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

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Glad to see you're still at it Dave! Not sure why I didn't see you tag me on Sunday, but anyways...

I would stick to 1-1/2" stock if I were you. I prefer tubing (1-1/2" DOM .120 in this case) but I think you would be fine with square tubing as well. The reason I say nothing more than 1-1/2" stock is once you go over that, you risk having some interference issues with the upper control arm mounts on the IRS cradle depending on where you locate the lateral support.

In the pics below, I used 1-3/4 .120 DOM tubing for the lateral support between the frame rails. I have the tube pressed tight against rear floor plan and with the IRS installed, I have less than a 1/4" clearance between the upper control arm mounts and the bottom of the tube. With tubing, you can play with the positioning a little to gain more clearance, I just didn't think that far ahead and got really lucky on mine :). I didn't do any bracing like your planning to the frame rails, but I did weld the lateral support to 1/8 plates and added two triangulated gussets from the tube to the frame rail on each side to provide additional support and provide clearance around the upper control arm mount.

IMG_20181014_112739056.jpg


IMG_20181014_112745275.jpg
 
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And just a thought, but I would do away with the whole factory rear seat brace and do a more traditional x-brace with shock mount supports. Minimal amount of bars and you are triangulating between the frame rails and c-pillar. Markups in blue below.

4F427664-C4F5-4638-9563-6BEED46A53D0.jpeg.jpg
 
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And just a thought, but I would do away with the whole factory rear seat brace and do a more traditional x-brace with shock mount supports. Minimal amount of bars and you are triangulating between the frame rails and c-pillar. Markups in blue below.

4F427664-C4F5-4638-9563-6BEED46A53D0.jpeg.jpg
Excellent, i like your idea better Chris. Thanks brother.
 
Glad to see you're still at it Dave! Not sure why I didn't see you tag me on Sunday, but anyways...

I would stick to 1-1/2" stock if I were you. I prefer tubing (1-1/2" DOM .120 in this case) but I think you would be fine with square tubing as well. The reason I say noting more than 1-1/2" stock is once you go over that, you risk having some interference issues with the upper control arm mounts on the IRS cradle depending on where you locate the lateral support.

In the pics below, I used 1-3/4 .120 DOM tubing for the lateral support between the frame rails. I have the tube pressed tight against rear floor plan and with the IRS installed, I have less than a 1/4" clearance between the upper control arm mounts and the bottom of the tube. With tubing, you can play with the positioning a little to gain more clearance, I just didn't think that far ahead and got really lucky on mine :). I didn't do any bracing like your planning to the frame rails, but I did weld the lateral support to 1/8 plates and added two triangulated gussets from the tube to the frame rail on each side to provide additional support and provide clearance around the upper control arm mount.

IMG_20181014_112739056.jpg


IMG_20181014_112745275.jpg
I got a feeling my plans will change once i have the old upper support out.
 
I think it’s overkill. I was talking to Steve on Sunday....I think we’re all overkilling everything..

Who is gonna road race their cars here after dumping a buttload on MM this, or Steeda that? Who is gonna risk wadding up a car that doesn’t have the benefit of anti-lock brakes, or traction control? And even in you do, Extreme chassis stiffening on a car that is limited to 9” of rubber because of the confines of a stock quarter panel seems like a bunch of wasted time, effort and money.
 
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I think it’s overkill. I was talking to Steve on Sunday....I think we’re all overkilling everything..

Who is gonna road race their cars here after dumping a buttload on MM this, or Steeda that? Who is gonna risk wadding up a car that doesn’t have the benefit of anti-lock brakes, or traction control? And even in you do, Extreme chassis stiffening on a car that is limited to 9” of rubber because of the confines of a stock quarter panel seems like a bunch of wasted time, effort and money.
Why do men (I haven’t heard of any chicks doing it, just to be politically correct) climb Mt Everest Mike?

I want to go overboard because I want to go overboard. I won’t ever tear Booger down to do something like this once he’s built. So why not?

I might road race, maybe, or not. I’ll be ready though!
 
So seam sealing tonight, right?

Ok, maybe not. A bodyman that I respect (and there aren’t very many I respect) suggested that I use an SEM seam sealer instead. I didn’t have it, I ordered it.

I had one night to blow to stay on schedule, this will be that night.

I‘ve come to a conclusion about my itty bitty murder garage. I need to build a rear end cart of sorts.

Once I have the chassis support welded in I’ll build a cart that the rear of the car will rest on that will raise it about eighteen inches. There’s just no “safe” way to wedge my fatass under Booger to remove the IRS.

And as much as I relish the idea of dying under a thousand pounds or so of Booger as I realize whatever error I’ll have made. I think I’ll go a safer route.

If I had access to both sides at the same time, this wouldn’t be an issue.

I’ll show you my plans this weekend after I weld in the cs. Kind of a small version of the Booger Cart I was planning on building anyhow.
 
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Why do men (I haven’t heard of any chicks doing it, just to be politically correct) climb Mt Everest Mike?

I want to go overboard because I want to go overboard. I won’t ever tear Booger down to do something like this once he’s built. So why not?

I might road race, maybe, or not. I’ll be ready though!
Men die on Everest Dave....Bet they wished they decided to climb Pikes Peak instead....Half the height,...still scary as he'll.
 
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Ok, I worked late tonight, damnit.

Damnit because it cools off quickly this time of year and I need a steady 70* or above temperature for about an hour for the seam sealer.

When I get home at five thirtyish, it’s good. When I get home at 6:30, not as much.:cry:

I did get the seam sealer though! Very nice from what my buddy tells me. He said it will ”flow“ smooth even upside down, and not sag.

Plus it can be spread on bare metal. That’s a huge plus to me. 3M’s product demands a primer over bare metal. Plus I got a free applicator gun! Sure, it’s a little ugly, but did I mention it’s free?:banana:
6E043545-89D3-41A7-9779-E7422369BA94.jpeg

I’ll seam seal tomorrow night assuming I can get my butt out of work at a decent time.

I‘m going to take an ultra rare day off friday. I truthfully don’t remember the last time I actually took a day off, other than surgery and the two days I took off for pneumonia (Ah! Two glorious days away from work then!). I don’t want to start drinking too early, so I may wait until seven before I crack the first brewski.:fap:

So tomorrow I need to get Dave’s thinking cap on to be sure I bring home all the stuff to get the floor pan ready to have the cs welded in.:thinking:

I’ll weld the cs in sunday. Saturday is reserved for college football (it’s a bonding thing for me and @CarMichael Angelo btw ).

Here goes Dave’s first attempt at TIG welding on Booger, I’m sure it will be excellent!
6F103B09-10EC-4278-A17B-239CC4403FD3.gif
 
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Ok, I worked late tonight, damnit.

Damnit because it cools off quickly this time of year and I need a steady 70* or above temperature for about an hour for the seam sealer.

When I get home at five thirtyish, it’s good. When I get home at 6:30, not as much.:cry:

I did get the seam sealer though! Very nice from what my buddy tells me. He said it will ”flow“ smooth even upside down, and not sag.

Plus it can be spread on bare metal. That’s a huge plus to me. 3M’s product demands a primer over bare metal. Plus I got a free applicator gun! Sure, it’s a little ugly, but did I mention it’s free?:banana:
6E043545-89D3-41A7-9779-E7422369BA94.jpeg

I’ll seam seal tomorrow night assuming I can get my butt out of work at a decent time.

I‘m going to take an ultra rare day off friday. I truthfully don’t remember the last time I actually took a day off, other than surgery and the two days I took off for pneumonia (Ah! Two glorious days away from work then!). I don’t want to start drinking too early, so I may wait until seven before I crack the first brewski.:fap:

So tomorrow I need to get Dave’s thinking cap on to be sure I bring home all the stuff to get the floor pan ready to have the cs welded in.:thinking:

I’ll weld the cs in sunday. Saturday is reserved for college football (it’s a bonding thing for me and @CarMichael Angelo btw ).

Here goes Dave’s first attempt at TIG welding on Booger, I’m sure it will be excellent!
6F103B09-10EC-4278-A17B-239CC4403FD3.gif
You should try what I do and take a couple weeks off work every six months or so. Assuming you have enough vacation time, that is.
 
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Okie dokie! I got everything I need to get the chassis support in!

7319824B-DCC6-4F54-ABE7-B2D06C9D9274.jpeg

Oops! I meant this picture, sorry........ :D
C7CFA2A6-2E37-41A0-9A31-EE1F6170D7C1.jpeg

Of course one doesn’t do one without the other, right?

Anywho, got off early and I’m getting ready to go spooge the seam sealer on the floor pan.

Then tomorrow morning, once it hits sixty outside, I’ll be after it.

Rocker chip guard first, then a thirty minute to one hour break waiting for it to dry.

Then I’ll spray sealer, color and clear on the bottom of the floor pan.

I’ll let that dry till Sunday, then begins my TIG on Booger experience. I’m not worried though.
314506B4-FE55-4791-AABB-756B71943683.jpeg
 
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Well hell, I was sure I had some lacquer thinner..................

Anyhow, I got the floor pan seam sealed on the passenger side.

I started by scuffing the area to be sealed with a red scotch brite and then I wax and grease removed it.
B5475D2D-A54E-4297-A93A-E839303CDD2A.jpeg

Then I spread the ss. I intended to finish up with a quick wipe of lacquer thinner to smooth out the splooged out area that squished past my finger. Oh.....and.....uhhhhhh.......damnit.

I’ll have to go get a quart in the morning.

As for what I’ve spread? I’ll have to sand down the ugly before I spray the rocker chip guard. Ten minutes top. Still......:poo:
A83D0EC0-6E2A-41BB-9A1A-8D5A2DE0DEE1.jpeg

I will take the seats back out tomorrow and put them back in storage. Don’t need to burn those suckers up after all the work they took.
DD5849B3-9EA0-4D36-BE87-7A9B7BABB05C.jpeg

Just to show you how much room I have on Booger’s left side. Like I said, tiny garage.
7424D4B8-8847-4838-9A58-46707D624137.jpeg

I’ll be seeing y’all fairly early tomorrow morning. Man! It’s really incredible to have a real day off!

I almost yelled out,”Fetch me a beer wench”. It was that nice............:D
 
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