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Tue May 11, 2010 8:25 pm

Hey Everyone, time for another resto thread, or at least the metalwork part. Last year Peter (Euronut) approached me asking if i could do some metalwork on his fastback and i said sure. Since I have had no luck with my search for a summer job I figured i might as well have some fun doing what i like working on cars for the summer. The car is a pretty solid 71 fasty but it does have some problem areas that will need to be dealt with. I got the car today and started by pressure washing it to see what i had to work with then got to it pulling off the rotted part of the front quarter.

Heres some pics of the beast

All the dirt and rust that came out of the front quarter

There will be more updates as i work through it.

Jim

Tue May 11, 2010 8:26 pm

Heres some more pics from today, worked all day and got the inner panel fixed and started work on the brace

New brace mocked up in posterboard

Prototype brace

All this stuff has gotta be hand made since I've seen there is no aftermarket for type 3's

Tue May 11, 2010 8:37 pm

Here is the latest update and where i am today, finished the brace, got it coated in weldthrough primer and plugwelded it on. I also removed the front bumpermount and replaced the metal behind it. Tomorrows job will be to rebuild the bumper mounts.

Sheetmetal screwed on and tacking it together

Welding on it finished and the inside all primed up

Both sides primed and ready to be put together. All the holes around the perimeter are so i can plug weld it on to sort of simulate the factory spotwelds.

Good Penetration on backside

Years of water and dirt ate away what looked to be a half decent mount from the outside.

New piece migged in ready to be ground down, I made sure to keep the factory nubs that guide the bumper mount so thats why the patch is such a strange shape.

Wed May 12, 2010 4:40 am

That is some excellent looking work. You should open your own fab shop.

Wed May 12, 2010 6:55 am

I agree, well done. The same area on my '70 Notch was non existent.

Wed May 12, 2010 9:12 am

Can I suggest that you put some drain holes in that brace. Plugged drains are usually what causes all that rust in that area.

Wed May 12, 2010 11:12 pm

What tools do you guys use for cutting out sheet metal so precisely? Nibbler? Shears? Grinder?

Also how are you shaping it so well?

I am just getting started with metal work.

thanks!

Sun May 16, 2010 9:20 pm

Thanks for the comments guys, took a little break over the weekend, had relatives in from BC but managed to get some work done today and last wednesday. Rebuilt both bumpermounts as they looked good from outside but were rotten inside. Today i started on the passengerside inner quarter, I cut out the rotted part, patched the inner part and started working on rebuilding the brace.

Holes drilled and nuts migged to the back

Driverside buttoned up

Passenger side the same story

Passenger side done

Brace taken off the passenger side, not as bad as the drivers

Inner Panel patched

Fixing the outer brace

Patched brace mocked in place

For those of you wondering how im shaping the metal its prettymuch all by hand or using vise grips and an anvil. Heres my tools of the trade here, the secret is to just make all your patch panels out of posterboard first because it bends similar to sheet metal

Mon May 17, 2010 6:00 pm

What gauge sheet metal are you using?

Mon May 17, 2010 8:55 pm

He is using 20 gauge steel. I am very lucky that he is doing the work on my car. I went and looked at it today, and he is doing great work and is very concientous about his work.

Mon May 17, 2010 9:35 pm

His work looks great. Lucky ;)

Tue May 18, 2010 7:55 am

nice job on the repair work! ill look to this thread when i start cutting into mine in a couple months to do the same panels.

Wed May 26, 2010 10:18 pm

Been a while since i updated so here it goes

Got the brace all welded solid, just needs to be ground

Started work on the passengerside rocker, heres what i had to work with

opened the rocker to find an ancient mouse nest packed full of dead mice and nests

Fabbed a replacement rocker piece

All tacked together

Rear rocker that i started with

Inner part primed with weld through primer

Inner support fabbed and welded in

All welded up with outer skin on

Replaced a rear section of rocker aswell

Peter came over yesterday and took out the doors and windows and today i split the body and pan

Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am

65beetle wrote: Rebuilt both bumpermounts as they looked good from outside but were rotten inside. Today i started on the passengerside inner quarter, I cut out the rotted part, patched the inner part and started working on rebuilding the brace.

Holes drilled and nuts migged to the back

Driverside buttoned up

I know it's too late, but why not using this part already made ? Could have saved you some time, no ?
http://www2.cip1.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TAB%2D403%2D111

Thu May 27, 2010 5:10 pm

We were unaware as to the extent of the damage and he felt comfortable with repairing them. I am happy with the quality of his work, and the speed with which he is doing the repairs. I'm not sure if it would realy have been much quicker, or cost effective.

Thu May 27, 2010 8:02 pm

Euronut wrote: We were unaware as to the extent of the damage and he felt comfortable with repairing them. I am happy with the quality of his work, and the speed with which he is doing the repairs. I'm not sure if it would realy have been much quicker, or cost effective.

I would be happy with that kind of work on any of my T3s too 8) . I'm not saying the repair would have been better, just less hassle and it's one of the rare T3 metal replacement available. I like this thread and the many pics. Congrats to both of you on saving a late fasty :D

Sun May 30, 2010 8:36 pm

I have a question for the type three guru's. On the back, passenger side ofmy front beam there are two loops, that I assumed was for the fuel filter. According to the Bently manual the fuel pump is located where these loops are, but my fuel pump appears to be in the engine bay. What is correct. I looked on Russ's page and did a search on here, but couldn't find anything. Thanks for any information.

Peter

Sun May 30, 2010 9:34 pm

Fuel injection, or carbs?
FI has the pump mounted to the back of the axle beam.
Carbs will have the pump mounted on the engine.

Sun May 30, 2010 9:43 pm

It is FI. It appears that the fuel pump and filter were relocated to the passenger side of the engine compartment. Are there any good pictures of the fuel filter and fuel pump mounting? I am trying to keep the car fairly stock. Thanks.

Peter

Sun May 30, 2010 9:53 pm

Here is what it is supposed to look like under the gas tank.
I would like to see a picture of it mounted in the engine compartment. These pumps were not designed to suck fuel a long ways. That is why they were mounted under the tank. Gravity feed to the pump.