Build Thread 1978 Mercury Cyclone. The pig is in the pen.

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#2,181
Took advantage of the weather today( 75 degrees) and went about the task of stripping the roof, and what I could of the quarters and jambs.

The process of stripping the re-paint from the original is a continuation using a single edge razor blade and scraping off a two inch wide section at a time. Some of that stuff literally "mows" off the car, where other sections are a little more stubborn. Nonetheless, I managed to get the entire layer of paint off the roof in about an hour. While that in of itself is a good thing, what it managed to reveal was that this car previously had a vinyl roof, and in typical fairmont fashion, there was a section of the roof that did not ( a "targa" band sort of). The previous owner must've had a leak around one of the screws holding down the trim, because the headliner showed it. Additionally, there are some weird rust issues beside the door strikers where water must've found a path there.

The problem is that the hackers that did the repainted just blob bed a little smear of bondo in each hole, and called it " fixed". Aside from that, the roof is perfect. Herein lies my dilemma.
D535D24E-9D45-47D6-B7B9-F08997A14414_zpsn6hpyhcl.jpg

There are probably 20 holes across the roof. To weld those holes shut is just as sure as hell gonna create some warpage, and I don't want to have to mess with that. Is there a way, a permanent way to seal those holes w/o welding? Like using a little piece of plastic window screen as a backer, and applying a bondo ( or epoxy) smear over that, to create a really big bite for a smear on top to hold onto?

Once I got the roof to that level, I moved to the passenger quarter, and rocker. I managed to get the rocker completely stripped to bare metal, and rattle canned it w/ etching primer.
BC8E3A41-8F4D-43AD-B528-11311FA73C9E_zpso1gypalo.jpg

I finished off the quarter w/ the razor blade, and ran my DA over the thing. I still got the bottom to do.
D08F0E21-CE52-4451-A18D-0B9429D8C835_zpsimfptfn4.jpg

There is so much stuff in the garage there simply isn't any room to maneuver. I had to take a bunch of junk out just to get the car out. I'm gonna take the rear seat delete stuff, the windshield, and the little Japanese kid, and put them in the wife's storage unit till its time to stick that stuff back in/on the car.

But it was good seeing the monster on its tires again, I think I'll leave it that way till I get the fenders complete to see how bad those fat assed tires are gonna crash into them.
4E14B006-C5DA-4DD8-8348-F6C37D795C13_zpsbqempj4m.jpg


over all, I think the rear is too low, I think it needs to come up about an inch. What say you?
 
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#2,187
madmike1157 said:
Took advantage of the weather today( 75 degrees) and went about the task of stripping the roof, and what I could of the quarters and jambs.

The process of stripping the re-paint from the original is a continuation using a single edge razor blade and scraping off a two inch wide section at a time. Some of that stuff literally "mows" off the car, where other sections are a little more stubborn. Nonetheless, I managed to get the entire layer of paint off the roof in about an hour. While that in of itself is a good thing, what it managed to reveal was that this car previously had a vinyl roof, and in typical fairmont fashion, there was a section of the roof that did not ( a "targa" band sort of). The previous owner must've had a leak around one of the screws holding down the trim, because the headliner showed it. Additionally, there are some weird rust issues beside the door strikers where water must've found a path there.

The problem is that the hackers that did the repainted just blob bed a little smear of bondo in each hole, and called it " fixed". Aside from that, the roof is perfect. Herein lies my dilemma.
D535D24E-9D45-47D6-B7B9-F08997A14414_zpsn6hpyhcl.jpg

There are probably 20 holes across the roof. To weld those holes shut is just as sure as hell gonna create some warpage, and I don't want to have to mess with that. Is there a way, a permanent way to seal those holes w/o welding? Like using a little piece of plastic window screen as a backer, and applying a bondo ( or epoxy) smear over that, to create a really big bite for a smear on top to hold onto?

Once I got the roof to that level, I moved to the passenger quarter, and rocker. I managed to get the rocker completely stripped to bare metal, and rattle canned it w/ etching primer.
BC8E3A41-8F4D-43AD-B528-11311FA73C9E_zpso1gypalo.jpg

I finished off the quarter w/ the razor blade, and ran my DA over the thing. I still got the bottom to do.
D08F0E21-CE52-4451-A18D-0B9429D8C835_zpsimfptfn4.jpg

There is so much stuff in the garage there simply isn't any room to maneuver. I had to take a bunch of junk out just to get the car out. I'm gonna take the rear seat delete stuff, the windshield, and the little Japanese kid, and put them in the wife's storage unit till its time to stick that stuff back in/on the car.

But it was good seeing the monster on its tires again, I think I'll leave it that way till I get the fenders complete to see how bad those fat assed tires are gonna crash into them.
4E14B006-C5DA-4DD8-8348-F6C37D795C13_zpsbqempj4m.jpg


over all, I think the rear is too low, I think it needs to come up about an inch. What say you?
Click to expand...
I'm new to the forum, but have been a painter for a few decades. The holes in the roof can be welded fairly easy. just weld a little at a time on each one and work your way around them (start left rear, go to middle front, then to right rear, etc..) plan on welding around five times on each hole. The heat won't really build up enough to warp the roof that way. I don't know your experience welding, so I don't mean to sound insulting by my comments. Each spot you weld, just do a quick little bit and move to the next. they'll get filled eventually. So what if it takes a half or even full hour? When you are done welding, grind them smooth and add a little filler then primer and you are on your way.
Wheel height is choice there with everything in the vehicle. Probably a little low for right now. Don't worry about that one yet though. That's an easy fix later.
You should have a totally bitchin ride when you are done though, I need to go back and read the whole thing. I'm getting ready to start my build thread on my '86 t-top GT. I'm finally going to paint it next weekend, Body work takes some SERIOUS time, huh?
 
#2,190
RaggedGT said:
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-for...tion-pics-of-my-89-mach-1-notch.856587/:stick:


@Davedacarpainter
Check out madmikes last build if you want to see his welding/fabricating body work skills lol or start at page 1 of this thread . He makes crazy awesome things happen
:jester:
Click to expand...
I started reading it, like I commented, I didn't want to sound insulting. I've had to take care of small holes like that in the past without any warping of the panels, just saying how I've done it. He has a really cool build going on though. He has done some pretty remarkable stuff with this build. Hope no one is offended by my comments. I've mainly dealt with panel replacement when it comes to welding, Minor fabrication on my part. Been mainly a collision repair painter over the years, with just a few doing body just to find out I really liked to paint.
 
#2,192
RaggedGT said:
I just figured with you being a paint and body guy you would like to see the mustang he did, the link I put in was a start to finish picture thread, very very very short compared to the build thread lol
Click to expand...
oh yeah, thank you for it. I will go through it as well. Lord knows I'm going to need help building mine and his stuff will probably answer a lot for me.
 
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#2,193
RaggedGT said:
Completion Compilation Pics of my 89 Mach 1 Notch | Mustang Forums at StangNet



@Davedacarpainter
Check out madmikes last build if you want to see his welding/fabricating body work skills lol or start at page 1 of this thread . He makes crazy awesome things happen
:jester:
Click to expand...
Just went through your link, how cool is that. Yeah, I guess he has a little welding experience! Lol. Cool idea, way more time than I would be able to invest in a build, and more than just a little more experience than me in fabricating! oh well, hope the intent of me wanting to be helpful wasn't lost in this.
 
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#2,195
madmike1157 said:
over all, I think the rear is too low, I think it needs to come up about an inch. What say you?
Click to expand...

I don't mind how the tires tuck under at the top. That looks fine to me. I'd have to see the completed project to give my opinion on the stance for certain. Low is cool but not too low. I also prefer a slight rake to the front. So, based on the orientation of the rocker panel to the pavement in that picture, I'd vote for raising the rear a tad.
 
#2,196
If you are going to fix a backer under the roof holes, I'd use slight cupped or concave pieces of sorts. That way you can smear the void full of filler from above for some extra strength. My point being, without some extra material underneath it would be just a thin swath of filler in the hole. Something like that could easily crack or fall in.
 
#2,197
madmike1157 said:
Took advantage of the weather today( 75 degrees) and went about the task of stripping the roof, and what I could of the quarters and jambs.

The process of stripping the re-paint from the original is a continuation using a single edge razor blade and scraping off a two inch wide section at a time. Some of that stuff literally "mows" off the car, where other sections are a little more stubborn. Nonetheless, I managed to get the entire layer of paint off the roof in about an hour. While that in of itself is a good thing, what it managed to reveal was that this car previously had a vinyl roof, and in typical fairmont fashion, there was a section of the roof that did not ( a "targa" band sort of). The previous owner must've had a leak around one of the screws holding down the trim, because the headliner showed it. Additionally, there are some weird rust issues beside the door strikers where water must've found a path there.

The problem is that the hackers that did the repainted just blob bed a little smear of bondo in each hole, and called it " fixed". Aside from that, the roof is perfect. Herein lies my dilemma.
D535D24E-9D45-47D6-B7B9-F08997A14414_zpsn6hpyhcl.jpg

There are probably 20 holes across the roof. To weld those holes shut is just as sure as hell gonna create some warpage, and I don't want to have to mess with that. Is there a way, a permanent way to seal those holes w/o welding? Like using a little piece of plastic window screen as a backer, and applying a bondo ( or epoxy) smear over that, to create a really big bite for a smear on top to hold onto?

Once I got the roof to that level, I moved to the passenger quarter, and rocker. I managed to get the rocker completely stripped to bare metal, and rattle canned it w/ etching primer.
BC8E3A41-8F4D-43AD-B528-11311FA73C9E_zpso1gypalo.jpg

I finished off the quarter w/ the razor blade, and ran my DA over the thing. I still got the bottom to do.
D08F0E21-CE52-4451-A18D-0B9429D8C835_zpsimfptfn4.jpg

There is so much stuff in the garage there simply isn't any room to maneuver. I had to take a bunch of junk out just to get the car out. I'm gonna take the rear seat delete stuff, the windshield, and the little Japanese kid, and put them in the wife's storage unit till its time to stick that stuff back in/on the car.

But it was good seeing the monster on its tires again, I think I'll leave it that way till I get the fenders complete to see how bad those fat assed tires are gonna crash into them.
4E14B006-C5DA-4DD8-8348-F6C37D795C13_zpsbqempj4m.jpg


over all, I think the rear is too low, I think it needs to come up about an inch. What say you?
Click to expand...



Fiberglass resin and mesh ?
 
#2,198
To attach stuff under the holes, hit the surfaces with pinch weld primer, the stuff used for windshield installation. Hit the roof underside and whatever pieces you use to fix under there. Then tear off little bits of windshield seal tape as a bonding agent to hold backers in place.
seal%20tape.jpg
 

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#2,199
@madmike1157

Eastwood makes some stuff called patch panel adhesive. It's the same stuff the OEMs used to put pickup bedsides on in the 90s and the gm truck door hinges. Comes in a two part mixing tube set. You can make "coin" patches and glue them under the holes, then fill the top with rage or whatever if you don't want to weld them. The stuff is awesome.


Edit: here ya go.
No Weld Panel Adhesive Replacement
 
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#2,200
Sheesh,......nobody cares that I'm going to stick a little Japanese kid in a 4x8 storage facility for the next 3 months?:nonono:

Oh the humanity!

( either you read, or don't read all that I write,....I guess it's all the same.)
@Davedacarpainter I appreciate your input, and I agree, welding is the best permanent solution. But while I can certainly weld, I can also warp the hell out of something in a New York minute. Almost every time I set out to do a panel weld, I move all over the place, and try to keep the heat controlled. Despite that, I must get in a rush as it gets close to being completely closed, as I just F'd up the last horizontal panel I messed with, and I'm done chasing the damage I create to perfectly flat panels trying to weld on them.
@madspeed matter of fact I can paint, and I will paint this car when the time comes, right about 20' in front of where it's sitting in the pics. But when it comes to car bodies, How good of a job I do is relative to that however:
I can weld, but I do more body damage than what it had before I " fixed" it.
I can do body work, but I sand off twice as much as I apply.
I can paint, but I'm poorly equipped to do that, and on the days I typically attempt it, the next door neighbor decides to crank up the leaf blower, or bugs decide that they want to go ice skating on my newly applied clear coat.
@RaggedGT, thanks for the kudos.
@John Dirks Jr , im thinking more of a screen backer the size of a .50 piece, and something pressed through that patch under to perforate the mesh so there will be a good size to resist something breaking through.
@Boosted92LX , thanks for the link, I'll look into that stuff.

I will probably attempt to creat a dimple at each hole so the the filler applied to the top will have a slight recess to fill around the hole.

I'll probably screw that up too, and be just as bad off as if I had welded it.
 
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