Waterlogged Rust Bucket
 

Since my last back-date project was not challenging enough :rolleyes: I thought I'd get into something that required a little more work. Well, I might have bit off a little more than I bargained for...

Background info: It's a 1970T, originally from California that has been sitting under a carport in Southern Oregon for the past five years. The car is complete but not running. The tranny is a type 911 4-spd and the motor is still an unknown. I was told by the PO that it's a 2.4, but I was told that it had a 915 also. The color is original and has been repainted in a terrible way - as in thick and cracking. Initial inspections showed rust in the front suspension pan and everything else in fairly good condition. At least that's what I thought.

The original plan was to replace the suspension pan, clean things up, give it a new paint job, with the possibility of throwing in a 3.0 or 3.2 to mate with the 915. That was then. The drivetrain decision has been "pinned to the wall" for a later date and I'll be focusing on getting the body ready.

I was hesitant in doing a thread about the build process, but ultimately decided to post as a means of guidance for my benefit since this is all new to me. I know many of you have already "been there & done that" so any guidance you may feel moved to provide me will be greatly appreciated.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262580481.jpg

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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262580754.jpg

Disassembly has begun and moved to it's temporary resting place. The car reaks of moisture... removal of the sound deadening material in the back revealed "standing water "on the parcel shelf, rear seats, and down to the floor. Gravity...
Suspicious signs of fiberglass repair on the parcel shelf. Uh-oh.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262581137.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262581185.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262581300.jpg

Fenders off and gas tank out. Twelve gallons of 5-year old gas, nasty.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262582003.jpg

So, what's the vision?

I've got a good feeling about this one...

Will be watching with anticipation.

Something resembling this genre without the RSR fenders:
(thanks for the vote of confidence mate (Peter)!)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1262584106.jpg

I vote for Lime Green... (same stripe)

Sorry I meant Viper Green.

I see carrera upgrades on the engine, and it look nice! doesen't look like a 2.4

Your ducktail looks like it could be fiberglass bonded to a steel lid, is that the case?

That would be cool.

Doesn't look like the typical rust bucket to me. Dash, door panels and mirrors are not correct for a 71. Has a center console. I think you're going to find a bunch of unusual things on this car.

And you are an expert on rust buckets! ;)

Good eye. That was my initial thought too, but it turned out to be an early all FG ducktail of unknown manufacture that was built with lots of detail & quality. It's already found a new home with one of our Canadian enthusiasts.

Yah, like those giant speakers mounted on the front kick-panel ;). The mirrors are not correct but are OE. Kind of rare to find original drivers & passenger - the mounting holes on the passenger side is factory as well and not a custom job. Did I mention power windows and power seats?

meh... that's not a rust bucket :p

I'm replacing damn near all the metal on my '66..... except the vin plate :)

Amen to that, this car is rust free in about 75% of most sellers mind. Nice project.


Phillip

What an interesting car!! Looks like a fun project. I agree, the rust doesn't look too bad - though we all know what can happen once the grinder comes out.

Looks like a 2.2 based on the black shroud...

That's a good vision! Print that picture out and post it over your workbench.

Performed a little exploratory surgery this weekend. Focusing on the rear to start with since I already know the front suspension pan and tank support will have to be replaced. Took a little paint off the rear to start the surgery - this is what I found:
Driver's side
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263181685.jpg

Passenger side
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263181714.jpg

They were going to come out anyway so that I can access the parcel, but I didn't expect the holes and fiberglass.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263181878.jpg

Removed the FG and dug further :eek:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263181977.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263182258.jpg

Passenger side:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263182065.jpg

Dug further:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263182128.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263182205.jpg

It's a good thing I have one of these, thanks to Johnny Walker:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263182790.jpg

I was thinking of replacing just the two corners, attempting to replicate C. Nielson's work, but I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and replace the whole shelf? I've started removing the spot welds along the perimeter of the donor shelf:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263183617.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263184112.jpg

Cut along this line maybe?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263183965.jpg

That would be just aft of the weld:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263184350.jpg

Any thoughts?

Wait till you get to the rockers :)

Mine looked great, till I started sandblasting them.

ALL bondo baby. :p

I think you're on the right track but don't take my word for it.
Someone should chime in but I've always thought it better to replace large complex areas as a whole rather than bits and pieces.

The cut line looks good and would be OK but can you go a bit further and separate it at the spot welds?

Thought about doing that but being that this donor shelf is out of an '87, the location & size of the welded overlap area does not match. This is another reason why I'm leaning toward replacing the whole shelf - the stamping is slightly different. I'm afraid if I replace sections, the raised ridges will not line up.

Is there more fiberglass besides the parcel shelf?

Bottom half of the headlight buckets, that I know of. Don't know what I'll find under the rockers.

Post some pics of the issue if you can. So long as the body lines are correct and the flanges mate enough to achieve solidarity the width shouldn't matter. Many of the NOS and repops have incorrect flanges as compared to the factory pieces (most are laughably larger, but some are shorter). I've always operated under the assumption that it is best to replace larger areas when faced with such a choice; that being said, I'm also guilty of welding in a 1" patch (only once, I swear).

Please hurry towards the rockers, I'm in need of some entertainment to keep me occupied this winter . . .

There must have been a discount sale on fiberglass a few years back because we've got a 912 tub with the same issues. Im pretty sure the entire front pan of our car is held together with the stuff, its obscene.

Keep up the good work.

Hey - maybe Colin Chapman tried to Lotusize it!

one could argue perserving the maximum amount of original metal is the way to go.
also replacing entire panels is not always the easy thing. with unibody construction.
patching is fine as long as no rust remains.

I have more fiberglass than metal in a bunch of places on my car as well. fender joining panels were mostly fiberglass. must have been a standard repair procedure at some point.

Didn't get to probe the rockers yet - did attempt to loosen the front A-arm cover bolts and the whole thing just tore off. I saw that one coming. Still drilling out the donor parcel and contemplating whether to replace the whole thing or not. Progress has slowed dramatically due to a little setback - shoulder surgery this week :( It's amazing how traumatic surgery is to one's body, even though it may just be a simple procedure. Check out the new shoulder harness and remote reservoir ;)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1263664493.jpg

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Looks like a great start to a homemade Cool-Suit!

Can you bleed brakes with that thing?

sorry to hear about the shoulder - yes, any surgery is heavy-duty -- the body is not designed to be opened up for maintenance...

My mind keeps telling me I need to work on the car, but my body is not cooperating. :( I tried rubbing some dirt on the shoulder but it didn't help any. Not much progress obviously...
I did manage to finally get the donor parcel "comepletely" off. It was a pain in the arse even with it being in a manageable section that I could flip and turn...I'm not sure if I'll be able to replicate the removal of the parcel on the car this clean. Replacing sections (left and right corners) only is quickly becoming more attractive.
I wonder if anyone would be interested in using this as a template to create replacements? (Restoration Design?)

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1264393747.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1264393792.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1264393832.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1264393863.jpg

Sorry. Could have shown you this earlier, but I'm not sure of the progress:


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/paint-bodywork-discussion-forum/466913-swb-parcel-shelf-seat-back.html

Gimpy shoulder is healing so no more excuses...
Coming out of my Oxycodine-induced state, I decided to replace just the corners of the parcel shelf in an attempt to retain more of the original sheetmetal and thinking it would be faster to remove less - what was I thinking? After cutting out 10-inches pieces on both sides, I flipped again and decided it would probably be best to stick with the original plan and just replace the whole darn thing.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266291149.jpg

What was left wasn't looking good...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266291906.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266292076.jpg

Aw-heck, cut some more!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266292873.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266292216.jpg

I just hope everything lines up correctly - after I'm done welding.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266292587.jpg
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http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1266292831.jpg

Glad you're on the mend. It's looks like you're making good progress.

Addressed the passenger-side lower rear window area this weekend. Rust in the rain chanel and underside - thought about welding in patches but the same issues of trying to "jigsaw puzzle" the darn thing made me decide to lop-off a bigger section. Wasn't sure if I should cut the rain chanel, but what the hell...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1267417816.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1267417840.jpg

Donor piece massaged in...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1267417931.jpg

...and viola! My first weld. Hot damn.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1267417991.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1267418012.jpg

Not as easy as braze welding, but I'm hoping to improve. At this rate this things not going to be ready until 2012. Will I get a chance to drive it before the world ends?:eek:

Are you using Argon with the Mig Brian?

I am, but the regulator has been giving me troubles, it seems intermittent? Is it that ugly?