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

[02 281 GT]

I found out yesterday that enough sparks from the weld grinding will set your shirt on fire.

Anyway, I finished welding on the cowl today.

Everything lined back up without too much effort.

Also patched a small area on the driver's side I forgot about.

Ready to weld. I need more clamps.

All done, welds ground, and primered. I'll add seam sealer and paint once the primer has dried.

@horse sence do I need to put any seam sealer on the windshield opening? Is the windshield seal all is needed in that area?

 

[horse sence]

Just around the edges and front of the cowl ,the gasket and window sealer seals the top lip ...and you did a fantastic job !

 

[02 281 GT]

Just around the edges and front of the cowl ,the gasket and window sealer seals the top lip ...and you did a fantastic job !

Thanks very much!

I applied the seam sealer and another coat of primer.

This is the primer I'm using. You think I can leave this without another top coat? It says it's "rust inhibiting". If not I'll just spray the same Rustoleum satin black on everything.

 

[horse sence]

That will work for now ,sand as much off as possible when you get ready for the final primer though

 

[02 281 GT]

That will work for now ,sand as much off as possible when you get ready for the final primer though

Thanks. Once we get to Arkansas I'll start stripping the car and I'll spray an actual epoxy primer on it.

 

[2Blue2]

With floors and a cowl in, were calling that

Major Progress!
Yes! half way back
from the dead

 

[02 281 GT]

With floors and a cowl in, were calling that

Major Progress!
Yes! half way back
from the dead

I also found out there are several businesses in central AR that do dustless blasting! I can finally get the entire car stripped and in primer. Then I can really start making it look like a car again.

 

[rustaddict]

Your cowl job looks like it turned out great. You have most of the major rust fixed now don't you ?

 

[02 281 GT]

Your cowl job looks like it turned out great. You have most of the major rust fixed now don't you ?

Pretty much. Only real rusted area left is a small area on the passenger rear quarter.

 

[02 281 GT]

I'm kind of on a roll, so I decided to turn my attention to the trunk area today.

The new trunk support initially wouldn't fit between the trunk floors. I remember that one of the rear frame rails moved about a quarter inch when I cut out the original trunk support. I used a bolt/washer and a length of 2x4 to spread the rails just enough so that they had the specified 43" between the centers.

I cut a small piece from each side of the original trunk floors (these will be replaced) so I could get the wedge between the frame rails.

I ended up having to modify the outside edges of the trunk support just a little since it still wouldn't fit after spreading the frame rails. I ended up making some small relief cuts and using a hammer and dolly to get the angles straighter on the bends.

I wasn't planning to weld it on today, however, I accidentally cut a small slice in the passenger frame rail that I just had to weld up. I figured I might as well weld up the support as long as the welder was out. I made sure to get the metal squeaky clean and was rewarded with a very pleasant welding experience. Plenty of sizzle with no pop or spatter.

It's so nice to be adding metal instead of cutting it off.

 

[2Blue2]

It's so nice to be adding metal instead of cutting it off.

Yes!
Very nice to see it going together.
What tail light panel and its a shell again?

 

[02 281 GT]

Yes!
Very nice to see it going together.
What tail light panel and its a shell again?

Tail light panel and fender aprons. Then it will be a complete shell again.

 

[02 281 GT]

Over the past few days I recorded a couple videos. One is just an overview of the car and the other is documenting part of my trunk floor replacement (not done yet). I'll still be taking photos, but this is an easier way to share progress on the car with my non-autophile friends.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCMbIrx6KxQ



View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUqQT2cvTmo

 

[horse sence]

And the Oscar goes to ,66 Mustang restoration !

 

[02 281 GT]

Finished installing the trunk floor today. I didn't weld the quarter to is just yet since I want to mock up the tail panel and extension brackets before I weld everything together. I'm gonna take another week off work later this month so I can make sure I get it done before we move. If I have more time before we move I'll go ahead and install the fender aprons as well.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIQr5gMa0C8

 

[horse sence]

Be sure to fit the trunk lid as you fit the quarters to the tail panel or the gap can be to loose ,crooked ,or even to wide . The holes you have that were hard to fill ,get a piece of copper pipe and mash it flat ,place behind the hole and you can fill in the hole ,weld will not stick to the copper ...its looking good !

 

[wicked93gs]

The problem I had/have with my new dynacorn rear quarters to trunk lid gap is that it seems to vary front to back....not due to alignment but due to the Dynacorn crease not being as straight as the Ford crease as it folds into the rain gutter(really the only complaint I have on the fitment of the quarters). It will however force me to modify the trunklid and/or quarters to correct the gap....happily you wont have that issue. Good to see your project is coming along....I just finished that area myself....once I am done with engine fitment it will finally be ready to go on the rotisserie for final metalwork under the car(I can't weld upside down worth a damn when it comes to sheet metal)

 

[02 281 GT]

The problem I had/have with my new dynacorn rear quarters to trunk lid gap is that it seems to vary front to back....not due to alignment but due to the Dynacorn crease not being as straight as the Ford crease as it folds into the rain gutter(really the only complaint I have on the fitment of the quarters). It will however force me to modify the trunklid and/or quarters to correct the gap....happily you wont have that issue. Good to see your project is coming along....I just finished that area myself....once I am done with engine fitment it will finally be ready to go on the rotisserie for final metalwork under the car(I can't weld upside down worth a damn when it comes to sheet metal)

I've read that the Dynacorn is the best for repro sheet metal, however, it seems that even they don't use tooling that's anywhere near comparable to original. That's the primary reason I'm very glad that I've been able to keep most of the original sheet metal.

 

[wicked93gs]

I've read that the Dynacorn is the best for repro sheet metal, however, it seems that even they don't use tooling that's anywhere near comparable to original. That's the primary reason I'm very glad that I've been able to keep most of the original sheet metal.

Original sheet metal? Whats that? :

sadly I have replaced probably 70% of mine at this point.

 

[02 281 GT]

Original sheet metal? Whats that? :

sadly I have replaced probably 70% of mine at this point.

I was very fortunate. In addition to my car being an original Texas car, my father-in-law stored it for the last three decades indoors rather than just in his yard. I'd probably be replacing much more had it been outside all that time.