Travis' 72 914-6 Conversion Options

[TravisNeff]

You cannot leave me unsupervised. I noticed that the rear quarter next to the engine grille was sticking out a good 5mm more than the drivers side. So i drilled out most all the spot welds along the top and was able to get the panel close. However, the sail did not want to budge, there was something in the way.

Off comes the sail panel. When they repaired the car they left the flange on the roll bar piece, the old quarter panel and welded the new one on top. While they were digging around they cut and bent the roll bar structure out of the way. So I found that the bottom horizontal reinforcement piece was bent up in the back and that was causing my problem. I heated it up with a torch and beat the fucker back to where it should be.

Then Noticed the front horizontal reinforcement was cut and bent all to shit, so I made a new piece and welded it in.

No to figure out how to make the rear of the roll bar piece. I tried last night and it didn't turn out. I think I will have to make it in two pieces and weld it together.

[TravisNeff]

I got the rear part of the roll bar piece in and welded back on the sail. Will share a pic of that later.

Anyways, take a look at the passenger top of the door jamb. Lots of braze and the metal is like tin foil. I will have most likely cut it out and fab up a new piece, as it will just blow apart if I try to weld it.

So I was there scratching my head and figured I would take a look at how the drivers side was done and I would have a good reference. Well, what do you know. LOTS of bondo! Lessee what's under it? Ugh.

[bbrock]

Was the braze around the air vent tubes? If so, you can thank the factory for that. Makes it a pain to work in that area, but makes sense that they did it that way.

[TravisNeff]

Drivers side door jamb had been replaced with a used. they lap/seam welded it on with braze. If they had it in nice and straight I would leave it be. but was done poorly and either I bondo bomb it like before or try and make it right. The door jamb was rust bubbling in a couple of spots where the quarter panel met the jamb, so the problem will come back if I don't get them apart and take care of it. Not sure about the snorkel.

I guess I am going to have learn a few new skills LOL.

[bbrock]

Drivers side door jamb had been replaced with a used. they lap/seam welded it on with braze. If they had it in nice and straight I would leave it be. but was done poorly and either I bondo bomb it like before or try and make it right. The door jamb was rust bubbling in a couple of spots where the quarter panel met the jamb, so the problem will come back if I don't get them apart and take care of it. Not sure about the snorkel.

I guess I am going to have learn a few new skills LOL.

Oh yuck! In a way, I was lucky mine were too far gone to save and had to replace with new RD pieces. One thing is for certain, it will be done right when you are finished with it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[TravisNeff]

I didn't realize that RD made these pieces. More exploring tomorrow that may be the route to go on both sides.

[Tdskip]

I've become a bit fan of buying pre-shaped panels, even if they need tweaking they are usually 1/4 the time/effort of hand making everything.

[TravisNeff]

I figured I would take the paint off the edges of the quarters and doors. There was a weird angle on the front quarter. Pieces were rusty and the patch was junk. Looks like the drivers sail was replaced too. 1/4 of bondo to cover the welds.

Spent the morning fabbing parts

[TravisNeff]

Continuing to chip away at small stuff, but was distracted this past weekend.

My Daughter finally got her drivers license and I am a proud dad! The drivers exam person said in the few years she has been working there, only two people did the test with a manual trans. Ye-uh!

Anyways I worked on polishing up the paint and tending to the little details on her new ride. I hope she gets bored of it and wants a different car, I am ready to scoop this up from her when that day comes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[TravisNeff]

Picked up a new ride. 2006 gto with 44k miles. Got it from my dad and drove it down from Bellingham over the weekend. Vroom!

[Tdskip]

Picked up a new ride. 2006 gto with 44k miles. Got it from my dad and drove it down from Bellingham over the weekend. Vroom!

Score!

I think these are WAY underappreciated.

[Ferg]

Nice GTO, I had an 06 for a while. Loved it, my neighbors not so much, it was not stock. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[TravisNeff]

Been busy with life and other never ending projects. Anyways, I got the car back onto the ground and hopefully gives me a little more inspiration to move forward.

I am replacing the passenger door jam, and have to figure out how to massage the door gaps at the back of the door before I weld it in. The passenger side gap is about 10mm at the top. The lockplate is at 1039mm as it should be.

I have a feeling there is more massaging to do on the rear quarter. I hope I don't have to cut it. This has always been a problem on this car, the rear quarter was replaced at some point and they didn't get it right.

[JOEPROPER]

Slow and steady wins the race. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[horizontally-opposed]

Been busy with life and other never ending projects. Anyways, I got the car back onto the ground and hopefully gives me a little more inspiration to move forward.

I am replacing the passenger door jam, and have to figure out how to massage the door gaps at the back of the door before I weld it in. The passenger side gap is about 10mm at the top. The lockplate is at 1039mm as it should be.

I have a feeling there is more massaging to do on the rear quarter. I hope I don't have to cut it. This has always been a problem on this car, the rear quarter was replaced at some point and they didn't get it right.

All I hear is blah blah blah (but damn, what ABOUT those green-centered Fuchs on a gray car (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)) blah blah blah...

Ah yes, and another thought occurred earlier: That E39 will forever ruin your daughter for sport sedans. Those were brilliant when new, particularly when equipped with the Sport Package but all of the 525/528/530s were great to drive—to the point you had to wonder if anyone could exceed their balance.

And, all these years later, I am not sure anyone has.

Now back to your regularly scheduled bodywork. I may need to send my 914 your way, as a thrice-fixed rust spot on one fender continues to react/bubble forth. I admire your thoroughness...

[rhodyguy]

Those Holdens are dandy cars.

[TravisNeff]

The cutting continues. Turns out the sail panel on the drivers side was replaced at some point. They didn't do a butt weld, but a lap weld and left a good half inch of the sail behind the fender.

I cut through the weld and pulled out the excess metal and will be able to butt weld the joint. To make that fit the way they did, the fender line is a bit lower than the top of the door. I am hoping to get the shape back a little better.

At the back of that joint was some seriously jacked up metal, cut that out and made a patch for it. Put a new door jamb in and tacked it to the body.

[Tdskip]

Thanks for the update(s). Nice work.

[pete-stevers]

Great looking project!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[TravisNeff]

Frankensteined. I haven't welded in a lotta months, we will see how this looks once ground down.