How to inspect the underside and longs without a lift, now the Not another novice project thread Options

[seanpaulmc]

Going with a bolt in battery tray.
And on some level feels wrong to put holes in the metal I just replaced.







Using stainless flange head screws on the battery tray and gold zinc flange bolts on the tray support.

[seanpaulmc]

Peeled up the cross brace in the trunk.




Some perforations found on the right.


Lots of flaky rust along the top seam.


Gonna need more metal.

[Montreal914]

Sean, that metal is coming your way! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[seanpaulmc]

Tail lights look good. Sort of.

[seanpaulmc]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)









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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif)

[seanpaulmc]

Since I think this repair is beyond my current skill set, I'm starting a separate thread to solicit help and focus on this fender repair. Here - http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=372158

I am looking to take chassis measurements on it this weekend to get a sense of the existing dimension versus the book dimensions.

I appreciate the help!

[930cabman]

Since I think this repair is beyond my current skill set, I'm starting a separate thread to solicit help and focus on this fender repair. Here - http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=372158

I am looking to take chassis measurements on it this weekend to get a sense of the existing dimension versus the book dimensions.

I appreciate the help!

These repairs can get extensive quick. was this a running/driving car recently? Hopefully the structure is intact or mostly intact.

[seanpaulmc]

Needing to find some positive momentum after uncovering the very bad rear corner, I was able to tack in the passenger side engine shelf thereby completing the hell hole and engine bay metal repairs (till I find something else). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)






Having been at this area for a long time, you can imagine how satisfying it is to see all the metal bits back where they’re supposed to be.

I’m leaving the grinding and clean up to another day.

[seanpaulmc]

PITA removal

Rear Tow Hook Bracket

My recommendation is to sacrifice it and cut it apart rather than trying removal in one piece.


These next photos show the damage in the tail panel right to left where the left side has been bent down. This is even after some judicious whacks with the sledge and 2x4. Note the gap on the top edge between the body and the square.





This area is going to need a lot of attention.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[930cabman]

It's an option to cut out all the damaged stuff and replace it with new metal

[seanpaulmc]

Some new metal in the trunk with some more still to come.





Parts from Eric (Montreal914).
Welds not fully dressed but there is still much to do.

[seanpaulmc]

Been working on fitting the trunk pan.











Planning for rear sway bar mounts while I’m in here.

[Montreal914]

Good progress! Always extremely satisfying to do forward work with fresh metal in what seems to be a never ending cutting away and grinding old rusty steel... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[seanpaulmc]

Talking about old rusty steel, it turns out this rear tail panel is worse than anticipated.



I was careful to remove all the old floor bits without damaging the rear panel but the years and exposure have just thinned it out too much.



You can see here that the last 1-1/2 inch of this trunk latch bracket is gone.



So I decided to try out Fitzee’s ol’ cut-n-butt with an eye on the practice I’ll need for the driver’s rear quarter panel repair still ahead.





Good thing this is practice because this did not work out so well. I’ve got a lot of videos to go back over. My gaps were too large. I think the tail panel metal was originally closer to a 20 gauge than the 18 I was using for patching. It’ll clean up but a good thing this repair will be hidden by the bumper.

[didenpx]

Sean,

You might be better off setting aside the trunk floor repair until you get the rear panel sorted out and understand where metal might need to move on that LH inner quarter.

I think the RD rear panel is still under $300 and it gives a good basis for piecing together the rear end.

Stripping the paint on that entire LH quarter would also help understand what is going on.

Paul

[didenpx]

Duplicate…

[L-Jet914]

Needing to find some positive momentum after uncovering the very bad rear corner, I was able to tack in the passenger side engine shelf thereby completing the hell hole and engine bay metal repairs (till I find something else). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)






Having been at this area for a long time, you can imagine how satisfying it is to see all the metal bits back where they’re supposed to be.

I’m leaving the grinding and clean up to another day.

I like how you've decided to go with a bolt in battery tray it's not concours but in my opinion very practical repair wise. I think that is how they should have done from the beginning as it's a sacrificial part especially in the era of lead acid batteries and the location of it. Some manufacturers today have a battery tray piece that bolts to the body and is replaceable if it becomes rusted from corrosion etc. I have since went to a AGM battery as I got tired of seeing vehicles with lead acid batteries cause so much damage.

[seanpaulmc]

I can’t take credit for the bolt in battery tray. Definitely stole that from others that have gone before.

[seanpaulmc]

Sean,

You might be better off setting aside the trunk floor repair until you get the rear panel sorted out and understand where metal might need to move on that LH inner quarter.

I think the RD rear panel is still under $300 and it gives a good basis for piecing together the rear end.

Stripping the paint on that entire LH quarter would also help understand what is going on.

Paul

My concern with this corner repair has been the thought of losing all reference points if the trunk floor, rear panel, and quarter are all removed simultaneously. I was thinking if the trunk floor is replaced and fixed on the good side, not fully welded all around, it helps locate the rear panel and inner quarter on the bad side, to some degree.

You are right, the paint and bondo need to be fully stripped from the bad quarter panel to get a better assessment, and part of the reason why I was trying to understand how that top corner came together.

Seeing what folks like you and Fred are doing provides a lot of inspiration.

[didenpx]

Fred is an entirely different league. What he’s doing is heroic.