Progress Thread The "grátis" 1966 Coupe - final sheet metal repairs

02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Nov 8, 2020

#661

• Nov 8, 2020

• #661

I've been lazy lately. It's been difficult to get motivated to work on the car. I managed to get out there today and get a lot done.

I started by addressing a problem I've had for a while. I realized after moving the car that the welds from the torque box to the front of the rocker didn't take. I decided to cut that part off and clean it up since I knew it didn't take because the metal wasn't clean enough. I did this on both sides.



Getting the metal very clean resulted in nice welds with good penetration.

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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#662

• Nov 8, 2020

• #662

After that, I decided to keep going. I welded in the radiator support since it doesn't really have much adjustment at all. I got it centered and went to town.

I've noticed that I have to have the welder one to two notches above the recommended setting for the thickness of the base metal whenever I'm welding to original metal. I'm also getting much better welds now. I'm probably just getting better at welding. However, I also think that nozzle gel really works. The nozzle and tip are nice and clean.



After welding in the support, I started fitting the aprons again. Everything was much easier to fit with the radiator support solidly in. I should have done this long ago.



The used fenders need some attention up front. Hopefully it's within my abilities. Looks good otherwise. I'll probably start welding in the aprons next time I work on it.



This fender has some old bodywork and bondo on it. I'm planning to swap the headlight bucket with another fender along with some sheetmetal repairs.

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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#663

• Nov 8, 2020

• #663

I'm also going to be using the '67 battery apron like I planned. I'll take some modification, but I think I can make it work.

 

02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Nov 15, 2020

#664

• Nov 15, 2020

• #664

We're heading out of town for Peter's second lip closure surgery on Tuesday. In the meantime, I'm getting a little more work done. I'm ready to weld in all the engine bay metal. I may get that done tomorrow.

Plug weld holes. A lot of drilling.


Excised the portions of the radiator support I don't need.


And I got my hybrid battery tray done today as well.

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Nov 15, 2020

#665

• Nov 15, 2020

• #665

I got everything fitted and test fit the fenders and hood one last time. 44¼" from the cowl to the firewall on both sides.




Got the radiator support trimmed on both sides. I'm very happy with how this is turning out.


I'll try to get it all welded in tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll have to wait until we get back after Thanksgiving. Either way, I'm pleased with the direction things are going. After this is done I'll finish removing the shock towers and it will be ready for the rotisserie.

 

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wicked93gs

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#666

• Nov 15, 2020

• #666

Nice...I was going to go with the 67 radiator and apron myself, but allowed myself to be talked out of it...wish I had now though, since I am just going to cut up the 66 radiator support to fit a 67 radiator anyway.

 

02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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#667

• Nov 15, 2020

• #667

wicked93gs said:

Nice...I was going to go with the 67 radiator and apron myself, but allowed myself to be talked out of it...wish I had now though, since I am just going to cut up the 66 radiator support to fit a 67 radiator anyway.

Click to expand...

It takes some work, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. The narrow radiators on the early Mustangs look funny to me.

 

wicked93gs

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#668

• Nov 15, 2020

• #668

02 281 GT said:

It takes some work, but I'm sure it'll be worth it. The narrow radiators on the early Mustangs look funny to me.

Click to expand...

Not as funny as the Honda half-radiators...always bugged me...but I guess it does the job.

 

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02 281 GT

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Nov 16, 2020

#669

• Nov 16, 2020

• #669

Didn't get anything welded in today. Something got into my eye sometime before I went to bed last night. I couldn't find anything, so I just tried to sleep hoping it would work its way out like it usually does. Morning came and I was still in very much discomfort. Turns out there were a couple small metal shavings that actually got stuck in my cornea and then my eyelid. Fortunately, no permanent damage was done. I got the pieces removed at a local optometrist. My eye is sore, but the metal is gone.

Not sure how it got in my eye. It didn't happen while I was working.

 

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wicked93gs

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Nov 17, 2020

#670

• Nov 17, 2020

• #670

02 281 GT said:

Didn't get anything welded in today. Something got into my eye sometime before I went to bed last night. I couldn't find anything, so I just tried to sleep hoping it would work its way out like it usually does. Morning came and I was still in very much discomfort. Turns out there were a couple small metal shavings that actually got stuck in my cornea and then my eyelid. Fortunately, no permanent damage was done. I got the pieces removed at a local optometrist. My eye is sore, but the metal is gone.

Not sure how it got in my eye. It didn't happen while I was working.

Click to expand...

Just FYI...the eye is the quickest healing organ in the body...if you get metal in your eye and go to sleep, your eye will often grow OVER the metal by the next morning, fooling you into thinking it worked itself out, when in reality it just absorbed it, I am sure I have a lot of metal in my eyes at this point...I know for a fact it has affected my vision. The good news is that evidently its never to late to have an eye doctor remove it.

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Nov 17, 2020

#671

• Nov 17, 2020

• #671

wicked93gs said:

Just FYI...the eye is the quickest healing organ in the body...if you get metal in your eye and go to sleep, your eye will often grow OVER the metal by the next morning, fooling you into thinking it worked itself out, when in reality it just absorbed it, I am sure I have a lot of metal in my eyes at this point...I know for a fact it has affected my vision. The good news is that evidently its never to late to have an eye doctor remove it.

Click to expand...

That’s good to know. I still felt sore most of yesterday, but it feels almost completely normal today. That makes sense.

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Nov 29, 2020

#672

• Nov 29, 2020

• #672

Got everything welded in tonight. I'm happy with the result.



I saved the original aprons just for the VIN stamps. Glad I could incorporate them into the new aprons.



I'll probably repair the rusted wheel arch on the passenger quarter next.

 

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Noobz347

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#673

• Nov 29, 2020

• #673

02 281 GT said:

I was surprised at how little effort was required to move them apart.

Click to expand...

Too many words.

 

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2Blue2

will be trying this sex one when I can find it

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#674

• Nov 30, 2020

• #674

Yes! Progress!

 

02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Dec 4, 2020

#675

• Dec 4, 2020

• #675

Question: the orthodoxy with Fox and SN95 subframe connectors is that they should always be installed with the car on the ground or a drive-up lift with weight on the wheels.

What's the generally prescribed method for installing them on a '65-'70? Would I be alright if I installed some while I have the car on jacks or once I get it on the rotisserie?

 

wicked93gs

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Dec 4, 2020

#676

• Dec 4, 2020

• #676

I jacked mine up and set the wheels on some "blocks"(for lack of a better word) about 18" off the ground to install mine.(Global West SFCs), then later on when the car was on the rotisserie I tied them to the floor all the way front to back using the sidewalls from a set of contoured SFCs(I cut up some USCT contoured connectors and ended up with hybrid tubular connectors that tied in the entire distance) but the basic SFC install was done with the wheels sitting on blocks

 

02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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#677

• Dec 4, 2020

• #677

I got rid of all the old suspension last year. It'll be a while before I have it sitting on any suspension again. I asked because I've seen a lot of pictures of people installing connectors on classic Mustangs while they're either on a rotisserie or a two-post lift.

 

02 281 GT

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Dec 4, 2020

#678

• Dec 4, 2020

• #678

@horse sence @Davedacarpainter

When y'all use something like 80 grit to strip a panel to bare metal, do you use it on a sanding block, or just wrap it around your hand?

I'm thinking about getting started on prepping some parts like the hood and fenders since I'm nearly done with sheet metal repairs.

 

horse sence

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#679

• Dec 4, 2020

• #679

02 281 GT said:

@horse sence @Davedacarpainter

When y'all use something like 80 grit to strip a panel to bare metal, do you use it on a sanding block, or just wrap it around your hand?

I'm thinking about getting started on prepping some parts like the hood and fenders since I'm nearly done with sheet metal repairs.

Click to expand...

What ever works ,80 grit on a DA sander works best but do not get the metal hot . I have sanded a lot of panels by hand though .

 

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02 281 GT

Agreed...My wife has great Boobs

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Dec 4, 2020

#680

• Dec 4, 2020

• #680

Phew! I was starting to think these odds and ends were lost in the move. Turns out they were in a bin I hadn’t yet opened.

 

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