My 71 Maverick Grabber Build.....

Did some rust repair today and got it almost ready for some more epoxy primer..... This is what I consider proper rust repair.....

Here is the hole after I cut out the rust.....




With the patch cut and fitted.....




After welding and grinding.....

 

Also repaired around the driver side tail light and rolled the lip on the rear fenderwell openings..... I also sanded everything else in prep for epoxy primer.....

Before and after of the tail light opening.....

 

There have been some awesome projects on this forum and this is one of my favorite, please keep up the great work

 

You are doing a great job! The patch work looks good.

If I could offer one thing? I was always taught when doing metal patch work to keep all the edges rounded, meaning no hard angle edges. It helps with possible cracking later on. Not always the easy way to do it, but long term it makes for a better repair.

Just a thought....

 

You're doing a great job!

 

Thank you, glad your enjoying the build!!!!!

Thanks.....

I have never thought about rounding the corners on a patched area, but it does make sense it would be less likely to crack..... I have never had a problem doing like I did, but then again I don't usually keep a car more then 3 or 4 years.....

Thanks.....


Got the rest of it in epoxy primer this morning, and got it back on the tires again..... Now I can get back to stripping the front end, then remove the cowl for clean up.....

 

That looks real good

 

Thanks.....


Well I pick up a couple fenders, drivers door and some super clean front marker light assemblies Monday night..... The fenders look really clean, doesn't look like the drivers door has ever been rusty plus the door came with a set of unmollested hinges which I really needed.....

 

I had to clean and reorganize the shop this morning which took a while..... I did get a little more stripping done on the front of the car...... I really wish this damn heat go away, it's just wearing me out.....

 

Finished stripping the rest of the front except for where the suspension is which will get finished when the suspension is removed..... Now I guess it's time to get the old spot weld drill out to start removing the cowl for preventative rust treatment.....

 

i'll keep my fingers crossed that you won't have any unpleasant surprises with the cowls

 

Seems like a lot of work, if it's a non-a/c car, just reach up in the holes and feel around, pour something like POR 15 in there. Having removed a cowl myself, I will never do it again. If yours isn't rusted out now, it'll never rust out, it's not like it's going to sit outside all the time..is it?

 

I am not expecting any suprises, but you never really know what you will find on these old cars sometimes.....

I don't believe it's rusted out, looking in from the side drains alot of the paint is peeled up and I can see surface rust..... I am afraid if I just poor something in there it will not protect it all and possibly even create a low spot that may hold water.....

I have done cowl repairs on a couple early mustangs before and it was by no means easy, but I didn't think it was all that bad.....

No, it's not going to sit outside all the time but I do live in a condo with no garage so it will spend some time outside when I am driving it.....

 

I removed the cowl this morning, not too bad a job..... It took about 2.5 hours to get it removed..... I did find a little more rust then I was hoping for, but not horrible..... I stripped all the paint and wire brushed all the loose stuff from the cowl area to better survey the damage.....

The vent ring on the driver side needs to be replaced, it's got a couple small holes after trying to clean it up..... On the pass side the ring is mostly gone and the wall behind it needs some repair.....

I think I can use the pieces from early Mustang cowl repair panels to repair mine, but I need to do a little research on that later today.....

Here's some pic's of it coming apart.....








and here it is after cleaning it up.....

 

Once again....Nice job!!