Well this week end was a good time to to start to wok on the restoration of my whitw 76. My plans are first to strip out the tar from the floors and the an Engmans inner long kit I got at FFC will be installed.

This is a before Pic passanger back

Pass Front

Driver back

driver front

Wepons of choice

...and 2 1/2 hours later

Close up back

Pass Front

I thought all those people that said "get a heat gun its the best" were full of ****. Until I bought one and realized how right they were. Good job, keep it going. Oh, and to get that "last little bit" of tar, brake cleaner, LOTS of it. Buy a case, maybe two.

I just did, am doing this. I used MAP gas and a screw driver. For the last little stuff, I recommend a 6" wire wheel and either a drill or an angle grinder. I used both. Also, a dremel works good for the nooks and crannys. I hated doing it, but the end results should be well worth it.

Ok so use the heat gun. Good advice. I have to remove all this tar from my car in order to do some rust repair. The question I have is this. What kind of steel are our uni-bodies made from? What could I use to replace rusted parts. Im thinking mild steel will do the job. If there is enough significant damage I will use 914 floor pans cut out from another car in order to maintain the rigid structure they are shaped in. But if I dont have too, I wont. So what kinda material should I start mig welding together in preporation for repair?

Well I can tell you one thing I was really surprised how well this 914 from OH was as far as rust. I also have a 73 parts car and it is rusted all over. if any one wants up close and personal pics of how the floor was attached from the factory I can take pics for you. All i have found so far is surface rust on the interior floors. The hell hole is another subject (see blog photos). The worst part it looks like is gonna trying to get the seam sealer up. The tar even wants to stick to it. Well I am off to work on the drives side will post pics tonight hopefully.

Seam sealer was a pain. I used the MAP gas and burned the hell out of it. Then a combo of the screw driver + hammer, and the coarse wire wheel. The 6" wheel did the best for me.

I had that same heat gun. It only lasted me about 2 hours till it blew. Good thing I got it on sale for $9 at HF. I'll definately get another 2. One for the ex as a hair dryer and a 2nd for me, LOL.

At any rate, good job!

ok here are the driver side pics only 1.5 hors for drivers side.

found a rust spot it appears this plug rusted through the middle it is solid metal on both sides anyone ever seen this. Advice would be appriciated.

Are you replacing the floors? Or just want to put some por15 or the like down there? Since youre down there to near metal, you can try a cup brush on an angle grinder to get the rust scale and any chunks of tar still remaining. It WILL however, make a nice mess which will need to be dealt with at some point. But it works DAMN GOOD.

Have you tried "Naval Jelly" it's supposed to penetrate and lift rust.

So for all you guys that have used the heat gun approach,
what happens to the undercoating on the bottom side of the pan?
Is it ruined?

--- bill

QUOTE (bperry @ Jun 5 2005, 11:40 AM)

So for all you guys that have used the heat gun approach, what happens to the undercoating on the bottom side of the pan? Is it ruined? --- bill

The heat gun doesn't get that hot...

QUOTE (Grimstead @ Jun 5 2005, 03:45 PM)

QUOTE (bperry @ Jun 5 2005, 11:40 AM) So for all you guys that have used the heat gun approach, what happens to the undercoating on the bottom side of the pan? Is it ruined? --- bill The heat gun doesn't get that hot...

plus the undercoating is most likely shot anyways with rust under it

Finished remoing the tar from the center tunnel. Now I Need that case of brake cleaner.

Wal-Mart has brake cleaner for 93 cents a can. I compared it side-by-side with the chemtool stuff and it melts gunk away faster. It comes in cases of 8 - less than 10 bucks is unbeatable.