The suspension pan came out without too much drama:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315626612.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315626654.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315626717.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315626803.jpg

Lots of patching and fabricating...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627076.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627151.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627225.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627275.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627350.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315627470.jpg

There were signs the car had incurred some front-end damage in it's past. Thought really hard about replacing the whole front clip, but ultimately decided to save as much as I could. The nose seal strip, on the other hand, had too many holes and wrinkles so it came out.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315628707.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315628626.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315628759.jpg

That's when I discovered how much of the damage was "not" repaired...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315628942.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315628989.jpg

The nose was pushed in more than 1 1/2 inches in the middle - there was no way the hood was going to latch in that position.

This called for drastic measures... the mighty hydraulic fluid, arrghh! arrghh! arrghh!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315629711.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315629750.jpg

... and beating on it with a 20 lb. mallet: much better.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315629778.jpg

Tank support in, passenger-side battery box removed, multiple coats of etching primer, rust encapsulator, "Rust Bullet", seam sealer, and Wurth undercoating. She's not going to rust anytime soon.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315630913.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315630965.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315631003.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315631032.jpg

He lives - was just talking about your project the other day, hoping you hadn't given up. Great progress. Have you seen Bryan's (combatic) identical pan repalcement last week? Two Br(i/y)ans, same neighborhood, same project, same week...what are the chances?

hi Brian,
realy great work, [Hard work] looking forward to seeing the progress as it happens, should be a neat car when your done!:)
Anthony.

Subscribing. Nice work!!

Great work Brian!

Are you coming down to Kirkland tomorrow?

Great going. Keep it up!

Thanks for all the encouragements. I wanted to install a new bracket I fabbed to replace the fender mount that got deleted with the battery box... In order to locate it correctly, I need the fender and bumper back on, but of course, it's never that easy. Both headlight buckets were "repaired(?)" with fiberglass, requiring more drilling, pounding, & welding.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315799240.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315799208.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315799503.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315799404.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1315799589.jpg
It'll require some additional massaging, but it sure beats creating from scratch. Had I known the rust was beyond the buckets, I would not have been so brutal in removing the donor buckets. Created more work than necessary. :(

Still here...
It's been a looooong 16-months since my last post, but I did manage to make a little progress. Reached a few milestones actually. I'll try to bring you up to date: first the fenders. The passenger-side headlight bucket just required a little more massaging, but the driver-side was a basket case. I decided to just cut-off the lower turn signal area and graft it onto a '74 fender. Thanks to Johnny Walker for the fender.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363321468.jpghttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363321610.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363321626.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363321649.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353726.jpg

As you can see, the big milestone came when the shell was stripped, cleaned, and epoxy coated.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353871.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353890.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353914.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353930.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353969.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363353986.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354000.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354017.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354060.jpg

Passenger-side rocker:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354468.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354506.jpg

Uh-oh. Didn't anticipate messing with the door hinge post.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354546.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354561.jpg

Dug deeper.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354600.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354617.jpg

Be mindful of this shelf hidden behind the hinge post panel - good thing I was taking my time cutting.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354651.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354743.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363354760.jpg

Brian, I was wondering if you'd given up. It looks like you're getting pretty good at rust repairs.

Actually, I was just thinking about you yesterday. Someone offered me a free 1958 Mercedes 300D that's been sitting outside for years and the first thing that came to mind was rust.

Still here Rich. I have decided to consider this a "hobby" and not stress myself out by rushing through the process. Plus I really do enjoy the build process. Glad to hear that my name is synonymous with "rust." Thanks bro!
The old Benz are beautiful cars - too funny, just saw a slammed four-door 240 the other day too. Thought for a "second" how cool it would be to build one, then I slapped myself out of it. Don't you still have the Rover to finish?

Yeah, the LR is first in line. But hey, I'm retiring next week so I'll have lots of time.

No friggin way!!! Wow, I had no idea. Congratulations dude! Then hell yah, go snag it. You know what that means:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1363360850.jpg

It means you're going to buy me some $700 scotch?

SWEET! You can come over and drink some.

No, it means your wife is getting that for you and I'll come over to help you drink it.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/suppo...s/beerchug.gif[img]