AE86 booter project

[Myles1970]

A few pics from the inner wing/wheel well repair...




...and the nearside chassis rail and apron are welded on:



...and at last, time to start on the driver side floor:



The repair panel is short . Have to add about an inch on one side.... I've also found that my 6mm holes for mig/plug welds aren't up to much, so I've gone for 8mm drilled holes. Shame really as my €50 air flanger/punch has been working a treat (I'm on my second after the first was useless)...

 

[Cosantoir]

First off a booted cam.... LOVE IT I spent many a day in my early 20's in a yard with these and Silvias.
For someone who says they dont have experience you are WAY more together than I would ever expect to be but you're setting a standard that now with my project I'm like no do it right!

I've also learned of a few sites like buy steel online and there is such thing as an air flanger/ punch that will make life so much easier when I get to these steps and wow I'm really jealous of the rotisserie it would make life so much easier for some of the prep work. I'm starting to think may I should pull the engine out.

Also I've got issues with my outriggers ones corroded and the other isn't rusty because it's simply not there anymore and driver side footwell has a similar Simpsons look about it so it's great to see similar work done and the steps taken. How did you manage to get the ridges on the floor so perfect did you cut out some metal the was offset to the size you wanted or use timber or what? As the angles look spot on

 

[Myles1970]

Yep, always loved twincams ... but they've gotten so expensive that this was the only way I could get one ...my main advantage is that I'm not working to a deadline, otherwise I would rush and take shortcuts (I've learned they're rarely worth it). I still tend to get carried away and forget to eat, drink tea etc., I find that it's often a good idea to take a step back; something I should have done today and maybe I wouldn't have burned through so many times on the patch I'd spent a couple of hours perfecting

Do the outrigger same as I did, but just turn the template inside out for the opposite side

Anyway, the floor section was copied from the passenger side and reversed as the previous restorer had cut the rusted area out so I had nothing to work to. I tried a few methods, and had most success with hammer/blunted bolster/2mm plate cut into ice lolly stick shape.....used CAD also (cardboard aided design)

HTH

 

[Myles1970]

...so I'd seen this old repair and was happy enough to leave it....



... until I looked a bit closer:

...this is the patch removed. Don't know how well you can see it, but it looks like a lap joint that's gone bad.

Cut out and patch made.... No pics unfortunately, but I ended up blowing through so much that I decided to start again (more haste: less speed)

...here you can also see another patch from a second hand firewall as the metal here was worn thin and pitted

More to follow. Lesson learned? Take breaks!

 

[Myles1970]

Yea, decided to go over it again, stitches, moving back and forth... Wasn't happy with all the pinholes before...


Made up this patch again for the wheel well...



Zinc primer to preserve it for the time being...



....3hours seems to be the optimal time for working on it for me.. . any longer and things seem to go rapidly south ... must be old age. I was sorely tempted to weld the last patch using the tig process, but I resisted; partly because there's no need in this area as it will only be seen when the wings are off, and partly because this was my second attempt at this one and I don't fancy making the same patch a third time

Overall I'm happy with the welding, even though I forgot to put weld thru primer on the fresh metal where it meets the seam of the bulkhead

 

[Myles1970]

So while tipping away at the floor/firewall I looked up and saw this:-



...and on the passenger side:-



One side painted, the other primed and sealed but not painted. Makes me think that this is where the previous owner stopped!?!

... don't know whether to cut them out and but-weld them or to finish the driver side in the same fashion. I think I'll carry on with the floor and front pocket and get that completed before I decide (I don't know why the cowboy emoji just came up while I typed that)

 

[Cosantoir]

How is that weldable primer working for you? What brand are you using and where are you getting it from?

On a side note I think I'm gonna need some circles on the I looked up and seen this pics I don't think I'm good enough to spot the problems

 

[Myles1970]

It's halfrauds weld-thru zinc primer... Seems ok. It's to protect between seams until I seam seal it. I've also used it on any bare metal as a temporary fix until I'm ready to paint. I've got some spray Maxx 2pk epoxy primer for that...


.... this what you meant by circles?

 

[Cosantoir]

Exactly. Is this pitting or a previous repair?

 

[Myles1970]

Exactly. Is this pitting or a previous repair?

Previous repair...

 

[Myles1970]

Finally welded the patch for the front pocket on, and made a start on the floor:

 

[Cosantoir]

Every time I see this floor pan I'm in awe

 

[Myles1970]

 

[Ruffian]

4-age or
1.8 black top vvti?

 

[Myles1970]

4-age or
1.8 black top vvti?

4age 20v blacktop... I know it's not crazy power but it means I can keep the ae86 gbox and diff, also it's got itb's.
Came with complete engine loom and ecu....just need a dizzy relocate kit and water piping.
On the minus side, it's spun a bearing so first job is to get the crank checked & go from there

 

[Myles1970]

Getting there.... Probably should have used 1.0mm sheet ...on the plus side u-pol weld-thru is shiny

 

[Cosantoir]

The bit of primer really gets the look of neglect off a car.

Why would you have preferred 1mm over what you used (I assume 0.8?)

How long donyou think it took to make that floor piece?

 

[Myles1970]

Why would you have preferred 1mm over what you used (I assume 0.8?)
- I found it difficult to accurately measure the thickness of the floor as it's got some coating on it and using flap disk to remove it must've left the parent metal thin. Now, the repair is somewhat softer than the original..



How long donyou think it took to make that floor piece?

Hard to say. I tried making and using a wooden 'buck', on some 1.2mm metal but had better success with a hammer and blunted bolster against 0.8mm steel.
For an anvil I had some rsj offcuts in combination with a 2mm steel 'lolipop stick'.

I hope this makes some kind of sense

 

[Myles1970]

Why would you have preferred 1mm over what you used (I assume 0.8?)QUOTE]

Having actually finished welding the whole section in, I'm happier now that there seems to be much less flex; similar to the rest of the floor

 

[Myles1970]