Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

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dgalietti
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:44 pm

Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by dgalietti »

Hello!

I am getting to the point in my project where I need to weld in the new trunk floor so I have an attachment point for the gas tank.

For anyone that has done the job and is familiar with the sheetmetal parts that are available.. Do you have any tips or things that I should watch out for?

Here is my plan:

I already have the center trunk pan.

There are the trunk floor sides and extensions that are also sold separately... I am going to order both side pieces for the left and right.

I plan to fit the side pieces, and then weld them together.

The fit them to the trunk pan... And weld each assembly to the new trunk pan.

Then cut the whole entire mess out of the car..

(I will need to further weld some simple patches to my new assembly that arent included.)

And then weld the whole mess into the trunk as one piece.

What do you think?

Is ther anything that I'm missing?

I can upload some pictures if it would help.. But I plan on replacing pretty much everything anyway.

Thanks for the help!
-David
dgalietti
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:44 pm

Re: Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by dgalietti »

Here are a few pics..
1009192026c.jpg
1009192026a.jpg
1009192026b.jpg
jtschug
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:33 pm

Re: Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by jtschug »

Like an old farm house, even things that look square and true on the car are not. These cars were welded together on an assembly line running as fast as possible and they don't all come out of that process identical. These days car bodies are welded by robots and they are more accurate, but they too also vary. When I worked at Wayne Assembly Plant during the 90's we had two parallel robot lines making Escort bodies. One of the lines made a car 1/2" wider than the other line. Ford used various means to absorb body-to-body variation so it isn't too obvious, but a careful eye can see it. If you weld all these parts together before you install them into the car they will not fit as well, and they won't look as good as if you weld them into your car one at a time because the joints between the panels will absorb some of the variation in the body.
1966 Thunderbird Convertible (Emberglo / White-Emberglo)
Modified 428 - stroked, rollercam, aluminum top end, headers
Livermore, CA
dgalietti
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 7:44 pm

Re: Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by dgalietti »

jtschug

That actually make a lot of sense.. So I will revise my plan a bit.

1-I will fit the 2 side pieces in the car and tack them together.. then take them out and finish welding them.

2-Mark, check, and cut out all of the sheet metal being replaced.

3- fit all of the panels, clean and prep, make adjustments as necessary.

4- weld the the two side assemblies in

5- weld in the two remaining patches that I will have to fabricate

6- fit and weld in center trunk floor.

7- prime, seam seal, and paint.


Thoughts?

I'm comfortable tackling pretty much any project, but I don't have a ton of experience replacing large sections of sheetmetal like this, so it helps me to go in with a plan.

thanks!
-David
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RedBird64
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Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:42 pm
Location: Bothell Wa.

Re: Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by RedBird64 »

Great story Jtschug! I had an 80-something Escort back in the day and now I wonder if I had a fat one or a skinny one!

Scott
1964 Coupe Wimbledon white/Rangoon Red w/black int. Owned for 42 years. It was my folks car before that (second owners). VTCI # 12013.
jtschug
Posts: 1472
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:33 pm

Re: Tips on welding in new trunk pan and sides

Post by jtschug »

I'm not sure if you are using MIG or TIG for welding, but be very careful about dumping a whole lot of heat into the sheetmetal in one spot at one time.

There are various techniques to help: Plugwelding or stichwelding allows you to join parts with small quick welds you can close up over time and let the piece cool in between. It is great to learn a new skill. Seek out advice some some of the skilled craftsmen out there, (not me :-P)
1966 Thunderbird Convertible (Emberglo / White-Emberglo)
Modified 428 - stroked, rollercam, aluminum top end, headers
Livermore, CA
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