Well, lets do this again! - Page 10

**akitaman** · #**136** (**permalink**) 08-28-2006, 04:46 PM

Oops, I forgot the end results of todays labor.

This section isn't done yet, but is coming together beautifully. The end results will be near perfect.

Who ever did the work last time didn't do a horrible job on this but it wasn't welded very well either.

"We cut a little extra weight off, Rusty!" you should pick up about, uh .....a 10th of a second next time around!

arvorio 105 · #**137** (**permalink**) 08-28-2006, 11:31 PM

Hey Akitaman, new avatar?! Can't quite make out the text at the top. New business name? Thanks again for your detailed photos, always interested to see Mr. Alfas products in a state of undress, it then becomes more obvious why they corrode in the areas they do

The method the factory used to join front and rear panels to guards and rear quarters (at each corner of the car) looks like some sort of beaded weld which has been hammered flat? Is this unusual? Most other auto co's seem to use lead loaded lap panels where areas need to be hidden, from what I've noticed. Does this make your job any more difficult?

P.S. Nice shed! Plasterboard walls etc. Looks almost good enough to live in

**akitaman** · #**138** (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 05:33 AM

My company name is Vintage, Customs & paint. That's my new logo! My wife designed it. We will reproduce the factory welding technic. 3/4 of the panel will be resistant welded (I'll take pictures) and the rest is going to be Tig welded and forged dolly to a flat finish.

**akitaman** · #**139** (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 02:22 PM

Someone once said, "nothing worth doing, is without it's casualties". On my way to get some fenders for our project here, my windshield was hit by a rock half the size of your hand! See big semi-truck drivers on the road, reminds us that our economy is doing well. Living in a city that is a major sea port one needs to understand that the trucks aren't going anywhere. My gripe is, WHY DON'T THEY USE THERE DOG-GONE COVERS OVER THE LOAD!

Now that's over, the fenders will be near perfect! once there on. The photo is an illusion. Their in rather good shape.

karmat · #**140** (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 05:32 PM

Hey Akitaman, I'm in Portland and I've got a 1968 GTV which I've decided to part (moved it here from Ohio... rust in some parts is bad, okay in others--most major panels are ok). It's already pretty stripped down as I was working to restore it in Ohio before I moved to the rust free-er Northwest.

I need to get a bunch of stuff off it still to put on my other car. Bu if you need panels, I might be able to help. I need most of the non-panel stuff. What are you still in need of for Mubezzi's car?

Your PM box is full so I can't give you my phone # to call.

VERY nice work, BTW.

NOTE to everyone else: I'm not getting rid of anything but the body panels, please don't ask.

Karl

**akitaman** · #**141** (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 05:51 PM

Hey Karl, sounds like a road trip is in my future. Sorry about the P.M. box. I have to empty it about once a week. Try again, I'll be waiting.

karmat · #**142** (**permalink**) 08-29-2006, 07:41 PM

No problem.

I'm sure people are bugging you with questions all the time. I P/M'ed you with my contact info.

For the record, the lower few inches of all the side panels are not too good, the lower front is banged up, but the back is okay. Everything upward from that is decent, including the step-front upper nose (not that you need that part for Mubezzi's car).

Karl

**akitaman** · #**143** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 10:19 AM

So, I get a lot of P.m.'s asking "how can I tell if a car I'm looking at has been hit" Here's something to look at. Behind the rear bumper is where the factory spot welds are for the rear valance. If you can tell there location, then the chances are the car was not rear ended. Another thing to look at is inside the trunk. The rear of the floor should be square to the rear of the car.

I use a special spot weld drill to cut the welds out, with out cutting the secondary metal.

Once removed the rear panel gives me great access to the back of the floor to do some repairs. As well for the spare tire bowl, bumper brackets, right rear mud guard.

I'm leaving a section of the vertical in place so the rear can't shift on me.

I'll remove the rest of this when I weld in some braces later.

**endel** · #**144** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 10:36 AM

I'm curious... when you do a restoration for a client, do you provide as many pictures as you have here, or is it on a car by car basis? I'm glad you know how to put that stuff back together.

**akitaman** · #**145** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 10:52 AM

Normally they get more pictures then bb. I find that it helps them understand the amount of work going into there car. It's also helpful to explain the unforeseen things that can come up from time to time. I build on trust, if I have to defend something that needs to be done, then I didn't do a good job on the trust building.
I know I'm a very trust worthy guy, but a new customer doesn't know that until I prove it. I'm a firm believer in the old statement "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care"!

**akitaman** · #**146** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 12:12 PM

I still can't believe that I get paid to do this! Okay, I will start fabing these parts tomorrow when Charlie comes in. The bead roller is a two man unit.

I have to be careful with this inner mud guard, it's paper thin. I need it for a template. Sorry I won't show how I do that. I have to keep some things a trade secrete. Na, I use construction paper and trace it, then place it on to a piece of flat stock. Then put it in the bead roller.

This will start to look much better over the next few days.

Thanks for looking

quadrifoglio · #**147** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 12:19 PM

THis might only apply to your '67 since you are doing it as a sturdy daily driver but do you ever apply sound proofing (bedliner?) to the inside surfaces of the fenders and other 'inside' surfaces such as tail section, rockers, etc...?

**akitaman** · #**148** (**permalink**) 08-30-2006, 12:58 PM

Yup, I apply it every where I can for many reasons, of which sound and rust are at the top of the list. In fact, I did shoot it inside the 67 rear passenger area. Key note: clear the weep holes and then put straws in them while shooting. Remove them when the product dries. When I get to it, I will take pictures. Good question Tim!

**akitaman** · #**149** (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 05:17 PM

Okay, we've turned the corner and now starting to put things together.
We need to focus on the structural things. The right side of spare wheel well is our focus. In the last pictures I removed the rust section. Now, Charlie and I are working on fab'ing new sections.

Using the bead roller, we rolled the top section first.

next we made the, mud guard on the bottom. You'll never see it, because of it's location, but we still built it like the factory. Once again we used the bead roller to reproduce the rolled breaks in the middle of the metal. This stiffens the piece.

Next we spot welded the two together. Just like the factory. If you look on the floor, you can see the control unit to the welder. If you buy one of these, get one with a timer controller. It make things better!

And now the fruits of our labor.....

Here's the before and afters.

In the morning we will finish the wheel well and spare tire area. Unit then here's what we cut out.

And here are the pieces we took out. I'll use them as templates.

Always trying to think forward. We braced up tack welded the door jam so we can remove the rockers in the morning.

Thanks for looking!

**mubezzi** · #**150** (**permalink**) 08-31-2006, 06:01 PM

Akitaman,
This car is going to look so good and the resulting effort will almost be better than new, with the quality of sheet metal and paint. It is going to last a long time as I am sure I will be driving this car for many years to come....