Having trouble getting my welding guy over here any time soon to do my repairs. Wanted to do it here while the fuel lines are out (replacing everything and moving the pump up front)...seemed much safer. So, my alternative is to put the lines back in, fire her up and take her somewhere for the welding. I need those two areas closed up and patched and the triangle welded in. Can it be done safely with the fuel line back in place?
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Are you putting in steel lines?
If so, and if your welder is smart, then yes it can be done safely...just drain the tank and cover the lines.

Rich

It doesn't look like there is anything to weld to. If "B" is your long from the bottom then you ned to seriously consider cleaning and treating that rust before you close up that hole.

The steel is already in but only protrudes a few inches from the tunnel, then it'll be rubber up to the carbs...a 3/8 - 5/16 adapter in between. If I need to drain the tank and all, might as well wait until my guy can do it here...before I fuel it up.

Yeah..."B" is the section of the long that was directly beneath the jacking donut. I was able to clean and treat (POR15) the "A" part...inside the firewall, but the inside of the long at that point will be more difficult. Suggestion? I have no air and no spray gun.

Why?

Just don't set the hoses on fire or hit the hard lines with the welding arc

That's a "catch 22." An empty tank is way explosive due to fuel vapor. If you cleaned the tank and replaced all the lines so there isn't any fuel vapor left, I vote with Rich.

Otherwise get a careful welder.

I weld clutch tubes and ...all the time without removing teh gas. many damp rags stuffed in teh tunel around teh lines. I dont think you should drive it with big holes there.

Thanks.

you might be able to get a 3m paint stripper wheel fitted on a drill up in there, or at the very least use a wire brush and some rust converter and see what's left. I would also clean up the edges where your patch will be welded in. It will be a lot easier to make a new piece to weld in if it's more uniformly shaped.

All that being said, I would probably cut more metal out than you have to repair it correctly.

BTDT

Anybody do home visits? My local welder buddy keeps putting it off...damn it, he has work!

Welder has arrived, worked and departed. See the results under my "Hell Hole" thread.

The repairs look good. How soon til you're on the road?

This may have been mentioned before and I won't say you should do this. I'll tell you what I've done and how it's worked out. I had some things to weld a few years ago so I bought a Millermatic 135 110V MIG welder.

I didn't know how to weld so I read online, talked to by Bro-in-law who welds for the railroad, and just started welding. After the first weld, I realized how useful it is to be able to weld things as I need them. I still suck but I'm getting better and better at it.

So far I've welded swaybar tabs, swaybar mounts, an Audi muffler hanger, a 914 muffler rip, 914 muffler hanger, a VW bus muffler, a BMW muffler, some rust holes in my 74 914, and a ton of welding on my 71 914.

I couldn't imagine doing any rust repair or body repair on my 914 without a welder.

I can be on the road in a matter of hours...just have to hook up the fuel pump and lines, and fill her up. Right now we have snow with predictions of 2" by morning, so not tomorrow for sure. I;m going to buy a small Lincoln I think and start practicing. Then I'll buy a really shitty 914 and have some fun.