A12 - time to get busy

[b-body-bob]

Road Runner out of the blast booth and headed to primer! This thing is solid.

The inner quarter panel there on the passenger side is just held in with Clecos. I guess they've noticed that by now - or not. I finished welding in the other side after I was finished with the outer wheelwell. Somebody thought it was a good weight saving idea to cut those out.

 

[69.5CUDA]

that rear inner looks HAMMERED lol, with all the weight savings im suprised it doesnt have tubs of 22g for more savings

 

[b-body-bob]

Yes, it looks like it was hit sometime in the past and beat back into shape.

It's going to be replaced, or at least however much of it they decide to cut off because the lip was rolled and trimmed.

 

[b-body-bob]

They've been working on it 3 days a week recently

 

[Dr.Jass]

Oh, that looks niiiice...

You've gotta be pretty happy to see that.

 

[b-body-bob]

Not happy to see the bill but such is life.

FWIW there's a photo of them TIG welding the tub together. No tiny rows of dimes, but no excess heat either. Quick and not warped.

I need to get the cowl up there ASAP. And more $$.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Nice to see progress, are those inner tubs wider than stock, they look meaty?

 

[b-body-bob]

Yes those are "mini tubs", with the factory tubs split, the inside moved against the frame rail with a filler welded in, and the leaf springs moved into/under the frame rails. It had something like 13.5x31 slicks on it when I got it. I'll have to give a little bit of that back since it's going to have a lip on the wheel well when they're finished with it. You can see it in this photo

 

[b-body-bob]

Even better showing the gap on the other unfinished side

 

[thrashingcows]

Not happy to see the bill but such is life.

I need to get the cowl up there ASAP. And more $$.

Man I remember those days when restoring the Coronet...every Friday out to the shop to write another cheque to cover the weeks work.

 

[b-body-bob]

I just went up to pay up - the top of the cowl is off and there's not much left of the bottom half either. Said they were going to study on the best way to fix that. They cut it right against the lip at the firewall so there's not much left to weld to.

Also have a dilemma - speed holes in the rad support have it so weak you can flex it with your hands. But the rad support has the VIN stamp in it. Not sure what to do there. I do have parts, once I cut them off the parts mobile. But that doesn't have the VIN stamp in it.

Plan for now is to finish the remaining tub, fix the cowl, and start in on fenders and doors. Next trip up I need to bring the decklid and hood, along with the rad support pieces.

 

[RUSTY Cuda]

Might take some extra work but can't they either work around your tag, or cut your tag into the better part?

 

[Dr.Jass]

I just went up to pay up - the top of the cowl is off and there's not much left of the bottom half either. Said they were going to study on the best way to fix that. They cut it right against the lip at the firewall so there's not much left to weld to.

Isn't there a big pinch weld right there? I would've thought that would be obvious, but then again the air saw is much faster than drilling spot welds.

Also have a dilemma - speed holes in the rad support have it so weak you can flex it with your hands. But the rad support has the VIN stamp in it. Not sure what to do there. I do have parts, once I cut them off the parts mobile. But that don't have the VIN stamp in it.

That's a bunch of work, but it can be fixed. I know how I'd do it, but they aren't asking my advice, either. I'd definitely not cut the surface into which the VIN is stamped, though. That's the first thing people check.

 

[b-body-bob]

Might take some extra work but can't they either work around your tag, or cut your tag into the better part?

That's a bunch of work, but it can be fixed. I know how I'd do it, but they aren't asking my advice, either. I'd definitely not cut the surface into which the VIN is stamped, though. That's the first thing people check

Right now it looks like the options are to patch each of the dozen or so holes in the existing part, or cut/splice what's left of the number and the hole that goes through it into the new part.
The number is almost obliterated by one of the holes but there's enough left that you know it's the correct number.

I agree people would look for the splice since it's going to be obvious that the one hole wasn't always alone, and because that's what you do before you buy a car. I did.

Isn't there a big pinch weld right there? I would've thought that would be obvious, but then again the air saw is much faster than drilling spot welds.

They took it apart at the spot welds but there's still only about 1/2" of the pinch weld area of the inner cowl left in the center. Whoever did the original cut ran the blade right against the firewall. FWIW I think the big appearance of that pinch weld is from the top layer on the upper cowl. There is very little for the inner between the upper and the firewall.

I would post photos but I forgot my stupid phone.

These guys don't seem to be interested in doing it fast but they're doing it right. They do keep trying to push me toward building a "resto-mod" but they're young so that's what they know. There's a LRT on the block up there for a 392 transplant; he showed us the motor in the crate. I think it was 9k for the engine so it's about the same price as a Blueprint crate motor, but that doesn't include the necessary electronics.

I was happier after we left than I was before we looked at it. It's just boring money anyway.

 

[thrashingcows]

Have them fill all the speed holes and leave the one hole that is through the number on the rad support so as to not butcher/obliterate it any more. You have pics of the before so if/when the time comes to sell you can show the potential buyer why you chose to leave that one hole.

 

[b-body-bob]

the potential buyer

I will likely never meet a potential buyer. It's mine until our kid inherits it.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I will likely never meet a potential buyer. It's mine until our kid inherits it.

Until some fool comes around and offers you absolutely stupid money for it.

It happens. It happened to me, decades ago. It was significantly less money, but it was 235% of what I had invested in it, including buying the car:

"It's not for sale."
"I'll give you $____ right now."
"I'll grab the title."

As Mecum and Barrett-Jackson have taught us: Never underestimate the power of a drunk with too much money.

 

[b-body-bob]

Until some fool comes around and offers you absolutely stupid money for it.

It happens. It happened to me, decades ago. It was significantly less money, but it was 235% of what I had invested in it, including buying the car:

"It's not for sale."
"I'll give you $____ right now."
"I'll grab the title."

As Mecum and Barrett-Jackson have taught us: Never underestimate the power of a drunk with too much money.

By the time it's done I'll have so much do-re-mi in it I'd be lucky to break even.

Went out yesterday and stared at the rad support. I really don't want to take that apart, and if truth be told really don't want my car cut up any more. So I'm leaning toward patching the holes if anything. Other thoughts:

1. The lower rail has a bracket tying it to the k-frame. That is not on the A12 so of course it flexes more.
2. The upper rail is even a little flexible on the parts car once the radiator is out.
3. The holy pieces are a part of the unibody, but I question that they're truly structural members. The k-frame stops flex in the front. Nothing about that piece of sheet metal is going to add to that. This is especially true of the top. People cut the top rails out and bolt them back in with no problems. The radiator ties the two sides together.

 

[b-body-bob]

Here's a photo with the upper cowl stripped off

 

[Dr.Jass]

I dunno, man... I think I'd be spending the weekend with the cutoff wheel, air saw, and Rota-Broaches to get the upper cowl off the other car. What's there looks pretty good to me.