Project Poncho: Daily Driven Muscle Car

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Do you like the finger sander better than the spot weld cutter? Or in conjunction with? 
Thanks

And yea, likes been said, everyone has bitten off too much. Hard to see it for yourself sometimes, but you are doing a great job with it! 
 

03Panther said:

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Do you like the finger sander better than the spot weld cutter? Or in conjunction with? 
Thanks

I've actually never used one. I was just echoing what NOHOME said. 🤘🏻😎 

Hey, NOHOME:

Do you like the finger sander better than the spot weld cutter? Or in conjunction with? 
Thanks

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

I appreciate it. I'm hoping getting better with that floorpan will help me get decent results at the rear window

In reply to budget_bandit :

Fab work in large batches can be exhausting. Sometimes, you gotta switch to something else for a bit to give your noggin a break. 

I've found this to be especially true when working with sheetmetal, due to the sheer mental effort of prepping and welding thin stuff.

You'll get better very quickly. I love sheetmetal fab. Try out the 'tack and go' method for butt welding sheets. Turn the welder up hot enough to blow through if you were laying a normal bead. Give it a solid "one mississippi" fully penetrating hot tack, then move over by half that tack width, and stack another hot "one mississippi" tack overlapping the last one after it stops glowing red. Go an inch or so like that, overlapping tack by tack, then jump around to other parts so you don't warp the panel. Then grind them all down. I find the tack-and-go way less frustrating when welding thin stuff, because otherwise you will blow through too hot or weld too cold like your last pictures of the floorpan may have looked. 

i appreciate all the feedback. my frustration (at the time) stemmed from trying to fit the new trunk center pan. i got a little trigger-happy and cut off too much of the pan in some places, and there are wierd radii everywhere so getting it to fit right is difficult.

using the NOHOME method (and shielding gas), ive gotten to where i can comfortably weld up sheet metal without blowing thru it. at least that part is not my difficulty.

now, i need some sheet metal and i dont want to pay full price for it. how does the group feel about using filing cabinets? i dont need super thick stuff, probably 18-20ga for floor patches and window channel rebuilding. good idea, bad idea? 

budget_bandit said:

how does the group feel about using filing cabinets? i dont need super thick stuff, probably 18-20ga for floor patches and window channel rebuilding. good idea, bad idea? 

great idea, definitely fits the GRM ethos.

filing cabinets + moving blankets + duct tape = engine box and firewall 

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

budget_bandit said:

how does the group feel about using filing cabinets? i dont need super thick stuff, probably 18-20ga for floor patches and window channel rebuilding. good idea, bad idea? 

great idea, definitely fits the GRM ethos.

filing cabinets + moving blankets + duct tape = engine box and firewall 

I also reference the GRM'er that built his entire car, mostly from scrap appliances! (32 Datsun) He's my hero - started with way less skills than budget bandit, and built his own car from scratch!

Filing cabinet are thin and don't weld worth a damn in my experience. 

Where are you? Stock car steel here in mooresville has cheap blem 4x8 sheetmetal sheets 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

In Knoville, looks like about 4 hours away from you. Local metal supply quoted me 4'x4' 18ga for ~$90. They sell offcuts for scrap price, but obviously subject to randomness. Last time i went they only had super thick sheet

In reply to budget_bandit :

So, is a 4 hour drive worth it is the question? I think that the last 4x8 sheet of 20 gauge cost me 30 bucks, but id need to confirm the prices again before you make the trip.

Other option is that i could grab it for you, then you could come outside of business hours and not have to take time off work if this is something appealing. 

Dusterbd13-michael said:

In reply to budget_bandit :

Other option is that i could grab it for you, then you could come outside of business hours and not have to take time off work if this is something appealing. 

the win there is you get to hang out with Duster. 

AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:

Dusterbd13-michael said:

In reply to budget_bandit :

Other option is that i could grab it for you, then you could come outside of business hours and not have to take time off work if this is something appealing. 

the win there is you get to hang out with Duster. 

Im not sure that's a selling point.

I used to work the door at a nightclub in Knoxville 20 years ago....

budget_bandit said:

Well, it's a little ugly, but the driver's side floor is patched! If i wasn't on a strict budget, it would have been worth the $100 for a purchased patch...but doing it from scratch helped me a ton with my fab skills. Should make the repairs around the rear window channel easier...

Quick pass with a flappy disc and a shot of bedliner and it will look like new.  Sort of.  Except for the bedliner.

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I do really appreciate the offer. Unfortunately fuel costs for the round trip would cancel out any savings. I'll keep an eye on the scrap pile at the local spot, they're bound to get some better inventory sooner or later

Trunk pan is in! (Structurally, at least. Keen eyes will notice some gaps still to be filled to neighboring sheet metal). It's welded to the rear of the old pan, and welded to the tank support straps underneath! I'm counting this as a huge victory. And emotionally, it makes me feel like i might be able to pull this off after all.

More progress on the trunk last night. Frustratingly, i can't see the back surface of the sides of the existing trunk, so i can't tell how thin it is until i put the gun on it and it blows a hole in it...gotta cut more metal out. Maybe i'll make another trip to the scrap pile at the local supply and see if they have any metal for me

trunk progress. Yes, i know it looks awful. But it's strong, and once i get the carpet in, nobody will know (except you guys)

That is definitely NOT awful. It is actually really good.

You are putting in the work, closely following the shapes of the metal. It takes patience and a ton of man hours, and it shows.

In reply to Piguin :

He is definitely a lot better than average. And better than he thinks. That's a good thing, on both counts!

Thats going to flap wheel and seam seal out really nice.

budget_bandit said:

trunk progress... it's strong.

I kept the important parts. Nice work! Learning, improving, and making tangible progress. 10/10, would read again.

Nice job man, this thing is going to be sweet when it's done.