#811
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Disconnect anything you are not going to use one at a time to make sure it still functions/runs if using the donor harness etc as well.
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Marcus aka. Gojeep Victoria, Australia http://willyshotrod.com Invention is a combination of brains and materials. The more brains you use, the less materials you need. |
#812
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Jack I need to be involved to the completion of this project... Please keep the thread going.
Your sheet metal work is amazing!
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Scott |
#813
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I finished checking all the systems and everything still works as it should. One trouble Code; SRS (Air Bag) but no bags were deployed. It's a soft code so I can clear it later when I reflash the PCM. Other than that, all is well so I started stripping the front end and got the car up on stands and leveled out. I don't know how I'm going to do this in only two stalls but the adventure continues...
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. Last edited by Jack 1957; 01-09-2018 at 11:21 PM. |
#814
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I'm going to lead the welds on the fenders and get some epoxy on them before I disassemble the front end. I wasn't going to cover the lead work but I decided to show it. It's part of the process. I don't encourage anyone to use lead. It's very rarely an advantage over Duraglass. It's expensive, time consuming, and hazardous. I'm using it here because the fenders in the headlight area have been ground, welded, hammered, ground again, etc.. I'm concerned about flexing so I want to lead the welds. I am not going for full finish with the lead. I'll epoxy the fenders then add some Duraglass to finish them.
First, make sure you don't have any high spots on the sheet metal. Then clean the area, grind it with a coarse grit disc and scrub the panel carefully with a solution of warm water and baking soda. Get everything clean. When the area is clean, I use tinning flux to tin the metal. You can do this a number of ways that will all get you there. I use a paint brush and cover the area with a thin coat. Then when I'm heating it in, I use some steel wool to scrub it in, then wipe with a rag or paper towel to check for full coverage. Next, prep your tools. I'll need a flat paddle and a curved paddle for this job. You need to coat the paddles with wax or tallow so the lead doesn't stick to them while you're working. I prefer bees wax but either will do. Just lightly heat the wax with a torch and lay the paddle in the pool of melted wax. Wipe the excess on a rag and you're ready to go. I have a Dillon torch (Cobra or Henrob. Same). It has a soldering tip that's shown in the picture below. I'm not going to use it since this isn't that big of a job and I can knock it out with a propane torch. Heat the tinning paste and get the metal hot enough to melt the paste. You'll see it go shiny. I use some 00 steel wool on a a pair of vice grips to scrub it in and make sure I've got full coverage. Move the torch around in circles about 3 or 4 inches wide and before it can cool wipe the heated area with a clean rag or paper towel and keep moving to the adjacent area. Don't freak out if it looks like the picture below. That's just the residue from the tinning flux. When all of the work area is covered, scrub the residue off with steel wool or a red scuff pad and the water/baking soda solution. Don't get too aggressive here. You don't want to remove the tin, just the flux residue. Be absolutely sure that every trace of flux is removed and the surface is neutralized. The flux is acidic, if you don't get it all off, your paint will blow out. Guaranteed. Rinse with water and baking soda as many times as needed til it's clean and smooth.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. Last edited by Jack 1957; 05-22-2020 at 11:10 PM. |
#815
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Thanks for posting the leading sequence Jack.
Back when I was starting out Jack, that Caddy would have never been scrapped for parts. We would have rear "clipped" it and it would have made someone a nice little chunk of change. But new stuff with multiple boxed layers on the floors and rockers make it impossible. Fox Bodied Mustangs had a seam in the rear part of the floorpan, drill it out, cut the rockers and pillars fit your clip and weld it up. Can't tell you how many Caddys and Mustangs we did that way back in the early 90's. I miss the simpler stuff.
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Chris (trying to be the best me I can be) |
#816
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Tinned, clean, and ready for lead.
I use 20 /80 Lead bar. 20% tin / 80% lead. It is sold in various proportions but 20/80 and 30/70 are most common in auto body work. It is also sold in various shapes. Round rods, ingots, and bars. I prefer the 20/80 bars, they're a little easier to work with. The reason the 20/80 is easier to work with has to do with the alloying effecting the plastic range. (HUH???). Metals have three physical stages; solid, plastic, and liquid. The plastic stage is when the lead is malleable and easily applied and spread. That's the state we want to achieve and maintain while working. The 20/80 has a plastic range between about 360 to 530 degrees. (170 degree work window). 30/70 has a plastic range between about 360 to 490 degrees. (130 degree work window). So this slightly wider range with the 20/80 gives you a little more wiggle room for temperature variations while working. OK, we're ready to go. The first thing to do is load the work area. I'm only doing the welded areas so there won't be that much lead work. If I were going to finish this completely with lead I would need to apply much more. Preheat the starting point and the lead bar at the same time. Choose a starting point and apply firm pressure on the bar while moving the flame in circles that include hitting the lead bar. The reason for the firm pressure is that when the lead reaches the beginning of the plastic state temperature it will collapse into the panel before it gets hot enough to melt and run off the panel. Don't worry about pretty or full saturation at this point. Just get the material on the panel. By doing this, you are giving yourself the most efficient use of the plastic range. Even if you are not consistent with the temperature, you have enough room to keep the lead from hitting liquid state and running off the panel. Now that the panel is loaded, it's time to smooth the lead out. Again with the big circular motion, focusing on the lead, reheat and watch for the first sign of movement anywhere in the area and the first sign of the lead going shiny. It's go time. First, use your paddle to manipulate the lead and push it into the panel to squeeze out any voids that might be left between the lead and the panel while still maintaining circular motion with the torch and moving ahead in the direction you're working in. If this seems too much at first, you can work in small steps pulling the torch away while manipulating the softened lead. I think if you have experience with TIG or O/A welding you might find this a little easier to learn because you will be used to working two different tasks at the same time with both hands. After cleaning one more time with the water and baking soda neutralizing solution I rinsed and started knocking the lead down with a Vixen file. I will finish it with a DA and 80 grit to leave a rough surface that the epoxy will bite to.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. Last edited by Jack 1957; 03-22-2018 at 09:41 PM. |
#817
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Quote:
I know, I've clipped many cars over the years at work. Some of them lined up so well that the spot weld holes even line up with those of the other half. I got to where I could have a clipped car ready for paint in about 3 days. The insurance companies disallowed it because some of the hacks out there were not taking the time to do it right. I still insist that it's the most efficient and economical way to repair a lot of heavy collision rear impact cars
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. |
#818
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I’ve worked my way through this entire build thread front to back. You have done some very creative and amazing work. The changes are looking really nice! Lots of good ideas in this build.
What’s all coming out of the donor car into the ‘49?
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Rush too much trying to get to the end when the end is closer when you take your time. Dane |
#819
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Quote:
P.S. I’ve enjoyed reading about your progress on the Caddy and tip my hat to you for accomplishing so much with a minimal amount of equipment.
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John |
#820
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Just about everything. Engine, trans, computer controls, complete front suspension, complete rear suspension, firewall, front half of the floor, gas tank and fuel system, complete interior, air bags, all electronics.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. |
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