Taking this winter season to address finally the bit of wasted metal by the driver's side jack triangle and edge of rear wheel housing. See photos.

BUT - of the few shops around here, all only want a 2-3 year, >6-figure resto job or are so busy with normal collision work they don't want to do small one-off jobs. I don't have the space, equipment, or skills, though have ordered the new jack triangle part.

Soooo... anyone around here in Northern NJ a) know of a small shop or retired person with ability/interest to do this work or b) has the space, equipment, and skill to do it?
There seems to be many in the forum that do this kind of work themselves (even Frances!), but any in this area?

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

That looks sort of ugly. Very fixable but looks like someone was in there before. How's the passenger side?

Try a local community College welding program. They will have leads

there is a lot more rust in there than it looks like from the surface.
this is possibly a big job... take the doors off, brace the chassis... cut the rear fender in half, and then new paint work when done.

On the bright side, it looks like you're going to be getting some rented shop space, some new tools and a welder

Seriously, If you can't find someone local, I'd consider shipping it to someone that would do the work. It probabably won't be cheap - there is a lot of labor and parts involved to do it right. Far beyond just the jacking triangle.

You might want to consider some "exploratory" work with a hand pick and hammer to understand how crispy the surrounding metal is for yourself. Can't weld to rust.

If you have solid metal in the vicinity, the cost goes down.

Yeah, just patched it to keep debris out, then jd weld and uindercoat spray. Right side perfect; done several years ago.

Good advice. That and a scraper. First review suggests most of the rest is ok.

Will do. There’s one near here. Not sure if I want them to do it, though.

Call Doug Arneo at VCI in Dover. He might know of someone.

Charlie

Steve, can you do the grinding to remove all the paint, under coating, and JB so that a weld shop can accurately asses the task at hand?
If it’s as straight forward as you say, almost any reputable body shop will be up to the task. But, unless you can clearly prove that the job won’t turn into a nightmare, I think you’ll have a hard time finding your way to ‘yes’.

Van

Yep; will start with that (once it gets warmer - no room in the unheated garage).

Thanks! Will try that, too.

C’mon man, when you bang your fingers in the cold, you don have to feel it until later!

Sometimes it’s easier when it’s cold if you are wearing a lot of protective gear.

OK, despite the cold weather have take the advice above before the snow starts this weekend. Cleaned the area, cut out bad metal (worse than I thought, but not as bad as feared), primered a bit, and fabricated a mockup of the replacement metal.
Now, again, to find a shop able/willing to fabricate the new piece, weld it in place, and remove/replace the jack triangle with a new RD piece.

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Photo with the mockup sheet metal in place:
Click to view attachment

nice work mate.

just keep ringing around steve.
you will find someone and you can send them photos.
looks to me like its not a spreading horror mystery job given those photos.
would assist a shop in seeing its reasonably straightforward and not going to turn into a major rebuild.
(most of them are probably thinking "oh yeah" when you ring them up to tell them you just want a small patch welded on the rear of the chassis rail of a 914?)

hardest part is how to protect interior of box rail after the patch weld.
even weld through primer gets burned away in direct area of weld.

some members here might have some thoughts.

I don't get it.

You've literally done the work. You've got the hang of this! Now all you have to do is buy a Lincoln Pro MIG 140 welder at Home Depot and make sparks. That is the fun part

You can do it (just practice a little bit on some scrap sheetmetal 1st)

Eastwood Frame Coating. Spray can with flexible tube can be fed up though longitudinal drains. Very thin and viscous, creeps into cracks. Hardens to a resin like rust converter / inhibitor. Tolerates weld heat very well. Burns away locally but not much more.

So at worst, close it up - leave 3/16" hole or there abouts just big enough to inject the spray tube, wait to dry, weld up the hole. Sure you'll have burn away in the vicinity of the hole but you're still 99.95% covered on the inside.

Great job prepping the long. Call a mobile welder. Easy peasy.

Tempted, but don’t have a lift. Could be dicey even on jack. After nearly seven decades, Just smart enough to leave skilled stuff to the pros. Looked for welding classes but none nearby.

EDIT: Also, I’m looking for a shop with tig welding. Necessary for this type of work?
Of course, need someone to fabricate the replacement piece and finish cutting out old jack triangle.

Yeah these photos will increase your chances substantially!

Typo TIG.

TIG is not necessary and will artificially limit your options. MIG is completely appropriate, is more tolerant of dirty metal, and is a faster welding process. Less welding time = less $$

I'm not giving up though - you can do this!

way to go.

keep encouraging him.

you are right, steve is more than halfway there.
nice grinder work. very neat.

but........it can be intimidating picking up a welder.
until you have practiced on a few bits of junk and realise its not impossible to learn.

THanks! Will ask for MIG or TIG. Wasn't there a RONCO Pocket Welder back in the 80s??

What are his chances of doing this without cutting the Quarter to get in there? Is there a thread on someone who has done this?

I’d estimate about 100% give or take 0%.
Butt joint fit up, bevel the edges for good penetration, cut free and reinforce the jack plate, and then spray.
The hardest part will be forming the metal to fit that hole.

I'd agree - looking at the photo. true that is hard to know exactly without being there.
it seems to be damage due to mud/moisture that has packed in against the long.
looking inside that long it looks pretty clean.

that long and quarter panel are not attacked by battery acid.
not that they can't rust out. but......

if he lived here i'd have him over to the workshop and have all that zipped up for him in probably a day.

at least with it cut open and fully exposed he can go find himself a welder or body shop and it is all a bit more precise for someone to see extents.
i'm betting a panel shop or restoration shop (or even a good mechanic) would be willing to do that for him when they realise its not going to sit around in their shop for 6 months to a year taking up space. having a hoist will really make it a lot easier to get at and do.
half the problem is trying to lie underneath if if its not jacked up high enough.
awful position to be in welding. so whoever does it won't want their hoist tied up for too long.
i don't think you need to go bracing anything. he has already cut the hole.
presumably it didn't sag.

call me silly.
but i would almost consider getting this piece from RD.
you guys are lucky being so close to them.
i looked up the price, not outrageous.

just cut the patch out of it. the complex shape is already formed.

not sure if its enough to cover all the repair but kinds looks like it?
others with experience examining these panels and area in question would have a better idea.

price of the panel (at your prices) would line ball with a professional mucking about and forming one here. be an bit of fiddling about for an hour or so.
but i would never land one at your prices here.
so i'd be fooling about forming that.
would probably take me the best part of a morning before i got what i wanted.
its thicker metal too isn't it?



Click to view attachment


https://www.restoration-design.com/store/product/PP331

@StarBear

steve, the bit you cut out. how was it rusted.
from the inside out or from the outside in?

Curious how the RD piece is made. Is it as thick as the two layers of metal that are sandwiched together in that spot?

When I repaired a section near that area on my car, I cut a bigger area out of the top layer using a dremel so I could weld in two separate layers that overlapped in order to mimic the factory metal. Maybe I made more work for myself than was necessary?

Agreed. Never go under a car with only a jack. Always use jackstands and several of them just to be safe.

Welding is the fun part of the job and can be learned by experience and watching videos online. I'm not great but I can get the job done. Bought my Millermatic 135 110V welder several years ago and just love welding. The first time I repaired the muffler hanger on my 914, I remember standing there looking around at anything else I could weld.

You can either pay $$$$$ to have someone do it for you or pay $$$ and get your own welder. A 110Vac welder will handle most if not all jobs on your 914.

Yes, it is two pieces, spot welded together like OEM.

That is the more expedient solution vs. forming the compound curvature from flat stock. Either can be done. It's a classic trade . . . . time or $$.

The other thing that could be done with $$ is buy the longitudinal clam shell in addition to the part above.

https://www.restoration-design.com/store/product/PP346L

It also has this are reproduced in single layer, thicker metal that fits over the existing long and will cover that area between the jack post and the rear outer suspension console.

Cut off what you need at the rear, resell the front to someone in need on the forum.

That piece can be doubled over the part Wonkipop referenced, now you have very effectively doubled/tripled the thickness in that critical area and have sucessfully overlapped the welds for strength.

I did this on my build so that "disjointed area" now has triple metal thickness. I don't like adding weight to my car but I felt this was a worthwhile add to an area that is a classic problem area.

Can see it here.

Click to view attachment

Even if I can't convince you to DIY, let the potential repair shops know the reproduction sheetmetal is available and that they don't have to hand fabricate parts.

I can fix that for you. I'm just 5 hours away.
Some of us should be able to weld that closer to you.
Looks like there is more rust that needs cut out at area where jacking triangle mounts?
Every car I saved the passenger side was always way worst, might want to poke around....
Good luck.
Matt

Only the right side is available anywhere. For the left, once into the curved area, you need to fabricate yourself.

Clamshells are available from RD for both sides. With some creativity, the left side clamshell could easily be used to hammerform the inner layers.

Yep; the current jack triangle and nearby area still needs to be cut out. Passenger side was done many years ago; just getting around to the drivers side.

Good news!!! Thanks to the helpful hardware folks here, I and my teener got to "Yes" this morning! Prework, pics, mockup of sheet metal patch, and in-hand jack triangle replacement part (from RD) got a Porsche race shop recently relocated to nearby Whippany, NJ to agree to do the job. Have to wait until mid-late March as he's jammed prepping for the upcoming racing season, but that's only 6 week or so away!

So, for the questions/comments above:
1. Looks like only spot rust/delamination, most likely due to grit/salt sitting in the crevices around the triangle and rocker panel from the long-ago time. Cleared everything out and the surrounding metal is sound. See photo.
2. The hole will be patched with 10 ga. sheet metal, fabricated to fit. I prepared a mockup template (see photos below). The current metal is 2-layer, so 10 ga. measures same total thickness; probably stronger than current.
3. The current jack triangle needs to be cut out and surrounding metal edges cut/cleaned. Got a replacement triangle from RD (photo) to be put in. Best to have a pro do that while car is on a lift - I could cut something unintentional.
4. Not sure if a bit of horizontal metal needs to be added just forward of the jack triangle; will let him figure/decide that.

Meanwhile, will continue to clean up the area, apply additional primer inside the channel, and begin cleaning, prepping, and priming the outside of the clamshell (in good shape, but needs cleaning and a primer/sealer then will paint to return to match body color). The rocker panel is done and prepped, waiting for better outside weather; all new SS hardware, including the bottom lag screws.

Again, thanks for all the help and encouragement (even the well intended welding prodding)! Vroom vroom and onward, my friends!
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Yep; that's the plan!

Nice! Maybe you can toss a couple silica bags inside that box section before they weld it up lol! You’ll have permanent humidity control keeping the moisture down:)

Great idea, Van. I think I have some or can get them in plenty of time. Thanks.

Bad idea.

Absorbs and thus keeps moisture in the channel?

good news steve.

Small welding help?

Best of luck with this project, but far from a small project. I have seen much worse and much better. Take your time and make sure you check chassis dimensions before everything gets firmed up.

Thanks for posting, this is great information for all viewers

Must turn into a high explosive….

And I hope this little link might be of some small benefit to you good Sir:
https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-.../understatement