What I've been up to...

[WissaMan]

I know I had some other posts about restoring a 68 New Yorker and also a 68 Newport project...which most people probably forgot about by now (though I haven't). But the reason I haven't made any progress on them in a while is because I've been working on our 68 300 convertable. Well actually, for a couple months I got consumed with a 4-stroke v-twin motor swap on a Honda Odyssey FL250 buggy so even the 300 was on hold during that time. I hated not working on the 300 but since these are all hobbies I have to just go with whatever is my passion at the time.

So the 300 had bad rear fender and trunk rust. What made it even worse is that in the past it had been half-*** repaired. On the outside facing surfaces, someone just put sheet metal over top the rust and "leveled" it all out with massive amounts of body filler. Some spots around the wheel arch looked like they had been brazed. The trunk extensions had some kind of stuff, maybe body filler, on them to cover the rust up. The holes in wheel wells were not even touched, just left open to allow in dirt and water. Holes in the trunk were covered with aluminum flashing that was pop-riveted. There was some **** slathered all over the rusty areas that I think may've just been grease because it would just come off onto your hands. There was even a rag saturated with that crap shoved into the rear-most crevice of the rear fender.

While some of that greasy stuff may've slowed down the decay, it and the shoddy body work have been making the repair job harder then if it was just let go since it all has to be cleaned up.

Here's what the fender looked like after I peeled away the bubbles of paint and body filler. That whole section was just flopping in the breeze.

A view from the underside

A gnarly mess. The pin that fits into the fender skirt had threads

 

[WissaMan]

I am not a metal man. Not even anywhere near as much as the other guy that isn't. But I'm learning and my skills are gradually improving which is satisfying. I've also been acquiring some essential tools that have helped quite a bit like a shrinker, stretcher, and english wheel.

I cut away the whole lower fender except for the very end to serve as a guide. You can see inside the wheel well where I had already repaired the rear lip. That spot as well as the corresponding curve inside the trunk were rusted out.

A view from the outside into the trunk. I removed that entire outer piece of the trunk floor. I had already patched the center piece in this pic. I didn't have a bead roller then (but I do now!)

Inside and outside of fender cut away. That inner section was a real big pain to repair as the shape was so convoluted. A pro probably could've made the patch out of 1 or 2 pieces of metal but I had to use 4.

Here's what I uncovered as I ground away the body filling to the right of the above picture. Now that's quality!

Nice rust behind

 

[WissaMan]

Test fitting in the rear fender piece

This piece was too wide to fit into the slip roller on my 3-in-1 so I bought an English wheel, I'd been wanting one so it was the perfect excus..er opportunity. I used a rubber band on the anvil wheel so it would only curve the metal in 1 axis. I learned that technique by watching Make It Kustom on YouTube. In fact, I've learned a lot from that guy and recommend his videos on sheet metal forming and welding to anyone who's a newb like me.

It's not perfect but it came out pretty good

I used a C2C patch panel to repair the trunk floor and fender drop. As many of you probably know, their patch panels are not plug and play and it had to be augmented with additional pieces. In retrospect it may've been easier to just make the pieces myself.

Made a new brace piece. The paint is KBS rustseal

 

[WissaMan]

The trunk came out decent...I hate to say "good enough" because that's probably what the other people said who were repairing it. But this isn't a restoration, it's a driver. So while I'm trying to repair in a fashion similar to the factory, with spot welds, brackets, and shapes where they'd normally be, I'm doing that as much for learning as for effect. My main concern is for it to look good on the outside, as close to perfect as I can make it, and have it be solid and protected in the hidden areas. I am therefore not concerned with things like my patch in the trunk not having those reinforcing channels. I may've also deleted one of the drain holes.

 

[thethee]

I wish I wasn't a metal man like you

 

[3175375]

Fitzee’s Fabrications is another good YouTube channel for bodywork.

Good work!

 

[1970FuryConv]

Well done.
I wish I had you nearby so you could teach me how not to be a metal man.

 

[BLIMP]

I'd be proud of that repair if I had done it, great job!

 

[WissaMan]

You guys are far too kind, but thank you! I'll check out that Fitzee’s Fabrications

I've been keeping all the rusty pieces I cut away so when I'm done I can look back at everything and feel good. ewww

 

[Samplingman]

You guys are far too kind, but thank you! I'll check out that Fitzee’s Fabrications

I've been keeping all the rusty pieces I cut away so when I'm done I can look back at everything and feel good. ewww
View attachment 563376

I do the same thing, lol. From one not a metal man to another, that looks great. I also strive for structural integrity while trying to get close to the factory look. FWIW, my "English Wheel" is a naturally round log that I roll on the metal in the dirt, it makes very convincing curves, but yours looks so much better, I might have to invest in an actual tool.

 

[live4theking]

It may not be show perfect, but I'd sure be proud of it.

 

[1970FuryConv]

I do the same thing, lol. From one not a metal man to another, that looks great. I also strive for structural integrity while trying to get close to the factory look. FWIW, my "English Wheel" is a naturally round log that I roll on the metal in the dirt, it makes very convincing curves, but yours looks so much better, I might have to invest in an actual tool.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Rolling the metal in the dirt with a log!! Awesome!

 

[WissaMan]

Heheh that's great! I made a "shrinking stump" after watching a Make It Kustom video where he made one, except I made mine out of an actual tree trunk log rather than the lumber. Do a YouTube search and you'll see what that is. I've only used it once so far though. That guy actually makes a lot of his own tools for metal work.

Here's the video I watched that taught me how to use the English Wheel w/ rubber band for curving:

I bought my English Wheel at Harbor Freight. It works decent but the die holder part on the bottom tends to move around unless you make the set screw completely tight -- which means you can't make die pressure adjustments quick and easy with just the bottom screw knob. You have to loose the set screw, make the adjustment, than tighten the set screw. I have a feeling better quality tools won't have that problem but for as often as I use it I don't mind the inconvenience considering the difference in price...

 

[WissaMan]

Oh and I watched a Fitzee’s Fabrications video last night and learned a new technique I want to try -- his cut and butt welding.

Is that guy from Canada? If so, that's a funny coincidence because the Make It Kustom guy is too.

 

[3175375]

Oh and I watched a Fitzee’s Fabrications video last night and learned a new technique I want to try -- his cut and butt welding.

Is that guy from Canada? If so, that's a funny coincidence because the Make It Kustom guy is too.

I believe that he’s in Nova Scotia or around there.

 

[WissaMan]

Repaired the inner wheel well

I made the large patch out of 2 pieces because of the complicated shape. It didn't fit perfectly on the left side, it left a little gap. I was bummed about that but not enough to try and modify it. It's a small enough gap to fill with POR15 Patch which is like a toothpaste-thick version of their rust encapsulating paint. I repaired a cracked cast iron outdoor water spigot with that stuff with minimal surface prep and it's holding up great.

I could tell there was more great work done in this spot because there was lots of body filler and pop rivets poking out the back side

Sure enough, there was a piece of metal pop riveted in there

directly over rust holes w/ no attempt to repair the rust

 

[WissaMan]

I wasn't sure what to do here. The rusty metal in this spot is sandwiched between the outer rocker sheet metal and the thicker inner rocker back bracing and I wanted to maintain that construction. Notice the 1/2" gap at the very bottom. It was filled with some kind of hard sparkly gray putty that I think was from the factory as it didn't match any of the other body fillers that I found so far.

After some pondering, I decided to cut the lip off the rocker and I'll weld a new piece back on so I can duplicate the way it was put together at the factory w/ the 3 layers welded together. I'll use plug welds

When I removed that piece, I felt a breeze of cool air waft out at me. I kind felt like I had just opened an old tomb and was breathing in air that had been sealed up for hundreds for years lol.
Looking inside I was relieved there was no more than some surface rust here and there and crud. I also could clearly see the thick reinforcing plate they put in for the convertibles. It looks to be 1/4" thick and runs the length of the rocker.

 

[mopar preferred]

Ahh, yes. Catawissa Sparkling Beverages.
I spent summers with my sister in Benton during the '60's

 

[WissaMan]

Yep! I live walking distance from that place. I don't drink much soda anymore but I do go there for my beer. I wasn't born and raised in Catawissa though, I'm a native to Berwick and that where the workshop is and all the cars...

 

[1970FuryConv]

Ahh, yes. Catawissa Sparkling Beverages.
I spent summers with my sister in Benton during the '60's

Odd coincidences. My first name is Benton.
One of my best friends in the Marines was from Hornell. Know any people named Arnault?