Coupe into Speedster Conversion

[roy mawbey]

Joris,

That looks really nice.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Joris, That is really taking shape! BTW what chassis # is your coupe there? Justin

8/11/13
New repair section completed and ready for installation.

Basic repair closing panel formed. A lot of double checking before I committed to these bends.

Initial rough test fit with good overall alignment.

Top-inner view. Weld joint seam also lining up okay across what is left of the lower vertical wall.


Next were the final two bends on the "tail" here.


Went back to a clamped strip of steel on the upper flange to represent the eventual closing panel to ensure a snug and proper fit.

Final two bends in the tail section now. One or two mistakes and retries but it finally went.

New Long. closing panel mocked up once again to double check the flange fitment.

[JTR70]

Here is the progression.

Close enough for Gov't work!

One more

New part cleaned of surface rust.

Some fine tweaking and trimming of course but I can begin tacking this in for good tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[JTR70]

8/13/13
Repair panel now installed.

After a series of fine trimming and refit I was comfortable enough to lay down a few tack welds. I added the holes for the plug-welds first though.

Plug-weld holes here to attach it to that new flange/closing panel I had to install first.

This closing bulk-head at the head of the tube.

So far so go and total PIA if I had to remove it at this point.

Pretty much all stitched in at this point with new Long. closing panel in for another test fit just to make sure.


With that major piece just about in the bag I turned my attention to this secondary wall repair panel.

New basic part with both flanges in. The approach angle on the vertical flange was a little tricky. trimming and final shape to come.

Slowly wrapping this complex repair up.
Thanks for reading this! Justin

[JTR70]

8/14/13
Secondary wall repair in.


Now fitted and trimmed to final shape. Just need to punch in some holes and clean up the flash rust.

Holes in and rust gone; Ready to weld.

Plug welds will be at the bottom. This way No mess to clean on the inside flanges which can always be seen. Would be hell to get in there with a grinder anyway.


Plugs done. Just have to finish stitching the vertical wall together.

With these plugs out of the way I could technically install the closing panel up here but...

I still need to finish the rust repairs back here. Continuing on with that tomorrow. Thanks for looking! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Nice work Justin, I know I have said it before, but your variety of clamps are really super. Often I see a new style I have never seen before. I call them 'mole' grips is it the same in the states?

Roy

[JTR70]

Thank you Roy! I only have a few and there are a lot more I'd like to get! I've added them to my list; right under the TIG welder. I have never heard of them being referred to as Mole-grips just "vice-grips" is all I have ever known. Cultural slang is interesting isn't it? Thanks again! Justin

[JTR70]

9/18/13
Rear Section repairs.

Moving on to repair both the upper and lower rear closing sections so I can finally get a new outer longitudinal member installed.

Cut the lower end cap off to make way for a fresh section. Once removed it exposed more decay which I was not able to see when the wall was there. I didn't have enough to do anyway.

The chassis have been laid down flat again so I can address this back corner of the threshold. I first need to remove what is left of the vertical closing wall reinforcements. They look pretty crispy anyway.

reinforcements gone except their mount flanges. The entire upper run of this frame is now exposed.

Aside from the obvious hole the rest of this area that was under the plates is very rusty and weak. Its going to take a bigger plate than originally thought.

All the mount flanges now ground off. as you can see very rusty and weak.

going to take pretty much the footprint of the reinforcements.

taking it out in sections here.

Area and mount flange now cleaned and prepped. Developing my paper template here.

[JTR70]

Part 2

new metal patch now trimmed and bent almost to correct shape.

Just about ready to stitch in here.

New panel now fully welded in.



Welds now dressed and am finished up here for now.

With that upper patch now out of the way I am onto the last section keeping from installing the long closing panel. This inner corner perimeter section is up next. Thanks for reading this! Justin

[JTR70]

9/20/13
Rear left corner perimeter fabrication and fitment.

Went ahead and removed this half of the rear vertical closing wall as part of the clean and prep. Its completely shot and needs replacing anyway.

As I cleaned and pried the remnant steel from that flange I knocked off a big chunk of scale from the top of this tube exposing more cancer. Another extra chore before I can close this up; this is exactly why severely rusty cars are so annoying to work on!!!!!!!!!!

Still have strip out the upper portion of that mount flange but I'm going to paper templates for now.

Slowly getting the pattern I need...

Onto metal... This remnant section was almost perfect. The mount flange came up a bit short but I can add that on.

trial fitments and tweaks begin.

[JTR70]

Part 2

A drop in voltage on my welder, a lot finessing of the trigger to try and beat the holes that were trying to grow ever larger and a real test of my patience... but I did get them all closed in the end.

In process of removing the remaining vertical which is "sandwiched" between these two outer flanges.

Removed and clean; almost ready for the new wall..

New panel is really getting close. The "half-moon" markings is where I have to dome it a little to get the proper contour with the original section.

I can start stitching this in tomorrow. Since I am not repairing this chassis in the order it was built I'll have to leave that vertical flange loose for now. At long last I'm just about ready to close this longitudinal up! Thanks for reading this! Justin

[JTR70]

9/21/13
The corner and last perimeter repair section for this left side now installed.

All stitched in. Again that rear seam stays open for now until I can get the new vertical wall section in between these two flanges as originally done.

Spent the rest of this session tying up loose ends along the entire repair seam. Finished the weld and final shape around the heater tube opening.



Still have to install a small patch panel where the perimeter kit could not reach.

With this done I'll flip the chassis back over and begin sealing it in anticipation of finally closing this side up. Thanks for reading this! Justin

[DG58INNM]

Justin,
This is really fun to watch. Tremendously complicated to fix all this stuff and get the car right, but you are making it look very easy! Much of this is precisely the repairs I got into with 104006, but you are much more confident than I was, and move along much faster. Keep up the good work.
DG

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

Great work and yes, I presume constant work fabricating and welding, makes you get more done than most would ever think possible in the time. Practice makes perfect they say but, don't tell you how tiring and frustrating it can be getting there. The guys who recently purchased a 356 ( e-bay )from a 90 year old guys estate and after looking at the car original but left in a barn ( I think roofless) joined DDK a few weeks ago. I told them just go to your site look at restorations and its better than any 356 book. Keep on saying it but it is. Trouble is Justin, you make it look easy and it isn't.

Three of them bought the car and hope to make some money after restoring it I would say its in a much worse state than the chassis you are working on here. Also it seems even you can not establish the amount of work required till you open it all up.

I wonder how they will get on?

Really interesting as usual this thread.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks a lot David! I am really glad that you are enjoying the photos. While I try to make them detailed I of course cannot relay all the frustration, time, and struggle that it took to get to the next photo frame. You know exactly what I'm talking about...BTW when are going to get back to work on your cars?

Thank you again Roy I appreciate you promoting this thread that way! As I mentioned above the photo sequence does make it appear deceptively quick and easy. Nothing could be further from the truth and you are correct I cannot really convey that aspect of it in the pics. I suppose I could whine more during my commentary but no one really wants to read that. Your statement reminds me of the Saturday/Sunday TV programs like Hot rod TV. They make engine swaps and upgrades appear to be so easy and hassle free. They of course edit out all the time spent wrestling with a rusty/stripped bolt and all the knuckle scraping it took to finally get it free; just one of many challenges you'll encounter of course. Like the saying "if it can go wrong it certainly will". (most of the time) My sympathies to your guys on the DDK, especially if the car is rustier than what I'm dealing with! If this is their first experience my guess is they'll experience tons frustration and will have no choice but to make their mistakes and learn. Best of luck to them though! I Cannot imagine dealing with a car rustier than this one. At that stage you've almost got nothing to weld to and what is there is very pitted with little tensile strength left in it. In my world that would strictly be a donor for a full tube chassis hot rod.
Thanks again you guys, its always greatly appreciated!
Justin