1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

[bbspdstr]

You guys are correct about Cleco strength, but I have some that I inherited about 50 years ago that are still stronger than some new that I bought a few years ago. Go figure.

OK,
Doesn't take a pro to figure that out. Like too many tools today, the better-made older tools outlast the cheaper and more cheaply made versions that may look OK but seem to be "one and done"... if they work at all. It is that the tools for a hobbyist today are not made as if a professional depends on them for a living as the same (looking) tool did, made 50 or more years ago. Sure, the cheapie tools can be taken back to the waters edge where crates and containers are handled for a direct exchange...but the replacement has the same life expectancy as the first. That's whether painted red or blue.... (Rant over, sorry!)

I also use Tek screws a lot, in and out with a cordless screw gun with a hex socket bit, as easy as a Cleco and if used with a flange or overlap of any kind for grip, a #10 makes for another plug weld hole.

With about 3 or 4 drillings per life of weak drill flutes, the cost per screw is about 3 cents, then they go into the scrap metal category, but we hate to throw away a weak Cleco, don't we?

-Bruce

[badsix]

yep i'm and old quality tool fan, something about holding a 50 year old end wrench in your hand you can actually feel the quality. I would much rather buy and old tool made from good quality materials. then i'm 69 and think i'm good quality but my wife says 29 will beat 69 any day.
Jay D.

[jjeffries]

Justin, I hope this is ok to ask, but approx. how many hours did you put into that door repair? No worries if it's a trade secret! BTW I have agood friend who's a rep for Norton abrasives, more on the industrial side (massive grinding wheels, etc) but sometimes I get some samples and can say that they make excellent products. That griding wheel with the cutouts looks counterintuitive, though; you'd think those cutouts would catch and crack the disc. Apparently not. John.

[badsix]

as to most peoples thoughts NO they don't catch on your metal. I've used a couple cases of these with no problems you can cut a 2" x 20 ga sheet metal in half easily with no grabbing of the metal. what you DON'T want to do is let the wheel slow down then stick into something. running at the full speed of a 4 1/2 grinder they work just like any other wheel. I have no affiliation to these wheels just though that they would be of interest to others. i like them and I think if others try them they will to.
Jay D.

[jjeffries]

Thanks Jay. I'll see if I can mooch a sample.

I also liked the photo BB Bruce posted of his tool cart, all those air tools neat and ready for their role.

[JTR70]

"Justin, I hope this is ok to ask, but approx. how many hours did you put into that door repair? No worries if it's a trade secret!"

Sure, no secretes here John It took me 72 hours start to finish on the left hand door. This right side won't take me quite that long as I didn't have to reskin it and I'm in "door repair mode" now but it won't be faster by a huge leap. The rust was just as bad if not worse so almost as much work as the other side.

12/18/17
Short session today...


Finished out spot weld detail then onto welding up the rear corner.

Seam welded the edges but before I committed the door frame was installed again to make the it seated fully while bolted to this new bottom.

Dressed then a little torch heat to finish all the edges. All done back here. Crimping the flange tight as I move to the front.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

12/20 17

Rust repair duties on both doors now complete.
Forward corner of the right door was the last of it and was completed today.

Floor grafts were stitched up and the leading edge was gas welded as originally.

I can now lay a new flange section for the door stop housing over top.

Flange installed with gas weld details.

The door was test fitted to the car again and much to my great relief after all the welding and all the heat that comes with it that lower hinge did not move out of alignment on me. The pins slid right in just like they had before I began cutting. I Thank god for small miracles.

One last hole to fill to complete my welding on these guys.

New section in and gas welded edges as before. Done!

Door repairs completed.

Remains of all that was replaced. At first glance not a lot there, how hard can it be? ...Well







I'm officially done with the rust repair but there remains body work and fine shaping for sure.

However I've gone about as far as I can for now. That shaping and final contouring has to be done with the car so I've got to get all the rust repair done in and around the front fender and the rockers so I can transition the final shape of these doors with the final shape of the repaired body.


It all has to be done, so for now I'm moving onto the sun roof assembly. We thought it best to address this sooner rather than later in case there are missing parts or things in need of replacement.

The big items here with the rest of it in boxes. Exploring this more tomorrow.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[ukinusa]

Hi Justin - see you are moving onto Sunroof... I have ton of pictures from mine if you need anything like that - I was missing some large parts but you look in good shape.
--

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

Super dooper is all I can say about the doors. Wonderful work and so instructive for others. I bet you had a smile on your face when you took those last photos.

Roy

[Scott B]

[merbesfield]

[JTR70]

Very Cool, the clamping force of a screw with the ease of a cleco. I'll have to get me some...thanks for the tip Scott!

It was definitely a nice feeling getting those in the done column Roy.

Thanks for the offer Steve, appreciated! Had a chance to really look through things and I am missing the spring release mechanisms that go on the ends of the control rod and the slider feet that go into the tracks. I've sent an email onto the owner. This entire unit is original to this car so it shouldn't fight too much. Aside from shim adjustments I can't see this unit being too much trouble...just a slider panel. famous last words probably. but I'll be sure to ask if I get stumped. Thanks again you guys!
Justin

12/28/17

Familiarizing myself with sunroof parts.

Original headliner frame

After really looking at it I think its in savable condition with the rot localized to the front cross member.

On the both sides but only this runner.

A new reproduction was supplied and it seems like a nice one.

Cup details are very close.

Lip profile varies a little but probably makes no difference once the liner material is glued over top.

Repro corners at the rear are far simpler than the OG shape and lack that reinforcement but again, matters little after material and install but I wanted to show what the original looked like.

OG closing panel is nice with no rust issues.

# stamped to this car.

All hardware that was sent: original tracks, release mechanism, screws and spacer shims.

Again missing the mechanisms that go on the ends of this actuating rod.

One concern was checking for blown out mounting holes.

Began mocking up the tracks to check for those.

Pretty straight forward, the tail end of the track just inserts into this bracket.

track just about installed here.

I was really shocked to discover what a forced fit these tracks are. I would have sworn that these extrusions would have been arced to follow the contour.

same issue with the cross piece though much easier to bend into position.

A lot of force needed to draw this down tight. These are all original to the car so this must be normal?? At least I figured out which are the "critical" screw holes.

New supplied screws BTW seem a little too long. I can't see the originals
protruding past the frame.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[John Pierce]

The later T6 electric sunroof guide rails do have a convexity to them so they better fit the contour of the SR frame. Those screws may not be original size. Have you checked the manual to see what size is supposed to insert there? A search on the R has lots of information regarding manual sunroofs.



Here's a picture of guide rails for an electric sunroof with the convexity built into the longer side rails.

JP

[JTR70]

Thanks for the help John, Some nice jewelry there! These old rails do have a slight arc in the center but as it gets down to the last bit it really has to be forced down into position. I was just wondering if that was normal and I guess it is.
Thanks again! Justin

12/29/17

Repairing mount holes

Found the baggy with the rest of the crucial mounting hardware for this unit. A little scary before this turned up.

Getting back to the clamping force needed to draw this end down tight..

It became clear that this particular holes integrity is by far the most important of the whole bunch. This did still hold the threads but as you can see its pitted and thin around the edge so I had to repair it.

Welded over for a fresh start.

Re-drilled and run through. You can see that the weld provides a bit more of a shoulder so the screw has a lot more to hang onto than before. No worries about this one tearing out now.

Third hole same condition so it was welded next. Before it was over I decided to do all four that secure this side.

last two welded and ready to be re-drilled. As I played with it I realized that it wasn't necessary to do the 4th hole as it sits in an about the fulcrum so it really doesn't do a whole lot. Confirmation of this can be seen in John's photo of his later tracks where it has been eliminated and shows only the three lower holes.

Reinstalled the corner section to make sure it all still fit..it did. The holes for these corners and the cross strip will be fine since there is no stress on them like the lateral track sections.

Right side done, repeat on the left side.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

1/10/18

Repeat left side.

Same deal, critical mount hole is weak and rusty.

Third hole also thin

The other two where fine so if it ain't broke...also made redrilling of the other two much easier to locate. Welded over here and ready to retap.

Rails all set.

Not all good news while working on this left side I noticed the trough had rusted through. Could not be in a worse spot BTW, the cancer disappears under that cross member and the reinforcement to the other side. Its too far back in to get at it from the top so I'm thinking the cross member will have to come free here so I can be sure its completely repaired and sealed. If its not the eventual water that WILL find its way down in here in the future will seep in and ruin the new headliner. Anyway, I'm going to leave it for now as it will be much nicer to repair this area with the car on its side so it will have to wait for the rotisserie.

Begin refitting the lid

A quick dunk in acid cleaned all the hardware up


Mocking up the slider to begin getting my head around the fitment.

Tail slider floats allowing the back to drop out of the way when its opened.

Along the way I'll figuring out the best adjustment for elevation with the rest of the roof

And the gaps but as its still factory that should go pretty quick.
Thanks for looking!
Justin