Mustang5l5's Progress Thread - Archived Progress thread '08-'20.

[redNfast]

Open to suggestions from those with more experience.

I've stick-welded in the past to repair trailers and such. I also perform automated welding with Laser and TIG at work so i'm familiar with penetration and how speed and power affect penetration.

But this is my first time MIG welding, but i'd like to say i have above average fabrication skills and am a quick learner. I have scraps i'll be testing some techniques out prior to working on the car.

At this point, i'm just dissecting out the rust and using cardboard to fit and trim my patch panels back in. I'm taking my time as i want this to go back together as OEM as possible and look factory. One thing i'll note from searching online is that everyone takes a different approach to repairing these. Some have been very good (in my opinion) repairs, and some have been poor and don't really do much to reinforce structural integrity.

To stop the crack, drill a hole # 30 bit. You want the hole to be right at the point of the tear, the weakest part.
A crack or tear, once formed keeps moving as the metal around it flexes. Think jacking or moving the car, drilling a hole stops that. Do not need to weld right a way, you just want to stop it from spreading.

I figure you have a good handle on things. Reading the approach you took to get the K member fitted up. Cutting and shaving bits of metal keeping as much OEM metal to attach it. Important when dealing with unibody construction.

 

[deathb4dismount]

 

[Mustang5L5]

Came home from work to find thus

 

[Steel1]

Time to burn some metal !

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I think the way you do your progress updates are about as good as they get. Almost instructional in about every aspect, with info to tell the viewer what needs to be/has been done. ( as opposed to some guys here that just dump a bunch of pics with no commentary, or some “ others” that just blather on endlessly about anything and everything).Every time I look in on your updates that go as far back as you’ve been doing them, they are all just as good, with a work ethic, and level of perfection in what you do that is enviable.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I think the way you do your progress updates are about as good as they get. Almost instructional in about every aspect, with info to tell the viewer what needs to be/has been done. ( as opposed to some guys here that just dump a bunch of pics with no commentary, or some “ others” that just blather on endlessly about anything and everything).Every time I look in on your updates that go as far back as you’ve been doing them, they are all just as good, with a work ethic, and level of perfection in what you do that is enviable.

Thank you sir. That is much appreciated!

 

[Mustang5L5]

Well, got the patch panel trimmed as far as I dare take it until I start tacking in. Waiting on my gas bottle to show up. Got my hands on flux so I’ll try some practice welds while I twiddle my thumbs

Dusted off my MS3X to play with it. After some initial connection issues due to a new laptop, I refreshed myself on how I set this up and made better notes.

I set it up on a shelf in the living room to let it run for a few days for no reason other than the light show. Wife thinks I’m nuts

 

[PJV9126]

Wow you are almost in the same spot as me. I haven't read through all 175 pages but I have some catching up to do. Curious as to how the scott rod panels work and also how the Eastwood welder works out for you. I am close to purchasing a welder and have been debating between something like the Eastwood/HF Titanium 140 or buying a Hobart/Lincoln 140. They are close in price but I am on a budget and the $150 difference is some parts.

Best of luck in repairing the rail. It does not look quite as bad as mine and it seems like you have a good handle on it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Had some free time so I tried out the welder. Due to COVID lockdowns, I called a few welding shops and they told me they were servicing only commercial “essential” accounts at thus time so I wasn’t able to get a bottle from local places. So I ordered a full bottle online from CyberWeld.com.

While I wait for it to arrive, I got some flux wire and decided to test it out. Spent some time burning metal. I even plugged the welder into a 15A circuit and never popped the breaker welding sheet metal the size of what I’d need for the tower.

So I got brave and tack welder the bolt supports in place. Not the prettiest welds, but they penetrated enough and didn’t burn through. I’ll take it.

Need to do some final fitting to the tower while I wait for my bottle, then we can tack it in and then stitch weld the panel in.

This is actually fun. I think I’m enjoying this too much....just wish I had more time

 

[Mustang5L5]

More grinding and fitting. I need to cut up a small filler panel for the strut tower. I got a little carried away and in hindsight should have cut it 1” lower. Oh well.

On the inside, will look something like this. I’ll spot weld this in at the end

I trimmed out the bottom of the rail and now carefully fitting the outer rail piece in now. When this is all set, time to weld.

My gas bottle shipped. Doesn’t get delivered for 8 days. I guess that gives me plenty of time to carefully shape the panels and get everything prepped

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

More grinding and fitting. I need to cut up a small filler panel for the strut tower. I got a little carried away and in hindsight should have cut it 1” lower. Oh well.

On the inside, will look something like this. I’ll spot weld this in at the end

I trimmed out the bottom of the rail and now carefully fitting the outer rail piece in now. When this is all set, time to weld.

My gas bottle shipped. Doesn’t get delivered for 8 days. I guess that gives me plenty of time to carefully shape the panels and get everything prepped

I gotta say, I find your posts admirable, but at the same time somewhat amusing ( because I’m comparing your work ethic to mine) You are gonna keep working the fitment till it’s better than factory,...I woulda got it close, and melted it together.
I can’t fault you for your attention to detail, and I’m confident that it’ll be stronger than you’ll ever need it to be, and completely invisible when its finished.

I just can’t help but wonder how much faster I’d be done with the same task.

 

[Mustang5L5]

I just can’t help but wonder how much faster I’d be done with the same task.

You’d be driving the car by now.

But for me, I’m enjoying the journey and all the little steps I can focus on.

Plus I know I’ll lose sleep if I don’t get this structurally sound. For example, in cutting back to good metal, I went too far near the firewall.

So I need to trim back the second layer slightly to give me enough access to get the wire in there cleanly. Oops, but I’ll make it work. I’ll remever to leave 1/2” or so on the other side now


It’s the engineer side of me. Everything needs to be perfect.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

You’d be driving the car by now.

But for me, I’m enjoying the journey and all the little steps I can focus on.

Plus I know I’ll lose sleep if I don’t get this structurally sound. For example, in cutting back to good metal, I went too far near the firewall.

So I need to trim back the second layer slightly to give me enough access to get the wire in there cleanly. Oops, but I’ll make it work. I’ll remever to leave 1/2” or so on the other side now


It’s the engineer side of me. Everything needs to be perfect.

Spend a day watching me work, I’ll shock the engineer right outta you. You wanna make things work at right angles.
If you come to Mike‘s “ How to do it Mike’s way class,...we talk about getting it done using the straight line between the two points.

That, and doing stuff over 3 times. But I’m a welding fool...I can just about fix anything if I got two pieces of good steel to work with.

 

[Mustang5L5]

Ok, in the spirit of keeping moving...I think I wrapped up the prep.

Cut out the useless sheet metal to give me good access to weld the rail

Did some more fitting and got everything where I need to be. So I broke out the flap disk and wire wheel and went to town.

Now that I look at all those useless Swiss cheese holes....gotta fill them all.


A little weld-thru primer and now we wait for gas.

 

[bird_dog0347]

I just can’t help but wonder how much faster I’d be done with the same task.

The first time? Or after the 2nd and 3rd tries to redo it and make it right LOL? I am the same way, I got good penetration on my welds, and decided to just send it. For example, I'll never ask someone to lay down and check out my sweet welds on the floor pan, unlike @Davedacarpainter.

The progress looks good, keep working with the welder.

 

[deathb4dismount]

A tale of two Mikes;

@Mustang5L5 It's about the journey
@CarMichael Angelo Let's get to the goddamn destination

Both are enjoyable excursions to be on.

 

[Mustang5L5]

A tale of two Mikes;

@Mustang5L5 It's about the journey

Sums it up best. Gotta remember... I had this car when I was a broke HS and college student. Guys were dropping $2k on Max motorsports suspensions parts and the best I could do was a $125 underdrive pulley kit. Saving up for a $400 cobra intake kit took me 6 months.

Now I can do the stuff I watched others do and was jealous of . This is the first time I’ve really “built” a car, so I’m gonna enjoy it. I think I’m more about wrenching on the car be driving it.

 

[Mustang5L5]

ANd that about does it for fitting panels. Fits so good it stays in place on its own. Time to burn it in when the tank arrives (May4th)

Drivers side will be a bit more extensive. Now that I’ve prepped the easy side, I hvd a better understanding of where to cut and how to fit.

Unfortunately I think the rust goes a little further than I like, so I might need the LMR kit instead. Will evaluate once I start cutting more.

I need to take the booster out too for more access. It needs to be replaced anyway. I’ve got a NOS m-2300-k booster to replace it anyway.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

ANd that about does it for fitting panels. Fits so good it stays in place on its own. Time to burn it in when the tank arrives (May4th)

Drivers side will be a bit more extensive. Now that I’ve prepped the easy side, I hvd a better understanding of where to cut and how to fit.

Unfortunately I think the rust goes a little further than I like, so I might need the LMR kit instead. Will evaluate once I start cutting more.

I need to take the booster out too for more access. It needs to be replaced anyway. I’ve got a NOS m-2300-k booster to replace it anyway.

But,.....it’s taller than the adjacent frame rail lip...Whadya, blind?

 

[Mustang5L5]

But,.....it’s taller than the adjacent frame rail lip...Whadya, blind?

You noticed huh? I’ll toss it on the bandsaw and cut that off right before I burn it in.