Project elmo 69 fastback

[amochoru 11]

I finally decided to start posting about my next restoration project, project elmo. My wife names the projects, makes her feel involved. Found out I need to have some neck surgery next week so I'll have some unplanned time to do some planning of where to start on this resto. I haven't taken on doing bodywork by myself before so I'll be asking some questions here on the forum about the best way to attack some of it. First question would be the best order in doing bodywork, should you media blast first then replace sheet metal or replace sheet metal then media blast the rest. Any pointers from previous experience will always be appreciated.

 

I've included some pictures of where I'm starting from. Right now it is a 3024v, 4-spd with rust in the usual spots.

 

This one is the standard shot of when it first rolled up the driveway and into the garage.

 

These are a couple of shots showing some of the PO's previous "fixes", the patch panel was held in with two tack welds and a sheet metal screw on the left side plus a nice row of rivets at the bottom.

 

This one makes me think he received a discount on buying pieces of patch metal.

 

and finally the main reason why it wouldn't run.

 

signature coming soon

[Pakrat 1,043]

Welcome aboard. If you plan to go thru the whole car then you defintely want to tear it all down first and then media blast it before you start any repairs. You need to know what you are actually dealing with first and based on the rust and previous repairs you show and the fact that the paint in a picture looks presentable at 20 feet probably means there are all kinds of poor patch attempts in the body and possibly more filler than acceptable.

 

Good luck!

[maxum96 27]

Welcome aboard neighbor from Northern Colorado. I feel for you on the crappy repairs. Here's what mine looked like when I got it home and pulled off the patch made from an old car door,

 

 

Look familiar? The moron working on the car had repaired it with bondo, pop rivets and wood screws. I ended up putting in a new 1 piece floorpan, new torque boxes, new firewall, and all new metal from the firewall forward.

 

If I were you, I'd strip the car all the way down and get rid of the rust. Then I'd start figuring out what needed to be replaced and what could be patched.

Edited March 29, 2010 by maxum96

[amochoru 11]

Thanks guys, I was thinking the same thing. It is mostly stripped down now, just the suspension is left. I found out today the cross member between the shock towers is welded to the car. I also found more rivets in the passenger floor pan right behind the seat pan but the floor seems solid. The underside of the floor is covered in undercoating so I don't exactly know the purpose of the rivets. What is the best way to remove rubberized undercoating?

[maxum96 27]

I like heat and a putty knife. It's a pain to clean off. I was happy to just pitch my whole floor. No undercoating to scrape!

[468stang 11]

I like heat and a putty knife. It's a pain to clean off. I was happy to just pitch my whole floor. No undercoating to scrape!

 

I agree, did mine with a small torch and putty knife, then wiped it down with lacuar thinner. came out mint.

[amochoru 11]

After months of tagging and bagging parts, vacuuming up pounds of dirt and rust chips every time a part came off and taking notes of what needs to be replaced, I finally have a starting point to do some actual restoration! My plan is to just start from the front and work back. I found holes in the steel fuel line where it went through the torque box but there was so much dirt and crud around it that there was no obvious leak. Lucky I didn't smoke when I was driving it. I'll keep posting pics of the work as it gets done since some of it will be a learning experience for me too. Half the fun of the hobby to me is pushing myself to do stuff I haven't done before.

[fst64_v8pwr 10]

Great pics

[Ry-speeed 14]

Hmm, that repair work the PO did.... is interesting.

 

Is it just me or is the right inner frame rail multiple pieces welded together?