Auto Restoration 101

The next step was to fabricate the right side of the spare tire well. I did not want to fabricate the entire right side so I made a panel that went about half way up from the bottom piece. There is some small rust holes even above this piece that I will cut out and add a small piece in later.

This is where I left off from the last post. This is looking towards the front of the car.

This is the right side panel. I have it attached with a few Clecos. I made this panel by hammering the edge of the panel over a dollie. I also put in few shrinks in the lower edge with the hand shrinker. I then ran it through the wheel just enough to give it a slight dish.

I then tack welded the side to the lower panel. All of this time the old panel is still underneath the new panels. It is working really good keeping it at this point because it gives me something to attach the new parts to while I am working on them.

I am using a 3/32 cut off wheel to cut the old panel out and at the same time tack welding the new part to the car. The small gap is easy to weld, I just had to make sure that I didn’t tack weld it to the part that will be removed.

This is what I will do all the way around the panel. Cutting the old panel and tack welding in the new. After I have it all tack welded I will then pull out the old rusty piece.