Coupe into Speedster Conversion

[JTR70]

Thanks Phil!!

4/17/14
Left side installed and new cross-member ready.

For this left runner I decided it best to stick with my original cut line rather than use this new piece as a whole like I did on the other side.

There were several reasons, one of which was that I had already repaired and cleaned this embossed section and to use this entire new piece required cutting the anchor plate off for a second time.

I also became aware that the new section I installed on the right is not fitting perfectly with the parts I made earlier.(of course)So Its all creating more work on the right and I decided to cut myself a break so to speak on this left side.

First mock-up with the left clamped into position. It was looking promising since the cross-member slid right in.

Half way through stitching this piece on.

The most time consuming part was finding the best average fit in relation to the other side and specific landmarks on the forward chassis like the torsion housing.

Left side fully welded and final fitment for the new cross member can begin.

Here was the reason I chose this spot for the for the junction point; once the cross member is welded in it will be boxed and bridged by its mount flanges for additional support.

With the cross-member in I used it as a holding jig to tack the right anchor plate back into position.

At long last after weeks of repair and preparation this new cross member is now ready to go in for good.

a lot fine trimming and adjustments to get it both vertically and horizontally level in relation to the frame.

The anchor plate flanges ultimately locate this piece and set the tone. After that its really just a matter of getting it level in there.

Cross-member is now tacked but I'm test fitting the new pan just to make sure it all fits like it should before I really begin welding it in. Thanks for looking! Justin

[JTR70]

4/22/14
New cross-member in and new seat pan tacked.

New section now fully welded in here.

The anchor plate flange was the final run of welds to ensure that the side flanges fit snug against the frame runners first. Not much lateral adjustment if the anchor plate was welded first.

With the cross-member in it was now finally time to begin adding those rear pan repair sections I made several weeks back.

Checking the new pan fitment against this newly installed section. one of many seat pan test fits to come.

Left section installation was next. Seat pan was wire wheeled and clean of surface rust and remaining tar.

A nice confirmation fit was at the back of the seat pan. With the forward section clamped tight this rear joint nearly lined up on the money to its original flange which was cut as it was harvested from the donor car. Some trimming yet to do but it nearly fell into place. This fitment helps me to confirm that everything around it is about where it should be.

Quick peek at the underside to see how it was shaping up.

After some careful trimming and clamp adjustments it was finally ready for a few tack-welds.

Stitching this pan in tomorrow. Thanks for reading this! Justin

[Jack Staggs]

It is tomorrow.

[Phil Planck]

You are on a roll now Justin. Great work!
Phil

[JTR70]

Thanks Phil! Yea, a sort of flood-gate of progress has opened for bit. I mainly attribute it to these repair sections being staged and ready for the last few weeks.
4/23/14
Left forward section detail

Left side joint welded up with forward corner detail replicated.

new vertical wall excess was trimmed and overlapping corner was prepped to be flanged over and welded to the pan as originally.

Made for a nice bridge plate over the previous weld repair joints. Still have to clean and detail the welds but this corner is done otherwise.

Original detail being followed from my coupe. Onto the right side tomorrow. Thanks for looking! Justin

Its always tomorrow somewhere in the world Jack.

[JTR70]

5/1/14
New rear seat pan finally all but stitched in.

It took some doing but the pan is finally all stitched in along the sides and the rear cross-member. The sides of course fought me along the hump and it took some fine trimming and a little heat to get the new pieces to align with the pan at the weld joint.

Once it was stitched up topside I flipped the chassis and began welding up the underside where required. Ran bead along the left frame flange first at the new filler section like it was done originally. As you can see I still have some loose ends to tie up at the corners of the cross-member. I tell you, this repair has really been involved and labor intensive! The floor and longitudinals almost seem easier by comparison.

The right side was next. Just a whisper of the weld joint at the pan to new filler section. A good coat of rocker shoots will make it disappear completely.

So nice to see an actual closing panel in there now instead of looking at my shop wall. A long road on this repair for sure but its getting closer! Thanks for looking! Justin

[Phil Planck]

Looking good Justin. A lot of fitting there.

BTW, appears all of a sudden I am no longer getting emails either, just after I posted that I was getting them. The only change I have made that might be related is that I unsubscribe from one thread.

Phil

[tperazzo]

Congrats Justin, it's looking great! Are those gas welds on the bottom there? Really clean!

[JTR70]

Thanks Phil! My webmaster is trying several things to get the messaging system to fire up again. So hopefully soon.

Thank you too Tom! Yeah, I went ahead and gas welded these long seams for a more correct appearance. Not 100% the same as the old Germans did it but closer than with the MIG. Thanks again guys!

5/4/14
Rear bulkhead cross-member installation.

Now that the seat pan welding was about finished the next project back here is to repair and re-install these frame caps. Those floor pan perimeter sections will come in handy for this job as well.

I will definitely save the left side but this right side I'm not sure about just yet. I had to cut a lot more away to get past the severe rot and what remains still has a few issues with rust. I'll make up my mind after the left side is done which will give me more insight and confidence with this area.
Shortly after this mock up I came to the realization that these can wait and I should be spending my time getting the back end built so the chassis can be re-mounted on the rotisserie. Turn this thing on its side manually and working a few inches of the floor is really getting old!!

After taking several landmark measurements from my coupes engine compartment here was my best average, squared fitment for the new rear bulkhead cross-member.

A slight fitment issue at the corners. The upper leading folded edges of both the cross-member and sides should be even with one another when they meet.(green arrows) This could be achieved by sliding the cross-member further forward but by the time they are level the engine compartment is about a 1/2 inch shorter than it should be. I thought it best to get the compartment length right versus correcting this discrepancy. From what I can tell the sides just taper down a little too quickly. No big deal, I just have to heat and shape the new engine compartment closing wall to fill this gap. par for the course; you just have to concentrate on the best average fit and make modifications where needed.

Bumper brackets:

The next step to getting this thing mounted back on the hoist are the bumper brackets. New paper template based off the originals.

Before going onto steel a quick mock up to determine its eventual fitment and proper elevation with the end of the frame.

ready to cut out the new part.

Perimeter repair sections will yet again provide the best basic shape and thickness for the new brackets.

Trickiest part was finding the best cut lines at the corners to create the shortest welds possible at the flanges.

One side complete. The welding on the flange corners turned out to be much shorter than I had first planned them to be.

Close enough for Gov't work! The bracket holes still need some fine shaping with a rat-tail file. PIA to create these elongated holes without the proper punch and die which could create them in an instant. I had thought about harvesting these original brackets but there is literally 50+ spot welds hold each side on. By the time I finished drilling and splitting these pieces off the mounting flange would have been a big mess. For the same amount of time spent it made more sense to make a new part.

Test fit. So far so good.

Will begin tacking this new piece on and making the right side bracket next. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[Phil Planck]

Good progress Justin. I have use those perimeter side pieces for other parts also. Agree they are handy and not too costly.

Phil

[JTR70]

Thank you Phil!

5/4/14
New bracket install:

Took a few moments and punch in 50+ holes for the plug-welds. Its clamped here in its best adjusted position and is ready to weld.

Began at the corner and worked outward. Let me just say what a nice and rare privilege it was to be welding new-clean metal to new-clean metal.

By the end of this long session the new plate was all welded in...

Backside shows good heat penetration with little molten heads in the center. The plate is not coming loose.

Onto to part 2 by flipping the template over and tracing out the right side. Thanks for looking! Justin

[Phil Planck]

But wait! First you have to planish all of those welds. Just kidding. And, one can never have too many clamps. Looking great Justin.

Phil

[JTR70]

Thanks again Phil! You had me worried for a second.
5/8/14
Wrapped up the rear bumper brackets.

Right side bracket all cut out and gluing it on here.

With all the plug welds finished I began dressing them down. I may follow this up with my panel welder for a correct look.

Corner of the new frame is really taking on the look of the old factory piece. God I remember how complicated this junction looked when I was trying to repair this area on my coupe a few years back. It seems so simple now. Tying up more loose ends tomorrow. Thanks for looking! Justin

[JTR70]

5/10/14
Upper corner gussets at firewall.

Nothing glamorous this weekend, just petty detail stuff that has to be added. These upper corner gussets are one of several small loose ends that need tying up on this seat-pan-crossmember replacement.

Paper template

This slag section of perimeter repair will again fit the bill nicely. As Phil noted, you can make a lot great repair parts with this stuff and its reasonably priced.

New part all trimmed, punched for plug welds and ready to go in. I made this one just a hair longer to bridge over my weld repair seam on the cross-member. Just a touch more support; can't hurt...

Done. The inner lip could have been contoured tighter against the corner but the original in my coupe shows a gap. Perhaps for drainage, anyway not trying to reinvent the wheel; only copying what was there from the factory. Thanks for looking. Justin

[JTR70]

5/15/14

Back on the hoist!

After this very long labor intensive detour of tearing apart the back of this chassis it was finally at the stage where I could remount on the rotisserie this afternoon! So much nicer to work on it up here than down on the floor!

I tacked in a couple of temporary reinforcement struts just to ensure this compartment stays square as it rotates on the hoist. I need Steve Hogue to make me the lower perimeter sections which will strengthen it even more but for now these will guarantee the shape I need.

A solid cross-member and seat pan is such a beautiful sight. It was very depressing and a bit overwhelming planning out all that had to be done and how many layers had to be unwound to get at the old one so this fresh member could be installed. No more major structural surprise cancer in this frame either!

Back to the final repairs on the rear seat pan area next. Thanks for stopping by! Justin