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

[Sheriff41]

Really looks good! You're doing a great job with all your metal work.

 

[Vinnie]

Well, had very little time for my car this month. Had to emergency fix some drainage that flooded after installing our new washing machine. Work was too busy as well. And then I thought I’d start on the plug welds joining the floor to the rocker and I was not happy with them:



So I figured I’d get more practice and find a better setting. I’m using 6mm (1/4”) holes here so I drilled a whole bunch and welded them. Started top-right, ended left-bottom:



These were horizontal and went fine in the end. Then did vertical ones too and they went alright as well. The trick seemed to be to keep the wire in the middle and only move around a little bit, NOT touching the edges of the top metal or it would either burn a hole or creep out.

So I figured I’d give the rocker another go with this knowledge:



Still not great! The next one was even worse! I was so pissed off I went home…

I think with the last and worst one, I accidentally moved the wire too much.

Fabrice has been giving me a lot of great feedback already but from a distance which is not always easy. I’m trying to find as many tips as I can. Any other tips on vertical welding are appreciated!

Cheers,
Vincent

 

[Vinnie]

Small update on the floor. The LH side has all the plug welds done. I haven't welded it to the tunnel yet coz I want to do that at the same time I do the RH side to even out stress. So I've started putting the RH side floor pan in the past weekend. Positioned it with the seat riser in, made sure that was horizontal. It's now tag welded to the tunnel, screwed onto the rocker and the first plug welds on the front frame are in.

Here are some pics:



After the floor the only other big part that needs welding is a new battery apron that I have already sourced from Germany. Can't wait till I'm done welding as I'm getting a little fed up with it now pffff. Never expected to have to do so much welding but glad I did coz there's hardly any rust left now. Hopefully there will not be any unpleasant surprises in the summer...

 

[tpj71mach]

It's looking great! keep up the good work, from a fellow welding trainee. I am glad that I did not have to replace floorboards on my restoration it looks like a lot of work and a lot of welds.

 

[jpaz]

Looks great. Nice job on the tack welds, takes a long time for welding everything.

 

[mrgmhale]

Thank you for sharing. I enjoy seeing what projects other Mustang enthusiasts are working on. It helps me fill the empty time during Winter Hibernation up here in Snow Country (Rochester, NY). Out here the winter snow and ice means salt is tossed onto the roadways. It helps make the roads more usable in Winter but the salt eats up metal horribly. We do not drive our pony cars on anything by dry pavement. Our Car Season is a scant 7 months long or so. Car Season begins in mid-April, after two good rains to flush the salt residue from the road surfaces.

 

[PoFoMoCo]

Getting it done, the grunt work is always the hardest part to work thru. It’s looking great!

 

[Vinnie]

Howdo folks! I didn't have much to write about these past months. This floor has been keeping me busy for a looooooong time! But it's in!

Almost 2 months ago I finished welding the floors from inside the car, it looked like this:

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I was quite happy with the result but when inspecting the bottom there were lots of spots looking like this:

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With the previous welding I didn't care much about being able to still see the seam but with the floor being something that keeps my *** from rubbing the road I double checked with our local party pooper @Fabrice. He made sure to kill my "yes I'm finally finished" high by advising me to tighten it up from the bottom because of stress going through the weld and it being an important structural part yadda yadda. Just great but, he does know a thing or two so I wanted to follow up this advice. But now I needed to weld underneath the car. I was so not going to do that lying on the floor.

So I bought a small lift! Believe it or not but it took me a month due to time restrains and the fact that I needed to put in an extra slow fuse and additional electrical wiring to get it to work. It arrived in a little flatpack. Just that packaging took me half a day to get rid of. The lift works perfect so far and the car sits really stable.




So this past weekend I fixed the underside of the seam, happy days!

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This lift will come in so handy for so many things, I'm super pleased with it!

And then the conclusion with 3 big floor photos, it's all done!







These were the biggest panels I think I had to do. Boy am I glad they are done, took so damn long... Now the seat risers will need to be put in and then I need to get everything out of the engine bay (engine stand is waiting) so I can replace the battery tray panel.

 

[Sheriff41]

Nice work Vinnie! Wise decision on your part to consult with Fabrice, too!

 

[Fabrice]

I may have said one or two not too stoopid things during your floor journey, but thing is: you did it! From all the picts I've seen during past months, I know for sure you did a solid job that will last. A fantastic result to be very proud of @Vinnie !

 

[tpj71mach]

Great job! I'm sure you feel a strong sense of accomplishment to get such a big job done and with such quality workmanship.

 

[Vinnie]

My floor is finished, finally!

1 year. I can't believe it. This is how long ago I started working on the floor of my car, on May 23rd 2022. Unreal. Granted, I did make my own subframe connectors in between and installed a car lift and then life threw other things on me as well but still, geeeeeez.

This weekend I put the seat platforms back in. But not before the bloody floor gave me one more surprise!

This indentation should be on both sides but it's not on my LH panel. It creates a gap I had to fix:



I hammered the flap flat and created a new flap. This unfortunately made some of the holes end up in the fold:



I figured this was OK and would not be a problem strength-wise so I rolled with it. I did drill a few extra holes to make up though.

These little flaps that sit next to the rocker were off as well. I don't understand why as everything else lined up:



I patched one and folded back the other as the difference there was smaller.

But in the end I did overcome all the obstacles and finished the floor by welding in the seat risers:



Compare that with what it was before (LH front rotted, RH front rotted , LH rear patched ******, RH rear patched ******):



This was quite the project but I'think I can be quite satisfied with the new floor!

Next: taking the engine out to replace the battery apron...

 

[Sheriff41]

Congratulations Vinnie!

 

[PoFoMoCo]

Well done Vinnie!

 

[tpj71mach]

Job well done!

 

[IA Rider]

That's a good job to have done. I understand the frustration with amount of time this work takes. Keep up the good work!

 

[rio1856]

Outstanding workmanship Vinnie!!! Well Done!!!

 

[Fabrice]

Fantastic @Vinnie! The frustrating part is that once the carpet is on, nobody knows or can appreciate the work done!!
They should make transparent carpets!

 

[Garye1166]

Seeing this gives me inspiration, I have to do the same things. I’m just getting started. I have to do the floors and trunk pan as well.

 

[Vinnie]

Reading my last post I just want to make clear to anyone who might get put off doing the same when reading how much time it took me... It takes me so long because I am really limited on time. I can only put real work in every other weekend and then only max 6 hours a day, so that's 24 hours a month which in practice is prolly less than 20...