Rust Monsters: UPDATE
 

For those of you who want to know here is an update on my suspension pan progress.

I have been busy over the past few weeks preparing the tub. All the suspension peices are cleaned and painted ready to go in. Now its sheet metal time. The new pan arrived at the house on Wed. Time to cut. I fit up the new pan and chalked in place. Then I went to work removing undercoating.

A braided twist wire cup brush in a 4" angle grinder cuts through undercoating like butta'.

I refit the pan, used a permanant marker and started cutting. It took 30 minutes with the plasma cutter to remove the old pan and tank support.

30 yr old sheet metal is no match for my high voltage, high pressure, plasma torch...Heh, Heh, Heh.

I also cut out the ends of the lateral tank support by the batt. boxes. Seems these were quite rusty. Its kinda strange that the batt boxes are solid.

I then used the grinder to clean up all the seams. Put the new pan up and with a few strategic bumps of the hammer it dropped right in. a few vice grips and C-clamps later the pan was in place.

I will post picts on my web page this week. The batteries went dead when I started snapping shots.

The next step is to fabricate the patches for the lateral tank supports. then the welding begins.

The project is really gaining momentum now.

Jamie
71 911T targa
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jpnovak

Can't wait to see the pictures!

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Joshua Harrison
1968 912 Coupe

I just stripped my 70 down. NO rust anywhere. It's been painted a few times so its off to the bodyshop to be stripped bare and repainted yellow or red or silver or now I'm totally confused.
Good Luck
Woody
70 Targa

Jamie,
I’m working on the exact same project this week…same car too, a ’71T Targa. Unfortunately, I don’t have the plasma cutter. How’d you cut out the pan with that thing, anyway? It seems like you would have to leave the edge of the old pan along the seams. I’ve gotten as far as removing the gas tank support by drilling out the spot welds, and am going to cut out the suspension pan tomorrow. Today I dropped the suspension. It’s pretty cool how it all comes off in one piece, although some of those fasteners didn’t want to let go after 30 years.
Are you going to do a butt weld or overlap where the back of the pan meets the old metal? Overlapping it about ½ inch would be a lot easier, both in the fitting and the welding, and I think I’ll do it that way unless someone has a good reason why it should be a butt joint. Also, what kind of paint are you using on the new sheet metal? I’d like to get something good on there so it doesn’t start rusting all over again soon.
Good luck, and keep us posted. I just got a digital camera, so I’m taking lots of pictures. Here’s a few, if the link works;
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=353525&a=12320304&p=45008749&f=0
Brad

Brad_H- My car had significant rust(see earlier post). I had to cut the ends off the lateral tank support(the piece under the batt boxes). I am fabricating these peices right now. This made it easy to get to the lower seam on the pan.

I cut from the top as close to the seam as possible. Then used the grinder to smooth out the seam. Worked very well. The new pan fits in place except for the S bend section near the middle. I will have to grind the seam and hammer the pan a little. Its only off by about 3/32"

The rear will be lap welded. I have a set of vice grips that will crimp an offset in teh panel. This will allow the lap weld to look like a butt weld from the outside while being stronger. I plann on drilling holes in the seams and using the MIG gun to "spot weld". Then the seams will be welded. This pan will go no where.

I will be coating with POR15. I will be using an undercoating gun to fill the cavity made by the lateral tank support and the inner fender. No rust yet but a good place for it to start. After the paint then I will undercoat the outside only($3/can at the local auto store).

I hope to be done next weekend. Wish me luck. Its been a month so far.

Jamie

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Jamie
71 911T targa
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jpnovak

Fortunately I do not have a rust problem but I follow your progress with interest as I am looking for a project car. Thanks for posting the photos they are worth thousands of words.

When I first got my 911 I cleaned the bottom and coated it with an undercoat from Wurth called SKS Stoneguard (Part# 0890030-U). You can order it directly from Wurth at www.wurthusa.com. I've used the cheap spraycan undercoat but no more as I think the Wurth is far superior. Costs more, about $18 a quart, and you'll need about 3 quarts for the entire car.

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Allan Broadribb
'70-911E, 2.2l with Webers

Just finished my suspension pan project. Did it all myself.
Before:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...989&p=43117206
and after:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...989&p=43117209
Kurt V
72 911E

The new pan is in the car. I posted some picts on my website. Here is a link:

http://www4.ncsu.edu:8030/~jpnovak/prshpic5.html

I will be painting the areas tonight. I still have to paint inside all the box sections with a undercoating gun. I should have it done next week and back on the road.

Jamie

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Jamie
71 911T targa
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~jpnovak