RPM 1,176 Report post Posted April 27, 2016 The part is much better than starting from a flat sheet :) Absolutely! But why were you up so early? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 727 Report post Posted April 27, 2016 Mike, thanks for getting that part in place. I guess this particular area of the patch panel supply chain has failed you on multiple projects......Had no idea so much time was required to get that area worked out.....great job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted April 27, 2016 Mike, thanks for getting that part in place. I guess this particular area of the patch panel supply chain has failed you on multiple projects......Had no idea so much time was required to get that area worked out.....great job! It really isn't that bad, just tedious, and me whining a little lol. No parts ever line up perfectly, just the way these cars are. It would be boring if they just pooped right in place :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 5, 2016 After all the trimming and prep for the patch, the top of the torque box and affected areas were treated to some primer to ward off the corrosion demons. The back side of the extension patch was also primed. After a few hours of welding and grinding, it is all in place. Going to get the rest of the floor pan out and continue with the patching. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rwcstang 196 Report post Posted May 6, 2016 nice work! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike65 470 Report post Posted May 7, 2016 Very nice work. I am getting ready to do my l/s front torque box & long floor on my Coupe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 7, 2016 Thanx for the compliments everyone. Before I got busy removing the other 2/3 of the floor, I made a few templates for the rear seat retaining brackets, and the E-brake rod mount. They will make the job of reinstalling them later much easier. Time to get rid of the rest of the floor, plasma cutter to the rescue... With the help of my newest piece of equipment, the rest of the floor came out in very short order. I also tried it out for "drilling" spot welds. In areas that can be cut all the way through, it words extremely well. The front section required a little more delicate touch, so all the areas on top of the floor support / tunnel brace were drilled out the old fashioned way. I still have a bunch of remnants to remove, mainly in the rear area and under the passenger side rocker area. The reinforcement will also be removed when I get underneath. Lots more spot weld removal to come... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,176 Report post Posted May 8, 2016 You certainly make it look easy Mike. I used to think folks who undertook such comprehensive rebuilds as being a bit nuts. However you project these projects as entirely plausible. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rcodenewf 44 Report post Posted May 8, 2016 Looking good Mike! ...John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 13, 2016 I have removed all the floor pan remnant but the underside of the rocker. Everything else is ready for some sanding. As this progresses, there is a bracket on the inside B pillar that is MIA. The passenger side looks like this... With no bracket to be found, gonna have to make one, oh no... Using the old masking tape template method, I copied the passenger side bracket, laid it on some 16ga CRS, and made a reverse template by marking the bends on the opposite side. Without very much sheet metal forming equipment at the house, I ended up cutting it in half on one of the marked bends. A little creative forming, and the normal tweaking and a couple of tack welds... Once tacked, it was removed for further welding and minor void filling (since I can't stamp this part, it'll be OK) it is clamped to a piece of flat bar, to keep it straight. I'll get it fried and cleaned up, then get it all fitted. 1 Ridge Runner reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,176 Report post Posted May 13, 2016 That's no hill for a climber. Nice work. 1 Robertaluch reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 727 Report post Posted May 14, 2016 Mike, nice job.... No idea where that old bracket could be.....the one you made is likely much better! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 15, 2016 With everything welded up and ground smooth, the bracket was primed then welded in place I went ahead and cleaned it up, ready for more primer (a little later) I spent some time getting rid of the floor pan remnants under the passenger side rocker. The reinforcement pan had to be removed as well. Since this area is right above the chassis fixture rail I had to use an angle drill to gain access to the spot welds. Once all of the welds were drilled out and the pan removed... SURPRISE!!!! Our lovely friend, the rust monster had crashed the party and left a mess. Guess more Plasma Therapy will be needed. I'm hoping (along with Vic) that this area is localized and doesn't require a complete replacement of the inner rocker. Fingers crossed... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,176 Report post Posted May 15, 2016 I'm guessing the zinc coating on the outer rockers works pretty well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 15, 2016 Dejaview, but not as bad It is amazing how well the Zinc coated parts hold up. The inner rockers are non coated and will completely rot away, leaving the outer rocker basically untouched. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,077 Report post Posted May 16, 2016 Ah ! Metal eating termites .Isn't ist something how one part can rust so bad and some not rusted at all . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 727 Report post Posted May 16, 2016 Crazy the way these things rust from the inside out.... I thought on the later model convertibles all of the rockers were zinc coated on the outside, but not the inside.... anyway......like Neil Young said... "Rust never Sleeps"..... 1 machm1970 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 16, 2016 I was amazed the '66 outer rocker was zinc coated. The outer rocker on the '70 is zinc, with the inside rocker being uncoated, pretty much the same, except a little different shape for a nicer looking interior. (I guess...) The flat panel that separates the two rockers took a pretty good hit, as it is pitted, but not totally compromised. The bottom of the inner rocker was toast (as seen before) and had corroded up the side quite a bit. I have a little more perforated metal towards the front to remove, and it should be to weldable / sound material. I had thought someone had filled the rocker with some kind of coating, turned out to be a bunch of beach sand. I cleaned it all out and ran the vacuum in it to remove the remnants. A little more grinding to finish removing the spot welds and a bunch more grinding to come. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,176 Report post Posted May 16, 2016 Why are you running a fan in this weather Mike??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 17, 2016 Why are you running a fan in this weather Mike??? Keeps the smoke away lol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,176 Report post Posted May 17, 2016 Ok, fair enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 21, 2016 Lots of wire brushing and de-scaleing of the inside of the rocker has finally revealed a workable surface. I coated the inner portion of the rocker with several generous coatings of POR-15 and allowed that to completely cure. I got some scrap 12ga CRS (didn't have any 14ga) to make the repair section out of. A little bit of bending made the basic shape. I laid out the shape of the patch and removed the excess with the plasma. I also went ahead and drilled the holes for the lower lip attachment welds. Took a few attempts to get the gaps just right, but finally got everything all nice and neat. Removed the patch one last time and primed the inside of the part. It was all but dry (well, kinda, close enough) it was put in place and tacked. The usual skip welding, jumping around method, and it was all in place. Got some grinding to do to make it look one piece again. Along with patching the lower part of the firewall, more cleaning, it will be time to get this one piece pan in the car. More to come... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted May 23, 2016 With a little bit of grinding, the repair was all blended into the existing structure. I wanted to get the floor pan in a pre-trimmed state before finishing up a little patch in the firewall area. Since this pan was for a Coupe / Sportsroof, the ears had to be trimmed off, and I opted to use the small original areas around the inner wheel houses (they are in great shape). For some reason, these pans always have issues fitting nicely in those areas, and I would have to modify it to fit the Convertible inner rockers. So those areas were trimmed off as well. The new pan will join the old portions in the middle of the rear frame rail, no one will ever know... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 727 Report post Posted June 5, 2016 Looking good! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted June 6, 2016 Due to some rust issues in the top portion of the passenger side torque box area, the PO had removed a section of the toe board and left the crunchy hole in the torque box lid. Those needed to be patched, so some filler pieces were made and shaped into small patches. These were welded in place, and prepped to be covered up. With that all ground flush and primed, a patch for the toe board was made, welded in place, and ground smooth. There were a few other areas that needed a little fixing up, and some pin holes to weld shut, which all came out nice. I had wanted to get the floor in the car over the weekend, but it didn't happen the way I planned (which is actually a very good thing), but it went in this afternoon. This particular pan went in and fits like a glove. Very little issues, and no prying, nice and neat. I will get it screwed in place, starting at the tunnel and working outward. This is starting to look like a car again, YEA!!! 1 Ridge Runner reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
