Took a break from life and headed out to the man cave. First step was to replace the decade old air hose a random hot piece of plasma cut metal killed last week. Emptied the fluid traps while I was at it.
Then I got to making things. I started with a template to box the "GNX" body bushing back in. Tracing the template onto the heavier than 20 gauge scrap and cutting it out with the body saw made it a breeze.
After that was done the purple stripping disc came out to remove the factory trunk liner off the pan. What a mess. Then ground down some offending welds and tossed some Tremclad on the parts of the frame that would be accessible no longer.
Once that was complete and dryish I took the air hammer and shear to cut off some 3/4" and 1" strips. Out came Mr. Hole Puncher and made some confetti. I probably had a little too much fun with it.
Beat a groove into the section of the tub and fitted it up. Then spot welded the strips over the cut lines. The reason for this "method" versus butt welding it is I am lazy and didn't have access to grind the seams down from the penetration. Also I got to play with my new tool and practice spot welding.
Go car, not show car.
I wanted it to look as unmolested as possible from the outside. Inside with a couple of factory 1/2" thick seam sealer beads and some rubberized coating and a carpet on top who the f*ck is going to know? While the side gaps were super tight, the panel did shorten a bit and left a 1/4" gap at the bottom and I needed something as a backer for the welds.
With some truck bed coating and some melted rubber on top no one (not reading this thread anyway) will ever be the wiser.
See
Rktpwrd I can grind welds flattish!
