Rust restoration/suspension up grade

AtracYota91

New member
Shaggz00":3bfn7pst said:
Yeah, my donor car was at a junkyard, so it was half in the mud. I just took a sawzall to it, and got a section of inner fender and a section of outer skin. I'm a welder by profession, and I do it all, but for some reason automotive sheet metal intimidates me, haha.

Truthfully I really need a whole left quarter, because the back corner has been repaired before (and not well I might add). best thing for me would be to buy a cheap donor car, bring it home, do the sheet metal swap, and junk the rest of the car. I just don't have the time to dedicate at a junkyard removing a whole quarter.

Did you buy one of those special spot weld drill bits?

Trust me once you start taking it apart by drilling spot welds it's easy. It's pretty hard to mess up when all your doing is lining up spot welds by counting them. Make sure you have way more than enoff to work with on you donor piece. As for the out side goes. Cut a nice enven peice of your quarter and do the same with your good quarter. Only making the good peice an inch or so over just to be safe. That's what I plan on doing with mine. Then my plan is to line it up perfectly an run tape along the top of my good peice onto the bad section. Then I will just cut the tape with a razor riding the razor along the top of the good piece. I will then remove the good piece and cut along the bottom the tape on the bad section with a angle grinder. But before I cut the whole thing I'm going to line up the quarters again to be on the safe side. I'm only doing that so I can make sure I have a small enoff gap for my welds. Once you start taking sections apart and cutting out your old stuff u will relize it's simple. I'm 25 run crane at a steel mill haha and I'm doing ok I think? You should have way more than enoff skills since your a welder to pull off that body work. I've never done body work in my life untill about a week ago. I helped do my driver side but the passenger side was all me. But anyway your best bet is to get a whole parts car. I got a whole st for $200 got what I needed scraped it and made my money back. Them drill bits I got at a local welding and paint store. There nothing really special it's basically a 3/8s" hole saw with a sharp point on a spring so it stays centered. They are so nice. I used a punch and hit dead center of the spot welds before I use that bit. Once that bit jumps off the area you are drilling it snaps fairly easy. So yeah use a punch. They stay sharp so I'm sure that's cause they are high carbon steel that's y they break easy. Can't get the best of both worlds I guess.
 

AtracYota91

New member
Just started welding up brackets and prepping the main rocker so I can get that welded up. Here's some pics of last nights work.
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AtracYota91

New member
Just finished boxing in the area where the car should be jacked up! Not the middle of the rocker like I seem some people do.. :doh: Anyway here's the finished product of that.
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Here's the lip I made to come off the floor to connect the rocker.
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I started the inner rocker then ran out of Aragon.
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I busted my ass today but she's looking good!!!! 8) Round 2 starting this afternoon.
 

AtracYota91

New member
I haven't posted anything latly. I've been pretty busy working 12s. But ya the rocker is pretty much done tho! Inside the rocker is all painted floor patched and everything is all sealed up. All I have left really is small patch work on the rear iner fender and more spot welding the rocker in. With that all said here's some pictures!
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AtracYota91

New member
Here's some of the stuff I have left to finish..
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Well that is about it for that rocker! Not to bad for a 25 year old that never done body work before ehhh?
 

ALLensTRAC

New member
:shock: :shock:
Holy Hell man!!!!! This is truly impressive sir!!! I'm all worried about a rotted rear quarter panel and you did this? Inspiration is an understatement! It makes me happy to see so many people here going all out with their builds. Keep it up man its going to be worth it in the end!!!!
 

AtracYota91

New member
ALLensTRAC":1zx43fyb said:
:shock: :shock:
Holy Hell man!!!!! This is truly impressive sir!!! I'm all worried about a rotted rear quarter panel and you did this? Inspiration is an understatement! It makes me happy to see so many people here going all out with their builds. Keep it up man its going to be worth it in the end!!!!


Thanks man. Yeah I did the whole passenger side my self and I put a shit ton of hours in it! I still have a lot more to do yet on the car. Like both bottom rear quarters are shot. Those will be tricky since I have to make them from scratch. Then I need to run 1x1 square tube along the foor of the car for my new sway bar mounting point. But yeah like you said its gonna be all worth it.
 
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