What is the yellow stuff that Toyota used to seal all the seams and panels? Also seem to use it for a thick barrier. In places it looks like some kind of seam sealer and in other places it looks like body filler. Any idea? I have even thought it could be something like liquid nails.
I was finally able to get some time with the project. I got all the rotten structure out carefully so that I can start putting the new ones in.
See below for mocking up (clamping) the new panels in. Looks much better.
Did a little more today. Started drilling out all the spot welds. MAN, is that tough on a tall guy's back being scrunched over like that.
I managed to get the first component out. Only 400,000 more spot welds to go.
Had to get the wheel well cleaned out of the rubber spray and the filler to...
I decided to drill out the spot-welds to see how it all goes together. This will give me the best idea of how to fix it.
I regret cutting away some of the inner structure before I could get a full grasp on how all the inner parts fits together. There is a LOT of overlapping. Not a big deal...
If I take the whole section, it seems that I still need to remove the outer skin so that I can get to the inner structure and weld it together, no? Especially as it goes up the wheel arch?
I have a LOT of rot right in front and behind the wheel wells in the back (left and right). Not sure what you call those areas. Dog legs?
It stretches up into the rockers. Both inside and outside were rusted out. I kept cutting and kept finding more rust. I had to remove the spot welds and...
Sanded the panel down. It is not as smooth as glass (which is what I hoped), but at I hope that the filling and sanding will take care of that. I was disappointed that there was a LITTLE dip in the top left. You cannot see it, but you can feel it with the fingertips. Good enough?
Another update. I cleaned everything up, welded the wheel arch piece to my patch panel (inside and outside) and trimmed everything up. I still have to paint the inner panel, paint the back of the patch panel, weld up the cleco holes, and sand around the weld area.
This took FOREVER, but I am...
Inner structure patch welded in and outer patch panel made. I need to add the bottom lip, drill the plug weld holes, line everything up and then weld it in.