Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Welding Holes in My Rear
- Thread starter Davedacarpainter
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Ok, for you 4i'd guys out there with wobbly mirrors, I found out how to fix that today.
I was looking at the mirror mechanism today to figure out this wobbliness that i have.
The springs guides that the adjustment wires run through are crimped at the mirror adjustment side.
I simply used a small screwdriver and uncrimped them, pulled the guide towards the mirror and recrimped them.
Tah dah! Mirrors are now solid as can be without a hint of wobble.
I was looking at the mirror mechanism today to figure out this wobbliness that i have.
The springs guides that the adjustment wires run through are crimped at the mirror adjustment side.
I simply used a small screwdriver and uncrimped them, pulled the guide towards the mirror and recrimped them.
Tah dah! Mirrors are now solid as can be without a hint of wobble.
You da man dave. This needs to be in a thread of it's own and added to the technical index. If you do the former, I'll do the latter.
I got my driver's seat base back from the sandblaster finally today. Nice, huh?
The first thing i did was to drill a couple pilot holes through the new pieces while sitting on the frame so i could realign it just right during the welding process, then cut out the spotwelds for the back brace and cut out the rotted area.
Then i cleaned all of the e-coating off the patch pieces and cleaned up the back side of the brace.
Then i started to learn how to use a spot/pinch welder. This thing is freaking awesome! I started with the small strip on the inside. That's a buddy of mine showing me how it works.
Next was the large patch panel.
Then the brace back onto the new panel.
And finally, this is how it sits right now.
Tomorrow i will trim the edges of the patches and stitch weld most of the perimeter of the new panels and fill in the guide holes. Then a little grinding and paint. Then rebuild!
The first thing i did was to drill a couple pilot holes through the new pieces while sitting on the frame so i could realign it just right during the welding process, then cut out the spotwelds for the back brace and cut out the rotted area.
Then i cleaned all of the e-coating off the patch pieces and cleaned up the back side of the brace.
Then i started to learn how to use a spot/pinch welder. This thing is freaking awesome! I started with the small strip on the inside. That's a buddy of mine showing me how it works.
Next was the large patch panel.
Then the brace back onto the new panel.
And finally, this is how it sits right now.
Tomorrow i will trim the edges of the patches and stitch weld most of the perimeter of the new panels and fill in the guide holes. Then a little grinding and paint. Then rebuild!
AND, i made it back to the yard today and got the taillights! I also got that funny little trim that's in front of the mirrors (I'll get a picture of them tomorrow).
So, getting to the lights was really, really fun. I removed the insulation between the rear seat back and the trunk and forced my body over the brace. I was thinking that i could just shove a flat tip screwdriver into the latch and turn and pop open the trunk. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy......NOT!
With the old lock cylinder still in place it wouldn't turn, freaking yay!
So i removed the two bolts holding the striker in place and the deck lid opened.
I have had shoulder surgery in both shoulders, reaching overhead and having strength is not really possible for me. I wasn't weeping while doing this, though I may have pee'd myself a little bit. My prostate got a good workout.
Since i had the lid open i went ahead and removed the old lock cylinder. I already have new ones, but, as you know, I already have painted the replacement deck lid. So it'll go in later. A gratuitous photo of the new decklid.
Here's the taillights. I'll pull the lenses off and clean the hell out of them. Then i'll sand them down and clearcoat them. They're in really nice shape! Yay me!
The final photo is of Robby as he sits now. It'll probably take me about two to three weeks to fix the stuff i have, then i'll get the driver's door finally.
So, getting to the lights was really, really fun. I removed the insulation between the rear seat back and the trunk and forced my body over the brace. I was thinking that i could just shove a flat tip screwdriver into the latch and turn and pop open the trunk. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy......NOT!
With the old lock cylinder still in place it wouldn't turn, freaking yay!
So i removed the two bolts holding the striker in place and the deck lid opened.
I have had shoulder surgery in both shoulders, reaching overhead and having strength is not really possible for me. I wasn't weeping while doing this, though I may have pee'd myself a little bit. My prostate got a good workout.
Since i had the lid open i went ahead and removed the old lock cylinder. I already have new ones, but, as you know, I already have painted the replacement deck lid. So it'll go in later. A gratuitous photo of the new decklid.
Here's the taillights. I'll pull the lenses off and clean the hell out of them. Then i'll sand them down and clearcoat them. They're in really nice shape! Yay me!
The final photo is of Robby as he sits now. It'll probably take me about two to three weeks to fix the stuff i have, then i'll get the driver's door finally.
AND, i made it back to the yard today and got the taillights! I also got that funny little trim that's in front of the mirrors (I'll get a picture of them tomorrow).
So, getting to the lights was really, really fun. I removed the insulation between the rear seat back and the trunk and forced my body over the brace. I was thinking that i could just shove a flat tip screwdriver into the latch and turn and pop open the trunk. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy......NOT!
With the old lock cylinder still in place it wouldn't turn, freaking yay!
So i removed the two bolts holding the striker in place and the deck lid opened.
I have had shoulder surgery in both shoulders, reaching overhead and having strength is not really possible for me. I wasn't weeping while doing this, though I may have pee'd myself a little bit. My prostate got a good workout.
Since i had the lid open i went ahead and removed the old lock cylinder. I already have new ones, but, as you know, I already have painted the replacement deck lid. So it'll go in later. A gratuitous photo of the new decklid.
Here's the taillights. I'll pull the lenses off and clean the hell out of them. Then i'll sand them down and clearcoat them. They're in really nice shape! Yay me!
The final photo is of Robby as he sits now. It'll probably take me about two to three weeks to fix the stuff i have, then i'll get the driver's door finally.
Don't mean to go on and on about that color but Daayumm, it's beautiful
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- Jul 7, 2005
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AND, i made it back to the yard today and got the taillights! I also got that funny little trim that's in front of the mirrors (I'll get a picture of them tomorrow).
So, getting to the lights was really, really fun. I removed the insulation between the rear seat back and the trunk and forced my body over the brace. I was thinking that i could just shove a flat tip screwdriver into the latch and turn and pop open the trunk. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy......NOT!
With the old lock cylinder still in place it wouldn't turn, freaking yay!
So i removed the two bolts holding the striker in place and the deck lid opened.
I have had shoulder surgery in both shoulders, reaching overhead and having strength is not really possible for me. I wasn't weeping while doing this, though I may have pee'd myself a little bit. My prostate got a good workout.
Since i had the lid open i went ahead and removed the old lock cylinder. I already have new ones, but, as you know, I already have painted the replacement deck lid. So it'll go in later. A gratuitous photo of the new decklid.
Here's the taillights. I'll pull the lenses off and clean the hell out of them. Then i'll sand them down and clearcoat them. They're in really nice shape! Yay me!
The final photo is of Robby as he sits now. It'll probably take me about two to three weeks to fix the stuff i have, then i'll get the driver's door finally.
I have been following your thread for awhile now. You do some fantastic work thats for sure. You have taken the mentally that I have of fix the parts that you have rather than buying new ones to a whole new level. The blue is awesome looking. I may hit you up when I finally get to the point of repainting my car if you dont mind.
So you have come out of the closet (trunk) now?
Those taillights are in really good shape.
When you take them out, I bet the reflectors are going to be pretty dull/oxidized. When I refurbed my 83-86 tails a while back, I actually painted the reflectors with chrome paint. Really made a difference in light output.
I had a thread somewhere
EDIT: Wow. 2006. Really reaching into the way back machine here
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-for...light-maintainence-today.632177/#post-6101402
When you take them out, I bet the reflectors are going to be pretty dull/oxidized. When I refurbed my 83-86 tails a while back, I actually painted the reflectors with chrome paint. Really made a difference in light output.
I had a thread somewhere
EDIT: Wow. 2006. Really reaching into the way back machine here
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-for...light-maintainence-today.632177/#post-6101402
You're right about the silver being oxidized. I was thinking that chrome paint would be a good idea as well. I'll read your thread here shortly, I'm interested in seeing the difference in brightness.
Shut up, let the man speak.Oh stop. You're going to hurt his feelings.
Thanks man.
Sure, I'll help you anyway I can.
When I had my head and shoulder stuck up in the trunk over the cross brace I did have a brief thought of what exactly I would do if I got stuck there.
Lots to talk about today. Let's start with the door panel backing boards.
I finished making them, hooray for me! I painted one of them, this is using one coat of sealer and two coats of clear. I think this will seal them up pretty good. The holes are dead nuts on to the originals! On a related note, i ordered the new dew wipes today too. I just need to paint the vinyl and i'm ready to put them back together.
Next up, the driver's seat base is done. I stitch welded the new patch panels, I also found a tear at the right front that needed fixing. Last repair for this part is in the helical spring holes that the spring set attaches too. They were wollered out really bad, time and a heavier driver wore these holes down. I just filled them in a bit with the welder. I painted it and got the spring set on.
I took one rear taillight lense off. The one i took off has a small crack in it. That's the only damage, so i'll fix it, sand the lenses down and clearcoat them. I'll have to redo the black trim, the paint is chipped up pretty bad. BTW, the clips are in great condition. I can get all of the butyl tape from work for free. Reassembly will be cheap. I'll cover these in more detail later.
Tomorrow i want to get the seat base put together. I still need to stop by the hardware store to get more steel rod to make the new listing rods for the cover though. I'll see what i can get done.
I finished making them, hooray for me! I painted one of them, this is using one coat of sealer and two coats of clear. I think this will seal them up pretty good. The holes are dead nuts on to the originals! On a related note, i ordered the new dew wipes today too. I just need to paint the vinyl and i'm ready to put them back together.
Next up, the driver's seat base is done. I stitch welded the new patch panels, I also found a tear at the right front that needed fixing. Last repair for this part is in the helical spring holes that the spring set attaches too. They were wollered out really bad, time and a heavier driver wore these holes down. I just filled them in a bit with the welder. I painted it and got the spring set on.
I took one rear taillight lense off. The one i took off has a small crack in it. That's the only damage, so i'll fix it, sand the lenses down and clearcoat them. I'll have to redo the black trim, the paint is chipped up pretty bad. BTW, the clips are in great condition. I can get all of the butyl tape from work for free. Reassembly will be cheap. I'll cover these in more detail later.
Tomorrow i want to get the seat base put together. I still need to stop by the hardware store to get more steel rod to make the new listing rods for the cover though. I'll see what i can get done.
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Damn, you get more done in a day than I do in a month.
I still have yet to finish bleeding my brakes, and my rack is sitting on my basement table where it's been for 2 weeks
I still have yet to finish bleeding my brakes, and my rack is sitting on my basement table where it's been for 2 weeks
Man! You know what though Mike? I want so bad to be at that point someday.
You know, when I decide I want to do "a" project on the car. Then i can focus all my attention and funds to that project. Even if it's a big one like a new drivetrain. Just one. Not an entire car.
I'm not getting worn out, but i really will appreciate when this is a driving project!
Though there is the fun learning side to each layer of this one. Though wiring is about to raise it's ugly head.
Thank you for your comment though.
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