Rusty 66 Chevelle Project

[383 hatch]

Well, actually the lower part of American cars from a certain year (can't remember exactly what year) are galvanised. This is quiet evident when i have seen inside the sills, the outer and inner skin are still galvanised and still in good condition. Obviously the floor pan isn't galvanised though. It's only rusted in the sills because dirt and water has accumulated behind the body mounts and rusted it away.

In all honesty, had it not been for the galvanising, the rust would have been much more advanced (probably hard to believe, i know).

 

[ephect]

I'm quiet surprised the fitment of the replacement panels fit well, normally (as u'd know) ur massaging it to fit.

Loving the updates and the work u do.

Cheers

 

[ephect]

I'm quite surprised the fitment of the replacement panels fit well, normally (as u'd know) ur massaging it to fit.

Loving the updates and the work u do.

Cheers

 

[savage1987]

Nice work wish I had the skillset to accomplish something like this.

 

[GypsyNz]

I'm sure i'm not alone in saying this.........UPDATES???:yeah:

 

[383 hatch]

Well, it's been a little while since i updated this, i've had things to do the last couple of weekends so i havn't touched it.

Today i got some time to work on it.

Last time i worked on it i didn't update so i'll start there. I got the R/H floor section all trimmed and welded in.

Panel sat in place and marked with a paint pen.

Once i'd done that, i pulled it back out and cut about an inch below the line. This gives me a join to plug weld the new floor panel in. Then i drilled holes all around the edge and where the cross braces go. Then i welded it all in. I forgot to take pics of all those steps, but i did get some of the L/H side.

All welded in.

Today i did the L/H floor section.

Floor all cut and cleaned back to metal where i need to weld.

New panel all drilled and cleaned ready for plug welding.

All in place ready to weld.

Then after a plug welding marathon, mostly welded in.

Underside.

The ever growing pile of rusted out metal.

That's about where i got to today, all i have to do now is weld along the sill panel and that side is finished. Then it's time to move on to the boot floor....

 

[Pub247]

what do you do with the lap join just run seam sealer around it?

 

[383 hatch]

Yeh, just seam sealer, just like you would with any other factory join.

 

[ari666]

always love watching your work happen.

 

[383 hatch]

Thanks Ari.

More progress.

Last Sunday i moved on to the boot floor. Obviously i started by chopping most of it out

I was left with this:

Then today i cut out the R/H drop down panel and rear of the wheel arch. Wheel arch had been "repaired" (lol) before but i cut it all out to start from scratch.

Which also revealed this tasty repair. New piece of steel pop riveted straight over the old piece of rusted out steel. The usual American work. This will get repaired properly at a later date when the body work is done.

Then i unpicked the remaining steel at the rear of the floor. This also revealed that the rear body mount is in good nick. The actual body mounts/bolts themselves will get repaired while this is all apart.

With all that done, i started to fit the floor pan and drop panel back in place.

Underneath.

This shows how much of the wheel arch i have to rebuild.

Then i moved on to the other side. Same process, except i didn't replace the drop down panel as it was fine.

Panel back in.

As can be seen i have to rebuild the wheel arch on this side too.

All 3 sections screwed in place.

That's where i left it for today.