The Chronicles Of Mercules - Body Repairs
- Thread starter Mercules
- Start date
Mate.....
What a major job you've undertaken.
Simpy impressive....
Well done
What a major job you've undertaken.
Simpy impressive....
Well done
B
BAR
Guest
Given all your efforts and the time involved, it is amazing and perhaps wonderful for the rest of us, that you manage to document your journey from trash to treasure in such a detailled manner.
From an intrigued bystander, congratulations! and Thank you.
From an intrigued bystander, congratulations! and Thank you.
WGB
New Member
Great Job and thanks for going to the trouble of documenting it all.
Bill
Bill
- Thread Starter
- #45
Thanks guys - I have more from this evening to share!
Remember that little bolt I mentioned in my last post, the one that connects the centre vent flap lever to the actuating rod that I said I would take a picture of if I could get he camera up in there? Well it did it!
Now it was time to line & pad out the floors... the carpets have a 1/2" thick layer of foam on the underside that moulds over the rear floor vents and such, but the crappy water absorbing 1/2" thick foam matting stick to the floor has been removed so the carpets were sagging a bit - but I found a solution!
First I treated the steel floor to some rust converter and a lashing of Killrust paint - then I took some thin rubber matting I got from Bunnings and trimmed it to line the floor
I also got some Welcome mats from Bunnings too and chopped them up to fit around the floor vents
Then it was just a matter of layering the floor pieces down...
And she is done - for now.
Cam
Remember that little bolt I mentioned in my last post, the one that connects the centre vent flap lever to the actuating rod that I said I would take a picture of if I could get he camera up in there? Well it did it!
Now it was time to line & pad out the floors... the carpets have a 1/2" thick layer of foam on the underside that moulds over the rear floor vents and such, but the crappy water absorbing 1/2" thick foam matting stick to the floor has been removed so the carpets were sagging a bit - but I found a solution!
First I treated the steel floor to some rust converter and a lashing of Killrust paint - then I took some thin rubber matting I got from Bunnings and trimmed it to line the floor
I also got some Welcome mats from Bunnings too and chopped them up to fit around the floor vents
Then it was just a matter of layering the floor pieces down...
And she is done - for now.
Cam
Thanks for dcumenting it all Cam.
Great help from Bunnings...
Great help from Bunnings...
oscar
New Member
All this in less than a month. It took me hours to remove a fusebox. Actually, frustrated I ended up tearing it out and still left some behind.
Like everyone else says, this is amazing work.
It took me hours to remove a fusebox. Actually, frustrated I ended up tearing it out and still left some behind. Like everyone else says, this is amazing work.
- Thread Starter
- #51
Funny you should ask - I am getting a very slow drip into the drivers footwell but I cannot seem to find the source... have stripped out most of the flooring & panelling to gain access - hope to find the problem soon. The sunroof drains appear to be working OK
More to come...
Cameron
Drivers footwell is a concern as it could possibly be the heater plenum box, also that type of drip used to happen to me (felt cold so gave me the hint) until the airconditioner drains were cleaned out - could it possibly be that? Remember that the front right drain tube runs down the windscreen pillar just there so if is split or cracked, possibly the drip is coming from there?
What stage are you at now Cam?
Is the car drivable... put back together? painted? finished?
Is the car drivable... put back together? painted? finished?
- Thread Starter
- #54
Changing the water pump and all coolant hoses this weekend - has been elaing steadily for a while and its time to fix it... was going to attack it last night but the water pump in the GF's Corolla packed it in - needed to re-adjust my priorities
Hoping to get stuck into the boot rust over the next few weeks - rego is due soon so I need to get cracking. I found the slow leak into the drivers footwell, hopefully if the sun stays out and the car dries out I can seal it up and be done with it!
Driving it every day and loving it! Will be starting on fuel injection as soon as the other jobs are done - the mega squirt thread has given me some ideas on what/what not to do!!!
Cam
Tony66_au
New Member
Love your work Cam and your dedication is inspiring!
Just a quick word about your birdpoo welding comment, Your technique is actually "Spot on" pardon the pun because if you seam welded it in one or 2 shots the heat poured into the patch and surrounds would cause mayhem, major warpage and probably start a fire.
Having done more than a handful of plenum's (Not on Mercs) a series of tack welds and regular wipes with a damp rag until there is no more space is the way to go.
Once done with the initial welding you can then clean the spots with a grinder or flapper disk and then using a strong light source under the dash or on the outside look for light leaks from the other side of the repairs.
I used to place a heavy wool blanket over the dash on the inside and train 2 x 500w halogens on the repair from the engine bay, crawl under the blanky and look for light.
Never disappointed id mark the leaks and weld again and then clean up the welds n check for leaks again.
Usually 2 shots did the trick so this may still be a source of leaks.
Also while the top of the plenum was off id often paint or otherwise seal the chamber before spot welding the plenum top back on again but its a slow and meticulous process.
Id also prime as much as I could and once the welding was done id hit the inside of the plenum one more time with a rig id cobbled together using brass 360 degree sprinkler heads on a meter of hose and an engine wash gun.
Crappy finish but nicely sealed.
Hope this helps.
Tony
Just a quick word about your birdpoo welding comment, Your technique is actually "Spot on" pardon the pun because if you seam welded it in one or 2 shots the heat poured into the patch and surrounds would cause mayhem, major warpage and probably start a fire.
Having done more than a handful of plenum's (Not on Mercs) a series of tack welds and regular wipes with a damp rag until there is no more space is the way to go.
Once done with the initial welding you can then clean the spots with a grinder or flapper disk and then using a strong light source under the dash or on the outside look for light leaks from the other side of the repairs.
I used to place a heavy wool blanket over the dash on the inside and train 2 x 500w halogens on the repair from the engine bay, crawl under the blanky and look for light.
Never disappointed id mark the leaks and weld again and then clean up the welds n check for leaks again.
Usually 2 shots did the trick so this may still be a source of leaks.
Also while the top of the plenum was off id often paint or otherwise seal the chamber before spot welding the plenum top back on again but its a slow and meticulous process.
Id also prime as much as I could and once the welding was done id hit the inside of the plenum one more time with a rig id cobbled together using brass 360 degree sprinkler heads on a meter of hose and an engine wash gun.
Crappy finish but nicely sealed.
Hope this helps.
Tony
There's a huge amount of work here and those involved should be commended! This kind of dedication will keep these cars loved for many years to come.
Tony I like your idea about the sprinkler head sealer as any weld will rust quickly if not treated (particularly on the back of a panel that's just been welded). Just because it can't be seen, doesn't mean it won't happen (ie voids within the chassis).....
Tony I like your idea about the sprinkler head sealer as any weld will rust quickly if not treated (particularly on the back of a panel that's just been welded). Just because it can't be seen, doesn't mean it won't happen (ie voids within the chassis).....
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Tony66_au
New Member
I was looking for my Resto pics archive but this lone picture will have to do.
My Alter ego Speshul Tee, They say he can eat a hot "meat" pie in one bite and that he was born because of a direct lightening strike on a virgin NannyGoat....
But we just know him as "Stop thief!" or Speshul Tee....
My Alter ego Speshul Tee, They say he can eat a hot "meat" pie in one bite and that he was born because of a direct lightening strike on a virgin NannyGoat....
But we just know him as "Stop thief!" or Speshul Tee....
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Tony66_au
New Member
There's a huge amount of work here and those involved should be commended! This kind of dedication will keep these cars loved for many years to come.
Tony I like your idea about the sprinkler head sealer as any weld will rust quickly if not treated (particularly on the back of a panel that's just been welded). Just because it can't be seen, doesn't mean it won't happen (ie voids within the chassis).....
Wurth had something that did the same job but at near enough to $700 and when we ordered one it was NLA so I made one!
it took a lot of tweaking but when it was done you could etch prime and so on with minimal hassle and as we often provided a DVD chock full of progress pics as well as a final inspection with a crevice cam one of the greatest selling points was our attention to detail and full transparency of process.
I have (Somewhere) a hard drive with over 200 gig of high res pictures taken and scanned of my conquests and it shows some very tricky repairs made easy as well as some black magic processes demystified.
Just remember im no body guru and im a so so welder and more of a labourer than the tin guys I worked with who were fab guru's but the pictures are enlightening to say the least.
There's also some very funny pics as well such as the Speshul Tee pics usually taken on a Saturday when we played with our own cars over a beer or 5.
Tony I'd assume that you'd leave a 1" hole in the vicinity of a repair to allow access for the sprinkler head; and plug it later with a grommet or similar?
I'll bet you blame Speshul Tee with a variety of offences including leaving tissues in the wash, pinching all the left socks, eating all the chocolate biscuits and hiding the 1/2 spanner and socket!!!
I'll bet you blame Speshul Tee with a variety of offences including leaving tissues in the wash, pinching all the left socks, eating all the chocolate biscuits and hiding the 1/2 spanner and socket!!!
Tony66_au
New Member
1/2 inch hole would do just fine Mark and it can be fed into most places via existing drainage holes as the head of the thing used a micro sprinkler head roughly 1/4 inch in diameter.
The reason for the brass head opposed to a plastic head was that the solvents in mixed paint didn't agree with the plastics.
"Spesh" was responsible for way too many things to list here but hoarder of TimTams and drinker of Wild Turkey and cola were part of it along with prank phone answering in a funny voice and wielder of the dreaded "Fart inna can" often mistaken for air freshener as he left the toilet which caused many an eyewateringly funny moment.
He was also the supplier of quality Coffee, tea, biscuits and Beer O Clock refreshments and always remembered to bring in fresh milk so he was forgiven his many many sins and just hidden away when paying clients came to see the progress on their beloved projects.
He was best described as a cross between Marlee Maitlin and the Professor from Back to the Future with Tourettes and chronic flatulence but his heart was in the right place.
The reason for the brass head opposed to a plastic head was that the solvents in mixed paint didn't agree with the plastics.
"Spesh" was responsible for way too many things to list here but hoarder of TimTams and drinker of Wild Turkey and cola were part of it along with prank phone answering in a funny voice and wielder of the dreaded "Fart inna can" often mistaken for air freshener as he left the toilet which caused many an eyewateringly funny moment.
He was also the supplier of quality Coffee, tea, biscuits and Beer O Clock refreshments and always remembered to bring in fresh milk so he was forgiven his many many sins and just hidden away when paying clients came to see the progress on their beloved projects.
He was best described as a cross between Marlee Maitlin and the Professor from Back to the Future with Tourettes and chronic flatulence but his heart was in the right place.
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