So what exactly is involved in this...I know i know, If i'm asking I shouldn't do it, but as is I probably have maybe two more years left if i'm spectacularly lucky.

Honestly I just dont want to screw it up.

Grasshopper is supposed to come down to help me out on May something, but I dont have most of what I need.

I will have steaks and food and fun and the parents can put some beer out for the people who come to help me out with my rust.

Is this just a matter of getting everything straight and welding the appropiate parts, or does it get more complicated than that?

I know i'm oversimplifying everything but I just want to make sure I get the simple stuff down,a nd then I can branch out after that.

I'm kinda embarassed to get pictures of the carnage, but I can't see the ground from looking into the hellhole, and my suspension ears appear to be in complete condition. Also, my suspension console seems to be in functional and decent condition...

I'll get some pics on thursday...I have two REAL big exams this week.

Most of what I would need is available through restoration designs correct? I want to get the Brad Mayeur long clamshells and maybe a Engman kit if I can get the carpet off the inside of the car.


Honestly this should all have been done a long time ago, but now that I have to deal with it, I'd like to get it fixed right.

that title is supposed to be extravaganza.

is that supposed to mean something?? Beer you say?? It all depends on how much rust there is. If you car is flexing, then you need braces to assure perfect dimensions, but if it isn't that bad, then you should be good just patching the rust. lots of Por15 and metal ready...anyone else want to chime in??

allan, this kid knows more about welding than I do...why not call in someone who knows mroe?

Concerning welding "IM" the :grasshopper:

b

he's kinda little . . . beer . . . he'll end up like this

Just cut everything out and patch it. See picture (I know the engine shelf needs a little more work). Make sure you get good penetration, all of the that I have seen look like they aren't quite hot enough. No offense BTW.

no offense taken. I have gone back and fixed everythin, because I was able to just knock it out with a hammer. Just havn't posted any pics. Latest repaired piece. Does this look any better?? I know it is a lot stronger... I dont want to go and try to help brit, and not do any good
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

that surprisingly looks comforting....

b

Barry, I've seen pics of your work....looks good to me. I am NOT ANY WHERE NEAR a CW. We're cool



b

could we do that as well Barry?

delete the antenna?

b

aaayyuuppp that is an easy one. My best welds YET. There was an antenna hole here..sorry no before pic... this is on the right rear fender
Click to view attachment

I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but if this is your first ever rustoration, you will screw things up.

I believe that most everyone that does/did body work improves over time and it takes lots of practice. You constantly learn by doing and by learning, one will inevitably screw things up and hopefully learn how to fix whatever you screw up.

It's onlt metal, filler and paint. You should be smarter than any of those things.

good luck and get out there and DO it.

just my $0.02

another local member told me that he started from not knowing anything to getting it done and he made his own parts too....I think it'll be okay, fun and educational.

I even have touchup paint at the body shop for re-painting that antenna cutout.

b

Barry, those welds look so much better

Britt, Previous to this December, I had never done any real metal work. I handmade alot of patches, some of which were really large, and they all came out pretty well. They got much better as I went along. Just don't be afraid to cut something off again of it doesn't come out quite right. As John said, its only metal.

[quote name='grasshopper' date='May 2 2006, 05:29 PM' post='673564']
is that supposed to mean something??

[/quote]
[/quote]


I just couldn't find a cricket.

He made the post and nobody answered quickly and it got quite...

It was a joke.

I'm sorry, I have sinned against the young...

I used it to bump the thread.....

hey britt, post pics so we know what needs to be bought, and what needs to be hand shaped.

okay, i'll get those up tomorrow.

b

what you need to do is take a lot of pictures right now of the damage and post them....

depending on the damage, you are fooling yourself thinking you can easily and quickly make the parts to do the repairs.....

Alright, after the valve adjustment though.

b

making excuses...(your in denial)

here we go....

1 - right side wheelwell.
2 - left side (not hellhole yet but needs to be cleaned up)
3 - uh, i'll get back to that one.
4 - rear floor pan to firewall and long connection
5 - okay THIS is the wheelwell hole itself.
6 - dunno what this is of....

okay on #3 we are looking at the hole in one of the sides of the long, but there is no rust on the inside of the long. so mine is like a C (facing the other way) now, instead of a box.

b

uumm...wow The hellhole its self looks fixable. It is the rear floor and firewall that need some major work. You are going to have to buy a rear floor pan replacement panel from AA. I think they are the only ones that make just the partial rear part. So I would say, jack plate, jack tube, rear floor, Battery tray, support, seat mounts..other stuff can be made. I am willing to provide the Jack plate, tube, battery tray and support, but I would rather not have to buy the rear floor... It can be done, but it WILL take more than a weekend. worse than I had thought

if we patch up the hellhole, i'm going to ask for a welder for my bday. I can then repair the rear floor. How hard are the seats to take out?

dude, if we do this hellhole, you'd be awesome in m book.

b

just thought of it, you will also need inner and outer firewall..which I have... from a sawzall victime, BUT I paid 130 for them, so I would like to help, but I dont want to be out that much.... here is the AA rear floor patch

oh yeah...and the jacking doughnut on the passenger side..but that is like 15 bucks from RD

sorry to be a pain, but to asses the rust better, could you slide the passenger seat forward, and pull the carpet back, and take a pic, then jump on it, and take another pic I think I can see inside. but yeah, some more pics like from directly underneath and how much of the firewall is affected would be better.

i'm either spoiled or lazy, but that car looks like a good canidate for a party

Barry, you CAN see the inside.

b

Mike, probably more spoiled would be my guess. I cant BELIEVE I traded a Jeep in for this, especially since there are WAY nicer ones available.

b

Barry, what if I made a few calls to people to help out. Think a team of four or five could tackle this?

b

the more people the better. We can have someone working on the hell hole, someone working on the floor, someone working on the firewall and someone working on the long. MORE IS BETTER. I will PM you about the dates.

I hope by the grace of God that this car gets fixed. The parent's funding source has just run dry for this car and I really love this car.....You know what I mean. I still get chills driving it.

b

dude, I just got the chills riding in mine the other day. i havn't felt that since the first time we bought it. It felt so good. just think, you would be better off fixing this, think about the costs. Since I am providing most of the parts, then you cost will end up being around 200-300. If you got a Cali car, that would just cover the car...add another 600-700 for shipping, and you are easily over the thousand dollar mark, and you could buy a running eastcoast car for that...

You're awesome dude. You saved MY car



I'm taking you and your dad for a tour, and both will drive my 914.

b

i dont know about drive. I have put off getting my learners for some reason...I just have never really had the time to get it. Remeber, I turned 15 six months ago! I *think* we are going to get it tomorrow...but i dont know..

right, sorry about that.

b

I'm not trying to be negative on this, but the more people working on the car at the same time also increases the chances of somebody getting seriously hurt from the drilling, the sawing, the grinding and the welding.............just something to think about...

Mike, do you have any better ideas?

b

you know, I thought about it, and Mike is right. More people there would be nice, but we probably shouldn't work at the same time. At least not right next to each other...

ok, here are the parts
firewall, jackplate and tube, battery tray and support
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

back side, and underneath of the firewall
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

so what about the engine shelf and the top of the long? There's only a 1/8th inch slit in the long top but the sides (right) is trashed, like the wheelwell area.

b

my firewall isnt rusted at all actually, I just need to rejoin the two pieces.

I have an idea why it rusted like that though. Rear window seal is shot.

b

you never posted pics of the engine shelf...if it extends out of the *hole* itself, then you need to buy one from RD, but the wheelhouse I can go ahead and make patch panels for, no need to spend 200 on a wheel house that only has a few holes...

wrong, your firewall is rusted. It needs good flanges for the floor to be welded too. Since I dont know how bad it is, I should probably bring my whole piece just to be safe, but if it isnt that bad, we can just remake the flanges. Here is where it is rusting
Click to view attachment

you're the expert



b

i am no expert! I read Michelkos restoration thread everytime I think I cant do it.

If i didnt have to RELY on this car, I'd do the same thing Michelko did.

I just dont have much time to mess with it and no $$ to pay someone.....ya know?

is your welder 110V or 220V?

I'll need to know if its 220V cause I need to put a plug in there for a welder. I have conduit going through the garage, just no plug socket.

b