I love the Demons. Good luck with your build.
My 74 Duster project
- Thread starter HTRTrash
- Start date
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I love the Demons. Good luck with your build.
Not a lot of progress, but it is progress.
She had a few pinholes in the right lower quarters, so I picked up some POR Patch. I added some steel screen behind the quarter for some additional strength. This lower panel is solid as a rock. I still need to POR the outside lower to make sure I stop any more rust.
Now beside of the right tail light was another story. I uncovered a lot of rot there. Being unemployeed, I have more time than money, so I started to cut it up and patch the upper quarter and tail panel. So far, the quarter is looking very good. I cut everything out on the bodylines to keep them in tact. It is pretty cool what you can do with a grinder, a sheet of metal, a cheap 36 inch metal brake, a small mig and a cheap set of body hammers and anvils!
I am just beginning to repair the tail panel and I am sure it will take a while. I don't have the MAD SKILLS some of the guys on FABO have, so it will have to do. I hope to make a better showing tomorrow. Any and all tips and tricks are welcome.
Later
She had a few pinholes in the right lower quarters, so I picked up some POR Patch. I added some steel screen behind the quarter for some additional strength. This lower panel is solid as a rock. I still need to POR the outside lower to make sure I stop any more rust.
Now beside of the right tail light was another story. I uncovered a lot of rot there. Being unemployeed, I have more time than money, so I started to cut it up and patch the upper quarter and tail panel. So far, the quarter is looking very good. I cut everything out on the bodylines to keep them in tact. It is pretty cool what you can do with a grinder, a sheet of metal, a cheap 36 inch metal brake, a small mig and a cheap set of body hammers and anvils!
I am just beginning to repair the tail panel and I am sure it will take a while. I don't have the MAD SKILLS some of the guys on FABO have, so it will have to do. I hope to make a better showing tomorrow. Any and all tips and tricks are welcome.
Later
I am about 90 percent complete on the right quarter panel. I finished the QP skin repair, pre fit the trunk pan and extensions for both sides, fabed up a new extension end cap for the right side and made and installed a patch for the right side tail panel.
I still have a lower brace to make and install then clean up some of the welds. Then it is time to move back to the left side and make another patch for the tail panel and extension end cap.
More to come tomorrow.
I still have a lower brace to make and install then clean up some of the welds. Then it is time to move back to the left side and make another patch for the tail panel and extension end cap.
More to come tomorrow.
Made a little more progress today. I finished cutting out the rust in the tail panel and left quarter panel. All of the patches are in but I still need to clean up a few things and install the lower braces for the trunk extensions. Next is to take out the new trunk pan and prep the car for final installation.
The back of the car is nice and solid now but I still have some prep work to do before I can weld in the trunk pan and extensions. I couldn't find a good spare tire mount / tank strap mount so I made one. It has been welded to the pan.
The deck lid is off and back glass is out. I only found 2 places with some surface rust under the glass seal, so it need a little POR-15.
This weeks plan is to have the trunk welded together, a few dings in the rear quarters hammered out and back glass opening and trunk primed.
The deck lid is off and back glass is out. I only found 2 places with some surface rust under the glass seal, so it need a little POR-15.
This weeks plan is to have the trunk welded together, a few dings in the rear quarters hammered out and back glass opening and trunk primed.
The back window frame has been cleaned up and a little POR-15 added. Also completed the patches in the rear quarters and POR-15 painted on the inside of the panels. I still need to do a little work to the inside of the tail panel before installing the trunk pan. It feels like it has been 1 step forward and 3 back for a couple of weeks. At least I can see a little progress!
jaimus
Old School ASE Gold
As a 74 owner myself, I'm lovin the job your doin,I'm gonna be knee deep on mine pretty soon doing much of the same repairs, right now I'm still collecting and prepping parts,and doin homework,...lots of homework,.....Coupla questions,...Where'd you get your sheet metal?,How do you like the fit of the metal?...and how are you gonna make the paint stick to the POR.
As for the metal, I bought the trunk pan from someone on eBay. It didn't fit to well but well enough. The front floor pans came from Year One and fit real good. The trunk extensions are AMD and also fit pretty well, however, on the 74-76 all of the extensions have to be modified (at the bumper end) and trimmed off to fit, no matter where you get them. The rest of the metal was just a sheet of 18 ga steel. I couldn't afford patch panels so I made my own.
The picture you see with the POR was taken before I was done. After the POR has been on for an hour or so, you need to DUST COAT it with self etching primer. After it is dry, you finish it up with the same primer. Then it is sand and paint as usual.
Hope this helped a little.
I got the dash removed and cleaned up. The inside has been primed and the outside is ready to be primed. I think I will add a thin layer of filler to straighten some of the factory waves.
I also got the inside of the firewall cleaned, a coat of epoxy primer laid down and seam sealer applied. Damn what a long day.
I also got the inside of the firewall cleaned, a coat of epoxy primer laid down and seam sealer applied. Damn what a long day.
Still working on the dash. I have spent a few hours on taking out a few dings, priming and wet sanding. I am trying to get it and the engine wiring harness ready for a test fit and wiring issues before I take it apart for the last time.
I finished the primer coat on the dash. So it was time to put it away and get back to finish the metal work.
I had already prepped the pan and extensions, so it was pretty much ready to weld in place. I got the trunk pan welded in and started working on making a patch from the tail panel to the floor. I am about half way there.
My panel bond just came in today, so I hope to complete the patch, as well as get the extensions bonded to the rest of the new floor tomorrow.
I had already prepped the pan and extensions, so it was pretty much ready to weld in place. I got the trunk pan welded in and started working on making a patch from the tail panel to the floor. I am about half way there.
My panel bond just came in today, so I hope to complete the patch, as well as get the extensions bonded to the rest of the new floor tomorrow.
Well the trunk pan is complete! The extensions are bonded and the patch for the tail panel to the trunk pan is complete. After the epoxy drys, I can prime and seam seal. I am ready to be done with the back side of this one.
The trunk braces, jack catch and trunk latch brace have been reinstalled. The pan was a little wavy so I added a little filler to smooth it out a little. I have to replace the A/C condenser on my truck tomorrow so no work on the Duster.
...and my grand daughter helped, so it was a good day.
Some days, it looks as if I will never get this thing in primer.
...and my grand daughter helped, so it was a good day.
Some days, it looks as if I will never get this thing in primer.
One thing I have learned doing body work on this project is... I SUCK AT IT! Other than that, it's coming out pretty good. Massaged the A pillars and trunk pan a little more, filled the seams of the trunk drip rails and sanded, a lot. I also filled the tail panel where I made some repairs and smoothed it. When I am done, there is a good chance that I will still suck at body work, but it will be good.
Been able to work on the Duster quite a bit this weekend. Tail panel is ready for primer. Roof has been stripped, sanded, one seam sealed and a few hail dents repaired.
I thought I was ready to prime some of it tomorrow but I noticed a couple more hail dents (very small) as I was winding down for the night.
Need a little help. If I have a few small dings I find after the epoxy primer has been laid down, do I have to grind it back down to the metal to add a little filler or can it be filled on top of the epoxy? No big deal either way, I would just like to know what my options are and the propper way it should be done.
I thought I was ready to prime some of it tomorrow but I noticed a couple more hail dents (very small) as I was winding down for the night.
Need a little help. If I have a few small dings I find after the epoxy primer has been laid down, do I have to grind it back down to the metal to add a little filler or can it be filled on top of the epoxy? No big deal either way, I would just like to know what my options are and the propper way it should be done.
ryansiki
Well-Known Member
Great Job. That's gonna be one nice duster when its finished:thumblef:
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