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

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I probably could hit a few through the floor.

I’m going to attempt a set of 3 or 4” bead welds of sorts along the bottom of the pinch weld.

I saw a video of the installation of a Stifflers jr. They did overlapping spot welds. They said they didn’t want to do a bead weld because of the thin metal of the inner and outer rocker.........bs, they had the same issues we’ve had. They don’t say that though.
Yeah,....i I looked back at when I did that ( in 2014), and after one side was done, my comment was that I was tired of the dirt, the fumes, and getting my ass burned up by molten metal.
 
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I went home at lunch and dressed the rest of the rosette welds.
A34EA19C-E13F-494D-B776-897B9C56DBE3.jpeg

I’ll probably do 3-4” stitch welds along the bottom of the pinch seam too.

More welding tonight.
 
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I saw a video of the installation of a Stifflers jr. They did overlapping spot welds. They said they didn’t want to do a bead weld because of the thin metal of the inner and outer rocker.........bs, they had the same issues we’ve had. They don’t say that though.

I agree with you there Dave, they just didn't want to go through the effort. It can be done, it's just a PITA. I was able to get an ok bead to penetrate all three layers on the pinch weld and into the rocker square tubing. I also stitch welded the inside of the rocker square tubing to the bottom of the floor pan at the same interval as the outside, and they are integrate and fully welded into the through the floor subframe outriggers.

A little hard to see in these pics, but proof it can be done. Not the prettiest weld, but solid.
018470.jpg

0636854.jpg
 
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I agree with you there Dave, they just didn't want to go through the effort. It can be done, it's just a PITA. I was able to get an ok bead to penetrate all three layers on the pinch weld and into the rocker square tubing. I also stitch welded the inside of the rocker square tubing to the bottom of the floor pan at the same interval as the outside, and they are integrate and fully welded into the through the floor subframe outriggers.

A little hard to see in these pics, but proof it can be done. Not the prettiest weld, but solid.
018470.jpg

0636854.jpg
Shut up with your "not the prettiest" crap!:fuss: That's what my very best welds look like!

Man, that's just beautiful sht there.
 
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Ok, I thought I would throw all of my brain at this problem.........it bounced back at me and poked me in the eye.:cry:

Here's what I was thinking, some garbage between the inner and outer rocker was outgassing when heated up by the welding.

What if that stuff had already been precooked? Bernzomatic to the rescue!
IMG_0027.JPG

So I take that little blue flame and heated the next area to be welded. Smoke was coming out and I'm thinking, "Yeah baby". Surely we just have a dust between the two panels now, right?:scratch:

Ah no........so, screw it. I'm just going to give the old overlapping spot welds a try. And it's a popcorn fest still! DAAAAAAMMMMMMIIIIIITTTTT!

Luckily this came to a grinding halt because I ran out of wire.:nonono: Off to the store. Got the wire, ran it through the machine and was ready to give it a go again.

Same thing! DAAAAAMMMMMMIIIIIIITTTTT! Then i noticed the brown residue around the welds, I started crying here.......I shut the gas off when I ran the new wire and forgot to turn it back on. Weep for me Argentina.
IMG_0028.JPG

By this time I had already welded the tubes and was just working on the pinch weld. So I finished off the overlapping spotweld thingy.

Then I ground a small area of the gasless spot weld area (wife's home, no long term dressing now!) just to be sure it bonded to both sides. I'm good luckily.
 
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Ok, I thought I would throw all of my brain at this problem.........it bounced back at me and poked me in the eye.:cry:

Here's what I was thinking, some garbage between the inner and outer rocker was outgassing when heated up by the welding.

What if that stuff had already been precooked? Bernzomatic to the rescue!
IMG_0027.JPG

So I take that little blue flame and heated the next area to be welded. Smoke was coming out and I'm thinking, "Yeah baby". Surely we just have a dust between the two panels now, right?:scratch:

Ah no........so, screw it. I'm just going to give the old overlapping spot welds a try. And it's a popcorn fest still! DAAAAAAMMMMMMIIIIIITTTTT!

Luckily this came to a grinding halt because I ran out of wire.:nonono: Off to the store. Got the wire, ran it through the machine and was ready to give it a go again.

Same thing! DAAAAAMMMMMMIIIIIIITTTTT! Then i noticed the brown residue around the welds, I started crying here.......I shut the gas off when I ran the new wire and forgot to turn it back on. Weep for me Argentina.
IMG_0028.JPG

By this time I had already welded the tubes and was just working on the pinch weld. So I finished off the overlapping spotweld thingy.

Then I ground a small area of the gasless spot weld area (wife's home, no long term dressing now!) just to be sure it bonded to both sides. I'm good luckily.


Don't clean it up. Leave it be and continue on.

Once you get all spray painted, make a small decal from this image to go next to it:


none-gremlins-medium-8-plush-phunnys-3_600x.jpg


:nice:

It will help to keep the car demons aways :O_o:
 
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Today I came close to working my fat as* off. I'm way too tired to work on Booger.

The Snap-on guy came by though.......

I've been borrowing other guys carbide tips for cleaning welds in tight areas. I haven't wanted to pony up the cash for my own. Today I went crazy.

That little bit cost $69 with tax. It's mine though!
IMG_0030.JPG

Tomorrow night I will fire up the compressor and test it out. I want the cs to look really nice. I will probably even go after the MM seat brace since it looks like I painted over several raisins there.

Honestly, this won't be a show car, but it's got to look good though, right?
 
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Today I came close to working my fat as* off. I'm way too tired to work on Booger.

The Snap-on guy came by though.......

I've been borrowing other guys carbide tips for cleaning welds in tight areas. I haven't wanted to pony up the cash for my own. Today I went crazy.

That little bit cost $69 with tax. It's mine though!
IMG_0030.JPG

Tomorrow night I will fire up the compressor and test it out. I want the cs to look really nice. I will probably even go after the MM seat brace since it looks like I painted over several raisins there.

Honestly, this won't be a show car, but it's got to look good though, right?

Dave, I understand the need to make it pretty. It's a sorta sickness you might say. Keep up the great work brother :nice:
 
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Today I came close to working my fat as* off. I'm way too tired to work on Booger.

The Snap-on guy came by though.......

I've been borrowing other guys carbide tips for cleaning welds in tight areas. I haven't wanted to pony up the cash for my own. Today I went crazy.

That little bit cost $69 with tax. It's mine though!
IMG_0030.JPG

Tomorrow night I will fire up the compressor and test it out. I want the cs to look really nice. I will probably even go after the MM seat brace since it looks like I painted over several raisins there.

Honestly, this won't be a show car, but it's got to look good though, right?
Dude!

Repeat after me - AM A ZON. AMAZON.
 
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I was too pooped to pop yesterday.

Not today though, I tested out the new carbide burr.

It cuts AMAZINGLY well. I've apparently been borrowing worn out bits. I'm so filled with tiny bits of metal all over my body right now. Ouch is my most used word right now.

Anyhow, I got the welds dressed, including the raisins on the MM seat brace.
IMG_0033.JPG

I have a few more welds I want to do to the pinch seam and a couple other places. Then i'll clean them and get POR15 on all of it tonight. Tomorrow i'll spray the undercoating.

I'll do the finish paint job on this side when I do the first shot on the right.
 
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My son and I swapped out his wheels on his mustang today. That gives me my five lug rollers.

I stuck one up under the quarter to see how it would look. (BTW, that's the boy in the background airing up his new tires).
IMG_0035.JPG
IMG_0036.JPG
 
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I’m finished welding the driver’s side.

This is my last weld for this side. I’m finally getting the hang of it. In theory, the other side should be just beautiful, lol.
8E8402DD-94EB-43C0-B9C2-92FA82A0B8E3.jpeg
DD7D1EDA-BE0A-42BB-8A1C-CFDAB3C76750.jpeg

I just need to clean the welds up a little in the rocker and spread some POR15.

That won’t happen till tomorrow cause football.
 
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Come on guys, you change the air when you replace muffler bearings and the mirror fluids.

So tell us Dave...what is the secret sauce to getting good welds on the pinch area? Some day I may want to make a matrix brace too. I mean if it's good enough for Booger it's good enough for my unnamed piece o' crap.
 
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