front inner fender question

[quikbird]

Some friends and I were talking about some of the work my 69 rr needs done to it. The issue currently is the inner fenders. when i pulled the engine over the winter and the outer fenders we discovered some rust issues at the top rear of the panel where it attaches to the cowl. someone ( a previous annon. owner) has cobbled on this area. the question we bounced around was that just cut out the areas of rust and place a new panel over them and lap and plug weld the new panel in place without undoing all those spot welds around the shock tower etc which are still in good shape. this would give me a double layer over most of the panel. Any thoughts, conceerns on this or is it pull the whole panel and weld in. I already have both complete panels.

 

[earlyrides]

take your time and do it right

There never seems to be time to do things "right".

But somehow there always seems to be time to do things "over".

If you were repairing some foreign junk I would say "who cares? Just leave the cobble work"

But this is your pride and joy....

DO IT RIGHT!!!

 

[quikbird]

here are some pics of the panels in question

 

[Basketcase]

if the rest of the inner fenders are good, you could just replace the bad metal. But like said above, take your time, and do a better job than the last guy.

 

[george68hemirr]

:yeathat::yeathat:

 

[Blown R/T]

Ya do it right. I do have some of the pieces you may need left over from the 68 I am doing. PM me if interested.
nice RR!

 

[cj69RR]

If you have the correct parts fix it right.

 

[quikbird]

THe consensus appears to be to pull the old panel and weld in the new one. I will post pics as we go along. I need to be done by the nats in august, so that is my timetable and deadline.

 

[69hemibeep]

Any overlap is a place for rust to start. Either butt weld or replace it

 

[Basketcase]

I was gonna ask if you were gong to have it done in time for The Nats. hope to see you there.

 

[quikbird]

I'm shooting to get there and make a few passes but need to fix the rust first plus rewire the car etc. those five terrible words that apply to rr's and houses have reared their heads. "well, while we're at it". so innocent but can be so expensive!

 

[Basketcase]

tell me about it. that's why I drove mine for 5 years with muddy 1/4s and crappy paint.

 

[quikbird]

progress report with pics. pulled the passenger side inner fender panel:

I knew I was going to have issues with the front corner of the cowl, but the hits just keep on coming.

inner pieces welded up, not too pretty but its the second time I ever tried to weld

 

[quikbird]

.
have the first part of the patch panel in place

and side one in place

 

[quikbird]

on to side two with the same rust problem

ego boosting welding shot

and side two is finished



next weekend, get to square it up and install the new core support. yee haw!!

 

[Basketcase]

lookin good

 

[quikbird]

got the core support in last weekend



next up is install the magnum force shock tower braces and pull everything left in the engine compartment and get ready to paint engine compartment.
I have officially decided that I hate spot welds with a passion
see basketcase i'm still working in the garage

 

[Basketcase]

........

 

[quikbird]

here we go with the magnum force shock tower braces in place


looks like time to pull the power steering unit and start prepping for paint in the engine bay

 

[Basketcase]

:nachos: