StainlessBullet
05-28-2013, 01:15 AM
As the thread title says, today we finally finished my frame refurbishment. I couldn't be more excited right now. My dad and I have been doing a frame-off restoration on 5788 since I purchased the car in 2010. We have accomplished more these last 6 months than we have during the past 3 years.
Anyway, this is what we had to work with.
The frame is from the car I found in the cornfield (2923), but it’s going to be the donor frame for 5788, which has a virtually non-existent frame because of rust.
2923 was an automatic car, but 5788 is a 5-speed. This meant we had to do a 5-speed conversion on the frame.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19291&d=1369714500
The 5-speed conversion required us to cut the old automatic plate out of the frame. As you can see in the picture, the automatic plate has a rectangle shaped hole, while the 5-speed plate is more circular. The automatic plate also sits lower in the frame than its 5-speed counterpart.
Once we cut the auto plate out, the new plate was welded in. It was very difficult to weld. The metal on these frames is unbelievably thin.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19292&d=1369714536
The original front extension had been torn by the previous owner when he moved the car by chaining a dozer to the front extension (yes you read that right).
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19293&d=1369715511
Where the extension tore it left a gateway for rust to enter under the epoxy. We had no choice but to install a new one. So we custom made our own.
What you might think is just a small amount of rust can turn big quick. I would find small rust sections on the frame, maybe only the size of a fingernail in the epoxy, chip away at the rust and underneath the surrounding epoxy would be a fist sized amount (sometimes more) of surface rust . We ended up spending about two months just sanding and needle scaling on the frame to ensure all rust was taken care of. All areas we removed rust from were coated with a product called POR-15. It’s a great product IF you properly prep the metal. If you don’t prep correctly, you are wasting your time because it will chip away easily. Don’t ask me how I know this. :biggrin:
Anyway, here is the finished product. All in all this portion of the restoration cost me around $500.00 in materials, paint, etc.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19284&d=1369712462
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19286&d=1369712682
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19285&d=1369712640
Next on the to-do list, start putting everthing back together!
Anyway, this is what we had to work with.
The frame is from the car I found in the cornfield (2923), but it’s going to be the donor frame for 5788, which has a virtually non-existent frame because of rust.
2923 was an automatic car, but 5788 is a 5-speed. This meant we had to do a 5-speed conversion on the frame.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19291&d=1369714500
The 5-speed conversion required us to cut the old automatic plate out of the frame. As you can see in the picture, the automatic plate has a rectangle shaped hole, while the 5-speed plate is more circular. The automatic plate also sits lower in the frame than its 5-speed counterpart.
Once we cut the auto plate out, the new plate was welded in. It was very difficult to weld. The metal on these frames is unbelievably thin.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19292&d=1369714536
The original front extension had been torn by the previous owner when he moved the car by chaining a dozer to the front extension (yes you read that right).
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19293&d=1369715511
Where the extension tore it left a gateway for rust to enter under the epoxy. We had no choice but to install a new one. So we custom made our own.
What you might think is just a small amount of rust can turn big quick. I would find small rust sections on the frame, maybe only the size of a fingernail in the epoxy, chip away at the rust and underneath the surrounding epoxy would be a fist sized amount (sometimes more) of surface rust . We ended up spending about two months just sanding and needle scaling on the frame to ensure all rust was taken care of. All areas we removed rust from were coated with a product called POR-15. It’s a great product IF you properly prep the metal. If you don’t prep correctly, you are wasting your time because it will chip away easily. Don’t ask me how I know this. :biggrin:
Anyway, here is the finished product. All in all this portion of the restoration cost me around $500.00 in materials, paint, etc.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19284&d=1369712462
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19286&d=1369712682
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=19285&d=1369712640
Next on the to-do list, start putting everthing back together!