Right Longitudinal Finished

There is a reason the people who have written restoration articles suggest doing the outer longitudinals before doing the floor pan. The reason, in two words: clamping room.

OK, ok, so I put off doing the right side outer longitudinal. I've had it cut off for weeks now, along with the rocker panel, and I should have done it before the floor pan. It was really rusty, and I couldn't wait to get rid of it. I didn't finish the job though, because I got excited about lack of daylight through the bottom of the car, and I figured I'd just do it next. After all, it is adjacent to the floor and underneath it, not sandwiched between it or something.

So I took my replacement outer longitudinal and started fitting it up, just like I'd done on the left side, only about twice as fast (everything comes much quicker after even minimal experience). About 5 minutes into this I realized that since the floor pan was now in place, I wasn't going to be able to clamp the bottom edge of the longitudinal to the inner longitudinal sill. The floor pan was blocking that. Therefore, I was going to have to secure the bottom edge of the longitudinal to the sill with self-tapping screws, which work fine, but are much more of a pain in the butt than clamps. Oh well, don't be like me. Do the outer longitudinals before the floor pan.

The rest of the exercise went off without too much trouble. First, I re-created the heater tube supports. Again, I had replacement stampings, but they don't accurately simulate the originals, at least for "C" cars. The "extensions" that interface with the flexible center section of the heater tubes are completely missing. I was rushing, too, I admit it. The extensions should fit inside the tube, and large worm-drive clamps should hold the flex section to the extensions. On the right side, I (accidentally) made extensions that fit outside the flexible section. This metal, lacking the flex of the rubber ends on the flexible pipe, doesn't compress well with the clamps. I ended up securing the flexible section of heater tube in place with duct tape. I mean, this is what that kind of tape is really for, after all, right?!?!? Also, you are never going to see this after the longitudinal is closed up. I hope.

I also painted the interior of the longitudinal with Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator, after wire brushing all the surface rust off and wiping with lacquer thinner. I painted the replacement outer longitudinal with rattle-can zinc-rich primer from Rustoleum, like on the other side. That should, in theory, provide good lasting protection. I mean, the panel was already e-coated with some sort of rust inhibiting primer.

Unlike on the left side, I made a major modification to the right side outer longitudinal patch panel by sectioning it into two pieces at the rear heater tube support. This was because the heater tube supports, as replaced, wanted to press against the outside of the longitudinal and mess up the contour. I know, I am probably off 1/4-1/2" in how things are supposed to fit, and so I am compromising a bit, but the results turned out OK. I cut the panel where the rear heater tube support is, and welded in the front section first. Then I fitted the rear section and butt-welded it to the front section. After grinding, and when I primer/paint this section, it will be difficult to tell I made this modification, but the fit is definitely better, so it was a good idea. Now, the bottom of the car has been completely replaced! There is pretty much nothing left except for the front "struts," which usually need to be replaced but heavy rust-proofing goo saved my car. I've done the whole battery box, the diagonal brace, the floor pan, the outer longitudinals, the inner longitudinal lower edges, the tunnel lower edges, both left and right side rear frame sections, and the whole engine compartment. The frame is more or less finished, except for closing panels on the longitudinals. This is a major accomplishment.

Bodywork next moves on to the actual body, where I will put my acquired welding skills to the test. Don't look now, but I'm even getting crazy ideas in my head about painting the car myself!

Posted by pbrown at July 11, 2004 10:13 PM