Looks great and it should certainly be strong! I need me a new shrinker-stretcher, who's do you have and how do you like it?
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Looks great and it should certainly be strong! I need me a new shrinker-stretcher, who's do you have and how do you like it?
Thanks Dave! I know it will be better then the open holes, that's for certain!
My Shrinker/Stretcher is a Woodward Fab piece. I've had it for a long time and it works as well as the high-dollar set my buddy has... :)
I have the left hand side panels ready to weld in. Finished up the pieces and worked on fitment. Got everything fitting pretty sweet so I pulled it all out and punched and drilled the plug welding holes. Ran the flap disc over a lot of the mating surfaces to clean things up a bit more but I think it's as ready as it will ever be.
Now, on to the passenger side tomorrow!
This is the fit of the side piece under the cowl top piece. Took three hits with the shrinker dies to pull this around.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbytzx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbyYox9EDKg.jpg
Worked on fitment.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbymox9EDKg.jpg
After drilling and punching the plug weld holes.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbyL8x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbyS3x9EDKg.jpg
Nice tight fit all around. This should weld up beautifully. I made a small patch for that gap in the back. it will get welded in when I do the rest of the parts.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbyGox9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMbyq3x9EDKg.jpg
I'll get to work on the other side in the morning!
Thanks for watching!
Mark
Was there life before cleco's were invented?
LOL! Not in this guys world! I did use a few screws though. They just draw the pieces tighter together.
Thank You for the compliments, this has been "kind of" fun actually. It's a big mess and a pain the arse but it's been a while since I've done fab work like this. The last was on the van and this is just getting me pumped to get the body finished on that...
Got a good start on the passenger side today. Went through the same routine, removing dead metal from the firewall flange, as I did on the drivers side.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMA38ox9EDKg.jpg
After a couple of hours of cutting and grinding... Same as the other side, the flange cleaned up very well so I will get good welds when I stick all of this together.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMA3dNx9EDKg.jpg
Cleaned out the lower A pillar pocket and got two patches fabbed up for that area. Went pretty smooth and the fit is really good.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMA3Gzx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMA3oax9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EMA39ux9EDKg.jpg
I ran out of steam about 6:00pm, came in, took a shower and had some dinner. Got a lot done though and the rest of this wont take to long.
Won't get anything done tomorrow, going antiquing with some friends.
Thanks for following along!
Mark
"Antiquing" Where you go up there Ann Arbor? You look for anything special? We do that all the time even have a booth in a mall in Elkhart.
Great work on the car too.
Hi Charlie, There are quite a few shops and malls around us in any direction you want to drive. The Howell area is about a 1/2 hour drive south for us. The Mason/Jackson area is a hot spot as well as the Jonesville/ Allen area which is about 30 miles west of M52 right on 12. We hit that area yesterday for the first time and found a lot of neat shops.
Thanks for the kudos on the tin work! It is all pulling together nicely, I hope to have the new stuff welded in by Wednesday.
Mark
Thanks for the locations we will hit them soon. Where did you find the firewall/cowel part
We will be going back as well. 1 day wasn't enough time! We'll make a road trip of it the next time and spend a couple days down there.
The replacement outer cowl is available from everybody. Danchuk, Ecklers, etc., etc. The inner pieces are the ones that need to be reproduced. I talked with Joe at Real Deal Steel about the parts they make for their steel bodies and he said their manufacturer doesn't want to break the extra parts out of a sub-assembly they are already producing...
Didn't get much done last week other then house and family stuff...
I got a couple of pieces made for the inner repairs. Still have some fit up and shaping to do but the bulk of the work is done and the panels fit fairly well.
Still using the dead blow hammer and the edge of a steel top work table to form this stuff.
Formed the top piece and got it fit up, under the cowl.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV1hrx9EDKg.jpg
Clecoed in.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV1Vvx9EDKg.jpg
Measuring and drawing up and laying out the lower panel.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV1B8x9EDKg.jpg
Trimmed out and the firewall flange is bent up.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV172x9EDKg.jpg
Both pieces Clecoed in. I still have to shape the break at the bottom of the firewall where it kicks back for the toe board. The hard parts are done though and I was getting pretty cold by this time...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV1DMx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2EzV1S3x9EDKg.jpg
It's gotten very cold here in Mi. Tuesday was the first snow of the season and we are looking at over 6 inches for a total.
Got a bit more done on the passenger side. Fitting the new panels in and getting the lower flange bent up.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2Ez8v7gx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2Ez8vYLx9EDKg.jpg
What should I do with that old access panel? Leave it be and reattach with screws? Or just take it out and weld it up?
https://media.fotki.com/2v2Ez8vfTx9EDKg.jpg
Been so dang cold I can only work for an hour or so. I need to prep and paint the cowl before I weld these patches in. Don't know when that will happen.
All of the major patch panels are done. I need to drill and punch plug weld holes in the passenger cowl and pieces yet but I was not getting on the floor tonight.
Here is the last piece I made last night.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoK21Mx9EDKg.jpg
I developed the bends using a piece of cardstock cut to size.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoK2e3x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoK2K8x9EDKg.jpg
Now if it would warm up so I can paint... :(
Okay, last installment for tonight!
I went out this afternoon and cut out the replacement drain channel parts. I am doing this in two pieces rather then one just to ease getting everything welded in.
These are the tall covers that keep water coming off the upper cowl from splashing down on the fresh air vents. LH and RH.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoK3Eyx9EDKg.jpg
These are the flat patterns for the actual channel that goes under the cover. One is left, one is right. I'll get these bent up tomorrow.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoK3v9x9EDKg.jpg
I modeled these up last Monday... It was 9 degrees here, I was NOT going out to the shop...
Here are dimensioned drawings if you want to copy them. Anyone with a tri-Five with rusty cowls will need these. :)
The covers, 1 right, 1 left, mind the bend, this is the right hand side.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoKatux9EDKg.jpg
This is the flat pattern for the channels. Again there are two needed, 1 left and 1 right. This is the right side.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoKa7Ex9EDKg.jpg
This is the right side bent up.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoKa69x9EDKg.jpg
These are some screen shots of my computer models.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoKeoex9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoKazax9EDKg.jpg
Mark
Are you using weld thru primer before assembly? Just wondering
No, just regular epoxy. I have used weld thru before and hated it. Caught on fire, couldn't get decent welds and it still requires finishing after welding anyway.
I use the epoxy, clean the weld spots before welding and touch stuff up afterwards.
No real benefit to "weld thru" primer that I have seen and I will not use it again.
With that said I did get a lot of work done this weekend.
I dug out the 3 in 1 Saturday morning and got the two channels bent up.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofESqx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEhdx9EDKg.jpg
For a cheap HF bender this thing does a good job. I've been using it for 8 years and have not been disappointed with it...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofJAFx9EDKg.jpg
Getting them bent the long way was the hard part. After some offhand cutting on the bandsaw I could get the them bent into the shape needed for the cowl.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofJsnx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofJLdx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofJznx9EDKg.jpg
There isn't much I can do to get these fit to the cowl until I get the patch panels welded in.
Passenger side.
[imghttps://media.fotki.com/2v2HofE2Fx9EDKg.jpg][/img]
Drivers side.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEDgx9EDKg.jpg
With the channel covers held in place. These should work!
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEHqx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEmGx9EDKg.jpg
Thanks for watching.
Mark
I did fire the car up and move it outside while I did the bending. I really appreciate the TBI F.I. The car hadn't been started since August and she fired right up! I let her idle for about half an hour while I worked on the channels.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEULx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEZCx9EDKg.jpg
After Going in to warm up and have some lunch I hit it again. This time I was working on the warm side. :)
I pulled off all of the patch panels earlier and had them on the warm side. I punched the plug weld holes in the pass. side stuff, hit them all with a wire wheel and got some self-etching primer on them.
Drivers side parts.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoAzcnx9EDKg.jpg
Passenger side parts.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoAM5Fx9EDKg.jpg
Primed and ready to go!
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoAzDLx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HoAzm4x9EDKg.jpg
That's what I did Saturday. Now, to get the Astro chassis moved so I can get this car on the warm side... :)
Mark
You've seen the Pro-Touring Astro van chassis I am building on the heated side of the shop. I had an issue with the hidden valve stems on the front wheels hitting the Vette calipers. To get the chassis movable I had to fix the problem.
I had a buddy weld up the old holes, and I drilled new ones outboard of the spokes so they would have no interference with the calipers.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HorWuqx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HorWHyx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HorWZWx9EDKg.jpg
Now to get the shop cleaned up and the wagon rolled over here.
Did a lot of cleaning and vehicle shuffling today. The wagon and Astro chassis have swapped places so I can get to work finishing the cowl tomorrow.
These pics are off my phone, sorry for their largosity...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H21kv2x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H21PH9x9EDKg.jpg
I totally understand the shuffling cars ordeal! If I ever had a shop big enough for all my toys I probably couldn't afford to heat it anyway!!!!
Yea, bigger isn't always better but it would be nice to have one space to set up ALL of my metal working tools and leave them there...
Got a bit done tonight. My wife helped pull the hood, she's had this duty a few times before so it went smoothly. I pulled the hinges and did some more clean up on the cowl. Found a bit more rust in the top of the cowl, buried under filler and bubbling like an unwatched pot... and about 10 more colors under the red...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQo3x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQJox9EDKg.jpg
More rust in the cowl...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQZGx9EDKg.jpg
Far OUT Man! Should I offer signed posters in a limited run?
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQKFx9EDKg.jpg
Wire brushed and sprayed with converter.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQwNx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQAjx9EDKg.jpg
With this done I hope to start welding in panels tomorrow!
Mark
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2CQwNx9EDKg.jpg
You keep digging you'll get to the bottom of it.
I guess only the "pretty colors" can help get you through this job.
But it sounds like you're almost there..
On the road to recovery! rotflmao!!! :LOL::LOL::eek::eek::LOL::LOL::3dSMILE:
Thanks guys! We are getting there, major step today!
I've been picking away at the patch panels. I had some scrap leather I was "saving" for something. I used a couple of strips to protect the wiring and fuse box from the welding heat. Seemed to work fairly well. I did start a couple of small fires but I was keeping my eye on the interior AND I had a blowgun and the air hose already staged inside because I knew this would happen. No big deal, and I used the air gun to cool off the welds from the inside as I was doing them. Took me most of the day but going slow was a good thing.
The leather strips were from a Wassely chair I refurbished a couple of years ago.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2M6S2x9EDKg.jpg
Stuffed up into the top of the dash they covered all of the wiring and down to the floor.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2M6Gzx9EDKg.jpg
With all of the panels in place.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2M6yUx9EDKg.jpg
That all happened Wednesday. I didn't get out to the shop yesterday. This morning I went out and hit all of the weld holes with a cartridge roll on the angle grinder.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2MAU2x9EDKg.jpg
Getting the welding started.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2MA93x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2MAE9x9EDKg.jpg
The welding went "okay". Had no issues where there was new steel. The old rusted steel was pretty thin and I had to go easy with very short trigger pulls on the gun. had to "build up" the thin steel to get it heavy enough to support the heat from a full spot weld pull.
Everything is pretty complete at this point. Still have two loose panels to put in but I needed to knock down the height on the welds a bit to get them to fit correctly.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H2Mfj3x9EDKg.jpg
Everything welded in and primed. Definetly not very pretty but it will do the job. Still need to fit the drain channels in but I was running out of steam by the time this was done.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3ob33x9EDKg.jpg
Got a lot done today, won't get too much done tomorrow but Sunday should see the passenger side welded up and possibly the drain channels as well.
Thanks for looking.
Mark
That idea with the leather was a cracker.
To be able to use something that is (essentially) waste shows why we keep 'unused good stuff' (ugs) in our sheds.
Thanks jb, wish I could claim it. It was mentioned on another site and I had the scrap strapping so I gave it a shot. Seems to have worked very well.
Here is a pic of the damage after welding.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3obvvx9EDKg.jpg
The other side all ready for welding tomorrow. I used the same pieces, just turned them end for end. Don't think that would matter but the A/C lines are right under them where the plug welding will be happening.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3vPM8x9EDKg.jpg
All this work should certainly make cruising a LOT quieter and less drafty. I would think anyway..
Keep at it Mark, you're on the crest of going downhill.. meaning it should get easier soon. LOL..
It's looking Soo much better! I still can't get over what can be hiding under pretty paint!
Thanks Seth! Yea, I knew the rust was there but what we found on the front fenders was a complete surprise! Had no idea all of that was under there...
Got out to the shop early Saturday morning, didn't have much time as we were headed to the west side of the state for family stuff.
I got the drivers side drain channel fit up and screwed into place.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3vkm8x9EDKg.jpg
I was going to weld all of this in but right now I think I will just run a couple more screws into it and leave it at that. It's not structural so, doing it this way, will let me coat the entire flange with seam sealer, screw it down and then smooth out the transitions. No welding means the seam sealer will cover the whole flange so it will be fully sealed up.
I'll do the same with the big cover plate.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3viGzx9EDKg.jpg
Once everthing is primed and the rest of the cowl seam sealed this will be a permanent fix. I will probably have to do some trimming to this anyway to get the outer cowl to slip over it but that will be easy if it is removable. :)
Mark
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3vkNWx9EDKg.jpg
good idea in getting the bottom layers sealed and protected. The next owner 30 years from now will appreciate it!:LOL:
(yeah just funnin' with ya"!)
Sealing up the backside, especially if you're welding in patch panels, is a must do. If the welded area isn't cleaned up and sealed all of your hard work will be rusted out again in a very short time. :(
I didn't get near as much done as I had hoped today. I started working on the drivers side outer cowl fit-up. It is pretty close but I need to get it snuggled up along the bottom of the firewall a bit more. I am having to tweak the original metal and the new tin along the top seam. I will be raising the original metal another 1/16th inch and lowering the new piece 1/16th to bring the whole cowl piece up about an 1/8th.
I also got a lot done on the other side but still have some work to do in prepping for the spot welding.
I was out there most of the morning, took a break for some lunch and ended up going with the wife to get groceries. Her folks are under 24/7 home care and my wife is the only one out of six siblings that can get the groceries... :( Anyway it's easier with the two of us so I went with her to do that.
Here are some pics of the progress.
Mostly fit up. The silver dots are where the plug weld holes will be punched.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3bTy3x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3bVh9x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3bSN8x9EDKg.jpg
Mark
The finished job should look very nice.. all the pics that I see above, just to the left of the repaired area makes me wanna sing out.... INNA GADDA DA VIDA BABY.... 8-)
Yea... I have counted upwards of 11 layers of paint on this thing! I chipped off a big chunk of paint from the top of the cowl. It is 1/16th of an inch thick!
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEfdx9EDKg.jpg
The firewall is the only place I have seen the yellow so far...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2HofEsFx9EDKg.jpg
That accident may end up being a blessing in disguise. All that rust is now gone and you will wind up with a much better, more solid car. I hope you received a good settlement from Haggerty. Even so, I doubt it comes close to covering your time.
A blessing... ahh, no... Not really. yea, I am getting the car fixed up but i was not planning to be doing this right now. i had been putting my efforts into getting the Astro rolling around and this is now taking all of my time...
The settlement was fine, it did not cover an entire repaint though, or the work I am putting into the cowl and floors or what will need to be done in the rockers. That's on me as well as getting the car stripped for paint.
Tuesday afternoon I got the passenger side all ready for welding. Did some re-fitting of the A pillar patches and got all of the plug weld holes punched and drilled. I also did some clean up in the interior and made sure the carpet was pulled back.
After some welding.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3DHc2x9EDKg.jpg
Just right of center you can see where I was chasing a burn thru. The original tin would just vaporize when I started the welding. I had to go very slow and use very quick, short trigger pulls to try and keep as much heat out of the material as I could until I built up a layer thick enough to handle a full pull. I would change the setting on the spot weld control from .1 second to about .3 second to slowly build the weld puddle. Most of the time I use a 1 second pull and that works fine on the new metal.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3DHPvx9EDKg.jpg
Most of the new metal welds look pretty good and I didn't have to fight the welder to get them done. :)
After a bit grinder and wire wheeling this is ready for etch primer.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3DHYzx9EDKg.jpg
I will do a bit more work down in the hinge pocket but the original steel down there is horrible to try to weld to. Going slow and cooling after every weld is working okay but it gets tiresome real quick...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3DH7ox9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3DHYzx9EDKg.jpg
It's getting there! Tomorrow I will get the pass side drain channel fit up and start prepping the outers to go on.
Mark
Wow, it's looking real good! It looks like your on the down hill slide!
Perhaps you should name the car Jacob.
With a coat of many colours.
Something like this maybe
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...s+dolly+parton
On the down hill side now. Got everything painted Friday afternoon. Tomorrow everything gets seam sealed and the drain channels will get installed. If things go well I hope to get the outers welded on Sunday...
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WRZzx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WReMx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WRQox9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WRbyx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WRK5x9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3WRcjx9EDKg.jpg
Thanks for watching!
Mark
Well, today was a pretty good day! I got out to the shop early and got both sides seam sealed and the drain channels installed.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3daEFx9EDKg.jpg
These things are on there! I buttered all of the surfaces before screwing the channels and covers in place. if you have never worked with seam sealer you need to know this stuff makes an amazing glue as well. To get these parts off I would have to use a chisel to cut them off.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dapFx9EDKg.jpg
I let the sealer set up for an hour or so and then buried everything in primer.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dHCyx9EDKg.jpg
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dHnnx9EDKg.jpg
With that done I finished prepping the outer covers. I got the final fit-ups done and all of the plug welding holes punched and sanded the E-coat down. I usually take parts like this down to bare metal but the E-coat was on there very well so I did a heavy scuff and primed the inside of each piece.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dH4Wx9EDKg.jpg
Both pieces primed and ready to weld on.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dHWWx9EDKg.jpg
I am still debating opening up a hole in both sides to have access to the inside of the seams after welding. You can see it outlined here in silver sharpie.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dHddx9EDKg.jpg
I will get a top coat of gloss black sprayed on everything tonight. This will be ready to close up tomorrow.
https://media.fotki.com/2v2H3dHjGx9EDKg.jpg