1972 Canadian H-Code 340 Dart Swinger Special Resto - Finally started!
Spent a few hours yesterday and today working on my front valance, started of by sanding off the dipping residue to reveal all the problem areas that previous repairs were made,
First thing I needed to to was remove the bracket on the backside that bolts to the rad support since its wrinkled up pretty good in this area and just in the way preventing doing a proper job. I index its position by drilling two small holes that I can use to put it back exactly where it came off and then drill out the spot welds.
Lots of dolly work and pick and file, for those that aren't sure what I mean by pick and file it's when I have some areas that are revealed by running the body file over the area after hammer and dollying the damaged area,
Here you can see the low areas that I then used the pointed pick side of the body hammer to lift these areas very slightly and carefully placed hammer blows that then are shaved off with the body file.
Now I'm not the most skilled at this so better metal workers then me can take it further to minimize or require no filler, the important thing with this procedure is to know when to stop since your removing some of the steel with each stroke and then the grinder. One doesn't want to overly thin the metal especially since your going to use a small skim of filler most likely anyway.
So this is where I decide to stop and let the filler finish the job, then moved to the centre straighten the area then weld up the holes that used to hold the centre bracket leaving the index holes. I like to weld from both sides since the side that has the copper backer usually is porous and not great for spot welding back onto.
Then work out the all the damage on the right side and like I said since these areas have been Mickey Mouse repaired and hit with a grinder previously you want to know when to stop removing steel so you don't end up with a paper thin panel and let the filler make it perfect. Managed to cut down on the filler needed by probably 85 percent from what was in it. Just need to spot weld the bracket back on and the metal work on these is done.
Spent a few hours yesterday and today working on my front valance, started of by sanding off the dipping residue to reveal all the problem areas that previous repairs were made,
First thing I needed to to was remove the bracket on the backside that bolts to the rad support since its wrinkled up pretty good in this area and just in the way preventing doing a proper job. I index its position by drilling two small holes that I can use to put it back exactly where it came off and then drill out the spot welds.
Lots of dolly work and pick and file, for those that aren't sure what I mean by pick and file it's when I have some areas that are revealed by running the body file over the area after hammer and dollying the damaged area,
Here you can see the low areas that I then used the pointed pick side of the body hammer to lift these areas very slightly and carefully placed hammer blows that then are shaved off with the body file.
Now I'm not the most skilled at this so better metal workers then me can take it further to minimize or require no filler, the important thing with this procedure is to know when to stop since your removing some of the steel with each stroke and then the grinder. One doesn't want to overly thin the metal especially since your going to use a small skim of filler most likely anyway.
So this is where I decide to stop and let the filler finish the job, then moved to the centre straighten the area then weld up the holes that used to hold the centre bracket leaving the index holes. I like to weld from both sides since the side that has the copper backer usually is porous and not great for spot welding back onto.
Then work out the all the damage on the right side and like I said since these areas have been Mickey Mouse repaired and hit with a grinder previously you want to know when to stop removing steel so you don't end up with a paper thin panel and let the filler make it perfect. Managed to cut down on the filler needed by probably 85 percent from what was in it. Just need to spot weld the bracket back on and the metal work on these is done.
