'66 Sunbeam Minx Project - F20C/6sp/4-link/Discs...

[Frizzle Fry]

On vacation this week. Guess where I'm spending it...

[VA72C10]

working on the tahoe???

[1Bad 37]

This gon' be good...

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

working on the tahoe???

Yeh, as you can see, tubby's been getting a little drywall action

Originally Posted by 1Bad 37

This gon' be good...

Let's hope. Here we go..!

The only two cancer spots found on the car during blasting were the lower/rear front fenders. I cut them out while at the blaster's to allow the inner structures to be cleaned.





The panel alignment was pretty bad here. Since the fenders are welded on anyway, they might as well be welded here too






Other side:


I hit the inner structure with this eastwood product before closing it up.






Did the inside of a bunch of other areas while I was at it:






Close it up.






Not perfect metal finished because it will need a little lead-free.

[Frizzle Fry]

More detail work:

[Frizzle Fry]

Panel misalignment everywhere ...or is it just me..?




This side was worse.


Drastic measures required.

[Frizzle Fry]

These cars had a tendency to rust in the upper and lower rear of the front fenders. Luckily mine was only afflicted with the lower/rear variant. This vulnerability is due to the lack of inner fender liners - the insides of the fenders were open to the world of whatever the tires decided to throw at them.

I decided to make removable ABS plastic liners to close the chasm. I started with a pair from an 80's Audi, then cut, heated, molded and trimmed them to fit. They both have a notch near the front I'll have to cover, and they are by no means show-quality, but they'll serve their purpose well.

They are mounted with rivets (clecos for now) and tabs.

1st side:


Template from 1st to make 2nd:


2nd:


Double rivets in first:


I plan to add one more bracket to that front corner.

[mcbassin]

You sure have a way with metal! I'm kinda envious of you Cleco collection too.
Keep the excellent pictures coming. Sitting here in awe as always.....

[shearjs]

Incredible work! I'm in amazement every time you make a new post.

[MP&C]

FF, I attended a metal shaping demo a couple years back where a guy showed leading using an old (non-powered) soldering iron instead of a wooden paddle. He said he preferred the soldering iron (heated with the torch), because it held some of the heat it made for an easier time of manipulating the "lead" on the panel.








Not sure where one would get such a tool, but now everyone knows to look out at your local yard sales for them!

[watahyahknow]

i bet it wouldnt be that hard to make sumtin like that out of copper rod , like the stuff they use for lichtning conductors or at an electric railroad
kindah hammer one end intoo an arrowhead then hammer the sides down to one side and use a file to get that sde smooth and flat
bend the rod intoo a lazy s
stick the other end of the rod in a wooden handle and youre done , dont even need to heat the copper anly afterward to get it a bit softer again as it will workharden

it prolly be eazier then using wood as you can make it to only melt the top part of the lead mostly

[Frizzle Fry]

Looks like it would be useful when adding more lead after the first round. I can tell you from today's experience that it's very tricky to pull off without ruining what's already there. I actually ended up starting over completely at one point today. I need to research more about tools and supplies...

Also did a lot of little boring jobs not worth pictures.









It'll still need some glazing, but it's better than all plastic I guess. Glad I started with an "easy" spot By the way, the reason the solder looks greyish in the finished pic is because I hit the whole area with Ospho when done and the phosphoric acid greys it.

[ERASER5]

"Also did a lot of little boring jobs not worth pictures"

Somehow, I get the feeling that your boring jobs would still spark interest for the rest of us. So now I also need to learn leading...

[67ChevyRedneck]

Frizzle, your ADD is way worse than mine, I would have let that crap go

Amazing as usual.

[thor]

Is (lead-free) leading easier and/or faster than hitting the low spots with the MIG again? Or are you just learning a new way of doing things?

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by ERASER5

Somehow, I get the feeling that your boring jobs would still spark interest for the rest of us. So now I also need to learn leading...

Filling and re-dressing pinholes, tightened up the master cylinder hole (the willwood is slightly smaller than the honda). And I've been working on the trans tunnel/shifter area which will be posted when complete.

The lead(free) has its place. I think it's worth learning.

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Frizzle, your ADD is way worse than mine, I would have let that crap go

I do have ADD pretty bad sometimes, but I think in this case it would be OCD

Originally Posted by thor

Is (lead-free) leading easier and/or faster than hitting the low spots with the MIG again? Or are you just learning a new way of doing things?

One of the biggest problems I face with metal finishing is grinding too thin. When you repeat welding and grinding this is the risk. And if you go for the fully metal-finished appearance like I did on that fender section it's both time consuming and at risk of thin spots. I was very aware and carful of this, but I have gone too thin elsewhere.

If you've noticed the crescent shaped cut-out in one of the inner fender wells in previous pics, that area was too thin so I cut it out.

With these seams there's a bit of a flat spot or even slight depression at the joint. Lead allows you to build an area a lot more than you would want to do with a mig and instead of being a risk of thin spots your are actually making it stronger.

[thor]

One of the biggest problems I face with metal finishing is grinding too thin. When you repeat welding and grinding this is the risk. And if you go for the fully metal-finished appearance like I did on that fender section it's both time consuming and at risk of thin spots. I was very aware and carful of this, but I have gone too thin elsewhere.

If you've noticed the crescent shaped cut-out in one of the inner fender wells in previous pics, that area was too thin so I cut it out.

With these seams there's a bit of a flat spot or even slight depression at the joint. Lead allows you to build an area a lot more than you would want to do with a mig and instead of being a risk of thin spots your are actually making it stronger.

Good info. Thx for the explanation. You make the metal look so smoove!

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by thor

Good info. Thx for the explanation. You make the metal look so smoove!

Re-reading your question I should add that yes, leaning a new way of doing things is always a driver for me. The technical benefits are all justification for pursuing that kick in the discovery

[Frizzle Fry]

You may be wondering what the heck I did with that week in the shop..?

I literally spent so much time in the shop that I didn't have time to update the thread. But the camera was snappin away as always. So here it is...

Trans tunnel/shifter cover flushification:

Bolt on cover




Now a flush mounted cover






Add S2000 boor flange




With shifter (small holes in tunnel fixed later)


Tunnel will be body-worked and painted

[Frizzle Fry]

More lead work. This consumed a lot of time both in the actual process and in researching and buying tools and materials. In the end I had some success and some failure, but it was worth figuring out.

Prep:



Tinning flux


Tinned




Radius form:






Worked radius




This area needed more added around the edges. The problem with adding more lead later is that the area is no longer tinned if it's been filed/sculpted. Here was my attempt at re-tinning around the edges. After this I ended up removing the lead from the fender.

[Frizzle Fry]

Passenger side patch:












Not going for perfection here since it will be leaded.










Just like the other side:








Lead(free)




How to deal with this area (can't use this on regular if you like your sanity)




I guess the only finished shots I got were inverted, but you get the idea...


It will need a little glaze.

[Frizzle Fry]

Trans Mount-

I had mocked this up by drilling/tapping the "frame rails," but knew it would need to be reinforced. Here's how that went:

Cut open rail


Make plates (note broken tap )




Plasma out broken tap (haha I win )




First piece in


Align 2nd piece and cover










Trans mount in place (other side already mod'ed for exhaust clearance)

[Frizzle Fry]

While I had the tap set out I made some shoulder belt mounts for the rear:

[Frizzle Fry]

Made blood happen while prepping this patch (previously mentioned front inner fender spot)


It was actually just a tiny puncture in a large vessel (squirter)


Luckily my apprentice and future successor was there to save my life before getting back to work.




He's prep'ing old engine tag mount holes for welding.

[Frizzle Fry]

Lot's of other minor details including pin holes and thin spots are now fixed. Spent some time tuning the fender arches into shape.

Last item worth showing is the rear wheel arch to rocker seam filling. Couldn't leave the seams in the rear when the fronts are gone








Trim inner edge for continuity:








No lead this time. Just a smear of glazing will do it up.