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

[Davedacarpainter]

Here's the old frame rail in it's current state.

Here's a shot down the subframe as it goes underneath the floorpan. It's actually plugged with dirt. I'll vacuum that out tomorrow.

I removed the rest of the old radiator support from the left side while I was there. It'll need a little loving to look good again. It has a tear on the side that needs to be welded up plus it's just kind of beat up.

And the last for the day. Here's my two spot weld cutters from HF. I'm thrilled to death they made it through all of the welds. They're done cutting and are resting in the trash can right now.

 

[Bossed]

Where to start.......

How about the end and work my way back a little. Here's a picture or two with the rail out.

For those wanting to do this, be patient and work slowly through it. I cut 52 spot welds doing it this way.

The shock tower was interesting to me, the bottom is folded under and becomes the base for the crush tubes. It also has two tabs on the sides that are folded and pinch welded twice on the front and back of the tower. The factory crush tubes are welded to the shock tower, not on the bottom or top. I don't know because of the rust there if the bottom was welded to the frame rail or not. The pitting was too deep to tell. It may have been bonded by the rust. One way or the other I had to cut the bottom off the shock tower to get the rail out.

Speaking of the shock tower, it has a little rot issue.

I'll need to cut off about four inches of the bottom and replace it with new metal. That'll have to be the next thing I do. I can't put the new frame rail on until that's fixed, obviously.

The crush tubes weren't terrible, hard to believe though. Here's the pile of rust that came from around the shock tower area. Amazing how much there is. That's mainly ex-shock tower metal I guess.

Only five pictures to a post, so I'll make another one.

Dave you are a go getter. Making it happen son !!

 

[95BlueStallion]

That is a lot of work in short time. Bustin ass brother!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Tomorrow will seem slower Nick. I got to scrounge up a piece of 16-18 gauge steel and form a new lower piece for the shock tower. Not nearly as exciting, lol.

 

[droopie85gt]

Damn that's a lot of work on a hot summer day! I hope you rewarded yourself with a cold brewski!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Damn that's a lot of work on a hot summer day! I hope you rewarded yourself with a cold brewski!

A cold beer Drew, I'm shocked you might suggest such. Well.....Ok.....sure, maybe a couple......

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm going to run over to lowes shortly to try to get a strip of metal to patch the shock tower.

That's what I want to play with today. If it goes well I might even start fitting the new frame rail.

I need to run back to HF to get one more spot weld cutter, I've got to clean off the old radiator support from the driver's side.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Got another spot weld cutter and my shock tower repair kit, lol. The tower is 16 gauge for those wanting to know. Frame rail is 14.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Got a piece measured and cut out. I cut out the rusted area. I just need to shape it now and get it welded in.

 

[stanglx2002]

I am very interested in how you are going to make that 90 degree bend....

 

[02 281 GT]

Amazing work. Hope you can take it easy today considering it's Father's Day.

 

[LX Dave]

I'll be following your thread more closely from now on. Just pick up an '84 and need to do the exact same thing as you. Not really looking forward to it, but kinda am. Sound weird?

One thing I was going to do is take some 1" square tubing and jig the frame rails up to the body so when the new ones go on, they are in the exact same place/angle and all. My fear is welding them in out of place and having to fight body panels to get everything to line up correctly.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I am very interested in how you are going to make that 90 degree bend....

Bwaahaahaahaa! How am I going to get that bend in the 16 gauge steel? Mostly through whining like a baby and continuous hammering with a mini anvil and a baby sledge.

No, I'm serious. This made me very tired by the time I had it shaped.

So I tacked it in and welded it. I wish I would have taken a picture of my welds, they're not @Hoytster perfect yet, but much better. Especially considering it's been a while since I used my welder. I need to buy some of the consumables for it.

I had to grind down all the welds (believe me, I hate grinding) because the frame rail has to slide on over this part of the shock tower. Also the new lower panel with the new crush tubes has to slip down into the new frame rail, that's hard to do with a welding bead in this area, no matter how pretty. I welded both sides because I'm paranoid. The shock tower will hold the front end's weight when I'm done (coilovers). I wanted to make sure it was strong.

Whatever, the shock tower has received all of the attention it's going to get until I smooth it.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'll be following your thread more closely from now on. Just pick up an '84 and need to do the exact same thing as you. Not really looking forward to it, but kinda am. Sound weird?

One thing I was going to do is take some 1" square tubing and jig the frame rails up to the body so when the new ones go on, they are in the exact same place/angle and all. My fear is welding them in out of place and having to fight body panels to get everything to line up correctly.

I know exactly what you're saying except I really love doing this. I have my younger boys with me (the 18 and 20 year olds) today too. I'm enjoying it.

You can do the extra with the tubing. I'm not overly worried about mine. I measured three times to some exact locations and I just need to put the new frame rail back there.

I'm not dismissing your fear or maybe paranoia is a better word. The more paranoid you are, the more likely you are to have a successful outcome. Unless of course you're one of those people who's paranoia freezes the in place, then I've got nothing for you.

Luckily for me I have a frame machine if things go too haywire!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

A side note, while I was at harbor freight getting my spot weld cutter bit, I looked at the metal beaks. They have one that you mount to a good table for $70!

I believe this will be my next purchase. When I replace the floor pan I will need to replace the front of the rear floor pan. It's rotted out at the front floor pan juncture. There are a series of 90* bends where it meets the front floor pan.

After hammering that shock tower piece into the shape I wanted it, I'd rather have a mechanical way besides me and a hammer to make those pieces. Not that the new tool could have bent 16 gauge properly, but with the floor pane being 20 gauge, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

I'll have that brake by tuesday. I've got a table to mount it too already.

 

[jrichker]

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the car's unibody structure is made of high grade alloy steel. Ford spent more on the steel so that they could use thinner steel and keep the weight of the car down.

Take a good piece of the scrap you cut off the strut tower and put it up to a bench grinder. Notice the shower of sparks and the splintering tails of sparks . That's a clue as to the alloying and carbon levels present in the steel. The Lowe's steel is going to be low carbon mild steel, not nearly as strong as the steel you are patching. Try the grinder test and notice the difference.

For a spark test, see
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PWCh6fdXdw

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Thanks Joe, too late now. That sucker is in there.

Do you suppose the steel of 1983 is till of higher carbon composition than what I bought?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I fitted up the frame rail. It took a minor amount of work to get in the measurement I started with. Not overly hard.

There are a bunch of little parts that need to be welded into the new frame rail, I don't feel like doing it tonight. Plus I left the POR15 at work. I'll want to coat the inside of each "chamber" as I weld the top section on each.

Tomorrow I'll probably a least tack weld the new frame rail on. Lots of little crap to take care of there to finish them up.

I'll put the new radiator support on it just for fitting. Before I put the radiator support on I have something else I want to do to the eb before I have to climb over the sides. I won't tell you until I do it because I don't won't to hear any lip from y'all. Lol.

 

[droopie85gt]

I'll put the new radiator support on it just for fitting. Before I put the radiator support on I have something else I want to do to the eb before I have to climb over the sides. I won't tell you until I do it because I don't won't to hear any lip from y'all. Lol.

We are as quiet as church mice and as polite as a prostitute at mass.

 

[jrichker]

Thanks Joe, too late now. That sucker is in there.

Do you suppose the steel of 1983 is till of higher carbon composition than what I bought?

Do the grinder test and compare the results...