Rust revival

[Rustbin]

While pulling the '80 wagon apart to get the steering and struts out and whatever else I can salvage I came upon the idea that I used the seat belts from this car in the 2 door they could leave room for the roll bar because the recoil units are built to be recessed into the b pillars.

 

 

For a second I thought "Did I do all that work on the inner rockers for nothing?" Then I looked at how it would fit.

 

 

All I would have to do is add another mounting bolt. I need to determine exactly where.

I cut out the inner B pillars from the wagon.

 

 

Cleaned the rough bottom edge.

 

 

Then a trial fit.

 

I needed to trim about 3/4 inch from the 2 door B pillar to fit and then the mounting bolt will be 6 inches aft of the stock mount at the same height from the floor.

 

 

At this point I went in had lunch, the skies darkened and I ran back out  to put things away before it rained and almost succeeded. Nothing important got wet so I went into hte shop and laid out where to drill the new mounting holes. Hopefully I can get the inner rocker done next week.

 

[iceman510]

I added a lower nut plate to that area for my SeatbeltPlanet belts to get the retractor back far enough to clear the seats.  The retractor on mine is outside the trim.

 

Will you be putting the inner quarter trim back on?  I have seen an installation where they ran the belt through the ash tray hole to get it outside the trim.

[Rustbin]

Putting the belt through the ashtray hole is a brilliant idea Iceman. I checked to see how it would work and if I were to do it I would try to find something to use as an escutcheon because of the size of the hole.

 

 

I won't be using the original to the car inner panel as I have other choices. Originally I wanted to paint this car blue like my first 510.

 

 

I would use the door and trim panels from it if I did, but I also have a  black set and some 1/8 inch sheet abs ones I made before I lost this car to my first ex wife. After she was done with it she sold it to my brother who scrapped it because it was too rusty. That's why I have the parts.

 

 

 

 

Now my I would rather paint it a version of the original color orange. I was hoping to see the owner of this ride to ask for their paint code.

 

 

I will make the interior black and probably do custom panels and also redo the seat belts with black webbing. I like the thought of doing the seats black with the center the same color as the exterior paint but that is a way in the future.

 

The weather was good today and I managed to get the second mount welded onto the inner rocker so they're done, for the second time.

 

 

One odd thing I noticed when welding, on the store cooler shelving it smells like something cooking in vegetable oil but the BBQ metal smells like burnt burgers. When I first was welding the BBQ metal I actually took off the welding helmet and stated looking at my neighbors houses to see  who was barbecuing, the realized it was me. I hope we get summer BBQ weather soon.

[Rustbin]

I got to disassembling the front end, pulling the rad to make things easier and realized I need a new rad cap.

 

 

Most of the bolts came out or broke easily but the mounting studs of the turn signal housing just spun, another little job to fix or replace them. I had drilled out the spot welds on the front valance years ago when I replaced the sandwiched bumper bracket and just used 1/4 inch bolts instead, I appreciated that decision. A PO rebent the flanges on the valance to mount the air dam.

 

 

The left side was in better shape than expected.

 

 

The right side was as expected, rusted through.

 

 

Next day I was able to move the car to clean up under it. Funny how just moving it makes you feel like you've actually done something to the car.

 

 

I think a little bird was in the car and was sitting on the steering wheel.

 

 

I jacked the car up and put it on ramps and jack stands to get ready to pull the drive train starting first with the exhaust system. The header flange bolts came out easily but the muffler clamps needed to be cut off.

 

 

There are more pieces I'll have to fabricate under the back seat.

 

 

There is an inner piece in the support bracket.

 

 

I found there is bracket on this car that is not on my 69 four door.

 

 

While under the car I loosened all the bolts I could except the rear sub frame. Should I drop the car off the jack stands and lift the engine or should I drop the engine and lift the car? I'll be removing the suspension and cross member for welding access anyway. Anyone with experience doing this?

 

[Rustbin]

I found some time to work on the car or rather as my wife put it, I have been neglecting the yard work and doing things around the house, but in doing that I cleared some room in the driveway. About 40 years ago my brother borrowed my four door 510 and neglected to stop completely before running into the rear of a car sitting at a stop sign. The car he hit was fine, not even a scratch on the  bumper, my car however had a leaking rad, crunched grill, bent bumper and caved in rad support. We put in a rad he had from his 71 Nova and welded in a piece that had been a furnace bracket to replace the structure that was missing from across the frame rail to make it all work.  Forward almost 10 years, he had bought my first 510 from my first ex, drove it for awhile then cut it up because of rust and graciously gave me the front end to properly fix the damage he had done to my four door which was still one of my projects. I plan to get to it once I'm finished the two door but I still had the front end around so I got to taking it apart not just for the four door but there are bits I want for the two door. Every time I see this picture the Wallflowers start playing in my head "One Headlight".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did also finally get the rad support removed for the four door.

 

 

 

Just wondering if anyone can confirm if the rad support is a flat plain? Neither of mine are flat and the bends are all in different places that don't look factory.

 

 

I also have the steering box out of this one, how do you check if it's still good when out of the car?

 

 

Some good news is I did finally get around to cutting the grass over the septic field. The grass was like a hay field and if you walked through it after a rain it made you look like you'd pissed yourself. My wife was happy that it was cut.

[KELMO]

"Just wondering if anyone can confirm if the rad support is a flat plain?"

 

Some pics of my wagon and 4DR. That "pouched out lower lip" part looks right. Dark blue is wagon pale blue is 4DR.

Both still have the lower valance attached. If you need pics from a different angle, just let me know.

[Rustbin]

Thank you Kelmo, the picture second to last is the one view I couldn't seem to find on the rad support pictures I looked at. So when I straighten my rad supports I can use a straight edge to make sure everything is in line. 

The clouds went away and let the sun shine, I had to get out and weld the inner foot well that needs to be in before the inner rocker. Well inevitably its two steps back and one step forward, requiring three days to complete. Things like what size bolt holds the fender to the rocker to up a ridiculous amount of time but now it is done.

 

 

 

 

MMM more rust.

 

 

I used rust neutralizer to save whats left of the outer rocker last thing of the day.

 

 

The morning light showed some holes I needed to fix first.

 

 

I used a wire brush and poked around with an awl.

 

 

 

If you notice on the previous picture a little hole in the outer rocker, I check it out.

 

 

The larger holes where where the fenders were previously attached but the little ones showed that the metal was rusting through.

 

 

The bottom flange from the front to where the jacking point is needs to be replaced and I will do that when I weld in the inner rocker. Then finally I was able to move forward and weld in the first patch I made.

 

 

The welding I did inside the rock looks kind of ugly but I couldn't get in there to with the grinder, it won't be seen when I'm done anyway.

Next step get things braced for installing the inner rocker.

 

 

[Rustbin]

Before removing the seat brace from the car to put in the inner rocker, I needed to put in a brace to keep things aligned so I made up a brace based on the four door because I know that one is straight and when I went to tack it into the two door it didn't fit, not even close. The distance between the A pillar flange is 1/2 inch narrower on the two door, upon inspection it seems there was an impact on the right side but the A pillar doesn't look that much out of line but I'll have to fix that when I do the right side floor pan.

 

 

 

 

I tacked two supports to the trans tunnel and took the seat bracket and inner rocker out with the drill and chisel method. The outer rocker is worse than I thought so I'll need new ones, my wife says we should just order some because without a break they're to much work for me to make. I think she wants to drive it rather than it just be a project.

 

 

 

I got my inner rocker trimmed and fitted into the car but gave up on welding it in because the driveway became too hot for comfort, and the house has AC so I went inside to research with the Steve Smith Autosports publication How to Hotrod and Race your Datsun. My wife helped me finally find the book after several failed attempts by me, and there it was in the trunk that I didn't think it was in, under all the boxes that it should have been in and that I'd looked through already. I flipped through to find the part about modifying the toe boards for Trans Am racing because on this car they really looked like they were adjusted with a B.F.H. (Big Friendly Hammer) and I have some rust issues there (can you believe it?). I went out after supper when it was a couple degrees cooler and used chalk to scratch out where I think the BRE racers were modified for tire clearance.

 

 

 

Taking it this far back will eliminate the rust at the seam and the bottom of the toe board is mostly gone anyway so it shouldn't be much extra work. From where I am now and with what I've found by cleaning and prodding I don't think there is a single panel on this car that I won't have to do some work to. This is not a just simple revival this is proving to be much more of a Rust Resurrection. Hey mods, can we rename this thread?

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by Rustbin

[iceman510]

I admire your hard work and fortitude on this.  I don't think I would be up the the challenge of everything you need to make and replace.

 

[Rustbin]

Thank you Iceman, I think it's the only way I'll be able to have a nice 510 to drive again. This week has offer a few challenges, welding the inner rocker went smooth then trying to figure out the inside corner by the trans tunnel had me looking at all the curves on the donor cars and I thought I could work with a piece from the headlight bucket area of the wagon but it wouldn't move into the right shape. I got the old chopping round that has been around for over ten years because it wouldn't split and cleaned up the concave top with my circular saw and it became a shrinking stump, with that I grabbed an off cut piece of shelf metal and hammered a bowl shape that I kept reworking till it fit the spot. The car had been massaged in that spot with the a fore mentioned BFH to make room for the aftermarket header.

 

 

There is a bit of an optical delusion with the picture, the right side is concave and the left is slightly convex. The rusted lump is what I replaced. It was while welding this in that I set myself on fire, well not really me but my old 100%cotton flannel shirt. I was sitting in the engine bay leaning against the sawhorse and a welding splatter landed in a fold and it ignited, the smell of something burning caught my attention so I lifted the helmet saw the flames and promptly patted them out. I had a T shirt on underneath and both now have holes in them but luckily no burns on my belly.

 

 

Next to make the previously fabricated toe board fit. I didn't take pictures of the process but it was a task to get the new metal welded in because the original metal kept blowing holes.  At one point the master cylinder must have leaked and the engine compartment side has a layer of what I thought was just surface rust, I think I was wrong.

 

 

Next onto the wheel well were I can't use the other car for reference so I decide to start from the top and push everything to fit with my made up curve. First cut out the rust and made relief cuts. Oh ya clean the metal first cause it's easier and faster, you really can learn stuff on YouTube.

 

 

I bent a curved flange and hammer stretched it to fit the new shape.

 

 

Just after taking these pictures misery happened, I'm sure the nabe ushered her kid inside because the air was so blue with my cuss words. My cell phone slipped out of my hand and hit the pavement and the screen smashed like an Iphone. I dug out my old note 4 to take the rest of the pictures, by the way they are now up to note 22.

 

 

Even after that tragedy I did not give up, back to hammering the flange. The metal didn't stand a chance, it succumbed and I ended up with the perfect flange.

 

 

On to the corresponding piece, not many pictures but I did get of the piece and it welded in.

 

 

 

 

Next will be welding something in the relief cuts, I think I will cut and weld in a half inch strip cause the thin tips of wedges burn away to easily. Then it should be stable enough to extrapolate where the toe board needs to be cut. My wife took me out cell phone shopping today and I now have a new phone that I have to figure out how to use, please be patient this may take a while.

[mikec4193]

Hey Rustbin

 

You are doing a great job...putting a really hurting on the tin worm fest for sure...what the old rat rod saying..."tac tac tac...grind grind grind...repeat"...

 

I am rooting for you buddy...

 

MikeC

[Rustbin]

"Tac tac tac...grind grind grind...repeat" for sure MikeC, and as I have been reworking the wheel wells there has also been hours of tap tap tap as I work to reshape the metal, more like tac tac tac...grind grind grind...tap tap tap repeat. We have had some rainy days this week I used some pieces of the Pontiac van to make strut tower braces and work on repairing the seat brace that will go in after the floor, that one is a little more complicated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then after two days of rain the weather changed to chance of showers and I could start work on the wheel wells. You can see in the picture the streak of orange rust that formed where the rain water down the weld, I used SEM rustmort on it so it wouldn't spread.

 

 

By my calculations the last section was just a simple curve running straight down to the floor so I used a short straight edge to mark the line and cut out the excess and made a cardboard template to cut out the patch. I made it long on the bottom and where the flange edge is and started tacking it in working along the top edge toward the center of the car to keep the weld flush and the straight line became a curve. I trimmed and hammered as I welded along reworking the bottom curve at the edge of the toe board while the extra metal of the patch slowly became shorter, it became only slightly shorter that I wanted and at that point I felt it was good enough and welded the flange.

 

 

 

With that the front is ready for the floor pan next I will have to pull the rear suspension and address the issues back there.

[Rustbin]

I did a bit of moving things around, loosening bolts and getting things ready to work on the back seat area. I brought out the first panel I made and started trimming as well as making the brace that I found I needed when I first lifted the car.

 

 

It fits just beside the trans tunnel connecting to the bracing under the rear seat.

 

 

 

Enough dry weather and I got the rear suspension out, one of the brakes is grabbing so it was hard to move it in anyway but circles. An yes the squirrels  were there as well.

 

 

I just hooked the engine hoist to the back bumper because I couldn't remove the rusted bolts and lifted onto the other saw horse. The jack stand boosters are compliments of a Honda Oddity, they were the safety insurance when dragging the suspension from under.

 

 

I got to look at what was left of the spring perches, the curves in the thicker metal would be a challenge to make so I think I'll be better off going with coil overs.

 

  

 

I trimmed some more rust out of the car and removed two more braces that I'll have to make.

 

 

I just had to test fit the new floor panel and got my wife to show her, it is quite visually impressive when for the first time in about three years you can't see the ground.

 

 

 

Next onto the work that will make it possible to weld in the floor. Trimming out more rusty metal and fitting the piece. I noticed that something was off so I measured the four door across the width and it was 2cm to the seam so I had to use the jack to bring the sag in the panel before final fitting. Once it was leveled I was able to weld it in from the tunnel across along to where it will meet the other piece I made and I welded it to the new inner rocker. Next I can start fitting and trimming to weld in the floor!

 

 

 

[DARIN 510]

I think I found that jeep paint code. It’s code: PE4 color name: Punk’n. 

[Rustbin]

Thank you, you are awesome Darin, this has inspired me to write the details in a book so I can keep all the important info together for future reference. I spent a whole day fitting and welding in the floor panel, the biggest issue was the tunnel side of the panel has a roll on the edge from manufacturing which I had to flatten and partially reverse. I didn't get it as good as I would like so I'm going to rework it when I have the right side of the floor out. I was all ready to post the pictures of it welded in but Windows isn't recognizing my old Samsung note 4 anymore, I think they do that so you have to buy a new one and throw your old one in the garbage to keep sucking money out of you. I am so glad I can fix my old Datsun. Next I have to figure out a good way to fix the right side A pillar. Using a straight edge on the one from my first 510 I am able to see how much it's bent and where, unfortunately the inside has basically no access for me to straighten it. Anybody got some ideas.

[DARIN 510]

That’s awesome you’re posting panel repairs and replace. I bought a floor pan as well that I am not looking forward to doing. But nice to see someone is doing it for me to reference. Mines not as rusty but stuff quite a bit. 

[Rustbin]

Take a zen moment think nothing, a gaping abyss and a slight gasp of fear that I might have got too far then excitement as I place the floor pan in. Not a thousand words but the best I can do without a picture. The whitish stuff is some rust paint I found in the basement that I just brushed on to protect the bare metal from rust. It was binding at the point where the vertical slice is because of the different contours, this gave enough space for the panel to squeeze into when I bent in the edge. Now I have to do it all again on the other side.

 

 

 

I decided to just make another A pillar using the rust but unbent one on the cowl of my first 510. I went with making a pattern from paper and a dirty finger after seeing it done in some you tube videos, it worked rather well and I got an accurate center point for  the hinge holes.

 

 

 

I put the pattern against the bent pillar to see how far out it is and it isn't much, I guess that's why the door would still close or maybe it was pulled out enough to make it close.

 

 

I bent the cut pieces using the straight pillar as a guide and the trimmed them to fit as perfectly as I could because this would not be covered with carpet or undercoating and it may have to fit with the shape of the fender if I get original type replacement instead of my current fiberglass ones. I'm hoping to use the aft portion of the original pillar which is not obviously too rusty or kinked.

 

 

 

The was a slight interruption in this work process to go to the Northwest Deuce Days on the weekend which included a visit to Butchart's gardens. I won't go off topic by posting pictures of the over 1,300 pre 1952 cars which were mainly 30's fords but on Saturday evening we did pass by this little car and my wife snapped a shot. Stopping to get out for a better look was not an option unfortunately. I also got a plate thanks to our friends Gord and Carrie, which is now hanging on the wall in my shop.

 

 

[Rustbin]

I got back to working on the A pillar this week, figuring how to do it was a process of elimination, find the rust then eliminate it. I measured several times as I cut away the bent and rusty parts so the shape and hinge holes would be right for the door to fit like from the factory. I made templates of shape where the hinges sit to go by when I straightened aft section. There are warps in the outer rocker from the impact and marks on the upper hinge reinforcement from when they straightened  the damage.

 

 

I test fitted my piece and the backside shows how much I had to move it out, minus the thickness of the metal.

 

 

I used my long steel bar to line up the rocker so the brace I made based on the four door would fit. I also used my big pliers and tried left handed taping with my body hammer to move the pillar into line, it was only moderately successful. You can see some of what I eliminated in the next picture.

 

 

I took my sanding disc to the rust to find there wasn't enough metal to weld to under the old flange. I needed to make a patch and weld it in first.

 

 

Don't look to closely at the weld along the top I will fix that when I replace that structure. I also noted that the radio antenna base was bent when I removed it so the opened up A pillar afforded me access into the space so I dug out some old bodywork tools I got at a garage sale about twenty some odd years ago that I hadn't ever used and tried them out, they are sitting on the hood. The long rod with the pointy curve is for reaching in through drain holes and such to push out dents.

 

 

 

You can see in the picture above that I got the brace tacked in so the car is once again the right width. I then took the seat brace and most of the floor out I preparation for putting in the inner rocker on the right side. This seat brace will not be as difficult to fix as the left side one.

 

 

I needed a large enough bit to make the holes for the hinges the right size, I think they are 15mm and my largest bit is 1/2 inch. I wasn't willing try to make them bigger with a rat tail file so I went out and bought a stepped bit and it worked great, I set it up in the drill press with the stop lock for the right depth and before you could say Rumpelstiltskin it was done. It was the trimming and fitting that took the rest of the day.

 

 

So there it is, all welded up and with the rust paint brushed on. The harsh sun made picture taking pretty much useless when the welding was actually finished so I took these shots after dinner. My wife got the outer rockers ordered and I hope they will be here by the time I get the floor welded in. Next step though is to install the inner rockers and start reshaping the wheel well on this side.

[DARIN 510]

Amazing quality work ! Keep up the good work 🙌

[Rustbin]

Thanks Darin but with this weeks heat it's been challenging. I have to hide after noon when the sun beats down on the pavement and cooks anything that's not shaded including me. It's left me a bit dehydrated, scattered and jumping around on to different parts of this project. First I got back to preparing for installing the inner rocker by making a patch the exact size as the one I welded on the left side, always keep the patterns.

 

 

 

I then started test fitting the inner rocker when I noticed there is a panel that is between it and the drop for the rear of the floor pan, oops I didn't see one on the other side I'm gonna have to fix that. What I have left of that panel is very perforated so I set about figuring out how to make a accurate pattern because the bottom half of this piece is missing on the four door as well.

 

 

 

This set me measuring everything I could on both cars as I couldn't just lay paper on it, and looking for suitable metal to make two pairs. I went to a couple shops to see if they sell the thickness I need but they didn't have any but I did score a scrap of 16 gauge for $10 . It was what was left over from when they cut parts out on the plasma cutting machine. In my planning for the right wheel well the flat rectangle shape was going to be a lot of work to reshape so on my discovery looks at the old min van I checked out the right wheel well on it with the radius board I made and it was almost perfect. I will still need to fabricate pieces but it will save the time of reshaping.

 

 

 

I asked at the auto parts store for something to measure the gauge of metal so I could find out what I'm working with and know what to ask for when shopping for it and the sold me a digital caliper. I went online and got the conversions to thousandths of an inch and millimeters and started measuring every piece of metal I had been working with. At first it was alright then it went weird and the numbers didn't make sense so I opened it to the six inch maximum and it read three inches. If it had been the other way around I would have shown my wife so I took it back. The parts guy didn't have another one so he took out the battery and that reset it and now three inches reads three inches, I still didn't bother to show my wife. I laid out my measurements on paper with pencil so I could make changes as I found out more, I also used a scrap strip to see how the top edge went as it matched the curve or the wheel well, this is the final version.

 

 

While working on this Christmas in July happened when the Federal Express truck rolled up with my outer rocker panels and floor pans for the four door. I placed my inner rockers against them and found the slightly splayed, this was easily fixed with my wood clamps and I marked where some slight adjustment need to be made to the inners.

I also got right on bracing the body and removing the old outer rocker panel.

 

 

 

 

After that fun stuff I had more room to check my pattern and I had just enough BBQ metal to make the one panel for the rear. This is my custom radius bender, each set of bed irons and shelf uprights have a different radius to them and I just have to find the right one.

 

 

According to weather forecast the heat wave should be ending soon and then I'll have to deal with a chance of rain. I will brush rust paint on all the bare metal.

 

 

[Rustbin]

Well today it rained but just a little bit, it was good that I got some paint on the bare metal. Since last post I continued working on the things I need done so I can weld in the rocker panel, first of which was the mystery piece. I removed the what was left of it and set it beside the one I made from measurements and it looks pretty good.

 

 

I fitted it the inner and outer rockers and clamped things into place, measured and marked where they go so I could replace the right side rear seat drop and start putting things together.

 

 

 

I checked that the bracing held things in alignment as I removed the old piece. Like every nook and cranny there was rust and debris to be found. I got the drop fitted but forgot to take a picture, its a reverse of the other side but I'll post one later.

 

 

In the process of planning for welding it in I thought it would be best if I straightened the inner rear 1/4 panel structure first.

 

 

I could tell by comparing the two sides what was bent. I brought out five hammers, three bodywork dollies and two dollies on a stick (small sledge hammers) to try to get that aft dent out to no avail. In a fit of frustration I drilled out the spot welds and pulled it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The car (what's left of it) still measures square and straight. The B pillar will be much easier to straighten before I put the panel back in, so onto trying to hammering that into shape. It's still not good enough yet but my wife said it was time for dinner and getting ready for our trip to visit some good friends. I figured I should post this because I might forget by the time we get back.

[obrut]

Nice work!  What are you using to drill the spot welds?

[Rustbin]

Thanks Obrut, looks like your car has lots of potential. I have been using the incrementally larger drill bit method, I center punch the spot weld then make a divot with the 1/8th bit then widen it with the 1/4 then use a bit slightly larger than the welds while trying not to push through both layers. I then split the metal apart with an air hammer chisel and a ball peen hammer, using it in the air hammer can do to much damage to a part you want to keep.

 

I got back into my shop and started clearing things up, cause there is never enough time to organize before you go away, and looked closely at the grinder I had the sanding disc on before it took off on its own and tore it's cord end apart. The wires were still connected but the cord clamp was broken off, the switch was dangling between and the back cup had slid down the cord but the motor still worked so I started putting things back into place. The hole for the switch hold down screw was stripped but a small wood screw would grab into the plastic and if I used longer wood screws and finish washers to hold the cap on I could just stuff the cord clamp inside and I could use it again. The only problem is the button to hold the shaft to loosed the disk was broken along with the boss that it is held it in. A wrench would work if it was thin enough, I found a clutch release fork from a Ford straight six and an old lawnmower blade. The lawnmower blade will fit in the toolbox easier.

 

 

 

 

I also got some stuff done on the car, the back seat drop is welded in and the mystery piece is tacked in place. The rest of the time was spent straightening the B pillar.

 

 

 

Having the inner panel out was very helpful but I needed more room to swing a hammer so I adjuster the outer 1/4 panel.

 

 

The damage from the impact went up beyond the bottom of the 1/4 window to where I sanded the paint off. The previous repair was done using a ram which left circular stretches in the metal and did not fix the twist in it, I used various wood clamps and metal things to make it look like it's the right shape. I think its good enough for welding in the rocker panel but I'll fuss with it some more when I replace the 1/4 panel. Apart from the lower bit where it is rusted through the B pillar is fairly solid so I only have to make a small patch.

 

 

[Rustbin]

I went back to the outer rockers and tried to bang out the indents but it risked distorting them so I took another approach. I checked out the original two door rocker and looked at the four door one, the two layers gave me an idea. I cut a piece out of the old rocker and spot welded it onto the indent then my B pillar fit at the door opening but still left a tight spot where it attaches within the 1/4 panel that a couple taps with a hammer quickly fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

I measured left and right sides and they were vertically the same so I started welding them in, first the outer to the A pillar the then the inner. Then went to the rear and welded the inner to the mystery piece followed by the outer. It all went fine as I went very methodically to warpage and twisting to a minimum.

 

 

 

Next onto the toe board and wheel well. I found the piece I had started for the other side and since this was a simpler shape I started reworking it to fit the right side. It went easier and I had it made and welded in before I remembered to take pictures. I think I'm getting better at this metal bashing stuff.

 

 

Back to the pile of panels I'd made a got the toe board and started fitting.

 

 

Next on to the wheel well. I was having difficulty holding the well from the minivan in place for marking so I devised a handle, nobody would have ever thought of this before.

 

 

 

 

I got it welded in where it fit the best but that left small pieces to be fitted on the sides and bottom, fiddly stuff. The inside corner was taken from the piece that was cut out and was easy to tweak to fit, the flange was a simple cut out and weld.

 

 

 

I made the outer flange, then when figuring how much to trim off I opted for just straightening the edges because the original metal was still a bit bent and full of rust spots. I did think later that I might have been better off replacing the whole panel when I had the A pillar off.

 

 

I then fitted and welded the last three bits. So much easier than the first side, pity I didn't think about the minivan sooner.

 

 

Trimmed and spot welded the flanges and then a coat of rust paint as the forecast called for a chance of thunder showers.

 

 

 

Next thing will be to straighten the trans tunnel where I welded the left side in and slight distortion from the side impact. I'm feeling good about the progress of both the car and my abilities, practice might not make perfect but it sure makes better.

 

[Rustbin]

Well the right side went better than the left, I think it was having done it before. I hammered the tunnel side of the panel as flat and straight as possible before trying to fit it then trimmed small strips off the tunnel until I had it set into the right position then scribed my line and cut to it. With that out of the way it was easy to hammer out the mistakes I made on the first side. After checking to make sure everything was ready I aligned it and put screws in where I drilled for spot welds then started to welding.

 

 

The abyss.

 

 

 

 

The fit was best in the rear and worst in the front by the A pillar (not surprising) so I started at the rear of the tunnel and worked around both sides.

 

 

 

The piece of rail is for weight on the frame member to keep everything in place. I used screws every few holes to keep things tightly together.

 

 

All welded in. I also climbed underneath to weld the pinholes and miraculously didn't set myself on fire! OK I watched what I was doing and made sure to be safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That toggle switch looks huge in the picture, I hadn't realized it was in the shot till I posted it. Phase 1 finished, and I'm going to try to get the left outer rocker in before the rains return.