The Great American Classic

[Roert42]

Behold, the most common vehicle in America. The rusty v6 mustang that just refuses to die.

 

[Roert42]

This car has been abused by every single person that ever drove it. Now she is in such bad shape, she is not safe to drive. I'm starting the process of putting it back together.

Behold the rust.

 

[Roert42]

She's a messy girl.

 

[Roert42]

Did a lot of cutting and grinding this weekend. More rust then I wanted to find, however about what I was expecting.

This is about half of the rust that came out of the frame rails

 

[Roert42]

I’m planning on doing one side at a time to prevent the frame from getting too out of square.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Ugh...

Nothing about that looks like any fun.

 

[Roert42]

Not nearly as fun as driving the thing. Apparently this is pretty common for there it be bad rust in this spot.

It really needs a complete frame off clean up job. There is rust popping up all over the place, the cowl drain, the pinch welds, everywhere else. I’m just trying to get it back on the road at this point.

 

[Roert42]

My Eastwood 24" Sheet metal brake came in this weekend. So I am ready there, but I need to get my Mig welder feeding properly before I can start welding in Replacement metal.

I think the liner is worn out, and the tip is buggered up. Wasn't able to get a replacement tip or liner at the local welding supply, they told me they had never seen one of that style. So I ordered a whole new gun off amazon with the same style of connection.

 

[Roert42]

Got my welder parts in. Works better now, and I can buy parts for the mig gun off the shelf so that’s cool. While I was practicing I ran out of gas. Now I gotta find time to go fill up with gas.

 

[Roert42]

Bent up my first piece of replacement metal. The fit up is better then it looks in the picture. This is before I started beating it with a hammer. Using some scrap steel pans from work that never got used for anything, make of the orient’s finest 1/16” hot rolled steel.

 

[Roert42]

 

[Roert42]

This piece required way more geometry then I was prepared for. Giant PITA, and wasted more metal then I wanted to. I wanted it to wrap around into the fender well as one piece, but buggered up that too many times and decided to make that part separately.

 

[Snoranger]

This piece required way more geometry then I was prepared for. Giant PITA, and wasted more metal then I wanted to. I wanted it to wrap around into the fender well as one piece, but buggered up that too many times and decided to make that part separately.

View attachment 63665

For the more complex pieces, make a template out of cardboard first.

 

[Dirtman]

For the more complex pieces, make a template out of cardboard first.

And then paint them pink? Or did you do bright yellow? Can't remember what nonsense you painted that poor prison van.


I can't for the life of me remember what the crap is called but it's like a metallic cardboard that will actually hold bends so you can cut it and press it, bend angles and take it off and not just have the measurements for cuts but the angles for bends. It's called metal board or press plate? It's tin foil with a bendy plastic in the middle? I made floor pans for some stupid 4 wheel steer Honda that's special... I dunno what the dumb car was but the stuff is awesome to work with though. I was able to make amazingly close floor pans with it bends, angles, rolls and all.

 

[Blmpkn]

And then paint them pink? Or did you do bright yellow? Can't remember what nonsense you painted that poor prison van.


I can't for the life of me remember what the crap is called but it's like a metallic cardboard that will actually hold bends so you can cut it and press it, bend angles and take it off and not just have the measurements for cuts but the angles for bends. It's called metal board or press plate? It's tin foil with a bendy plastic in the middle? I made floor pans for some stupid 4 wheel steer Honda that's special... I dunno what the dumb car was but the stuff is awesome to work with though. I was able to make amazingly close floor pans with it bends, angles, rolls and all.

Is it easily bought by the regular blue collar schmuck? I might have to get some of that for all my upcoming bodywork. Sounds like it may be expensive enough to just use cardboard lol.