structure of battery tray/firewall/wheel arch area
#17
What I cut out and weld back in depends on where the rust is. From your pics, I'm going to say you're going to need almost the whole bottom of the battery tray, the bottom couple inches of the panel that contains the chassis number, the bottom 2 inches of the box section on the passenger side of battery box (it has three rubber plugs in it) and a part of the wheel well about 4"x6". The new pieces come from solid donor cars. Because of the way the pieces are attached and the way I do it, I get pieces from two donor cars. I think I have pics of a repair on my computer, ill see if I can find them.
If there was any way to do it as 1 piece that would be better although I suppose I could find another donor piece if it's really necessary.
If you have pics that would be great thanks.
#18
I haven't found the pics yet. Its not possible to do it in one piece, there is no way to fit it in in one piece. You have to cut away the bad first, then replace the box section piece and the firewall pieces first. The battery bottom goes in next and then the wheel well piece "caps" it off. You have to do it in this order for fittment and access for welding.
#19
I shouldn't say it "has" to be done in that order but that is the way I've found to be easiest. You're probably going to find the rust is further than you think, it tends to creep under the coating. The soft spot is where the rust hole is, the seams where the pieces meet will not be reuseable. You're probably going to find rust inside the box section as well, especially on the wheel well piece. You can use the pieces from one donor car if you can seperate them cleanly. I usually destroy the wheel well piece to save the other two and then get a new wheel well piece.
#20
It's a pet peeve of mine to find unfinished threads. People lose interest in their own threads once they get a resolution. There's nothing worse than finding an archived thread from someone who had a problem just like yours only to find they haven't bothered to say what happened in the end!
So, here is the last chapter in this particular adventure: http://www.kcws.org/forum/showthread...repair-the-end
The tldr version is I had a classic restoration shop cut out and weld in the new pieces, including the wheel arch bit, then coat it in a rubberized undercoat and paint it. Pretty much factory finish, never to be worried about again. It was a ton of work, but this is the way I'd do it again if I ever had to. But I will also make bloody sure I never have to.
So, here is the last chapter in this particular adventure: http://www.kcws.org/forum/showthread...repair-the-end
The tldr version is I had a classic restoration shop cut out and weld in the new pieces, including the wheel arch bit, then coat it in a rubberized undercoat and paint it. Pretty much factory finish, never to be worried about again. It was a ton of work, but this is the way I'd do it again if I ever had to. But I will also make bloody sure I never have to.
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damientheo (08-04-2023)
#22
Yeah I'm sorry to say that site was taken down a while back. For what it's worth, that wasn't actually the last on the matter. It leaked again around a year or two later, and I had to get another shop to take another look.
TBH the thread didn't show the details of how it was done anyway since I didn't really have pics of that - just before and after, and one in the middle with the floor of the tray cut out. I wish I could give you more advice but this is a tricky problem that you need someone who's interested in it for.
TBH the thread didn't show the details of how it was done anyway since I didn't really have pics of that - just before and after, and one in the middle with the floor of the tray cut out. I wish I could give you more advice but this is a tricky problem that you need someone who's interested in it for.