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- Thread starter
- #2,322
Well, some not so great news…
Some areas under the cowling opened up like Swiss Cheese after putting some sand to it. I guess it’s possible to consider it an “opportunity” to fully correct that area now. Not considerably difficult, just time consuming - 68 spot welds and two cuts on the A-pillar to make and the upper cowling can be removed.
Some areas under the cowling opened up like Swiss Cheese after putting some sand to it. I guess it’s possible to consider it an “opportunity” to fully correct that area now. Not considerably difficult, just time consuming - 68 spot welds and two cuts on the A-pillar to make and the upper cowling can be removed.
Hey Rush,
take some pictures of that area when pulled apart, it will be good stuff to keep on file.
- Thread starter
- #2,325
Right
Need to get some new spot-weld cutters and I’ll get cracking.
I’m sure there are many pigs out there suffering from the same condition.
- Thread starter
- #2,326
Okay, big reveal time -
Hit all the spot welds with a 3/8” cutter. Needed additional help from a flat-end burr bit, 1/4” cold chisel ground flat, and some flat blade screwdrivers. Used a cut-off wheel on a straight pneumatic grinder and also a small cut-off on a dremel to make the cuts across the A-pillars. Hard to avoid hitting the rain channel.
The cowl apron will need a bit of straightening despite trying to remove it with finesse.
Here’s what we have -
Hit all the spot welds with a 3/8” cutter. Needed additional help from a flat-end burr bit, 1/4” cold chisel ground flat, and some flat blade screwdrivers. Used a cut-off wheel on a straight pneumatic grinder and also a small cut-off on a dremel to make the cuts across the A-pillars. Hard to avoid hitting the rain channel.
The cowl apron will need a bit of straightening despite trying to remove it with finesse.
Here’s what we have -
Man that A pillar design 
That will clean up nice now, last so much longer once sealed up properly.
That will clean up nice now, last so much longer once sealed up properly.
Yeah, I guess the A pillar is three different pieces of metal. If you shoot some rust converter from the inside holes, up by the sun visor, there's no way for it to get to the two outer layers shown here. I'd roll that body over and let some converter run down between those two pieces. Good thing you peeled that off, you have some patching to do.
Question for you guys.... Do you think dunking the body in those tanks of stripper, etc. would get into all the funky places rust is hiding?
Question for you guys.... Do you think dunking the body in those tanks of stripper, etc. would get into all the funky places rust is hiding?
I'm sure it would given enough time,,,, and electrode would help that process
- Thread starter
- #2,331
I figure better now than later on in a rainstorm and the inside of my cab getting flooded
- Thread starter
- #2,332
My thought now is to get everything repaired and heavily coated then reinstall the cowl with panel adhesive instead of welding.
I posed this to a couple guys more familiar with the process than myself and both think it would be fine with the exception of the areas where the A-pillars were cut, that they should be welded. Now after seeing that this cowl does less in the way of structural support than even I thought previously, anyone think differently?
I posed this to a couple guys more familiar with the process than myself and both think it would be fine with the exception of the areas where the A-pillars were cut, that they should be welded. Now after seeing that this cowl does less in the way of structural support than even I thought previously, anyone think differently?
I have no experience in panel adhesive, so can’t comment, but even welding it back on you will have added more life than it had factory I think.
My dad dipped an Alfa GTV year’s ago, it was so thin after the shell was pretty much junk, I’m sure it was before too but eating the rust off produced holes EVERYWHERE
My dad dipped an Alfa GTV year’s ago, it was so thin after the shell was pretty much junk, I’m sure it was before too but eating the rust off produced holes EVERYWHERE
Seems no matter how much time and money you spend on the body, it will rust from the inside out. That's it, I'm buying a Land Rover.........
Well, in that case I’ll come get your rust bucket mud hen. I’ll even give you your full build price of $5,000.
Got me on that one!
- Thread starter
- #2,337
$5,500!
I don't know man, it does have issues.
1 question 
! Are you preserving it like a Mummy or a Dinosaur 
. Or do you want it to last another 50 years 
. If the latter is the case? Why go overboard???? It took 40+ years to get that Rust, it will take 40 + more for it to ROT 
! Are you preserving it like a Mummy or a Dinosaur . Or do you want it to last another 50 years . If the latter is the case? Why go overboard???? It took 40+ years to get that Rust, it will take 40 + more for it to ROT 
There was a frequent poster on the forum back in the late 90s who had in his sig line "Steel, it'll outlast you." I always thought that was interesting and probably true.