Well, lets do this again!

[mubezzi]

Car was purchased sight unseen and there was some concern regarding the body; risk still taken though. If you want a '69, you have to be extremly patient or willing to do a full restoration. I am not that patient.

[105.31]

Mubezzi, I know the feeling. Waited for ever for a 69 GTJr to come on the market. Grabbed it sight unseen as well, as I couldn't afford to let it stay on the market at the price is was listed for. Otherwise I'd be waiting another 4 years!!! Body is getting stripped this coming week. I'll post a couple of piccys as a comparison with yours. Unless it is really bad, then I'll post some piccys after I stop crying!!!

[peterosefirepit]

the heating and hammering part one more time, Are you using the TIG torch after the fill rod for the reheat, how long between weld and reheat? also, are you grinding the weld on both sides before the hammer work? and lastly, what rod are you using and the pattern of the weld, any quenching? This is great, I get to ask questions Ive always wondered about and they ACTUALLY GET ANSEWERED! You must know how fantastic this is for all of us to follow!

[akitaman]

Okay, No special filler rod. Just standard copper coated rod. To keep from panel warpage I tack the corners then sub-divide the rest of the panel again and again until I have about two to three inches of gap from spot weld to spot weld. Next I run a bead at each corner about an inch long. After that I relocate to each corner and build the bead out. Closing in from one side to the other. As to keep the heat from building up in any given area. When I'm done and the panel is cool to the touch, then I use my oxyacetylene torch and heat the weld to a cherry red condition, (about an inch long) then hammer and dolly it smooth. If all goes well very little to no grinding is required. I hope this answers your question. If not, when I start the panel work I'll take pictures to help.

[sono veL.O.ce]

Akitaman,
I do a bunch of welding and fab work (not cars), but have had a bad experience with the american replacement panels into a rusty old alfa. I would love to see that tig/anneal/planish process in pictures. I would really, really love it.

You do great work.

[akitaman]

When we get there I'll do just that.

Daron

P.s. we are still on the fence as to who's replacement metal we are going to use.

[mubezzi]

Just off the phone with Re-Originals. They are sending an order to a factory in Italy for another batch of panels. The factory apparently uses the original molds to stamp German steel. The factory will shut-down for August break in a week or so; time to get that order in. Re-Originals needs the order by tomorrow afternoon.

I am looking at purchasing the left and right rear wing (complete) panels along with complete inner, middle and outer sill panels, both left and right side. This should get half the car to her original beauty. When the factory reopens, I will look at the front wing panels.

[Sneds 67 GT]

These pics scare the #### out of me! I'm gonna look at mine from the angles you stated. Would it have been better to completely remove all suspension before it went to sandblast? What could the suspension hide under the car that would not be found along with all these patches? Will the car be returned to blasting once the suspension has been removed? Thanks for taking the time to help and sharing all your great knowledge.

[akitaman]

The first four or five times I did this (to other types of cars) it scared me too. But I almost never worry about it anymore because honestly Alfa's are not as complex as other Marks.
As for the suspension, ya it would have been nice to have pulled it off, but we don't have a rotisserie that I would be willing to leave with the blasters. And no, the suspension doen't really hide anything we didn't already know about.

[akitaman]

Today the "drying-in" process started. This means a high quality epoxy primer was shot on the bare steel as lock the metal in, and protect it against rust. Folks I know who use to work for the Harrah's collection, once told me that when they did a dry-in, they would leave the car untouched for up to a year!

[Alex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akitaman Folks I know who use to work for the Harrah's collection, once told me that when they did a dry-in, they would leave the car untouched for up to a year!

[akitaman]

Alex! I never knew you painted! GeeWez man. The stories you and could share.

[GoldCloverLeaf]

I would agree about the Alfaholics panels, they are excellent quality, but i only have outer sills and the 4 wing bottom sections but most panels are available on the website. Shipping isnt cheap but re-originals seems to be very expensive from what i have seen.

[Sneds 67 GT]

Just a question from a body repair newbie. Would the dry in time be greatly reduced by placing the auto in a dry oven/spray booth at a body shop? I would think the restoration shop at Harrahs would have access to one of these, and I wondered why they wouldn't use one. Do they distort panels?

Also, I noticed that the primer was sprayed on over the existing patches, did I see that right? Won't you sand off most of the primer during the metal work stage? Maybe I'm missing something, I would love to understand how all this will come together.

Thanks for posting the pics, its valuable reference for us trying to learn!
Todd S.

[mubezzi]

Panel order by Re-Originals to factory in Italy has been delayed by one day. I have reached out to family in Torino to inquire about who is manufacturing panels. A cousin owns a paint and varnish factory in Torino as they supply paint and specialty coatings to Fiat and others in Europe (http://www.albesiano.com). Would be nice to buy directly from the factory that is manufacturing panels...