Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Welding Holes in My Rear

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I thought I read somewhere that you could use a tig torch to burn off the junk between the pinch welds? Yes? No?

What is between them that makes them such a pain?
Nah, I tried the Tig thing.

I believe it’s factory seam sealer that melts.

If I was just using a pinch welder, it would come out nice and neat. But the longer time at high heat and going along where the bottom of the seam where the melted seam sealer will flow out just makes for a pita.
 
Nah, I tried the Tig thing.

I believe it’s factory seam sealer that melts.

If I was just using a pinch welder, it would come out nice and neat. But the longer time at high heat and going along where the bottom of the seam where the melted seam sealer will flow out just makes for a pita.


Yeah, it's the factory seam sealer that is in between the pinch welds. I tried to burn it out before I welded that area but the amount of heat it was taking just to cook a small section was ridiculous. Plus I was getting pretty high from the fumes. I just stitched my way down the pinch weld keeping the electrode on the tube and worked the weld puddle into the pinch weld. This kept the majority of the heat off the pinch weld and kept the seam sealer from melting too much.

018470.jpg
 
I’m real interested in how much the IRS frame will weigh without anything on it. It’s a helluva boat anchor right now.

Is it manageable by one person with all the crap out you people with an IRS?

Personally, I am able to lift the IRS cradle from behind my head while laying on a creeper, put it on my chest, and bench press it into position without too much issue. This was after all the reinforcements, front and rear hard mount conversions, and powder coating. The stock cradle is probably about 10 pounds lighter then my modified version which weights ~60 lbs. I can't tell you how many times I've had that cradle in and out to complete all of the modifications.
 
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Yeah, it's the factory seam sealer that is in between the pinch welds. I tried to burn it out before I welded that area but the amount of heat it was taking just to cook a small section was ridiculous. Plus I was getting pretty high from the fumes. I just stitched my way down the pinch weld keeping the electrode on the tube and worked the weld puddle into the pinch weld. This kept the majority of the heat off the pinch weld and kept the seam sealer from melting too much.

018470.jpg
I wondered if stitching would work (better).

What is the reason to do this? Chassis stiffening? You just like grinding?
 
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I wondered if stitching would work (better).

What is the reason to do this? Chassis stiffening? You just like grinding?
I have it in my head that I’ll put an engine in this that will have a decent amount of power. With the t-top almost eliminating any upper reinforcement I wanted to give it plenty of strength.

Could be I just like fiddling too...... :chin
 
Yeah, it's the factory seam sealer that is in between the pinch welds. I tried to burn it out before I welded that area but the amount of heat it was taking just to cook a small section was ridiculous. Plus I was getting pretty high from the fumes. I just stitched my way down the pinch weld keeping the electrode on the tube and worked the weld puddle into the pinch weld. This kept the majority of the heat off the pinch weld and kept the seam sealer from melting too much.

018470.jpg
Show off :nice:

Fact is, I’m going to change my title to reflect of being envious of your personal anal retentiveness that produces work like yours. :D
 
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So I got a jack and a box.
19A3BEF9-CC03-4880-819F-7EFB5DD70601.jpeg

That box is for my rear end. At least the pieces of it. Hopefully I’ll have it off the car tomorrow.

Not nearly as cool and exciting as @KZGUNS new stuff :nice: . It’ll have to do for now.
 
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I was looking at that thread about the full fox frame and it got me thinking. Not about getting one of those, mind you. I just kept looking at it and the different parts.
006DCA58-702B-4A2A-997C-3F342B11381A.jpeg

I was thinking about stress areas in my coupe. Since I’ll have coil overs in the rear, I thought more about that upper shock mount.

Maybe replacing it with a new box that welds deeper into the subframe wouldn’t be a bad idea? Much heavier gauge than factory too. I‘m strongly leaning towards replacing the shock mount. Plus an additional tube between the upper mounts since the full weight of the car will rest upon those and transfer a bit of twist under hard acceleration? Since I’ll be replacing the uca mount with tubing, I don’t know if that’s really necessary. It’s just a few inches away from the shock mounts. Yet the new X-brace inside the cabin will have a strut going to the shock mounts.

I luckily came across some heavy gauge flat steel that I can make gussets, backing plates, rear upper shock mounts maybe out of.

I’m thinking the IRS adds a crapload of lateral support for the subframe as long as I do a hard tail and maybe a hard nose on it. @Hoytster didn‘t you do something with the front mounts of your IRS? It seems to me that to eliminate all bushings from the IRS to frame couldn’t be anything but good.

Help me think here guys. Tomorrow the IRS will be out and disassembled and the rear mods really begin. I’m starting by removing the factory upper control arm mount and replacing it. Speaking of that, do y’all think I need more than just a tube welded between the rear subframes? Like angle supports welding from the tube to a lower are on the subframe. Would that Just be a waste of material and add weight, or be helpful?
8CE2B97D-E90C-4664-B08D-F1C9AB4E1175.jpeg

I’m taking a hard look at those dang torque boxes too. Remember, there won’t be any movement of the lower IRS mount like there would be with a control arm. Maybe it could be redone, maybe completely?
 
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So I got a jack and a box.
19A3BEF9-CC03-4880-819F-7EFB5DD70601.jpeg

That box is for my rear end. At least the pieces of it. Hopefully I’ll have it off the car tomorrow.

Not nearly as cool and exciting as @KZGUNS new stuff :nice: . It’ll have to do for now.
That Jack is endorsed by 2 out of three Carmichael angelos who recommend using it for all things for guys who regularly use HF jacks just to lift cars...
 
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