1975 1.8 Driver Restoration, Driver quality restoration of a 1975 1.8 Options

[didenpx]

Good progress this week. The quarter patches are welded in and the rear valence is welded on the RH side; prepping for the LH quarter install and once that’s done I will start welding the inner quarter/rear valence/outer quarter sandwich on the LH side….hopefully early next week.

The RH inner/outer quarter patch came out ok except one low spot on the top of the fender and the vertical part dropping into the weather stripping channel not lining up. I tried to work the metal but this was the best I could get. I am considering using body panel adhesive and glueing a metal strip on that vertical area leading toward the tail to even things out.

Still in the process of removing tail light mounting brackets, trunk lock latch bracket, and the corner brackets from the 1975 rear valence that go on either side of the latch bracket and connect the valence to the floor.

Definitely back-dating bumpers.

Once all of this is done I still need to weld in the rear door jamb panel and work the gaps between the rear quarter and the door opening, stitch together the RD sail panel and my quarter panel, and weld in the door threshold. As things are lining up now (i.e. tip of LH rear quarter coming flush to the end of the trunk lid) the gap is looking too big…

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[seanpaulmc]

Paul, this has come a long way. You have some great skills!

Would you have any more pictures of where the top corner of the tail panel comes together with top rear corner of the fender/quarter?

I understand this to be a leaded joint from the factory so it gets smoothed out but I’m not clear on how the panels meet and connect.

Thanks in advance if you can.

Again, great work!

-Sean

[didenpx]

Paul, this has come a long way. You have some great skills!

Would you have any more pictures of where the top corner of the tail panel comes together with top rear corner of the fender/quarter?

I understand this to be a leaded joint from the factory so it gets smoothed out but I’m not clear on how the panels meet and connect.

Thanks in advance if you can.

Again, great work!

-Sean

Thanks @Seanpaulmc; not sure about the skill part. But lots of stubbornness and determination.

On the RD rear valence I made a relief cut on the top edge where it meets the weather stripping lip that forms part of the outer quarter. I then folded that down into the rain channel, spot welded it in place, and then welded the seam between that tab and the rain channel best as I could. Before it goes into paint there will obviously be bondo to smooth the area out and I plan to slather body seam sealer on the underside of that area just in case any water finds its way in.

I also spot welded the rear valence where it meets the inner quarter; you can see that I still have some metal persuasion to do to get the inner quarter up a few mm on the LH side.

I'm not sure if this is how it was originally done but it seemed to make sense as things
came together.



Paul

[trojanhorsepower]

Looks familiar.
Great work.

Keep after it. It will end eventually. I think. Still not there personally, but I have heard that rumor......

[seanpaulmc]

Paul, thanks for the additional explanation of where the rear panel and quarter panel come together. That is what I needed.