Ok, so here’s what we did to correct the problem:
The vertical cut on the right in the picture above is the first relief cut that I had made separating the panel into the 2/3rds - 1/3rd configuration I referred to earlier. While this cutting and drilling out the spot welds along the pinch weld allowed the 2/3rds section to move and sit down properly, the 1/3rd section stayed VERY firmly put.
Now I know it looks like a patchwork quilt, or maybe something from Dr. Frankenstein’s workshop, but this was honestly the best and easiest solution to overcoming this obstacle. What we did was to make a second relief cut (on the left in the picture) from the pinch weld flange almost all the way up to the weatherstrip channel.
We stayed 3/4” away from the channel to preserve its integrity and shape, and left a tiny little bit of metal at the bottom by the pinch weld. Then we cut along the bottom of the weatherstrip channel back over to the original relief cut, still staying 3/4” away from it.
This allowed the piece to “fall” back into alignment with the rest of the body lines, with some minor trimming of course.
A little hammer and dolly work as we went along helped things immensely, and once we had things starting to align, we would place a tack weld to retain its position. We would check the fitment and alignment against my fabricated piece periodically as we went, just to make sure that nothing moved anywhere it shouldn’t, that we were still on track, and that my piece stayed level with the trunk lid.
Once we had the top three seams aligned and tacked together, we then concentrated on making a new pinch weld flange for the bottom. I bent up an 1 1/2” wide piece of sheetmetal on my metal brake, and then we notched it around the factory dimpled depressions, punched plug weld holes in it, and started tacking it all in as well.
So this is what it looks like currently. It has its structural integrity restored, but I’m a long ways from even having it fully welded in just yet. As Churchill once said “this isn’t the end, this isn’t even the beginning of the end, but it’s the end of the beginning”.
As you can see in these next two pictures, the spot weld flange behind the tank filler neck still needs quite a bit of attention:
Especially here, where I can fit my fingertips between the two layers.
It’s going to need quite a bit of hammer and dolly work in this area to bring the layers back tight together again.
Two more views, one from the passenger’s side, and one along the back to show that the flat area is still nice and straight:
It’s quite surprising actually, the whole thing, and especially the driver’s side actually physically looks more symmetrical and proper now than it ever did before.
Now I’m sure you’re thinking, “but why did you do it that way? Now there’s so much welding and bodywork to do to it.” Yes, the “correct” way would’ve been to drill out all the spot welds along the trunk gutters, quarter panels, trunk floor etc etc, remove it, square up the panel, and weld it back in straight, but honestly this accomplishes the exact same thing but without reinventing the wheel and creating a whole bunch more work for myself.
So anyways, there you have it. Lots of work still ahead of me just to get back to square one, but at least now I have a solution, and more importantly, a resolution.
D.
