Slowest resto ever - Project AmsterFoose / Current subject: The rear window edge

[Vinnie]

Oh! Missed the nut splitter idea while I was replying, great idea and looks real easy. And I have the feeling I’ll be getting quite some milage out of it while disassembling ;-)

That’s gonna be interesting! Thanks Don!

 

[Fabrice]

I'd let penetrating oil do the talking for a while. The nut isn't is a nut, its a massive retainer, I don't think it would break as a regular nut would, but I think if you use a similar tool just to prevent it turns a full rotation while you turn in the inside, You could also try to hammer a flat screwdriver in between this retainer plate and the bracket.

As it's not a problem to damage the tail panel as you're going to replace it, you could also cut the sheetmetal from the inside where the bracket bolt is.

 

[Vinnie]

I left it dripping with penetrating oil for one last attempt. You are right about it not being a regular nut. It's a square nut squeezed in a retainer plate. That plate broke though so the nut is now loose from the plate but totally stuck on the bolt. I'll think about cutting up the panel, that could very well be a viable option, too. Thanks!

 

[Vinnie]

Well, I’m on my way to victory:

The bumper is off. Only because I found out the brackets are not stuck to the bumper. I expected them to be welded on, thinking the bolts were only there to mount the bumper guards. Why make holes in the bumper if you do not have the guards eh...

So I removed the bolts holding the bumper on the bracket. Now it is just the bracket left:

This is how these retainer plates fail, the other bolt appears to have been removed by a previous owner:

So now I’m curious: if you do not have bumper guards, do you see uglyness sticking out?

 

[Vinnie]

This weekend I got the rear deconstructed. The bumper is off and also the rear valance. All the rusted bolts, nuts and bumper brackets are enjoying a vinegar bath:

Then I did a little Foosin’ around:

I reckon this would look great

Couple of questions I still have to figure out

1) That bracket behind the filler neck, is that attached to the trunk floor or just to the tail light panel?

2) Below picture is the inside of the trunk drop off, outer skin just under the side marker. It’s got a thick layer of crap on it. I’d think that it is plaster but there might be original paint (bronze) on it?

Next up is removing the trim etc. and then looking for spotwelds, oh the joy!

 

[Fabrice]

You've been busy I see

1/ If you mean the bracket that holds the latch lock, I think I remember its welded top and bottom on the tail panel.

Will look for you.

2/ I think the only bronze coloured thing you'll find there is rust.

The bumper placed this way, would be similar as on 71 & 72. Indeed nicer than on 73 models.

 

[Vinnie]

Wow, where did that weekend go? All I managed to do (in a few hours that I had) was remove the trim which was super easy and look at the panel:

I studied the edges of the tail light panel and discovered that it is put in crooked. Looking at the edge on the back of the panel, on one side it’s flush with the trunk floor:

On the other side it’s 8mm (1/3”) off:

Also it’s not horizontally centered, it is too far to the drivers side. And it looks to be the original panel...

Is this how our cars were put together?

I never noticed this but it makes me wonder about welding a new one in place....

 

[Fabrice]

These two reinforcements are weird things in the first place. They were I think welded in a hurry. Not really sure what they could even mean during a rear kiss, they'd prolly help to make more damage than prevent it as they are welded on top of the frame U's.

Once you'll have the metal free of all the "protection", you'll know for sure if there was indeed a construction mistake or if it's some hidden surprise instead.

[Wow, where did that weekend go?]

thats a good question, was asking myself the exact same thing

 

[Vinnie]

In true form I did very little again, wouldn’t want things to go to fast right.

I only had a few hours this weekend which I used to remove paint and seam sealer in suspicious places:

Hardly any serious rust on top.

Different story below:

When replacing the tail light panel I’m also going to replace the lower trunk drop off, inside and outside, only LH side as the other side seems to be OK.

 

[Fabrice]

[wouldn’t want things to go to fast right.]

Learned over the years that no matter how hard you try, doing it right rarely goes fast.

Did you find anything (ancient repairs) on the top explaining the faulty curve with the deck lid side that you posted about last week?

 

[Vinnie]

Did you find anything (ancient repairs) on the top explaining the faulty curve with the deck lid side that you posted about last week?

That was one of the things I looked for, couldn’t find anything concrete. It looks like the “ridge” on top of the quarter is a liiittle bit flatter than it should which can push the inside inwards a bit. I don’t see anything indicating the quarter is not original but I find it hard to believe it’s been like this from the factory...

 

[Vinnie]

Took the fuel line out:

Why is there a spring around the bit entering the front wheel well? Protection?

 

[keiths71]

Yes, it's stone guard.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Some comments on dipping your car. I have a 72 Q vert that was dipped several years ago. Many say it will bleed back out of joints but I have seen none of that on this car that was done 10 years ago and in epoxy primer since. It is very important that your supplier has the ability to rinse the car extremely good. They also need a phosphate tank to dip the car in to give it some protection until you get primer back on. A good operation will have an oven they can bake in to make sure it is completely dried out also.

I believe it is around $2,000 to dip here in U.S.A. but have not checked in a few years. I think it is a great idea on a car you want to be done right.

 

[kcmash]

Mine was dipped at a Redi-Strip facility in Evansville Indiana.  

No problems, excellent results.

kcmash

 

[Vinnie]

I had my hood dipped ny this place, it was also a test nut it looks good. Their rust removal uses phosphate I believe so it will have some protection until priming it.

However, I’m far from ready for the dip hahaha. First I want to fix the tail light and LH drop off.

 

[Vinnie]

And in a spare 30 minutes the rear seat came out:

This is good coz now it can’t catch fire

 

[Vinnie]

Small update:

Been removing paint off of the rear in preparation for melting the braze material so I can teace the tail light panel. Crap job.

Received some plate metal along with the new TL panel, looks ******, will need work first:

 

[OzCoupe72]

Looking good and no doubt you will need to bend/cut the new panel to make it fit

Whether you are melting the brazing or grinding it off it is a good idea to jamb a chisel in between the panels to put a bit of tension on them

Sometimes you get lucky and it pops apart

Good luck with it

 

[Vinnie]

Finally had a decent day working on my car, yay!

Picked up my little propane torch today and softened the brazing spots enough to break free the tail light panel:

Because previous spotwelds had been removed, leaving crap holes on the edge, the breaking free deformed the edges a little much:

I’m glad it’s out. Gotta think about how to fix the edges now.