Rear subframe rail rust, mouse nests

[Dunk67]

Delayed on the XL350 engine freshening up. I found NOS .50 over rings for a reasonable price, so honed the cylinder since pistons are unobtainium for this engine, cut valve seats and installing new valves on a big port XR350 head, blasted and painted the cylinder and head. Just about ready to go back together but I'm stuck waiting on parts from overseas, could be a few more weeks for a timing chain.

While I wait, I got back to the '66. I have repop lower quarters and inner quarters, so figured I should start. I wanted to remove the last guy's quick and dirty bondo artistry to evaluate where to cut. This was a pain, and maybe I should have just cut it above the body line since rust is pretty close and at the front upper part of what the replacement panel can cover there is rust that was stuffed with bondo. I paused while I debate whether to cut above or below the body line. Either way I want to keep it close to the line to minimize warping and make it easier to hide sins with a skim coat rather than the 1/4"+ that PO used for his hacks. Thoughts?

It had stopped raining so I decided it might be more prudent to get started in father in law's '63 Tbird floor pan I somehow got roped into. I'll save the details, might make a thread in the earlier year forum section for it. Not impressed with how the factory installed these, but it's out and getting a few coats of Ospho while I consider how best to patch the tunnel and flange by the seat base before installing the new pan.

[dgalietti]

Awesome to see some progress! My lower quarter was about exactly the same. I cut off the outer skin and the inner extension.. and it turns out the replacement inner extension is a pretty poor replacement. It doesn't even have the same shape as the original. Or the drains. It's going to require some massaging.

[Dunk67]

Yes the inner quarter will need some work. At minimum it does not have the proper shape at the rear to joint the quarter and rear valence panel behind the bumper. Fortunately that part of the panel is high and dry, just surface rust. I can use the rear section of the original inner quarter welded to the replacement panel. The wheel opening does not seem to exactly match the original, I'll have to tweak it some and adjust to the skirts for a reasonable fit.

Correct on the drain, the repop panel does not have provisions for the drain. A lot of time to make this by hand for something they could have stamped out at Classic Sheetmetal with one time pain for lifelong gain. Jamieson added the drains to his repop panels, I'm tempted to do this but it's a lot of work for one minor detail that may not matter that much on a car that will not be driven regularly in adverse weather. I'm up in the air whether I want to go through the trouble. How to make inner quarter drains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1cZ9Nilppo

I wish they made better repop panels, but living with what we've got I'm glad they made what they do. Fabricating these from sheet metal would be a lot more work than "fixing" the available panels. I'd gladly pay more for better panels if they needed less work though.

I'm coming down the home stretch of the old man's floor pan on his '63 Bird, started a thread in the '61-'63 section. Still need to do brake work after that on his '63, and my XL350 timing chain came in early so I have some easier projects to finish before getting back to the '66. Somewhere at the end of this mess is my '68 Gaaxie that has been sitting for a decade. That's my light at the end of the tunnel.

[Dunk67]

Little things. With summer humid air here to start rusting things I scuffed up some bits and coated with Eastwood rust encapsulator plus. First time using the product. It's thick and tends to run easily. I brushed it on, serviceable for underbits I've worked on so far. Just want to keep things I've done from turning to a ball of rust. Also coated bottom of the old man's '63 floorpan while I was at it, and the '66 rear bumper brackets I had previously blasted.

Beware if using Eastwood Rust Encapsulator Plus it is chock full of isocyanates and at minimum you need a reasonably well ventilated area and an organic vapor respirator, or better yet a fresh air supply. If spraying you need to cover all skin and eyes and a fresh air supply.

[dgalietti]

That is way too much work to put those drains in.. I will either leave it as is or figure out something easier.

Yes, I also wish we had some better quality sheet metal.. but I think Classic sheet metal does the best they can with what they have. The lower outer quarter repair panels are pretty good. So are the trunk panels and the battery tray repair. They also use the right thickness of sheetmetal.

At this rate you might be welded back together before me. I had my trunk prepped, the side panels fitted perfectly, and everything ready to go and I was just going to do my first weld... and no feed.. my welder died!

[Dunk67]

For the drains I as considering if I could just drill a couple holes and make one fit good enough, or make a larger hole for a cleanout plug like toward the rear of this panel.

Bummer about your welder. Looks like you made good progress ready to go, interesting approach pre-assembling then welding several panels in one shot. Not sure I'll beat you as I have a few projects ahead of this, but if it's a race maybe I need to get moving on this '66.

[dgalietti]

How is it going with the project? I love to see the updates!

[Dunk67]

No progress lately. I took spring off to rebuild engines in two motorcycles, turned into some other projects as well. Hoping to get back to the Tbird soon. Recently picked up some parts that should help.

[Dunk67]

Tbird is not dead. Been knee deep in wee bird, a '64 Falcon we picked up over the winter. Super fun activities such as convertible drain channel repair and cowl repair... All preparing me for getting back to the Tbird.

I practice on the cheap econobox so the finer luxury car comes out nice. Tbird needs some cowl repair as well, for context. Probably marginally better access, or just a different struggle from different angles.