388 replies to this topic

[stevemc32]

Made up a piece to replace the rear end of the sill and I guess I didn't quite get it spot on or it distorted with a bit too much heat.  It all went together fine with the clamps but after I'd completed welding it in I had to split it down the centre so I could get it to fit up properly again.  Tacked on the sill ready for a super slow day of welding it up tomorrow trying to avoid shrinking it...

 

It's slow going, took all of six and a half hours to get that piece made up and have the sill tacked on.

 

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[claysummers]

I can relate. You just keep working it until you are satisfied with it. I love rust work. Though the progress is slow it is somehow worth it, knowing you have made it good again.


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[yel327]

You both are gluttons for punishment! I'm glad I have collected most rust repairs sections I need for my remaining Monaros as either NOS panels or good used stuff. So I don't have to reply on fabrication or bad fitting aftermarket stuff! I just have to get good at spot weld removal and cut alignment again so I can tack-tig any joints and get a professional to finish them.

 

I bought one of these after seeing an amateur using it. Awesome tool for things like removal of an entire Monaro quarter panel:

 

Spot Annihilator Deluxe Kit (dentfix.com)

[claysummers]

Not cheap.

Rust repair I enjoy. Bodywork not so much, but both satisfying when realised, of course.

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[yel327]

Not cheap, but neither are Monaro quarters and bodies. So I figure best do it right.

[claysummers]

It sounds a lot cheaper when you say Monaro in the same sentence.

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[stevemc32]

I don't mind doing the rust repairs it's just disheartening that it takes so long and is still so far away from driving.  Pretty certain it'll be very minimal bodywork for me just to get it on the road.  That spot weld drill looks real nice and I reckon buying new tools is another hobby of mine but I'll hold off just for now and see how I go with the normal drill.  Most of the spot welds I've removed so far have been pretty easy or on panels that didn't need re-using.

 

On a brighter note, I'm calling this passenger side sill and A-pillar roadworthy and I'm not going to listen to anyone telling me otherwise!!

 

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Started on the passenger floor and managed to get all of the old repair cut out.  It seemed a little dodgy with three cuts straight through the top of the chassis rail that weren't even welded back up before the replacement floor was put in.  The rail looks pretty good but I'm not real confident on the firewall support at the front of the footwell.  I need to replace the section on top of it but I don't want to look inside...

 

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[claysummers]

That's it. Keep going. The only alternative is buy someone else's hard work, if you trust them. Most survivor cars will have dodgy repairs from the early days. Repairs have always been masters of subterfuge.

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[4dabush]

Hi Steve, you might find if you can unpick the welds on the transmission tunnel to the floor, and then spot weld the new floor into the trans tunnel then you can fully weld the new floor to the trans tunnel on the inside. Then once it’s done, from  underneath you’ll be hard pressed to even see the repair, it should look like the factory double skin, with the trans tunnel edge still cleanly exposed. 
good luck, 
adam 

[Bruiser]

Good on you
If you’re happy how it turns out, that’s all that matters
Slightly less than perfect welds, a bit of bog,
It’s plenty better than it was when you found it
You’ve given it a new lease on life anyway
Well done to you
You’ll be well pleased soon when it’s back on the road

[Bruiser]

Didn’t mean that to look patronising, poorly chosen words too late at night after too many frothies
I meant to say I admire you having a go at something as tricky as those repairs yourself.
Looks like you are pretty good at it, actually

[Rockoz]

Ive used a couple of different spot weld drills on my project.

Basically just slip in the drill and go.

I tried the mini holesaw types. They were okay and you get an alignment hole with it for fitting up the replacement part.

But, they tend to catch on irregular surfaces and break.

The ones that have a flat end with a little point last longest, and are what I have decided to use for now.

Centre punching the welds helps a bit for most spots.

Lots less drama overall than trying to use normal bits.

After a couple welds you get to work out when you are through the spot.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[stevemc32]

Cheers fellas! 

 

No offence taken Bruce, I can handle a bit of truth on how it's looking!!

 

Not sure I'll go that high on the trans tunnel with the repair Adam.  It's a good idea to hide the repair but I think I'd rather keep any intact original metal.  The welds will just get covered in stone guard anyway since I'm certainly not building a show car.

 

Rob, the flat end spot drill with the little point is the one I'm using.  I've already destroyed one but I think I was running it a bit fast.  Haven't tried centre punching yet so will give that a go next time, I had noticed the drill likes to wander around a bit.

[Cook]

Hi Steve. Doing well with the resto, just don't get too disheartened.  I know it might seem like going backwards when removing rusty metal but it is progress every minute you work on it.  Your doing well only going through one spotweld bit.  I'm currently restoring a Camaro and chewed through a number of them. I have found that a pilot drill hole in the centre (not necessarily all the way through) can help to locate the bit and stop it running around too much.  Keep up the good work.  Cheers Ron

[4dabush]

For the spot welds, as others said, a pilot or center punch helps stop them wandering, and I used a bit of WD40 on the surface and drill bit, seemed to help break less and reduced the wander.  I reckon I used about 6-8 bits all up. Used the mini holesaw type with the spring loaded locating pin. I got along with them better that the flat drill.

 

Just have a look at your trans tunnel before you say no, you might find what I suggest means you have way less welds to grind and clean up. Might save you a bit of time overall. 

Edited by 4dabush, 27 April 2024 - 07:47 PM.

[stevemc32]

Thanks Ron, and Cheers Adam, I still haven't taken a good look at the tunnel yet so it might very well need to get cut all the way up to the inner skin.

[stevemc32]

Found more holes!  Fixed em good enough for under the carpet and under the stone guard.  Just need to repair the lower lip of the firewall just over the support bracket then I can get onto repairing the top of the chassis rail and fitting the floorpan.  I didn't push the wire wheel too far on the firewall support bracket as I really didn't want to replace the whole thing...

 

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[stevemc32]

Made a bit of progress. 

 

Got the remainder of the firewall fixed up and repaired the chassis rail from the previous floor replacement.  Then got onto the floor pan with a whole heap of cutting, bashing with a hammer, jumping up and down on it etc.  It almost fits now but there's still a bit more to get sorted out before it goes in for good.

 

What's the go to seam sealer used these days?  I saw the Sika 227 and Sika 529 AT but have never used seam sealer so don't really know what to look for.

 

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[stevemc32]

Got the floor completed.  It was a lot less work than the sill replacement so it feels like some good progress.  I enjoyed the welding on this part, there's still plenty of shit house ones but I think it did sort of come together near the end when I learned to stop and quickly restart the weld if it started to blow holes.  That made a big difference.

 

Still need to get some seam sealer onto the floor and the sill panel, replace the lower front guard and fix the bottom of the front door and the passenger side should be done.  I'm thinking about leaving the door for now and doing all of them at the same time once the structural stuff is done as then I can bend up patches for them all together.

 

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I noticed this up under the dash next to the heater fan a little while ago and to be honest I've been avoiding it.  I haven't taken a good look but I suspect I'd have to take off the guard and probably remove the windscreen as well to get it fixed up.  Any ideas on a quick fix that doesn't involve those parts being removed?

 

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[yel327]

^^That's just like big brother HQ and LH rust. Once you start digging it ends up with a plenum removal. You could just dig it all out, rust convert both sides and fill it with fibreglass bog (non-hydroscopic). But it'll probably eventually rear its head again. If you only plan the car to be a fair-weather driver and park it inside it might last for a long time though.

[stevemc32]

Thanks for the suggestion yel, I was seriously considering doing just that but another quick walk around the front and I'm now resigned to the fact that the guards should come off.  I'm not interested in doing any final shaping work prior to getting it back on the road but I figure I might as well sort out the major rust issues properly instead of just trying to avoid it.  I've had a set of new guards, nose cone and front valance panel sitting in the shed for years but just wanted to get into driving instead of fixing.  The windscreen is going to have to come out too if I want to fix it properly.

 

So for now I've decided to leave the passenger side and head over to the drivers side inner and outer sill panels and floorpan.  I think the A-pillar is in a bit better condition on that side but will soon find out.  Spent today hammering the door pins to try get them loose, the top one shifted no worries but the bottom one is going to take a bit more effort.

 

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[redtorana#3]

Mate you are a legend tackling this good on you.

[FLY_LX]

bloody tin worms been through that.

[claysummers]

If it isn’t too bad, and you have it on a rotisserie it can be patch welded, then made watertight by flooding with fisholene. Did that on my EK van.

You’re going to be a gun at fixing rust by the time you finish this.


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[stevemc32]

Cheers fellas,

 

I've been hammering this hinge pin for a few weeks now and the bloody thing still hasn't moved.  Tried heating it up with the MAPP torch but that didn't seem to help so I may need to get the plumber around with his Oxy set to get some real heat into it.  Otherwise I'll just keep getting the WD onto it every day and hope it doesn't waste a whole lot more of my time...

 

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