I got the SR panels sanded down with 180 and etched and primered today with the intent of welding them in tonight.....but, for some reason people kept putting beers in my hand.
So I’ll weld in the morning.......
I got the SR panels sanded down with 180 and etched and primered today with the intent of welding them in tonight.....but, for some reason people kept putting beers in my hand.
So I’ll weld in the morning.......
Been a few days since I've checked this thread - great progress!
JT
1979 Indy Pace Car Mustang 302 / 5spd
1982 Mustang GT T-Top 302 / 4spd
1986 SVO Mustang - 1C
Busy day today. I decided to start with the more difficult side, the driver's side.
It's more difficult due to the curvature of the frame rail. The SR panels are straight along the frame rail.
Here's what I did, I tacked the panel down with just the front and rear area of the frame rail tacked.
Then I took a die grinder and cut a line along the bend that matches up to the frame rail, clamped that piece down and tacked welded the lower piece.
After that I ground down the loose edge to the welded in lower and tacked it in place.
Then I put a bead weld around most of it and dressed it relatively smooth.
The right side was easier due to a straighter frame rail. Except for the whole following the frame rail thing I did on the other side, I did the same thing.
I'd go further today, but I'm pooped.
Tomorrow I will weld in the firewall brace. I'm going to make some sort of reinforcement for the clutch cable hole too, more on that tomorrow.
Another thing I'll need to do tomorrow is to disconnect the parking brake from the handle and cut out the portion of the transmission tunnel.
The new floorpan is designed for the '87^ fox bodies, I'll need to modify that area of the new floorpan before I install it.
I'm hoping to start slinging mud tomorrow on the firewall. If I can be diligent enough, maybe next weekend I can start replacing the floorpan!
Great Progress! Really starting to come together!
I was hoping to work a bit on my RS today, but that didn't happen. Was able to drop off the 429 at the machine shop for Dad's 64 F100! It's only taken 30+ years!
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
Good job Dave. Still watching along as you go! I like all the pictures because it helps us all be involved in this project with you
One day I am going to get my own welder in my garage. That will allow me to move on to slightly more complex body projects that what I have had to do so far. I only have 120V in my garage right now so I am limited in my options.
Keep the updates coming....Do you neighbors like all the plasma, welding and grinding going on in your garage?
And for today....... I welded in the firewall brace I made. Then I cut out the emergency brake part of the floor pan.
I'm going to take that to work with me tomorrow. I have the new floorpan down there. Like I mentioned previously, the new pan is for '87^ mustangs. So I'll need to modify the location of the eb handle.
I started the smoothing of the engine bay by grinding the paint off the upper firewall area.
Mixed some mud, spread it, sanded it. Did that another time. I decided i was tired and stopped then. I sprayed some rattle can etch primer on the work just to protect the bare metal underneath the mud. I still need to smooth out a couple lines and finish the edges, then go over it all with glaze.
So I compared the two floor pans this morning. Here’s a picture.
See the difference? It’s just the two holes where the eb handle bolts to the floor. Easy peasy fix, drill a couple new holes where they need to be and weld a couple nuts on the back.
I meant to comment earlier in your thread about that, but got sidetracked and forgot.
I did exactly what you are planning on my 82 GT with my change to the the 87+ center console. The location changed due to the 79-86 handle being centered and the 87+ being offset to the passenger side. I even considered welding a plate to the bottom of the E brake handle to make the swap, but ultimately decided a couple of nuts welded to the underside of the floor was quicker and easier. Good Luck!
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
Small good thing. I got the front bumper absorbers sand blasted. I’ll get them coated this afternoon.
I always leave those till last . . . Reason being they are the perfect shin and knee busters for me! So I just yank them off and leave them on the shelf until I need them for the bumpers, then I clean/paint and re-install with the metal bumpers so hopefully my shins and knees survive.
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
So I coated the bumper absorbers with some etch paint.
I wasn't going to do anything tonight though. I'm extra sleepy today because of a weird night last night. I decided I'd just put the absorbers in to see how it looked. They both went in without any hoopla, I ran their bolts through to make sure there wasn't any problem with the new radiator support. Driver's side was no problem. The passenger side was a little different, the bolt hole in the new rail was too small........I couldn't leave it at that, so out comes the reamer
I made the holes a little bigger and in the bolt goes.
But, you know, I already had the compressor going and had the reamer hooked up. So I thought I would smooth the welds I couldn't reach with my grinder, I needed to do that anyhow before I would be able to sling mud......and since the compressor was chugging away I might as well break out my 3" DA and strip the paint off the right strut tower, it just looked yucky.
Since I also had the reamer there I cleaned out the factory spot welds.
There were little nicks and outies that needed to be knocked down so out comes the die grinder with some 3" 50 grit discs. That cleaned them up. Since it was in hand I ground the entire shock tower surface and the frame rail immediately below too.
Well heck, you know what? The tower can take bondo now..... Yep, I got the mud out and mixed up a little and spread it on the tower and the back portion of the frame rail. The best time to cut down bondo is before it sets completely, so I broke out the 40 grit and a block just to knock down the highs and slag on the sides.
That went so smooth that I could probably block it down with 80 grit to finish the initial muddling of the panel, so I did.
With my mental problem I could have gone further and did my second layer and glazed it.
God stepped in to give me a break on the evening I told myself I wasn't going to do anything. He had me leave my cleanup thinner at work. It's really tough to clean up wet bondo without laquer thinner. I gave in at that stage and stopped.....sorta.
Now I had fresh bare metal under that layer of bondo. The humidity here in Oklahoma has been really high lately. So I had to coat the mudded area to help prevent rust. I used rattle can etch primer to spray a couple coats to cover it up.
BTW, here's those stupid shock absorbers that started all this on my relaxing evening. It's really looking like a fox front end again, huh?
I dig that Trey!
I've been thinking though. When I go to spray the engine bay I'll want an area to put jackstands under because I'll drop the crossmember to get the under side of the rails painted too. Those things seem like a good place to support the vehicle at that stage.
I have smacked a leg really hard on them before though. I wanted to cry like a baby when I did it too. Lol.
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
I wasn't implying or stating that you cried like a baby . . . I just wanted everyone to KNOW that I DIDN"T cry like a baby!!!
Ok! OK! There were tears, but they weren't baby tears they were MANLY Tears .... or maybe Big Crocodile Tears! Yeah that's what they were!
Trey
"I Don't build it hoping for your approval! I built it because it meets mine!"
"I've spent most of my money on Mustangs, racing, and women... the rest I just wasted."
Mustangs Past: Too many to remember!
Current Mustangs:
1969 Mach 1
1979 Pace Car now 5.0/5 speed
1982 GT Stalled RestoModification
1984 SVO Still Waiting Restoration
1986 GT Under going Wide Body Conversion Currently
Current Capris:
1981 Capri Roller
1981 Capri Black Magic Roller Basket Case
1982 Capri RS 5.0/4spd T-top Full Restoration Stalled in TX
1984 Capri RS T-top Roller
1983-84 Gloy Racing Trans Am/IMSA Body Parts
Looking great so far!
I know I invented at least 5 new cuss words the last time I inadvertently “found” a set of those blessed knee busters! Yow!
I once rebuilt an entire network on a day I wasn’t going to work. Ripped out one rack of gear, installed another.
But this inability to not do anything could be a lot worse.....
I got a couple hours in tonight.
I spread a little more mud on the strut tower and got the panel between the firewall and strut tower too. Though the pinch welds on that little panel are pretty dang deep. I'll need to put a second layer on them.
I went to mix up some glaze, but my glaze has gotten old when I wasn't paying attention. It's too thick to use, I'll get a new tub tomorrow. I went ahead and sprayed another coat of primer over the mudded areas to keep the rust monster away.
I realize that I'm going to have to give the engine bay more of my time. Maybe get up early before work.
Saturday I'm going to begin the floorpan. I want to have it cutout and have all the cleaning up done this weekend.
I'll keep working on the eb while I do the floorpan. I just don't think the pan is going to take too long.
What kinda reinforcement did you do to the firewall for the clutch cable?
-David
The Brown Blob
Oops. I thought you did it already: http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...=1#post1884755
-David
The Brown Blob
I said I was going to take a break from the engine bay this weekend to work on knocking out the floorpan. So, here goes. I used my reciprocating saw to cut out small chunks and work my way around the edges, subframe and trans crossmember mounts.
Flintstones ain't got nothing on me!
Here's a fox floor in a Dodge bed
One last one of the new floorpan next to Booger
I had to get the main cutting out of the way tonight since it's still noisy, even using a reciprocating saw. Tomorrow I'll get after all of those welds and remove the last of the old floorpan.
Then clean up and I'll coat the inside of the subframe rail with POR 15. I'll go ahead and strip the subframe rails too while the floor is out.
I don't know if I'll get the new pan welded in this weekend or not. Some time tomorrow though I want to start fitting and trimming it.
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