You east coasters have it rough with the rust game.
Builds Moonshine - A Build Thread (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter GLTHFJ60
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #3,842
You know what the best part is? I swapped out the whole body 8 years ago, all except for the front outer fenders and core support, with rust free ones.
Just can't avoid it.
Amazing work! Tailgate looks like new steel! Thanks for the inspirationLots of tack welds and waiting time later, we got it welded up. I was able to avoid warping by spacing the tacks out and waiting for the tailgate to cool between rounds.
Finally, the welds were blended out. I'm very happy with the result. Stay tuned for more updates.
pistonpete
SILVER Star
So, how's it going with all the rust ? She painted yet ??
- Thread starter
- #3,845
Starting where we left off...
PS rear door got a new panel cut and hammered into shape:
After welding, it was seamed:
Broke out the new stud puller setup to get the panel to look how it should:
Finally, finished. A thin coat of bondo will make this previously rotten and caved in door looking fresh again.
PS rear door got a new panel cut and hammered into shape:
After welding, it was seamed:
Broke out the new stud puller setup to get the panel to look how it should:
Finally, finished. A thin coat of bondo will make this previously rotten and caved in door looking fresh again.
- Thread starter
- #3,846
Next up, PS front door. Man was it a mess. Tons of bondo I didn't know was there, hiding dents, with new dents on top of everything. Tons of holes through the panel to (i guess?) get thick bondo sections to stick better. FFS.
Welded those up with a copper backer and got to work with the stud puller.
1. Weld the studs onto the panel inside of the dents. Imagine how the dent was made, and make pathways with the studs, so that you can pull the dent out in the order that it was made, from the shallow bit to the deep bit. At least I think this is what you're supposed to do.
2. Once you're done pulling, cut the studs off and save them if you'd like.
3. Sand smooth.
Welded those up with a copper backer and got to work with the stud puller.
1. Weld the studs onto the panel inside of the dents. Imagine how the dent was made, and make pathways with the studs, so that you can pull the dent out in the order that it was made, from the shallow bit to the deep bit. At least I think this is what you're supposed to do.
2. Once you're done pulling, cut the studs off and save them if you'd like.
3. Sand smooth.
- Thread starter
- #3,847
The lower section of that PS front door needed more work. Rinse and repeat.
After that was done as best as it could be, I started wire wheeling, and found......you guessed it.............more rot! Fun fun. Elected the surface fix, because pulling this section apart would mean removing the door skin, then figuring out how to separate the internal frame sections. Not worth it. Treated with Ospho and weld.
After that was done as best as it could be, I started wire wheeling, and found......you guessed it.............more rot! Fun fun. Elected the surface fix, because pulling this section apart would mean removing the door skin, then figuring out how to separate the internal frame sections. Not worth it. Treated with Ospho and weld.
- Thread starter
- #3,849
Employed a @cruisermatt suggestion and used rivets drilled before the fender was split to align it for reassembly. Worked great!
Ah, much better.
With that fender complete, all of the doors and all of the fenders were now finished. Felt damn good to get to this point.
Ah, much better.
With that fender complete, all of the doors and all of the fenders were now finished. Felt damn good to get to this point.
- Thread starter
- #3,850
Since we're now in the humid months, bare metal doesn't last long before it starts rusting. The doors/fenders I did a few weeks ago had significant surface rust on the skins, and the recently completed doors were developing surface rust in a day or so. Pushed to surface condition all of the panels and shoot them in epoxy primer this past Tuesday.
I've learned two things:
1. Primer shows the remaining dents *so well*
2. I love shooting paint with an HVLP gun. So damn easy, and it forces me to do the prep work I so often neglect before throwing paint.
PS rear door showcased most recently in post 3841. Looks rough in this pic, but I'm confident the end product will be good.
Same door different angle:
DS front. This one had the most work in it, despite being the only door I bought as a replacement
DS rear:
I've learned two things:
1. Primer shows the remaining dents *so well*
2. I love shooting paint with an HVLP gun. So damn easy, and it forces me to do the prep work I so often neglect before throwing paint.
PS rear door showcased most recently in post 3841. Looks rough in this pic, but I'm confident the end product will be good.
Same door different angle:
DS front. This one had the most work in it, despite being the only door I bought as a replacement
DS rear:
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #3,851
Fenders look pretty good, considering what they were before. Not too worried about the dents here, as they're probably going to get smashed again anyway. I'll most likely do a bit more hammer and dolly work on them before bondo.
I'm super proud of how the tailgate came out. If you recall, this panel had the bottom 3" entirely reconstructed, inside and out.
Shaved tailgate:
I'm super proud of how the tailgate came out. If you recall, this panel had the bottom 3" entirely reconstructed, inside and out.
Shaved tailgate:
- Thread starter
- #3,852
PS front door. Again, looks pretty rough in this angle (and it is) but it'll turn out nice with a *little* bondo. My goal is not to make it look factory straight, because that'll never happen, just to make it look presentable.
All together now!
All together now!
- Thread starter
- #3,853
Now that these guys are done, it's full steam ahead for the body shell. Have a bunch of stripping and rust repair to get done, including capping the rockers I chopped off 8 years ago.
Stay tuned.
Stay tuned.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2012
- Threads
- 484
- Messages
- 14,275
- Location
- Winter Park, Florida
- Website
- www.cruisermatts.com
At least you don’t have the GSMTR deadline looming. Which may or may not be a good thing
- Thread starter
- #3,855
Very true. I wouldn't be taking on the wiring if GSMTR were coming up, but then again, I might not be doing this project at all were GSMTR about to happen.
pistonpete
SILVER Star
Oh my that was a lot of likes! HA..
What are you using to weld those studs ?
What are you using to weld those studs ?
- Thread starter
- #3,857
Just the mig welder. The kit from Eastwood has a nozzle that clamps onto the mig nozzle, but I find it easier to hold the studs with a gloved hand and tack the bottom.
- Thread starter
- #3,858
Working on getting the driver's side squared away, so that I can prime it before moving onto the passenger side. The body shell is starting to rust quickly now that we're in the humid months.
Rear body mount:
Rear body mount:
- Thread starter
- #3,859
Rear wheel well:
- Thread starter
- #3,860
Finally, little spot on the rear quarter that's developed since the chop a number of years ago.
