latoracing 256 Report post Posted June 28, 2014 Ended up having to build some parts at work this morning that were in "Emergency" status, which took up most of my Saturday. Not exactly what I had planned to do. I did get enough time to grind all the welds down that I put on this cowl the other day. Once all that was accomplished, and the mess cleaned up, I wanted to attempt to seal the fresh air collar to the lower cowl just a little better. I figured since there was just bare metal under the flange it might help to get something under it. I got a straw, masked off the lower hole, and dripped some POR-15 on the little inside lip until it was full. A little tapping around the area, and it worked like I had hoped it would. You can see just a little black paint around the flange. As it sat there a little while longer, even more came out and evened up all the way around. I don't think it totally sealed, but it has to be better than bare steel under there. I am going to prime next, seam seal everything, then top coat the area for a weather resistant coating. A little over kill, but this is too much work to rust out again any time soon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mustangstofear 608 Report post Posted June 29, 2014 I hope you didn't suck it up in the straw LOL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 4, 2014 Happy 4th!!!! I had intended on reusing the side cowl "covers" when I removed them, decided last weekend I ought to stick new parts on and not worry about the rusted old parts. I guess they might have cleaned up, but why stop putting new stuff on this car now? I had to modify them to fit due to the 1" square tube I used to beef up this area. These parts look OK, I wasn't too impressed with how they fit in the unmodified areas. A little hammer action, and some tweaking they fit up nice. I fixed up the other side to match. Afterwards, I broke out the red Scotch Brite pads and began scuffing up all the parts that will be on the inside of the cowl. I have all of them in primer and will shoot some straight urethane black paint on the inside of everything after the seam sealer and stuff cures a little. I hope to be assembling these parts the first of next week, we'll see... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mustangstofear 608 Report post Posted July 4, 2014 It should last a lifetime when your done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 4, 2014 It should last a lifetime when your done. Don't know about a lifetime, but hopefully a few more years than if it wasn't sealed up. Did you find me a "culled" headliner yet? I still want to slightly modify it, keep me in mind. Thanx Rich! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mustangstofear 608 Report post Posted July 5, 2014 I'll keep my eyes peeled for a blem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 5, 2014 Checked all the areas this morning for any bare spots, pin holes, or un-seam sealed cracks. Looked pretty good to go. A little wiping on all the parts and it was time to apply some top coat on all these areas. Once again, I applied paint to the inside surfaces only. The outside will get body color down the road, and there will be a bunch of welding going on, so why waste the paint. I shot one medium wet coat, waited twenty minutes or so, then shot a full wet coat on all the areas. I have not shot a top coat in some time, just a little on the thin side compared to primer. I was surprised I didn't have a bunch of marathons due to all the weird angles. It all turned out nice and flat. The lower cowl and kick panel areas came out nice as well. I can't say for sure if there are not a bunch of runs in the back part of the kick panel areas, those were fun to shoot. I do not want to attempt to put this together until it fully cures, so I suppose I am done playing for the day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasEd 188 Report post Posted July 6, 2014 That cowl looks sexy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) I welded up the outside cowl parts over the past few days, off and on. Seems that every time I get started, there is something else to go do. Anyway, both sides are all welded in without too much drama. I made a mess out of the inside of them with some seam sealer. It was next to impossible to seal the cracks without getting seam sealer all over everything. Guess it is a good thing that it will not be seen. It was almost next to impossible to get a good picture of it as well, such is life. If you ever want your seam sealer to set up in like 2 minutes, apply it while it is raining outside. It barely glazed over before it set. I want the top part of the cowl on this week, it is possible, but not probable. We'll see... Edited July 20, 2014 by latoracing Erased Picture Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 19, 2014 Guess it was possible. It was raining at 5 a.m. this morning, so I didn't go fishing like I usually do on Saturday mornings. Instead, I prepped this thing so I could finish a major section of the rust repair. I had the lid on and off several times marking areas to remove all the pretty paint in the weld affected areas. This paint job makes for some screwed up welds if it gets in the puddle. I used a small wire brush in my cordless drill to get rid of the paint, worked fairly well. I started in the middle of the panel, and worked outwards. I was concerned with the under lying paint while I was welding, as to not melt it beyond usefulness. Moving around helps, but still can flame up from time to time. It didn't get too burned up as I didn't cover any exposed areas, figure they can be sanded. The welds did great without a bunch of melting paint to attempt to vaporize. Once it was all fried in place, and cooled off, I masked up the holes in an attempt to keep a bunch of grinding dust out of the area, and smoothed up the welds. I finally got to remove the 1" x 2" tube across the windshield area since everything was back in place. Looks MUCH better with all of this completed, took long enough. With everything back on the cowl, none of the braces show, except for the tube ran across the cowl, and it doesn't look too out of place. That area was a bunch of work. Next on the agenda, engine bay and a bunch of mods. Can you say T/A nose drop... :punk: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted July 19, 2014 Superb work as usual bud. You fish on Saturdays, I golf. Wish it rained here today, would've been more enjoyable. Keep up the fight, it gives us amateurs something to strive for. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 19, 2014 , it gives us amateurs something to strive for. Bob I feel like I am an amateur 95% of the time, learning as I go since this is my first all by my lonesome build. Thanx for the complement though. Speaking of learning as you go... see what happens when you take a piece of 3/4" masking tape and a cutoff wheel to the radiator support. Just a little tease shot of what's coming up... not too bad for eyeballing... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted July 19, 2014 No fear baby! I'm guessing either a slant of the fenders or 1% chance of a removeable radiator support. Can't wait. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
buening 63 Report post Posted July 21, 2014 Can you say T/A nose drop... Good choice. Think it will look awesome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted July 21, 2014 "Can you say T/A nose drop..." Oops, didn't see that. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crazyhorse 21 Report post Posted July 21, 2014 I'll definitely be following the nose job, want to do mine too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 22, 2014 I made a template a few weeks ago when I was being sidetracked on the phone. I used the screwed up portion of my door repair, since it was fairly rigid, and it had no other use. I clamped it to the driver's side apron area after a little trimming around the shock tower, and scribed a line down the metal that matched the contour of the apron tops. Took some tin snips to the template and removed the areas that were not needed. I checked the fit to the tops of both sides of the front then made some reference marks for the 1" reduction. Clamped my new template in place, scribed the metal extremely well, then repeated the process for the passenger side. The pic I showed the other day was after removing 1" out of the radiator support and the removal of the wedge shape on the driver's side front apron. I have not cut all the way to the cowl as of yet, but I will. I am toying around with where to cut my new support and figured it would be interesting to cut up the old support, witch it was. That exercise yielded a BIG difference in looks, it makes a difference. So, I tacked up the driver's side apron this afternoon and semi carefully removed the panel, not to reuse, but you'll see it again in the near future. After which, I broke out the sawsall and made the rest of the parts in front of the shock towers disappear Got to get all this cleaned up so I can continue with the mods. At least it is easier to get to the shock towers for cleaning and future beef-ups. This is fixing to be a bunch of fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted July 22, 2014 Grande huevos. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted July 30, 2014 Been removing the remnants of the rusted engine bay aprons, doing a little grinding and some general cleaning. I have also been straitening out the custom chain formed strut rod brackets that someone worked so hard on. Thanx PO! I have read quite often about people using the driver's side apron and somehow getting it to work on the passenger side. Can't see how that would look right, so... Somewhere in this bit of metal there is a battery delete apron, just waiting to come out. With just a little help, I might be able to do just that. (Yes, the top of the apron is bent to the correct shape.) Since I am lowering the front end, might as well keep the welding and grinding down just a little bit more. I'll show all the ins and outs, unless you all are board with reading all this... Stay tuned... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grabber70Mach 107 Report post Posted July 31, 2014 Never bored watching your talented craftsmanship. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted July 31, 2014 I'll show all the ins and outs, unless you all are board with reading all this... Stay tuned... BORED! Are you out of your mind??? Your thread is the best car **** going on. I hope you never finish. Uh... sorry bout that last comment. Fantastic work, as always! Bob 1 Rsmach1 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted August 3, 2014 Thanx for the compliments everyone! Finished cleaning up the old front cross member particles, scraped some undercoating, and ground some scaly rust off. After all that, the new part slid right in place without any problems. Not bad for an aftermarket part. As far as the new panel production, it all started with the template of the top of the aprons. (where the fender's actually attach) I made some forming blocks out of an old MDF counter top I had for some reason. This method came from making aircraft parts back in my youth. We used oak, UHMW, or phenolic blocks as they could handle having several parts made on them. I bet this MDF would have busted if it didn't have the Formica top surface. I was quite pleased with how well it preformed, and I am sure more can be made off of them. I get to make one more for the driver's side, and it looks like nothing had been done to it. The two 1/4" bolt holes are to ensure the forming blocks and the metal stay put throughout the beating process. I wanted to get started with more forming of the new battery-less apron, so this is where the "salvaged" driver's side panel comes in. This already has the 1" wedge section removed from earlier, so these panels will not have to be modified, just installed. I drew some reference lines on the new part, and trimmed the excess to an inch or so from the lines, just in case. I was making an "artistic" mascot for a local school (a 3D-ish Eagle out of sheet metal) at work the past couple of days and discovered this sheet metal cover sheet that our metal supplier covers the pallets with. This fiberglass looking material is fantastic for making templates with. So, I have some at home now to do just that. Making a template off of the stock apron to replicate the wedge frontal area was fairly quick and "easy". Just cut out what doesn't fit, and transfer to metal. As a trial run, I made a driver's side apron out of the mat stuff, just to see if I was close to where I needed to be. It fit pretty well, but just a little floppy. After the trial run, I went ahead and cut it out in metal. I had the entire panel figured out (or at least I thought so) with the wedge area. I ended up having to cut the triangle out of a separate piece of metal as there was a 3/8" gap where I needed to weld. Along with a couple of other hiccups, I formed it all up, tacked it in place, and fried it all together. After a little grinding... not to awful. Remember, the panel is made with the 1" wedge out of it, and the radiator support is still unmodified. (that's why it looks like it is going up hill) I am going to put the beads it the flat areas sometime this week using more MDF. I am still figuring on where to chop this new saddle in half, but might have an interesting way to do such. Also need to chop the other components... lots to do, but fun getting there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) Saddle modification time. After a bunch of measuring, I decided to cut the 1" section out a little lower than my practice part. The lower area marked will allow the fender attachment holes to remain unmodified unlike the green tape area. After removing the marked out area, and a little creative trimming, the parts look like they will mate back together. Since I am fabricating a battery-less apron, the passenger side should look similar to the driver's side. The saddle is offset to the driver's side by 3/4", never noticed that before. The lower section is just a little bit small due to the way the stock apron attached. In order for my new part to fit... I made a mirrored image of the driver's side. Once this is in place the saddle can be welded back together. The rest of the aprons and shock tower also have to be modified as well before I can return to the apron manufacturing. Looks like rain tomorrow, so no fishing. Hopefully will be able to get more accomplished... Edited August 9, 2014 by latoracing Picture goof Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted August 9, 2014 Was able to get right back into the radiator support this morning. I removed the section that I wanted to replace a little at a time. Once I got it close the new part was tacked in place and checked for fitment. Went ahead and welded it up, and sanded smooth. Satisfied with that step, I put the two halves back together. A little fitting was needed, along with a few slight adjustments. Several hours later, a bunch of grinding and sanding and the support looks like this... I have added some smaller pieces to fill in the gaps on the lower fender mounting holes, makes it look like it was supposed to be made that way. Guess the shock tower and rear aprons get modified next... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted August 10, 2014 Nice fab work buddy. You made me break out my tape and check the offset of the radiator support. Makes you (me anyway) wonder what Ford was thinking and why they needed to do that. Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
