The shuddering s-box- 1980 Mazda 626

[Low Elco]

Ah, this one. Well, just after the last communique, Tom came out and we figured out how to make the sides match. So I cut it up while he was sitting there and tacked it all back up. Then I got it all welded up in and out. A pic-



Then it went away to Neighbor Donnie's for a week due to 4th of July shenanigans/me going out of town twice. I moved a bunch of party/vaca related crapola and brought it back last night. So, I gotta seam seal and epo, then skim and move forward. I'm kinda aiming at the 1st Aug. to have it gone, so I can get LBT in before the Nats. You know, work on my truck for a change! Ha! Thanks for keepin' tabs, it really helps. Normally I'm not this slow on stuff, but Tom isn't in a hurry, and I'm kinda tryin' fo fill up the family/house time bank after I ran it pretty low last year. Hopefully, progress to report soon!

[Jonboy]

I have to be envious of your progress. Look how long it took me to get anything done on my pile.

[Low Elco]

How long have you had the crew? The shortnin' seemed to go pretty quick!

[Jonboy]

It's been a few months. I was letting it marinate behind the house, just to keep the neighbors on their toes. Honestly, I don't remember how long I have had it. The sad thing is that I have been collecting parts for even longer.

[Low Elco]

In your defense, you were havin a baby. No man with any sense just leaves the pregnant as a tick lady with the kids to go mess with the truck. Besides, longer part gathering means better parts!
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[Jonboy]

Where you at, fella?

[Low Elco]

Been hot and REALLY humid, and been kinda on my butt since Vaca. Starting to feel better, made a deal for some help last night. Hopefully movin soon on this. Hope they get the pic problem resolved soon, I've got a few to put up!
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[hgs_notes]

Nothing happening here lately. People need to be entertained.

Foo Fighters- Planet Claire Live in NYC with Fred...

[Low Elco]

Ha, like the song. Metalwork is done on Pass Qtr, Epo is shot. Been working and riding bikes and fixing houses and trucks and etc. ad nauseam. Also have some movin and groovin' goin' on that I'm not at liberty to divulge at the moment. It'll be cool, If I can pull it off.

If We can EVER post pics again, I have some to put up, but I'm not going the off-site route.

Thanks for wonderin' about me!

[Low Elco]

Ok, so since we're never getting the old way to post pics back, AND since I got a tutorial on posting pics, AND since everybody thinks I've been doing nothing all summer but drinking beer and riding dirt bikes and fixing Yellow trucks and sitting on my rapidly expanding corpulence, I decided to update over here. Let's start at the start-

I had the pass. side and trunk done, and the driver's quarter welded in when last we were here. so, here's an outside shot of the done 1/4. We'll see if this works.

[MP&C]

Looking good!

[Low Elco]

Ok, so the "Big Stuff" is done. Now, it's just the roof, door, rocker and fender. So, here we go. Remember the roof dent?


Of course, there's no rear access and its double-walled, silly! So, we need another method. It's stretched and locked, so we've gotta cut a relief.



Then we break out the stud gun ( You pull the trigger of my..... STUD GUNNNNNN.... KISS break!) and pull it back where it oughta be. Notice the gap closed up on its own.



Some weld weld tap tap, it's all good!



Smoooth!



Then, a little PDR work and skim coat on the ganked door-



And how it came out-



Next, the rockers.

[screaminchevypickup]

Looking good..

[Low Elco]

Ok, so I patched the other rocker, but upon inspection, this one was waaaay worse. Hrmnrm. Time to call in the Big Gun, My friend Vic1947. I surgicaled a chunk out of the rocker so we had a profile to work with, and jammed over to Vic's. After some super yummy Mezcun food from the lovely Kathy, we got started.
Like a frimp, I forgot to take pics of the process, mostly 'cuz I was so stoked to work with Vic in his place. I'm used to using big industrial stuff on my little toy stuff, so it was fun learning from Vic how to use the proper tool for the job. He was great, and the parts came out great. Here's The Kid painting the back of the new parts. Thanks again, Vic, couldn't have done it without you.



Here's some of the rot-



The main reason- note the swiss cheese above the pinchweld.



And, what's inside-



Next, the fix!

[Low Elco]

So, we had new parts. Now to put 'em in while we were watching the Lambrecht Auction. Started on the rear-



Another chunk for the fender-



And the main fitup- wasn't quite tucked up at the bottom, but it's good!



And the finished product-



Don't hate, this is just the epoxy-



One more-

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by MP&C

Looking good!

Thanks! I'm tryin'!

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by screaminchevypickup

Looking good..

Thanks! It's a good night, if you two guys like it!

[NONHOG]

Glad your saving this. Its a good looking car. Keep the posts coming!

[Vic1947]

I see what you were saying about the "planned obsolescence" Mazda built into the rocker panels. Whew! Gotta love those moisture access holes. Even on jackstands that had to be an uncomfortable position for welding, grinding and bodywork. Yer doin' amazin' work there, Pilgrim.

[Low Elco]

Thanks, Vic! Couldn't have happened without you. The rocker itself wasn't too bad at all, the PITA was the inner rocker inside the fender, 'cause I didn't want to pull the fender. There are factory holes on the other side of those factory holes, that's why no big urge to fab all that new. (Plus, the $.) I took some completed shots last night, hopefully I'll get them up this weekend.

[chevyrestoguy]

Nice work, Chip!!
Every time I check on this thread, I'm blown away at how good it's looking. There's no help in the aftermarket on body panels for that car, so it's all "U-Fab", and that's what makes it impressive.

I'm standing by for the Gullwing Door mod............

[Low Elco]

Thanks, Alex! I got some completed pics, but my computer has gone wonky.

Funny, I'm standing by for the "paid for and gone" mod!

[Jonboy]

That's the most important one!

[sduckworth13]

Your doing a excellent job on the bodywork Chip, what kind of stud welder do you use? I'm needing to buy one. I don't want to spend a ton of money, but I also don't want a cheap one either. I hear the HF stud welders have a 1% duty cycle and the HF upgrade is a 2% duty cycle, so those aren't going to be something for me.

[Low Elco]

Scott, actually it's Tom's, the owner of the S-box. It's a Uni-spotter, the actual name brand stud gun. I've used it a bunch, never a problem, as long as you keep the tip sanded clean, which would be my best advice for any of these kinda things.

In other news, the s-box should be settled up and back to Tom tomorrow AM. Yaay!