime Rib a week or so ago, and Dave asked "How's the outer longs on that '74 of your's"? I said, "To be perfectly honest I haven't even pulled the rockers yet cause I'm afraid of what I'll find IPB Image ". I need to quit being such a puss, pull the rockers, and cross my fingers that they don't look like JCG's!

Trekkor - I'd like to have a set of your templates please, if it isn't too much trouble!

Kevin