Saving the silver 70...

[MrMoMo]

The scary hole!

Probably the worst spot on the truck, both sides are like this. Behind the front seats, front corner of the wheel well...

Once I cut it out I made a "sub floor" piece - got to play with my shrinker stretchers. I made the piece over long so I could trim it down to fit. Problem for me was that I had nothing to template from - it's all just imaginered.

With that made, I fit it in with what was there... Clamped it in place and checked both from above and behind. Looks a little odd, but it worked.

Next was the main part of the floor. I did this in two pieces, partially because of the shape, and partially to better nest the parts on my sheet. Once the floor was in, I tackled the front edge of the wheel well. Due to the super complexity of the shape here, it's a 3 piece job!

Still have to cap the lower front corner, and upper back corner - but no more complex curves!

I feel like I'm working in slo-mo... Taking forever! Put 6 hours in today, bringing my total up to around 40 hours - and I should be finished this side!!! Every time I look at the time another hour has disappeared! Going to put in a hard core long day tomorrow and kick some ass on this truck.

 

[ozcrusier]

Great work on the body how's the chassis holding up to the salt.

 

[Tapage]

hat off dude ..

 

[MrMoMo]

Thanks guys - OzCruiser - the chassis actually isn't that bad - it's got surface rust on it, but not that bad. I think once I've done all the body I'll lift it off the frame and paint the frame to protect it - but that's a job for next fall, or the year after!!!

David - if you liked that - check out what I got done today!!

Ok... This is going to take a few posts.

Sooooo, it's Monday you say - how come you're not at work? well, shortly I will be traveling and working through weekends while away - so I am taking time in lieu of the weekends I'll be missing...

Ok, that corner by the upper door hinge needs to go. I figured some people might be curious as to how I go about something like this - so I took a few extra pictures to help explain to those who might be looking for guidance.

Here is the spot in question:

Now there are two ways to make a template - cut the rot out and then make a template to match the hole, or make a template that covers the rot, trace it, and then cut your lines. I've done both, but for this one I figured I'd make the template first, so - here it is.

Pretty simple really...

Once I had this shape cut out of the steel, I took it over to my handy dandy home made bender, and put a 90 degree bend on the inside (vertical) edge. Even though there is a jog in the surface, it's actually still a straight bend. Once the bend is there it's just a matter of putting two slices at the horizontal bend lines so the flange can open/close

The bender is just two pieces of 1/4" square bar welded corner to corner to form a V on the bottom, with a 3rd piece that fits perfectly into them on the top. (More info in my 40 frame off thread in my signature... )

Once the two horizontal bends are in (I did those with a pair of duck bill vice grips) I welded up the gaps left in the flange by the slits cut to allow the bend. I also I put the slight curve in the corner, and fit it in place.

Next I welded it in - I weld about 15mm at a time, in what I call reverse spot welding. Basically if I am traveling from left to right, I make short stitches, just slightly bigger than a single puddle, but I push to the left, so basically continually pushing back into my previous puddle, with about 3/4 of a second between spots. This helps get full penetration without blowing through all the time (the extra mass of the previous spot helps absorb the heat from the parts being welded) I find this method allows for a hotter puddle, which generally results in more consistent penetration.

Obviously this isn't done all in one line, I jump all over the part to allow each area to cool.

There are also two welds on the flange, replicating the spot welds that were originally there.

More posts coming, stand by...

 

[MrMoMo]

Now, while this was going on I was also working on a few other areas...

Finished up the wheel well! Got the last two pieces welded in and I think it came out ok, not perfect, but ok...

Next was the 1/4 panel! After a few final trims I hung it in place. Now, I am not planning on welding the bottom lip, I am using a polyurethane adhesive sealant between the inner and outer layers, to both hold it in place and seal ALL the moisture out. Will be sealed between the layers, and on the inside and outside!

So, with a fat bead of sealant, on it went! Butt joint clamps to get it lined up while I tack it, C-clamps, vice grips, and "all hands" call for clamping along the lip!

Edit 2016-03-21, for those following this thread with the intent to fix your 70 series, get your rear quarter panel replacements from @David*BJ70 by PM'ing him, more info here: For Sale: - [CA-QC] BJ70 rear quarter panel

A series of tacks all the way around to make sure it all lines up before welding!

All welded up! I can't imagine having to do work like this before the auto darkening welding helmet was available!

And, all ground off, sanded smooth. It's not perfect, there will be a few small spots where it may need some filler if the high build primer doesn't take care of it...

Sorry for the blurry pictures, the lighting in my shop, though there are 14 4' fluorescent tubes - isn't the best... Now, you can see that the bottom back corner is also done - I was dreading doing that part but it was actually really simple!

 

[MrMoMo]

Whoops, I missed the finish pic of that corner by the back door....

Ground down, sanded down

So it was now shortly after lunch and I found that I was having to work harder than I should to breath... Figured it must be time for a new filter... Uh - yeah!

This represents all the crap that isn't in my lungs. Wear your PPE people. I should also mention that some of the material I am using is galvanized, so I always grind the edges back about 1/4" to get rid of the galvanizing - but inevitably some of it gets burned off - always wear a respirator when welding! (Let alone all the grinding dust) Anyway, WORLD of difference in breathing ability!

Also figure some people might like to see some of the tools I use... Aside from my welder - here they are...

Grinder with zip disc, flap disc, and grinder stone. Cordless with regular drill, and spot weld cutter. Bunch of clamps, duckbill clamps for small bends, ball pein hammer for hammering, and making templates, hole saws, magnet for holding small bits or flush bits when welding - die grinder with Roloc flap wheels and cutting disc, buzz saw for where the other two cutting methods can't get in, wire brush, tin snips (not sure what I was cutting with those but they don't cut this stuff), air blower, Sikaflex, water spray bottle - you know - for little fires.... And my welding helmet...

And here is another shot of the lower back corner where the 1/4 panel meets the back under the tail light. No idea if this is the right shape but it looks fine to me and I'll do the other side the same.

Looks like a hard corner, but it's not quite. I have a feeling that in reality it's quite a bit more round...

 

[MrMoMo]

Ok, down to the last spot on the drivers side - YAY!

This is scary stuff, the heart of the beast - and boy does this onion have layers!

So, I found that there are 4 layers in this back corner, I assume to make it a strong point in the case of a roll over and to support roof weight- makes sense - the corner post comes right down to a body mount here.

Once I peeled all the rotten layers off the onion, I made the first patch. In reality, the hole here was only about the size of a dime, but I wanted to make sure it was all gone, and strong again!

With the first layer in, I got a coat of paint on, then moved to the second layer

Forgot to take a picture of the second layer - which is a shame as it was a work of art where it ties in at the outer edge - oh well - maybe when I do the other side. You can see the inner end of the second layer sticking out here, but the end is covered by the first piece of the 3rd layer:

The second half of the 3rd layer ties it in to the outer face - and this is where I ran out of time today - so it along with the 4th layer (final!) will have to wait until tomorrow!

NOT BAD for a day's work!

9 hours today! - yikes

 

[MrMoMo]

57 hours and counting....

Day 14, I finally made it to the other side of the islan... I mean truck.

Started out today with finishing up the last corner, lower left corner of the back door.

Ground down the 3rd layer and then welded in the 4th. Pretty sure that this isn't the factory line for the curve - I think there is a bit more meat originally - but I'm happy with this!

Next I went around and seam sealed everything I could reach on this side of the truck. floor to bed, inner seam of the 1/4 panel to the inner wheel well, outer seam in the wheel well - and then made a nice accidental discovery. Sikaflex 291 is a "Polyurethane adhesive sealant" and it sticks to everything - especially the stuff you don't want it to. In fact - it's still all over my fingers, even though I was wearing nitrile gloves. Now, what I found was that when I smeared it thin, then stuck my thumb in it - it gives a great texture - you know like the inside of the wheel wells - hey what a great idea!

So here is the real test - in the wheel well! (The last few squeezes of the tube) I think it's worth $6 for another tube just to do the wheel wells completely! In fact - I think this is what I'll coat the bottom of my 40 with!!

What do you guys think? Super easy to do!

And now for the ugly....

I cleaned everything up swept the floor organized all my tools, then drove the truck out of the shop, turned it around and backed in (more space to work on one side)

Yikes.


A before shot to set the stage...

Hold onto your shorts for the next pic... Apparently this truck has had a minor fender bender in its past - and is a little "thick" in some areas! The back corner of the floor was actually a little mis-shapen - I never noticed it, and a lot of the metal around the gas filler neck and tail light pocket is still tweaked. So, after a lot of thought, pondering, considering, procrastinating, and deliberating... Out came the zip disc! (This was a mid way through pic - there is even less there now!

And the corner of the floor on the inside... (And inner fender rot cut out as well)

I believe I have all the rot cut out from the front of the wheel well to the back corner (excluding the "scary hole" at the front, and the outside corner at the back, and the outer wheel well lip. Everything cut back to good metal, ready for a sand blast of all the newly exposed sur faces tomorrow morning, before I start piecing things back together!

(Again, this was a part way through picture, more has been removed!

I would like to think I'm half way, but I think there is more work on this side!!

 

[MrMoMo]

Oh, and these are all the "parts" I put in the left side of the truck, excluding the panel of course!

 

[Locked79]

Great work man. I'd hate to be paying a shop to do this. Just goes to show you can fix anything if you've got the time and skills.

 

[MrMoMo]

Thanks Locked79 - I really don't have the time - there's just a whole bunch of other stuff that I'm not getting done! (Having days off work helps though.). And Skills - well - thanks, though I don't feel particularly skilled - I'm learning on the fly I guess - it's really all just overlapping geometry!

I did manage to get a few hours in today, though not a full day - had to do some Christmas shopping in the afternoon.

After I rolled out of the shop and sand blasted the "fresh" spots, I fixed the outer edge of the floor, and some of its supporting structure.

After finishing that up (it's ready for the wheel well patch now) I did get the back corner structure sorted out a bit, AKA the "front side of the rear sill"

Looking backwards behind the back wheel. Odd camera angle:

Also got the basic structure in that goes under the back corner floor. I know this isn't how it was originally, I think this forward lip was partially just a bent flange on the floor plate, but for me it was easier to just add the flanged part to support the floor

I got the forward wheel well patch made and painted, ready to weld in tomorrow, and the next piece of the puzzle for the back corner is also made and painted ready to go in. Once that part is in, the floor goes back down.

I am hoping tomorrow that I get the floor back in, and the back corner completely back together. Unfortunately tomorrow evening I leave on a two week work trip to Kuwait, so there's no hope of getting any work done - just hope of seeing fresh cruisers in the sand!

Fingers crossed tomorrow sees a bunch of work done!

Edit - did about 5 hours today, so sitting at 62 now. Locked79, you sure are right about paying a shop to do this - it wouldn't happen!

 

[MrMoMo]

With the thought of the time, cost, and quality, I'd like to present to those who have not seen it - the pie chart....

Option A) you can have it good and cheap, but it won't be fast

Option B) you can have it fast and good, but it won't be cheap

Option C) you can have it fast, and cheap, but it won't be good

If you have the time, it should always be option A. If you can't wait, option B, it should never be option C.

 

[cruiserdan]

I truly admire and respect your skills and dedication. I have to ask, how good can that frame possibly be? Based on the Swiss Cheese you have been attacking I find it difficult to have any sort of faith in the frame.

 

[MrMoMo]

Thanks cruiserdan, I have a feeling that there must have been some sort of treatment done to the frame in its earlier years, as its really in decent shape. Now, obviously it's not Arizona or New Mexico shape, but it's most definitely not 30 years in Ontario shape either! The truck came from BC when I bought it so that probably helped a lot. Yes, it's covered in surface rust, but for the most part that's all it is. The only place I would have any concern would be the cross tubes that hold the rear shocks - as they tend to fill with crap (sand/salt etc), but if I have to replace them eventually that's not a big deal, I did that on my BJ60 a few years back. I will say that if I compared this truck to my 60, the body is worse, but the frame much better. Looking back at the 60 and what I have done to this, I wish I had tackled the body on the 60!

 

[cruiserdan]

Keep at it. I love welded jigsaw puzzles.....

 

[MrMoMo]

Started early this morning.

Made a template for the outside wheel well patch.

Then welded it in.

Got the back corner post bottom end finished...

Then welded the floor in. This part was a lot of hammer beating!

Next step is to grind this stuff down and make the inner wheel well patch. Hoping to get that made and in this afternoon!

 

[ozcrusier]

I'm blown away by your work mate please keep the pics coming.

 

[MrMoMo]

Thanks OzCruiser, I have a few more pics to post - currently in Frankfort airport with an extremely slow network connection. Will post the last few pics I have when I get to a better connection later today, or is it still yesterday? - or tomorrow? .... I'm not sure!

I did manage to get the floor done, but decided that it was probably better to spend the last few hours before I left with my wife, instead of her truck - so didn't get the wheel well finished.

*edit - 68 hours total here*

 

[MrMoMo]

Well, I found me some internet here, so here is where I ended up...


Outer wheel well is attached, and I got the inside edge done for the first few inches. (Around the corner from the flat) what's left is fairly straightforward, just needs time!

 

[MrMoMo]

And here is my view now, downtown Kuwait city...