'63 356B T-6 Rebuild

[Phil Planck]

John

See that gob of weld bead on the bottom side of the latch lever shield? That prevents(or may, in your case) the latch from lying flush on the attaching bracket. I filed/ground mine down so the latch is square to the pin. As Jack pointed out during the latch section on Foam Car, the safety catch on that bracket is open at each end. I am going to close mine off ala earlier 356s. I am also going to box my heavier than stock gauge bracket ala my PreA. Also, for finish correctness, the top of the latch must have been painted pre-installed on the body. The bottom is a different color that(latch color). I would soak that latch in some solvent to get all the blasting media out, then some lube on the lever joints.

Phil

[John Pierce]

I'm getting closer to installing the nose. So many things need to fitted and checked before the nose can be spot welded. I'm down to the bottom of the checklist...finally!



The nose drainage tubes had to be cleaned up and a few holes welded closed.



Looking much better. Beveled holes were drilled in the nose drainage channel and front closing panel for a tight fit. They will be welded in once the nose is on.



Next was fitting the bumper brackets through the nose openings. The passenger's side brackets fit pretty well while the driver's side were too low and medial. It's probably best to install the bracket mounts after the nose is installed. The Stoddard battery box panels I bought already had these spot welded on though. I ended up grinding out the spot welds and making a new mount.



I took the weld nuts off the Stoddard piece and welded them on after drilling the bolt holes. It is now ready for the brake. This mount is 4-5 mm taller than the passengers side to accommodate the nose opening.



Completed piece which can now be welded in at the correct height. The inside will be primered first.



The area behind the nose was primered as once the nose in on it's a tight area.

A few more nose and hood fitments and I'll be ready for a few tentative spot weld on the nose piece

[Phil Planck]

Looking good John. Thanks for the update. Bummer about the bumper bracket. Nice work around.
Phil

[JTR70]

Nice job on that bracket John. Your sheet metal work is really looking clean! Justin

[John Pierce]

Today was finally the day! After much angst I got the nose spot welded in.



The front was primered and top coated and the flange was painted with weldable primer.



Just a few clamps to hold it in position! The blue clamps are pushing the sides out to give correct gaps around the hood. Many measurements showed that it wasn't my previous welding of the inner fender that caused the hood not to fit well, but that the fenders bowed in a bit. Easily corrected.



I made templates of the fender/nose curvature before removing the original nose. These came in quite handy when fitting the new nose. The measurements that I marked on the fenders also allowed me to feel comfortable before putting down the first spot weld.



Spot welded in! I still need to fit the outside portions, fit the bottoms to the curve of the fenders, rosette weld the drip channel to the front closing panel......



Nice curve between fender and nose.

I have a lot of respect for the professionals who do this. Granted this was my first time and the learning curve was steep, but this really takes a lot out of you with the constant measuring and fitting. Lot of pieces need to interact and fit with required trimming along the way.

Thanks for following.

[gkw]

John
Very nice.
Gordon

[Jonesy_356]

Nice John, you're leading he way here. Looks great! Gives me something to shoot for.

Jonesy

[DG58INNM]

Wow John, that looks great. You've made a lot of progress in a short time. I know just how you feel once the nose is back on. Not quite so scary now.
DG

[Phil Planck]

Congrats John
Lots of work to get to this point. Looks good and you did your homework. You are right - lots of clamps. Looking forward to the TIGing.

Phil

[JTR70]

Looks fantastic John, A lot of time spent just getting it tacked in just right for sure! Nice job! Justin

[bbspdstr]

..... I have a lot of respect for the professionals who do this. Granted this was my first time and the learning curve was steep, but this really takes a lot out of you with the constant measuring and fitting. Lot of pieces need to interact and fit with required trimming along the way....

John, the respect is very mutual! I do not know how many "professionals" chime in to or even check these postings, but I for one am always VERY impressed with the work and dedication displayed here on Justin's site, by Justin and everyone else so far.

I was going to add that the drain tubes were often brazed, not welded. I looked at and used a wire wheel on a convenient (to me) original owner, original paint C (that can be your next job if you want it). The drain tubes are welded and not too pretty...and it needs a new front end 'nose,' but since you have 'paid your dues' you have a chance to use your skills now like any "professional." (But 'real bodymen' don't wear rubber gloves)



-Bruce

[John Pierce]

Thanks guys! The acknowledgment is much appreciated.

Too funny Bruce about the surgical gloves. Gotta save my hands for my patients....I don't think they would like my greasy hands in the operating room! Though it's a good conversation starter

I've only got the torpedo tube areas of the nose spot welded in. I'm working down both fender sides and fitting the bottom of the nose lip at the same time. Then I'll do the drip channels and front closing panel welds. I've got those drain tubes ready, but lots of work before then.

[bbspdstr]

John, some of my local clients are in the medical field...so I understand. I do have a story from the other direction.

I have had to have a couple of endo experiences and the car guy who does them wears his gloves to cover the stains from using his bare hands on his cars, including getting them dirty working on a big tractor on his 'gentleman's farm'. Yes, he protects his patients...by not letting them see his hands.

When he told me that I wanted to laugh, but that was difficult with that rubber dam around a lower (OK, mandibular) tooth and the feeling in my jaw going away.

I think you used the word "medial" and I should have picked up on that. I was married to a dentist. I used to tease her that we used the same tools...hers were cleaner but mine were bigger.

[John Pierce]

Lots and lots of measuring today. I ground down the previous welds around the torpedo tubes and planished them. Then commenced fitting, cutting and spot welding down the fender.



The nose panel has extra metal to the rear that really doesn't approximate the curve of the fender very well. It's best to use the factory weld line as a jump off point and remove the extra. I used a Dremel and cut-off wheel to obtain a thin gap then spot welded as I went down. I did this in 4 sections to get a nice curve and fitment.



Spot welded in place and the bottom flange fitted. Really nice curve. It's so niece to see metal back on the naked car.



I had to cut a relief in the "medial" aspect of the nose (just like on Bruce's car) as the Porsche OEM panel was a bit narrow. Nothing that a little TIG can't fix.

Now onto more planishing the spot welds then rosette welding the front closing panel shut.

Thanks for following.

[Jonesy_356]

Really nice work. Can I ask - in the shot with the Dremel - are you cutting through both pieces of metal simultaneously, or just the nose piece on top? If just the nose, how are you guiding your cut - have you drilled small pilot holes from the inside? Or just doing it millimetre by millimetre and easing the cut along? I ask for specifics as I will be doing this job in the next few months (quivers of trepidation!).

Cheers, Jonesy