67 Fun Continues

[A4x4Junky]

Picked up a 67 a couple weeks ago. I was very happy with the rust-to-cost ratio. I didn't have a lot to spend and this vehicle was very unmolested. I was sick of seeing vehicles with butchered wiring and botched bodywork.

Now it is time to start working on the body. I removed the seats and top last night and will begin sandblasting the floor and inner parts of the bed tonight.

The problem is...I have no clue what I am doing. I have worked on a lot of trucks in the past. 78/79 Broncos, 84, 86, 87, 89 Bronco, 72 Blazer, 95 Heep Wragler but have limited myself to mechanical work only. This will be my first time with bodywork. I wont be paying someone else to do the work for me. This is a project and I will live with whatever the results of my work...but I am certainly not above asking for help and advice.

Some of the work I know I will be doing (attempting) is driver and passenger hinge posts, driver and passenger floor pans, driver and passenger striker posts, driver and passenger kick panels, passenger fender, driver inner fender, cowl, and will eventually replace the hood and tailgate.

Finally got my JGB metal ordered and eagerly await its arrival. Few things I would like to explain. I am a search junky...and have gone through build after build on these boards. I have seen some amazing work...but still have a few questions.

Some people use what the called spotweld cutters (like a drill bit...sorta). When I have gone to Napa, and any other stores I have been looked at like I am crazy. Any source for these, and if no source what would you recommend to replace this?

How do I locate all the spot welds on a particular panel? I have a lot of them to remove...but dont want to mess up the surrounding metal. Example is my striker posts. The quarter panel metal wraps around the corner...so how do I find and remove the striker post without messing up the quarter? Again, how do I remove the striker without messing up the rocker...which I assume I will have to remove anyway.

Of the panels I mentioned above, could someone recommend an order that would make the most sense both in terms of keeping the vehicle from sagging more than necessary as well as to minimize the amount of time this will take me?

Ill shut up for now since (in case you couldnt tell) I am too longwided.

Anthony

 

[71 BRNCO]

I believe you can pick up the spotweld drill bits at eastwood.com

 

[A4x4Junky]

Found em, thanks

I have a bit of time before I start panel removal, so will have to order up a couple if I cant find em locally.

Anthony

 

[z70what]

Napa sells them, if you don't want to wait for them to be shipped..


Luke

 

[grauerfam]

Hey Anthony, that looks better that what I expected. Have you got the 6 cyl installed and running yet? My advice to you on replacing panels - if you can get away with patching some of those I would go that route. As long as the structural strength hasn't been compromised. The rockers are pretty easy but once you start messing with the hinge post/kick panel it gets tedious real quick. Fix the individual bad spots, clean the rest up and por-15 it and undercoat it to keep it from getting worse. Good luck! Larry

 

[grauerfam]

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95926

Read this

 

[A4x4Junky]

Yes, while I certainly didnt take the time to wash and wax it, that is the 6 cyl I got from you. Thank you again

As for the panels on the truck, both floor pans have been patched before and even those patches are gone. Those are horrid and have to go. Both kickpanels are wasted. The passenger especially, but both are goners. Both hinge plates are real ugly. Driver side has enough play to move the door up and down 3/4 inch or so...have to lift the door if I expect it to close. Passenger fender is real ugly along a few seams and there are small holes along it like the metal is just really thin. Both rockers are in almost perfect shape...shame if I have to pull those off to address the hinge plate. The driver side striker needs help.. I can wobble the striker ... um, thingy ;D back and forth a bit. Passenger side isnt bad, but figured I would have to remove it to repair it, so it was almost pointless to try to save just a little and go through 3 times the effort to hopefully repair instead of replace.

Im off to get some sand in my eyes now. Will be back later (probably cussing)

Thanks for the responses

Anthony

 

[Bitch'nBronco]

That looks earilly like the '67 I bought a year ago. I think I had all of the same problems you did (and then some). I changed my '67 doors over to '75 doors(easier to find parts, and if I ever messed these doors I could find 'em pretty easily) the '67 doors/parts arent as easy to find as the others. The way I gound the spot welds was either a wire wheel on a grinder, or a grinder wheel with sand paper on them. I didnt get a spot weld drill bit, I used chisels, crow bars, and lots of other misc tools. Just dont get in a hurry, and have attn. to detail. I have been doin rust removal/body work for the last year and a half. I learned a lot from local bronco guys, and if ou really get stuck go to a body shop and ask some questions.

 

[BoltBuster]

1st rule...Do not tear apart, what you havnt purchased first. That is one cool uncut I would love to own, if you dont mind me asking what did you get it for?

 

[A4x4Junky]

The way I gound the spot welds was either a wire wheel on a grinder, or a grinder wheel with sand paper on them. I didnt get a spot weld drill bit, I used chisels, crow bars, and lots of other misc tools. Just dont get in a hurry, and have attn. to detail.

I was sandblasting the rear part of the bed tonight...taking it to bare metal. What I noticed was that the spot welds became a lot more obvious...think that will make things a lot easier. When drilling out the spotwelds, should I be going through only the outer layer of metal and enough of the weld to seperate the two pieces?

1st rule...Do not tear apart, what you havnt purchased first. That is one cool uncut I would love to own, if you dont mind me asking what did you get it for?

Yea, dont have any metal yet so I figured sandblasting what I know I wont have to replace would be a good place to start. I expect the JBG panels to be in either tomorrow or monday. That is when the real fun will begin. I paid $1500 for it.

Anthony

 

[fordtrucks4ever]

If there is a local machine tool surplus store in your area you may have other options than spot weld drills. I use mill drills. They are short and usually have a 3/16-1/4 pilot with a 137 degree split tip point. It will usually center itself in spot weld. The bit then steps up to 3/8". I only used one bit to completely remove the whole full floorpan from a 66 Mustang, from firewall to rear axle hump. Now what I like especially about these drill bits is they cost only 25 cents a piece. It took about a dozen for a 16 year old kid to remove all the bad floorpans on his 73 Bronco. He was a little impatient and didnt listen well to my way of doing things. But still a lot of sheetmetal removed.

 

[72moore]

Spotweld bit is the best way to go.
Get those door posts level, and take your time.
Walk away when you get mad!!!!!
Don't hit your bronco!! It will cost you more. Experience heeeeeeeeeheehehe.

 

[A4x4Junky]

If there is a local machine tool surplus store in your area you may have other options than spot weld drills. I use mill drills. They are short and usually have a 3/16-1/4 pilot with a 137 degree split tip point. It will usually center itself in spot weld.

There are a few differet machine shops in the area, but I was suprised by both the lack of specialty tools as well as the lack of knowledge of the person behind the counter.

Spotweld bit is the best way to go.
Get those door posts level, and take your time.
Walk away when you get mad!!!!!
Don't hit your bronco!! It will cost you more. Experience heeeeeeeeeheehehe.

Door posts level as in with a level, or as in 90 degrees from the floor, or...
Yea, I have a bit of a short fuse when it comes to some things...but I spent WAY too much money on sheetmetal to go denting it. Think instead Ill just take out the neighbors fence ;D

Anthony

 

[grauerfam]

Door posts level as in with a level, or as in 90 degrees from the floor, or...

Anthony, give me your e-mail and I'll send you a diagram with measurements to get those doorposts in right. Larry

 

[A4x4Junky]

Anthony, give me your e-mail and I'll send you a diagram with measurements to get those doorposts in right.

Email is bellicusa@yahoo.com
Thanks for the help Larry

Got a few presents from UPS today. 2 pieces still not here, but should have em by Monday...and I am in no position to use em yet anyway.

Continued sandblasting some today. Sure is cold outside, but I like to watch the green paint just wash away. Is slowgoing...little baby compressor and me running inside to warm once in a while. Pics show some of the progress anyway.

Got a couple pics of rust along a seam or 2. What would be the best way to take care of this? Seems a bit wide to just fill with weld, but a bit small to go through the process of cutting metal away to make a patch.

Thanks,

Anthony

 

[A4x4Junky]

On the two pics that show the bed partially blasted you can see the areas that are rust pitted. How can I be sure that there is no rust left in those areas. What would the recommended method of sealing once I am certain rust is gone.

Thanks,

Anthony

 

[fordtrucks4ever]

Once rust is removed and missing metal is replaced, POR-15 comes in a putty form that can be squirted in the areas to completely seal away any future rusting. It eliminates the need for any body seam sealer or putty where a permanent fix will work.

 

[A4x4Junky]

POR-15 comes in a putty form that can be squirted in the areas to completely seal away any future rusting.

Ill look for that and see if anyone local has it or not. Been striking out locally with most bodywork supplies. Looks like I will have to mail order most stuff I want.

Time to finish blasting the bed area today, then will get the whole area treated so I can move on to the next area. Slow going, but I enjoy the idea that all labor has been done by me instead of farming it out.

Anthony

 

[A4x4Junky]

Late night, but Im happy with the progress. Most of the bed ended up a lot cleaner than I expected. Will knock out a couple small things, then get the bed treated tomorrow.

As soon as that is done, I can begin the floors.

Anthony

 

[pdxbronco70]

Door posts level as in with a level, or as in 90 degrees from the floor, or...

Anthony, give me your e-mail and I'll send you a diagram with measurements to get those doorposts in right. Larry

Larry,

If you don't mind could also email me the dimensions. I will be replacing my door post in a couple of months (at the rate I going).

My email is bwmegee@yahoo.com

Thanks