Project "Chihuahua" '65 Formula S Restoration "Estilo Mexicano"

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Day #48:
Things have been stalled out since I decided to sandblast. Towed the vehicle back home where I extracted the motor/transmission and found the body shop did a poor job of removing all of the undercoating. That stuff is thick and stuck on there for good, my hat is off to Chrysler Corporation for finding the correct formula and application technique. Makes it a nightmare for one wanting to remove the sticky stuff, though.

So I am spending all this week finishing up the undercoating removal with the help of the neighborhood "handyman" (a heavy drinker, but only drives a wheel barrow). The body shop used propane and a putty knife. We are using screwdrivers, razor blades, garden tools, etc.

This will also give me time to repaint the motor the correct red/orange and bring the finned valve covers back from the blue sprayed on them (by the machine shop ten years ago) to the correct wrinkle black finish.

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Update Cowl:
At 5:38 PM we found someone willing and able (hopefully qualified) to remove the cowl top to repair and refinish any rust-out. He called at 8:00 PM to report it was off. He said it was more work than he expected, finding the different layered construction and lead in the corners. After a quick sandblasting, we found some perforations around those round "chimneys" in the corners, could have been worse:

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After a lot of debate, we decided to fabricate new pieces for the rotted lower and upper cowl areas. Here is the first foto of what should be quite an undertaking (upper cowl end piece):

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A's are famous for cowl rot.

When I look at one for sale, I put my arm up the vent from the interior as far as I can get it.

Fixing it right is a really big job.
 
You have a dog fish.
We like it.

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I'm a big fan of Rustolem Rusty Metal Primer.
I've always used that and not any of those "reformer" products or coatings.


I would strongly suggest Lord Fusor Crash Durable Adhesive for putting the new cowl top on.
No welding and you won't have any area for moisture once you get it on.
If you weld it, there will be areas that will have the paint burned off.
Someone has a thread on here doing that.
Cowl Rust! What is the best way to fix it?
I've done it too.
I had similar pin holes around the stand pipes and used polyurethane sealant on them.
No point in welding them. Who is going to see it anyway?
 
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adriver said:
You have a dog fish.
We like it.

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If the pin holes are down to clean metal, couldent you temporarily tape it from behind and fill the pinholes w JB weld? Then use epoxy primer over the top to seal them in?



I'm a big fan of Rustolem Rusty Metal Primer.
I've always used that and not any of those "reformer" products or coatings.


I would strongly suggest Lord Fusor Crash Durable Adhesive for putting the new cowl top on.
No welding and you won't have any area for moisture once you get it on.
If you weld it, there will be areas that will have the paint burned off.
Someone has a thread on here doing that.
Cowl Rust! What is the best way to fix it?
I've done it too.
I had similar pin holes around the stand pipes and used polyurethane sealant on them.
No point in welding them. Who is going to see it anyway?
Click to expand...
 
Update: Upper cowl has been patched in all four corners with a total a 6 sheet metal pieces. The welding left a few pinholes. I decided to push in some leftover 3M panel bond 8115 in from the back side to fill those.

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Another Cowl Update: First foto is the passenger side air vent cut out and in the hands of the fabricator. The next two fotos show his efforts to repair the damage to the "base" part and the "chimney" part.

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OH Yah another 65 Barracuda Saved. Lucky were the few and the proud owners. I do have some parts.It takes a few to make a good 1
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Hey just to let you know there is 1 being parted out here in classifieds , I know parts are hard to find I do have a few if needed.
 
Cowl Update: The two "hats/chimneys" have been fabricated all "new' using just one weld to close the "tube". The lower corner pieces received many patches of various sizes and shapes (see posting #36). The first foto shows after a treatment of "Naval Jelly". The second foto shows after the jelly was washed/brushed off using electric drill. Now ready to close welding pinholes with 3M panel adhesive followed by some primer.

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The rusty floorboards (both driver/passenger side) will be fabricated next. Just missed cutting into the factory brake/fuel lines.

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I find it odd, that you took your car to the body shop, but yet are doing the rust repairs at home.
I guess down south, people are scared, or don't have the experience with rust repairs.
 
What happened was the sandblaster introduced me to a fabricator. The fabricator did the cowl repairs. Then I had to decide to employ the fabricator to replace the other rusted metal or take the vehicle back to the body shop? Since i liked the work the fabricator did on the cowl corners, I decided to let him finish up the other sheet metal repairs.

When the fabricator is done, it will be back to the body shop. But it could have gone the other way and the body shop could have done all the rust repair. (I hope it works out this way)
 
Ahh, the sandblaster finding hidden rust for ever.
Its the only way to start a project, clean metal, even if it has a few holes in it.
 
More rust cutting/butchering today. Around the rear window channel and both quarter panels, driver's side outer wheel well. I should not have been surprised at the rot on the inside of the panels, but I was taken aback a bit.

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Check with Autobody Specialties for the floor pans. I am using both their fronts and passenger rear in my wagon. With some trimming they are a very good fit. Ought to save your fabricator quite a bit of time!
 
Cleaning up the fabricated sheet metal: Naval Jelly, buffing with drill/wheels, Ospho (gray in fotos), and finally Rust-Oleum clean metal primer (two coats--white). Can you see my brush marks?

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You are doing fine, keep at it.
 
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