Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 25

Thread: High mileage chassis showing its age.

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    High mileage chassis showing its age.

    The ultimate can of worms just keeps getting better.

    The origin for all of this was replacing the blower motor as outlined in another thread "fixing the fan switch permanently" With the carpet removed to fix some wiring issues I noticed some rust staining and found a cracked area of the floor pan around the driver seat.

    The copper is there for welding up those spot weld holes in the seat mount bracket. I do not want the bracket welded back to the floor pan.


    On the bottom side. I believe the cracks originated from the spot weld on the left, there are three of them radiating outwards.


    Inboard at another spot weld there was a crack that formed.


    Outboard front seat mount bolt location. Probably the highest stress area with the least support. It will get a surface skin patch riveted over it.


    Found this one today. The rust stained jagged line.




    For some added bonus content. Found this today also. parking brake cable for location reference.


    A little closer


    Crunchy!!


    To fix it right I will have to cut back the floor pan to get to the inner rocker layer and trim all the cancer out. I have not removed the seam sealer yet from the inside, it still looks solid

    Another set back for sure on top of all the cracked floor pan mess but whatever. If your going to keep and drive old junk and live anywhere besides the desert then rust is a fact of life.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  2. #2
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    I'm very impressed with your drive to keep the car going. It is interesting to see what can be done with some time and effort.

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    If I did not DIY everything this car would have been gone years ago. As a whole it is 95% rust free, the 5% that is rusty is in the spots I have not gained the confidence to tackle yet. This new rusty area up front was completely unknown and I am a little surprised I did not catch it sooner.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  4. #4
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Top reinforcing patch fitted.


    Same thing with the skin pins (like cleco's but better) removed. The numbers are the grip length for the rivets.

    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  5. #5
    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Warsaw, NY
    Posts
    8,838

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    heck my 72k mile reliant chassis has had cracks in it since I got it at 43k.

    partially because its a 2 door and the doors are long. at the top and bottom of the B pillars there are cracks in the outer sheet metal.

    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  6. #6
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Got more undercoating scraped off. Found a couple more spot weld locations that were cracked and floating. Got one side of the frame rail drilled for riveting. May do a doubler patch over it on the inside and do something with the seat mount cross member on the outside.

    The floor was trimmed up, still more to go.




    Quote Originally Posted by cordes View Post
    I'm very impressed with your drive to keep the car going. It is interesting to see what can be done with some time and effort.
    Behind the undercoating 98% of the car looks like this...
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  7. #7
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    That is incredible.

    On another note, after seeing what these cars looked like under the seam sealer in some areas on a Daytona, yours is looking great.

  8. #8
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Got some more reinforcement added. Poured hard this evening so no outside work.

    All masked off.


    Bottom side. Note how clean everything is, why I am going through the efforts to stabilize and save the chassis from getting more cracking and sealing/coating/oily-wax spraying.



    Topside rear is mostly done, I added reinforcing to the rear side of seat cross member and frame rail where it was spot welded to the floor.



    Bottom side after. Seal, seal and seal all the cracks and crevices. All bare metal gets coated and then add a little more before squishing it together and pop some rivets in there.



    I already had glue opened and everywhere and I forgot to get a picture of the rear side before bonding so the front side here which will get the same treatment tomorrow if the rain stays away to give an idea of what was done.



    Crappy picture of the grip gauge. I am using Cherry aerospace CR3213 series rivets, they are a good all purpose structural rated rivet. The sealer/glue is 3M 8115 panel bonding adhesive. Between all metal layers for added shear value and rust protection. It also doubles as a seam sealer and has a good working time so you can get everything coated, brushed out and peel the masking tape without it firing off instantly. The sheet steel is 18 gauge (.045~)

    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  9. #9
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Thanks for taking the time to post up the details of the products you are using. Are you using the panel bonding material as your sealer over the whole underside of the vehicle, or is there something else you are using?

  10. #10
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    The 3M panel bond is getting used on areas that are being worked. For overall recoating I have not decided what to use yet, most likely going back with conventional undercoating.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  11. #11
    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Warsaw, NY
    Posts
    8,838

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    i would spray wool wax or fluid film up in all those cracks and crevices. if it keeps a car going in NY, it can keep one going anywhere.

    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  12. #12
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Quote Originally Posted by Aries_Turbo View Post
    i would spray wool wax or fluid film up in all those cracks and crevices. if it keeps a car going in NY, it can keep one going anywhere.

    Brian
    Have you ever tried cosmoline? It doesn't wash away like the fluid film.

  13. #13
    Boost, it's what's for dinner... Turbo Mopar Staff Aries_Turbo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Warsaw, NY
    Posts
    8,838

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    no i havent. wool wax doesnt really wash away either. it needs a touch up each year in the wheel wells but it sticks well. better than fluid film.

    Brian

    - - - Updated - - -

    oh an also, gallon cans of fluid film are thicker.

    What i tend to do is coat the vehicle and then drive dirt roads for a while. makes a nice tough coat.

    Brian

    Quote Originally Posted by turbovanman
    This one is easy, I have myself to blame, I rush things, don't pay attention to gauges when I should, change to much stuff at once then expect miracles, the list is endless.

  14. #14
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    I need to Drive on the dirt when I do my oil bath this year.

  15. #15
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Pulled the fender to get more room while cutting/grinding the crunchy stuff out. Also a good time to blow out all the accumulated leaves/twigs/ect that pile up inside the structure. While the fender was off it got a renewal of the undercoating and the added screw holes for the mud flap got converted to riv-nuts (8-32's). No more loose sheet metal screws to fall out.



    Moving along to the next repair area. Got it ready to fit some new metal.



    Bottom side. All solid and sealed up.



    The extent of the original repair area is mostly done. The cross member feels/sounds much more solid now. On the outboard end it was ~50%~ detached from the rest of the car between all the broken spot welds and cracks everywhere.



    Interior view of the rust damaged area. I also added riv-nuts (10-32's) to the two bottom fender bolt.



    Start fitting metal tomorrow for the rocker side of the patch panels. The floor pan side will be a mess, all those angles and bends will be challenging... One bite at a time.

    For doing riv-nuts and rivets this tool is so worth it. It is actually made by Huck (HK-150) and resold under a few different brands. I have an older version that is marketed by FSI-Rivet and fitted in a FOD style metal case kit like this.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  16. #16
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    That looks way beyond my skill level. I'll be interested to see your results.

  17. #17
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Not hard, just time consuming.

    This car will never get judged at pebble beach. Sheet metal work is forgiving, steel sheet metal work and mig welding is even more forgiving. Start welding and things are a little off ? the hammer, block of wood and beat it around into position. Tack and repeat about 500 times. Make it look 1/2 way decent and most will never be the wiser it ever got fixed.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  18. #18
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Inner rocker piece back in place.



    Cannot say enough good things about the Millermatic 211, it just works
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

  19. #19
    Rhymes with tortoise. Turbo Mopar Staff cordes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Tuscola, IL
    Posts
    21,441

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.

    Wow. That looks terrific.

  20. #20
    Super Moderator Turbo Mopar Staff 135sohc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    SoMd
    Posts
    6,178

    Re: High mileage chassis showing its age.







    90% there. The spray paint is temporary to reduce the flash rusting because it is so damn humid here. Peel the layers open, give it one more solvent wash, panel bond between the layers and cover all the bare metal exposed. A few rivets to keep the pinch weld closed, cavity wax spray on the inside and call it done.
    1994 Shadow Sedan. 2.2 N/A, A568 400,000 miles. "the science experiment"
    1987 Shelby CSX #418. Long term rebuild and restore ?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Vin not showing up on carfax
    By 168glhs1986 in forum Consulier GTP
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 09-10-2013, 11:51 PM
  2. High mileage Whittier built cars...
    By moparjon2007 in forum The Original "Turbo Dodge" Cars
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 01-18-2012, 08:28 PM
  3. Spicer Chassis is now Rabestos Chassis
    By daver in forum Suspension, Brakes, Wheels, Traction
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 08-03-2009, 02:00 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •