Jack point replacement and paint matching Options

[Superhawk996]

@tdskip (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

How timely. We are both going to go though the same hell together. Misery loves company. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grouphug.gif)

Yesterday in an effort to get the sand out of my driver side longitudinal I cut some holes to get access to the front. Those will get repaired along with replacment of the pedal box area.

How to get to the back?

Well DAPO had some 1/2 ass jack point repair on driver side. Seemed like a good time to cut off the lame sheetmetal bottom 1/2 of the pyramid to get access to the normal rust hole that is behind one of these 1/2 ass repairs.

Sure enough.



I used the shop vac, compressed air and some profanity to get the sand out.

Now I have to figure out how to repair it.

In my case the DAPO left the top 1/2 of the pyramid so there is some thought that I could just buy a proper pyramid, cut it and than do a slightly cleaner version of the DAPO repair done with thin (20 GA?) sheetmetal and lots of booger welds.

As you state, removal of fender is the usual way.

I think the Doc also mentioned that door jamb can be cut out to provide acccess to the top of the pyramid via MIG. Point & shoot with MIG would probably work but I've only got TIG and I actually need to see to weld.

In my case I can't do either because i want to preserve the paint and the fiberglass flares without creating a (IMG:style_emoticons/default/stromberg.gif) load more sheetmetal work and paint work.

I'm contemplating creating a surgical flap from the wheelhouse inner that I can access the top of the pyramid from. It just rubs me the wrong way to only replace 1/2 of the pyramid but I can't exactly put my finger on why other than some generic version of "craftsmanship" and wanting to do the job right. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/screwy.gif)

In my case the wheelhouse inner will eventually get cut for /6 coversion and oil tank. Plus the bulkhead is already stripped to bare metal for sheetmetal repairs so I already am going to have to shoot some paint in the engine compartment. I'm just not sure if I actually cut the flap, will it be good enough access to allow me to TIG the top.

Still thinking about other options. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

[cary]

Am i the only one that immediately thinks "what's hiding under that ugly patch?" whenever i see something like that?
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Nope ............... but I didn't want to put on my "Bearer of Bad News" hat.

[Tdskip]

Good morning. Looks like much the same access issue, especially with a TIG.

The MIG already lets to get some welds on to the top section without cutting anything else but.....

Please keep us posted on how this comes together for you.

[cary]

Yes the Mig can go in from the fender well. But your helmet doesn't fit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
So I have a pair of Miller, what I can scuba goggles.

I use an 18" 1/2 pneumatic belt sander to remove the four upper welds. Nose them out.
All this done without cutting the door jam or the qtr. panel.
Be very very careful up against the door jam. Could easily buzz a hole thru it on the last
spot weld.
Welding back in. I tighten up the spacing so its not so close to the door jam.
Because of the obnoxious location welds aren't ways tidy. So I tune them up with the
18" sander. Then brush on some seam sealer for good measure.

My .02c.

[Superhawk996]

Yes the Mig can go in from the fender well. But your helmet doesn't fit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)
So I have a pair of Miller, what I can scuba goggles.

I use an 18" 1/2 pneumatic belt sander to remove the four upper welds. Nose them out.
All this done without cutting the door jam or the qtr. panel.
Be very very careful up against the door jam. Could easily buzz a hole thru it on the last
spot weld.
Welding back in. I tighten up the spacing so its not so close to the door jam.
Because of the obnoxious location welds aren't ways tidy. So I tune them up with the
18" sander. Then brush on some seam sealer for good measure.

My .02c.

@cary

Hmm. Can you post picture of said scuba goggles? I assume like old school OxyAcetylene goggles but with shade #9 lenses?

If you can get head & hand in there then maybe I can TIG in there. Hadn't thought of the goggles option.

[cary]

https://store.cyberweld.com/miwe26.html

It's a long ways in there. Most work done by the braille method.

[bbrock]

I did have to deal with it but I had a lot of rust and fab work to do aft of the pyramid so the rear quarters got cut on both sides. Obviously your plan of attack will be dictated by what you find inside. If the damage is localized to the pyramid area, I'd definitely follow Cary's method before cutting the quarter. That adds a lot of work best avoided if possible.

[cary]

Ditto on Brent's comment.
The simple method is only used on a simple jack point only repair.
Usually caused by debri slung from the tires.

[Tdskip]

Thanks for the discussion and thoughts, will start trimming and determining what is under there tomorrow. Will take pictures, likely scary.

[bkrantz]

One minor suggestion: drill a second drain hole in the jack tube support. That way you can actually flush out dirt by squirting in one hole and draining from the other.

[Tdskip]

Dusting this off now that I have the rear trunk k panel and front patch (were the EV cables went) done.

Here is the section from below;

[Tdskip]

Original damage the PO was trying to repair;

[Tdskip]

Door gap is good still however;

[Lilchopshop]

Good morning, dusting this thread off as I am going to dive into this over the next week or so.

Found this picture on another thread which helps additionally focus the question.



When I remove the patch that is on there now, and then deal with whatever is behind there, I will need to close it back up obviously. I was planning on using the OEM orange-ish piece since the metal should all be the same gauge and I has that little lip as a reference point.

Just to make sure I understand - @superhawk996 the concern you raised is how I properly weld the top of that replacement panel to the rest of the car which I highlighted in blue below, correct?

@bbrock - I don’t remember from your thread if you had to deal with this or not.

In under car picture shown it is clear I will have access to the bottom so I can weld in the three areas I highlighted in red on the second picture. To get to the area in blue do people remove part of the rear fender usually?

Probably not what you want to see, but this is how I recently repaired my passenger jack point. (I’m in process of doing the exact same thing on the drivers side). I knew I had hidden rust, so I wasn’t too concerned with cutting the fender so I had good access. If I was sure the jack point was the only issue, I would have figured out a way to weld the top of the replacement jack point without cutting the fender.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...sty+jack+points

[Tdskip]

Probably not what you want to see, but this is how I recently repaired my passenger jack point. (I’m in process of doing the exact same thing on the drivers side). I knew I had hidden rust, so I wasn’t too concerned with cutting the fender so I had good access. If I was sure the jack point was the only issue, I would have figured out a way to weld the top of the replacement jack point without cutting the fender.

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...sty+jack+points

Thanks for the post, it is what it is, appreciate the link. Hope you r week if off to a good start.