Palindrome 914 Build Thread, now on the chassis jig Options

[nathansnathan]

This pic is from the original eBay photos
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591584.1.jpg)
A bit of probing with my big screw driver and some preliminary cutting and I made it look extremely scary
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591814.1.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591584.2.jpg)
I contemplated all sorts of ways to handle this mess and, probably contrary to what anyone else would have done, decided to take off the whole fender, sail panel included. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

Many spotwelds drilled, I took my time with it, taking breaks between the sections of drilling, and then the prying/ pulling. All told it probably took me 7 hours to get it off.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591584.3.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591585.4.jpg)

exposing the crustiness
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591585.5.jpg)

This is back by the tail light. It looks like the factory used expanding foam between the pieces there.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591586.6.jpg)

And then there's like weatherstrip foam between the sail panel and the inner rollbar, still attached to that lip.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591586.7.jpg)

I'm going to have to get real good at the metal working pretty quick to handle all this.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591587.8.jpg)

Here's the inside of the fender itself, still attached to the door well.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591980.1.jpg)

More 'deep end' metal working to be done there. I'm lloking at getting a shot dolly and some planishing and ball peen hammers. I've read the Martin "key to Metal Bumping" book and I've got a set of dolllies and hammers. I was trying to get an anvil but the guy flaked out on me.

The guy down the street was telling me I need to dip the car to get where I want to be, but I have some issues with dipping it, not the least f which is price, and so taking the car apart to this level seems to me the way to go. I can do the work, inspect/ get at everything for treatment. I'm looking for a portable sand blaster pot that is NOT from harbor freight. That and construction of a drop cloth-constructed paint booth look like some of the bigger hurdles right now.

Here's the fender
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591987.4.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1291591987.5.jpg)

[Andyrew]

Nice work!! Looks like you have quite the array of tools and can actually get this kind of rust repair done!

[realred914]

I started this, a documentation of my build progress, as a blog on the 914club, but I'm not happy with how the order of posts is reversed, the most current being at the top - it ruins the epic-ness, not starting at the beginning. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Also 914club is kinda dead and I would only post over there because my view kept reverting to list on world and I couldn't figure out how to see all the forum responses at once for awhile. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

So that's why I'm starting this here.

I've been working on it for the past 5-6 months.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

uhm, a "420" engine and another post isee recently about a "cracked" crank, maybe we need narcotics annonammus? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[nathansnathan]

Moving slowly along, some more work on the door braces
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380342.1.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380342.2.jpg)
Getting better with the torch. I do wish I had the smaller torch, a 9 I guess.

I got off the front suspension; really easy surprisingly... except the brake fluid that got everywhere.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380342.3.jpg)

And the wiring Harness, what a challenge that was to overcome, getting that out! That's a gauge cluster in about 10 plastic grocery bags, wrapped in masking tape. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380343.4.jpg)

The struggle to envision the completion of the hell hole repair is ... also coming along. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380343.5.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380343.6.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380344.7.jpg)

An unconventional approach undoubtedly. I want to take the floor pan off but I have to wait until the long and fender are together before that happens, and it still seems like a challenge to support it even then.

For now the plan is to take out the entire inner long, heater tube with it. I'm mustering my strength, waiting for more jack stands to arrive before I dive in. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

Replacement panel sculpture
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380344.8.jpg)

and my suspension ear wrinkle fix
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380344.9.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380345.10.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380345.11.jpg)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380345.12.jpg)
Inside
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1292380345.13.jpg)
I' think I will smooth the welds in there a bit , as it is a drain passage there. Access could be better but do-able.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)
Jackstands... and a sand blaster. ...need sand blaster (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) ..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_bump.gif)

[Mike Bellis]

Nice welding! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/first.gif)

I wish my skills were that good.

[nathansnathan]

I want to keep the thread updated.
I went on vacation, up to the bay for about a week over Christmas.
Contemplating removal of the passenger inner long in its entirety without removal of the outer the whole time...

I'd got these additional jack stands for the inner long removal. It seems to me that you can only really have 4 jack stands actually holding up a car safely, unless additioanl ones are the leveling type. I found the black ones online. I trust them over the little aluminum ones to be sure.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592744.1.jpg)

The task at hand, it took me 2 days after work drilling out spot welds, the upper
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592744.2.jpg)

and lower, many many spot welds
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592745.3.jpg)



I took my time with it. It's single layer just in front of the lower p seatbelt mount bolt forward to where the front door frame swoops up. Tricky to separate the layers there. I thought of nicknaming the car The Blue Onion... for some reason.

More, grinding at the mig welds that hold it to the front firewall/ rear of the passenger wheel well - complicated by the heater tube at the front being in the way of 1 particularly ( had to do some cuttin' on account of that)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592745.4.jpg)
You can see where I tried to weld up some damage to the inner inner long there with all that rust. I guess just practice or wishful thinking that was...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592746.5.jpg)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294592747.6.jpg)

now that's a hell hole
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1294593003.1.jpg)

Can't wait to start putting it back together.

[silver74insocal]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif) you werent kidding about going deep!! keep up the work and pics . its inspiring (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[porsche_dreamer]

I have to say good job! Keep up the (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) . Ill be watching this one.

[Root_Werks]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/w00t.gif)

Wow!

Looks like another 914 will be saved from the rust monster!

[Dr Evil]

Ya, balls deep. Yikes.

[nathansnathan]

Balls deep, indeed. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

Thanks for the comments, guys.

I almost got the impression I'd gone past the line of it being scary. The surface rust in the outer long isn't flattering. I sanded a bit of it, quite a lot of red powder, but I think I can save it. I put some rust dissolver phosphoric acid gel on it.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535786.1.jpg)

I welded up the places where I drilled too far and smoothed em out. I had to do some pretty good metal adding as it did get kinda brutal.

I need to get media, I'm thinking glass bead so as not to make it any thinner... I have acquired this.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.tptools.com-11782-1296535787.2.jpg)
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)
I can't wait (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

I got a gun to shoot, I think I'm going to shoot both the primer and the paint with it. My friend said I should get like a $40 gun to shoot primer with and use the good gun only for paint. It's a Sharpe Razor HVLP gravity feed, 1.5mm air nozzle so it's set up to do both. ..
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.northerntool.com-11782-1296535787.3.jpg)
That is another story, still figuring it out.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

The meat and potatoes of this post was to be about my metal-working conquest. I finally started actually fixing something, instead of just taking things off. Doing the hard stuff first, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon8.gif)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535787.4.jpg)

Oops I drilled through. I was supposed to be fixing like issues on the side of my firewall today, but I'm actually ill, sort of congested in my head (on one side only?)

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535788.5.jpg)

Another story is about how I have 3 driver doors and none of them will work for me. The original one, the skin is f'd. I got another one at a junk yard. Have I told this story? It ended up being a late door because I didn't know what to look for. I decided against using it for the various reasons, and I got another door. This kind guy, I think his name was Brett gave me (as well as the lower pdash pad previously mentioned) a perfect driver early door. Now the problem is that the bottom is out by an inch and a half when the top is about right, this at the back. I'm leaning toward removing the skin from the tweaked early door and putting it on my original door frame, though I haven't committed to that.

I've already removed the original door skin, but I'm saving it for part of the hellhole, so I've cut up the late door, too. Sorry if this peeves anyone. I was a bit leery of putting some crap metal home depot alloy steel in there, so ...

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535788.6.jpg)
Use of dirt to form a paper template

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535788.7.jpg)
A little foreshadowing

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535789.8.jpg)
I figured out on the 2nd attempt at this that chemical stripper will leave you with more metal than removing the paint with a wire wheel.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535789.9.jpg)
Alas, it got a lot uglier before I abandoned it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I ended up grinding down that lump on the column part and going right through. It was too 'thin and thick' everywhere, and I decided to o it again. Took me all day and it's still not done.

The template for mk II involved masking tape, and I did the joint of the 2 pieces a bit better.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535789.10.jpg)
A bit more to do. I'm waiting for my girlfriend (no longer ex - I got her back, the one from the dream (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) ) to send me her drummel tool to more precisely take the welds in the nook down. Hopefully there will be no need for mkIII.

Other happenings, sort of unrelated, I was standing there looking at her (the 914) thinking, I'm gonna have to get the cross support under the passenger seat welded to the inner long (that I've taken out) before I take out the floor pan, when from the sky 2 feet in front of me drops this
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296535789.11.jpg)

right on to the support with a sort of thud/ chink. I probably should have whacked it, because while I was busy taking this great picture of the adhesive residue on my floorpan (note blurry black widow?) He crawled into my tunnel (hopefully) never to be seen again?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[Zimms]

What did you use to cut around the windshield frame? Cut off wheel, sawzaw, or airsaw?

Thanks,

Mark

[nathansnathan]

What did you use to cut around the windshield frame? Cut off wheel, sawzaw, or airsaw?

Thanks,

Mark

I had to do a "kiss cut" on a lot of it, as not to go through both layers. The cutoff wheel on the mini pneumatic die grinder is what I used, a .040" width disc. It doesn't have a lot of balls, and and it seems ridiculous how long my compressor has to run to use it, but it is unmatched so far at the delicate stuff, cutting and grinding-wise. They are 3" discs but they work best once they're down to about 1 1/2".

Turns out my "illness" congestion, whatever I thought it was is actually a piece of metal in my eye. I'm trying to find a doctor who will help me take it out. I've been to 2 so far this morning. Hopefully I can get this resolved. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

[Zimms]

Thanks! Great looking cuts.

Sorry to hear about the eye.

[Andyrew]

Your eye doctor wont do it?

They have to drill to get the rust out. BTDT.

Your eye is going to HURT LIKE HELL after...

[nathansnathan]

I'm gonna have to make a firmer point to use goggles and not just glasses when I'm grinding. I made a point of it last time this happened (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) But yes a firmer point this time.

The 3rd place was a charm, except I learned after that they don't take my medical, which means they're going to cut into my 914 fund, dammit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

The guy had an impressive microscope he focused on your eye while your head/ chin rested up against it. He got it in like 3 seconds with a pair of tweezers. I'd tried it with my tweezers, too earlier, but I guess you need the microscope. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/evilgrin.gif) It still hurts, though. Maybe just time to heel, we will see.

[Andyrew]

Did they drill any of the eye? My eye doctor is a family friend of mine and he picked it out in a second as well, BUT he also drilled some of the eye away as he said if he didnt it would rust and infect. Your issue could have been different than mine though.


I wear glasses and I always wear the goggles made to go over glasses now. They are very easy to see through and dont fog up as much.
http://www.harborfreight.com/splash-resist...ggle-97140.html

That and some ear muffs... Anytime im grinding anything.

[nathansnathan]

I had read about the rust circle that will form in your eye if the shard is in there longer than 45 minutes when I was researching how to get it out myself. I would do a lot to stay out of the hands of doctors.

I mentioned it to him, and I think that's why he gave me a mini dropper bottle of antibiotic drops, 1 drop 4 times a day for 3 days.

I'm sure I'll be fine. I would break bones and not go to a doctor. Like a finger, they just splint it up and bill you $600-1500. I've been thinking about doing my own dentistry. It can't be much different than working on a 914, right? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[FourBlades]

Regular glasses will not protect you while grinding. I made that mistake years ago and went through the whole metal splinter in eye, get splinter cut out with scalpel at ER after waiting eight hours, then infection and rust ring cut out by eye surgeon a week later.

It's pretty hard to ignore serious eye pain when it hurts with your eyes open, hurts with your eyes closed.

Don't wanna do that again...

John

[nathansnathan]

It's getting a bit cramped in here. I took some pics of my parts progress, but it veers in theme toward illustrating just how much room the parts off a car can take up.

Here's admission of my affliction, the disease that I have read about here. It started with my bus, so I've had it or a while. Actually just the sheet metal bits are 914 related in this one.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936535.1.jpg)

A nice bin of goodies that I've acquired and gone through. I don't think that's a real 914 mirror? I got it from a guy at the vw classic for $3 so probably not. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) I finally came up with license plate lights though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936535.2.jpg)

I'm not too keen on what is the only thing going for turn signal boots? They were supposed to be genuine, and for the price, they should be, but no number on them, no porsche sticker packaging, shiny finish, minutely different shape. They look to be made in China, though George assures me they are factory original, seems it's better than nothing. I hope they'll last.

Does anyone have info on inner fender guard inserts? I'd seen them talked about in a thread somewhere. It would be nice to see how they fit, maybe make some.

Gotta show all of it to really drive the point home. Some stuff I've gone through here. My library has been displaced to occupy just 1 shelf. That is a genuine front targa top seal there. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936535.3.jpg)

There's some room at least, the top shelf getting more full, as the parts get detailed from the bottom shelves.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936536.4.jpg)

As soon as my eye is all better, I'll be cleaning my tin up. I have this plan to reproduce my "610"'s with a stencil. I'm planning on getting it powder coated, satin black, but I've got to concentrate funds on getting the body shipshape first. Man that's some crud.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936536.5.jpg)

That pile is adjoined to this pile
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936536.6.jpg)

Which merges gracefully with this assemblage
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936537.7.jpg)
It's a shame about that bumper top. I was thinking about welding in new metal. Of course it would screw them chrome all up. People say how expensive it is to get chrome done. I thought about color matched bumpers. Then the pain/ expense of chrome removal. I did photoshop mockups. I remember seeing a thread with a color-matched adriatic blue car owned by an retired vw plant worker. I think it had sail vinyl though? - I couldn't find it. I really like what the sail vinyl adds to the car, or what it takes away, rather. I thought about painting the rollbar satin black and the same on fiberglass bumperpads, but there's something about joining the roof with the sail vinyl that I want to keep, the texture, and then the bumper pads, it feels like the sound of the car, the resonance of the wind on the front would be affected by that? I will look more, but if the new stainless insert bumper pads don't trap moisture like the original, I will go that way, despite cost. If they do retain moisture, I would rather do fiberglass painted flat black. Anyone know?

About chrome bumpers, I decided that it will only look the way I want it to with chrome bumpers,

Currently, I'm building up the places where the drill went too far. Waiting on (funds for) blast media. Need to get my heeadlight buckets stripped of seam sealer. Researching primer options; I need a weldable primer that's part of a whole system. Recommendations?

And one of the whole. A reminder that it is the driver side headlight cover that I need, not the passenger. I'd been looking for that thermostat, I was going to put it in my bus, but ended up with a type 1 version, lower temp. It's great that it is good.

I'm practicing my plug/ rosette welding. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif) in anticipation of actually putting her back together. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/www.914club.com-11782-1296936537.8.jpg)