81 Oldsmopile ( G-body rust repair )
- Thread starter EME_Mack
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Back at it today, and I made some big progress. I first cleaned up all the oozed out panel bond around the wheel well, it looks like it turned out pretty damn good. The only downside is that you won't be able to roll the fenders cause the stuff is hard as a rock.
After cleaning up all the squeeze out I started to prepare the two panels to get welded together. I basically just ran an air saw through the new panel and old quarter. Peeled the off cuts back and then tacked the two together. I used a piece of hack saw blade between the panels to keep them from pulling together and warping. It seamed to work great, after about 20 tack welds the panel was stiff enough that it wasn't shrinking at the welds and warping.
after a couple of hours It was finally one piece again.
You can see in the reflection of the bench she has a bit of cellulite in her hips but nothin we can't smooth out.
After a few hours with the hammer and DA, the panel came out awesome. Not quite a fillerless joint but if you shoot for the stars you'll land on the moon.
On another note, I received some news that might change the fate of this project. So for those that might not have caught on Im in the Canadian Forces and I had the opportunity off getting posted back to Ontario, last week I got the news that this summer Im getting posted back to London (thats the Canadian one not the England one for my brothers to the south 😉). The last 2 years I have been working on the Cutlass, has been at the Auto club on the base here in Gagetown. Its basically a large shop you can rent a bay or lift by the hour to work on your car. As a volunteer I've been given the privilege of having a space to myself to carry out this project free of charge. London being a small base has no auto club. So unless I find a house with a garage big enough the car might and up at my family farm or brothers garage, or worst case for sale on kijiji were It will be lowballed and sold because I would hate to see this thing sit outside or neglected 🙁. Im still going to be working on it as much as possible, I don't like leaving things unfinished. Just thought Id let you guys that have been fallowing along know.
After cleaning up all the squeeze out I started to prepare the two panels to get welded together. I basically just ran an air saw through the new panel and old quarter. Peeled the off cuts back and then tacked the two together. I used a piece of hack saw blade between the panels to keep them from pulling together and warping. It seamed to work great, after about 20 tack welds the panel was stiff enough that it wasn't shrinking at the welds and warping.
after a couple of hours It was finally one piece again.
You can see in the reflection of the bench she has a bit of cellulite in her hips but nothin we can't smooth out.
After a few hours with the hammer and DA, the panel came out awesome. Not quite a fillerless joint but if you shoot for the stars you'll land on the moon.
On another note, I received some news that might change the fate of this project. So for those that might not have caught on Im in the Canadian Forces and I had the opportunity off getting posted back to Ontario, last week I got the news that this summer Im getting posted back to London (thats the Canadian one not the England one for my brothers to the south 😉). The last 2 years I have been working on the Cutlass, has been at the Auto club on the base here in Gagetown. Its basically a large shop you can rent a bay or lift by the hour to work on your car. As a volunteer I've been given the privilege of having a space to myself to carry out this project free of charge. London being a small base has no auto club. So unless I find a house with a garage big enough the car might and up at my family farm or brothers garage, or worst case for sale on kijiji were It will be lowballed and sold because I would hate to see this thing sit outside or neglected 🙁. Im still going to be working on it as much as possible, I don't like leaving things unfinished. Just thought Id let you guys that have been fallowing along know.
Hi I wish I found all this sooner I think I could have helped with the project I'm an ase and I-car certified body man for the future when joining large panels with a mig an old school trick to stop the deflection or worping from the heat you can put clay on either side of the joint it will stop the heat. I learned as a kid in Asbury Park body shops a way low buck was is to use wet newspaper cut in thick strips the closer to the weld the smaller the movement in the panel as long as you keep it wet and cool also move around a lot so you have no concentrated heat. I hope this helps you if you have any Auto body questions feal free to ask me I grew up doing it..Well about 10 years old I think. I do heavy collision on all brand new crap now. I only like what I do when I do it after work on real cars lol
I hope that you can find a way to finish the Cutlass Mack. I've really enjoyed following your progress, and I'd really like to see it finished. As many others here have pointed out, you have some phenominal skills. If you are posted back to Ontario, I'd like to get together sometime. I think it would be cool to meet you. I'm sure there are others here, who feel the same way. Take care, and keep us informed as to what's going on.
Well I must say I have been putting off this post. Unfortunately the Cutlass is under new ownership. I fought with myself for about a month on whether or not I should sell it or hold on to it once Im set up in Ontario, Unfortunately it was the largest money pit of the fleet and I needed to come up with a down payment for a house. I know for sure that the chassis will live on in a Grand National. The guy that came and bought the car was someone that I had been In contact with to buy some parts and he was Interested in the parts car I had for sale. He has several G-bodys and Is sort of becoming the G-body guy of the east coast. So If he doesn't finish it I'm sure he will find someone looking for a rust free cutlass shell.
This all happened about 3 weeks ago and last week we were in Ontario to buy a house (not trying to make excuses as to why I hadn't made a post). I know allot of you really wanted to see it finished but sometimes life just happens and there are more Important things to take care of. I was able to recoup roughly 70% of what I had into it not including my time of course, but as most of you can imagine trying to sell a half finished project is a pain. the bright side is that I have been able to focus on the Camaro, pulled it out the other day and did a couple of burnouts to make myself feel better. I don't think I'm done with G bodys, I got a small collection of junkyard turbo parts that I have been Dying! to bolt onto something so Maybe ill return with another car one day.
Since pictures are worth a thousand words here are some pics of the last time I worked on the old girl. Made it hole again for transport.
And loaded up.
And so you guys know I won't be V8 and burnout starved heres some snaps of the other woman still dressed up like its 1993.
This all happened about 3 weeks ago and last week we were in Ontario to buy a house (not trying to make excuses as to why I hadn't made a post). I know allot of you really wanted to see it finished but sometimes life just happens and there are more Important things to take care of. I was able to recoup roughly 70% of what I had into it not including my time of course, but as most of you can imagine trying to sell a half finished project is a pain. the bright side is that I have been able to focus on the Camaro, pulled it out the other day and did a couple of burnouts to make myself feel better. I don't think I'm done with G bodys, I got a small collection of junkyard turbo parts that I have been Dying! to bolt onto something so Maybe ill return with another car one day.
Since pictures are worth a thousand words here are some pics of the last time I worked on the old girl. Made it hole again for transport.
And loaded up.
And so you guys know I won't be V8 and burnout starved heres some snaps of the other woman still dressed up like its 1993.
Sorry to see you won't finish it but thanks for saving it from the cancer.
It does suck that I wont get to finish the project. I kinda made peace with it before putting it on the local classifieds. I'm probably most disappointed in the fact that there was going to be some first for me like painting a car properly and the final body work leading up to it. As well as completing a project from start to finish. But there will be other projects.
Im going to London actually, its closer to home (and good parts). Not a fan of pet the location is crap and I couldn't afford to live my junk car lifestyle in Toronto or Barrie. Although i do plan on checking out the 400 swap meet
Im going to London actually, its closer to home (and good parts). Not a fan of pet the location is crap and I couldn't afford to live my junk car lifestyle in Toronto or Barrie. Although i do plan on checking out the 400 swap meet
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