I got underneath the car to do some sealing and rust preventative and managed to make 2 holes using the wire brush and a paintbrush covered in underseal.....

Can anyone advise me where to source section of panel I need ?

I want to cut out section and replace.......

I am trying to track down anyone I know who can weld.....

I am going to clean area up later with drill and wire brush to see how far the rot has crept......

Is this sill section or floorpan?

any idea of thickness of metal to use to make replacement section if I can't get replacement?

 

I even thought about aluminium mesh and JB weld for about half an hour......( I was a bit depressed when finding this so please forgive me!)......lol

 

I am getting more and more upset finding how many things need doing now.......

Edited August 27, 201312 yr by veilside01702

Well I cut out the front jacking point and found it was pretty rusty..... so cut out all I could, treated anything that looked slightly surface rust with Kurust, painted with zinc primer inside the sill.....

I made a plate and tried to weld it on......... Ran out of gas after a couple of tack welds.... changed gas and still no penetration....crap welds....

I checked gas and nothing coming out of the bottle.... took off the valve, re-fitted the valve and it worked... Then blew holes.... then splattery welds.....

Had cuppa and came back to try again..... 2 seam welds and it was looking good.... then splatter again.... just had a nightmare day..... so gave up....

I am going to clean the welder tonight when kids are in bed, put on new tip and clean up the trigger as it is a bit sticky....

Next thing is to grind the crap welds and redo the bits that aren't good...... I need to clean the metal again and make sure the earth clamp makes a good contact....

I also pop riveted the sill end panel to get a tight fit before I weld it up.... I left this after today's nightmare as I want it to look presentable.....

I also made the outer rear quarter panel skin..... but trying to decide whether to use a flange on the original panel so I can tack this in and have it flush when I join up or to overlap or to butt weld???????

I am leaning toward adding a flange for being easier for tacking and welding, If I tack and butt weld then I may blow holes, If I overlap without a flange it will need to be ground right back and loads of filler....

Any advice??

This is the panel.... cut bigger so I can choose what option to use....

Great work so far mate, very impressive. As for which stile of weld for the rear outer sill, I would personally opt for a butted seam weld.

I would steer away from joggling the original edge as there is a possibility of distorting the line of the car.

I think that if you have a good fitting repair sill and nice and clean metal, so long as you take it one tack at a time you will not blow through.

Also, I would go with a slight gap, say 0,5mm (max) this will help with penetration and leave room for some movement.

I would also look at tidying up the original shape of the outer profile that you have cut out, that way you will find it easier to match the new panel.

Great work so far mate, very impressive. As for which stile of weld for the rear outer sill, I would personally opt for a butted seam weld.

I would steer away from joggling the original edge as there is a possibility of distorting the line of the car.

I think that if you have a good fitting repair sill and nice and clean metal, so long as you take it one tack at a time you will not blow through.

Also, I would go with a slight gap, say 0,5mm (max) this will help with penetration and leave room for some movement.

I would also look at tidying up the original shape of the outer profile that you have cut out, that way you will find it easier to match the new panel.

Thanks again for the advice Redwine300...... I am going to lay the repair panel on and mark round it to get the size and how much to remove to get the right shape...

If I could et the edge of the original panel flanged wouldn't that give the join more strength and make it easier to get a flush finish?

 

I must admit I have got better at welding up any holes I blow in panels......lol

You sort of get used to it I've found.... Necessity.... lol

 

Raining and horrible today, so picnic in the park with kids rained off and No welding or grinding in this nice weather....

I need somewhere dry to finish this.... and somewhere to send the kids and wife for a few day's so I can just crack on....

 

I'm sitting here itching to get this finished now..... It gets late or kids are here and all I keep thinking is how I am going to tackle the next piece of work.....lol

I keep looking at the passenger floorpan and thinking I did that and it is all shiny and clean looking...

I used some Carplan stone guard in a spray can that has an upward nozzle on it..... It worked very well and seems to be nice and rubbery.... I was impressed with how it looks and goes on....

I cleaned off all the old crud and undersell to bare metal, treated it with rust killer, seam sealed every joint with polyurethane sealer, painted it with primer, painted black, painted top coat and then stone guard.... Next job is a coat of underbody sealer when I have done the same to the drivers side.....

Now I have been under the car so long I want to pull subframe, tank, and all suspension and get it all cleaned up, powder coated and poly bushes fitted...... Doh.......

Got the bug for making her all clean and tidy underneath again......

I am also going to clean all interior seam sealer and redo it with polyurethane sealer and make sure that any water that gets inside can't get into any welds or joints that I can get to....

Just need a lottery win and somewhere warm and dry to do it all now......lol

I have always wanted to have a big workshop with ramps and tools.... I wanted to teach people how to properly work on their cars safely.... Definitely would not make me rich.....lol

I was going to do it for children in care and give them a taste of working on cars.... but no funding available in current climate....

I know what you mean about the overlapped joint mate. I guess it comes down to personal preference really.

Which ever you decide, just be sure that the panel is sitting in the best position and as natural and free of tension as possible.

If going with the overlapped joint, maybe you could use small self tapping screws to pull the joint together.

That way you can see how it will all line up prior to tackling the plug welds.

Yes it will leave some small holes to deal with, but as you have said, your welding skills have come on in leaps and bounds and will be easily filled.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

I know what you mean about the overlapped joint mate. I guess it comes down to personal preference really.

Which ever you decide, just be sure that the panel is sitting in the best position and as natural and free of tension as possible.

If going with the overlapped joint, maybe you could use small self tapping screws to pull the joint together.

That way you can see how it will all line up prior to tackling the plug welds.

Yes it will leave some small holes to deal with, but as you have said, your welding skills have come on in leaps and bounds and will be easily filled.

Looking forward to the next instalment.

Would pop rivets be okay to pull panels together?

I looked at getting a joggler / flanging tool..... but after a sudden £720 council tax bill came in and the need for 2 new tyres and an MOT on my daily driver in the next few weeks...... I have had to stop any further spending on the Z for this month....

This has put JAE out of reach now..... and maybe the rest of this year....

I may have to resort to making my own flanging tool or doing it by hand bit by bit......

I'm a bit down at the moment and this constant rain is driving me mad..... I want to get on and am stuck indoors looking out the window looking at the Z.......

I can't even measure up and make templates for the audio in the boot as it is chucking it down.......lol

Oh well..... I did just pick up my new Injector connectors and Coil pack connectors from post office.......... and they look nice......

Got both sets for £53.75 + £3.90 for vat and £8.00 Royal mail charge for handling.... total of £65.65 for nice clean new connectors...... Just need some dry weather to cut off the old ones and solder on and heat shrink the new ones......lol

I guess pop rivets would work.

It's just they are awkward to remove and replace easily, and from experience, there will be a lot of trial fits before your are ready to weld.

Also, the holes left behind will be a lot smaller from the self tapping screws and therefore easier to fill.

 

I will check out my joggler in the morning and see if it can access the existing panel.

If it is any good to you, I can always post it to you on loan mate. (no rush to get it back)

I guess pop rivets would work.

It's just they are awkward to remove and replace easily, and from experience, there will be a lot of trial fits before your are ready to weld.

Also, the holes left behind will be a lot smaller from the self tapping screws and therefore easier to fill.

 

I will check out my joggler in the morning and see if it can access the existing panel.

If it is any good to you, I can always post it to you on loan mate. (no rush to get it back)

Thanks for that, I shall stick to self tappers then.... Your right about test fitting.... I brought my tools to the car after a few panels and now do everything sitting next to her.... I was getting moaned at for keep walking through the house into the garden as well...lol

Also made fine adjustments a lot quicker.....

I am going to try to measure up and mark round the repair panel tomorrow to see how much has to be trimmed up and tweek the fit.....

If I get a chance and weather permitting, I will be trying to grind the previous mess and tidy up..... and weld up the wheel arch If I get the time.....lol

Then I can at least get on painting the welded area's and sealing the underneath front piece......

If weather is still bad I am just going to clean up all the suspension and brakes while the rear wheel is off......

Well the flooding in my garage is now subsiding a bit..... looks like the seats might be okay..... drying out nicely....

only small puddles left.....

Well cleaning garage and tarpaulin the leaky roof took longer than thought..... I only managed to remove the headlining, rear interior panels and clean, rub down and primer the panel to close the hole in the side of the car.........

I then stripped the rear panels in to top and bottom sections, as the top was not leathered when the interior was done...... Just noticed it is original plastic coating crap.....

The coating on top piece had shrunk so you can see the rotten foam underneath that looks like honeycomb and falls apart when touched...

Spent 2 hours trying to get this off the panel and it is horrible stuff.... Tried scraping, thinners, sanding, washing and managed to get one sort of done using UPVC thinners cleaner stuff and a scraper.......

Going to try hairdryer and scraper after dinner as the thinners is giving me a headache.....

Tomorrow is welding day...... and I can't wait to get this done......

might of missed it earlier what gauge metal did you use

might of missed it earlier what gauge metal did you use

0.9mm steel....

would be good to see how its going mate, excellent job so far

would be good to see how its going mate, excellent job so far

No further progress.... but going to get on with it tomorrow..... panels made, but need to weld up last of wheel arch and clean up rear quarter panel ready to weld repair panel in place.....

I will get lots of pics as I go......

Well welding nearly done... couple of bits to tidy up and lots of grinding tomorrow, then zinc primer painted over the welds, then a bit of filler and finally painting sill, underbody and wheel arch..... YAY!!!!!

here is what I have been up to....

 

http://s208.photobucket.com/user/veilside01702/slideshow/27th%20August%202013%20-%20welding

this is what it looks like till I grind it down today and fold over the bottom edge to match the original panel......

Looking Good buddy, fettled and painted your hardly gonna know its been repaired, nice work and I bet you feel good coz you did it yourself too ehh

Looking Good buddy, fettled and painted your hardly gonna know its been repaired, nice work and I bet you feel good coz you did it yourself too ehh

Cheers Ian, I feel so relieved now the actual welding is done and she is all solid again.... cheers for that.... It feels good, but a bit sad that all the welding is now done...

I even wrapped my targa tops with carbon fibre effect film while I was letting the primer dry today.....lol

I am going to wrap the rest of the roof panels tomorrow if I can decide how to end the wrap under the targa's and under the boot lid ... It needs to look nice when they are removed as well as when they are fitted....

I am going to test fit the side skirt to see what repairs need doing on it after I had to ease it off the body and cut the bonding/sealer..... and underseal all the repairs when the paint is dried tomorrow....

Looks a bit damaged, but should be repairable......

Now all I need is the paint to repaint the repairs......

apparently debeer changed the mix for my paint in 2001/2002 and the sprayer has no idea of the mix..... I need an old debeer microfiche from 2000 for porsche amethyst..... DOH!

I know what you mean regarding the paint matching, I had my 76 corvette stingray painted in Lamborghini Pearl Ophelia, (diablo purple pearl) a cracking colour but after some kind doushbag scratched it my painter just could not get a good enough match from the codes so I had to respray the entire car again. 2 months later my neighbour reversed into the front wing so I needed another repair but fortunately I had my painter purchase an extra few litres of base and top coat so it painted up spot on. Its now under a tarp waiting a full body off restore job so when the zed gets put away for the winter its on with the vette. My bank manager is gonna have a fit

I've been following from the start, it's been interesting to watch. A really nice repair!

Edited August 28, 201312 yr by MasterCookieman

I've been following the start, it's been interesting to watch. A really nice repair!

Thanks for that, I must admit at times I felt lost.... But everyone that has given advice and encouragement has kept me going..... a special thanks to Redwine300 and Ruishy1 and yourself......... for the support and advice....

I just need to filler and paint...... and refit the skirt and interior..... and rebuild the engine.....lol

I now enjoy welding..... weird to admit that.... I keep thinking what can I make now......lol

I already have a few idea's for custom parts...... Blame FunkySi.....:wink:.... he started me off on an idea the other day.....lol

Looking good matey, I hope she's nicely full up with muck inside now to stop any future disasters!

now that`s an improvement..well done that man!

Thats looking great, and I know exactly what you mean about being a bit sad that the weldings all done. I was the same when I did my sills and back quarters.

 

Feel proud thats another one saved!

Looking good matey, I hope she's nicely full up with muck inside now to stop any future disasters!

Full of muck??

You saying my interior is muck?

TAKE THAT BACK you shlaaaaaggggg.......lol

I have done the passenger sill with dinitrol and will do the drivers sill tomorrow if the kids let me out to play.......lol

Today I seam sealer'd everything....... and then undersealed the entire repair on the underfloor.........then I painted the sill with stone chip ( forgot to say I hammerite'd everything repaired, yesterday evening )......

During the drying time of the stone chip paint........lol

I recovered the interior trim of my targa tops with some black vinyl to match the rear panels.....

I then used some MS polymer adhesive to fix the side skirt back on the car and taped it in place..... this was hard to get it to stay stuck where it is supposed to be, tight to the bodywork......

I am going to put a couple of self tappers in when I get some nice stainless ones tomorrow....

I then wrapped every panel on the roof......Targa's, front and back roof sections, middle targa bar, all little trim pieces..... I am also going to wrap the front pillars tomorrow and the sail pillars....

I then went on to dynamat the roof panels and rear quarter panels while I can....lol

Next was to refit all the roof lining, seals, sun visors, rear view mirror, lights, etc.......

Been a busy bunny today.....

Now I'm off to fit a pilar pod to my pillar trim...... boost gauge and pod I forgot I had bought years ago and found in a box today....... along with an old toad alarm, an old clifford alarm and a new set of 6x9 speakers.....ebay time........lol

I will add pics in a while....

 

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now that`s an improvement..well done that man!

 

cheers Santa..... Bit of a difference since you visited.....

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Thats looking great, and I know exactly what you mean about being a bit sad that the weldings all done. I was the same when I did my sills and back quarters.

 

Feel proud thats another one saved!

Thanks for that Ossian.....