Hey everyone, my name is Aaron and I own a 76 Type LT in Houston, TX. I've had my Camaro since March 1993 (got her when I was a junior in HS). I drove her for 8 yrs/130k miles until April 2001. She has been sitting in my garage since then. I've been slowly buying parts (mainly interior and body) and am at the point I can start doing some real work. Mainly wanted to say hello and start a project thread for my 76. This site has been great and has been very inspiring, so I will be doing lots of reading in the meantime since it looks like every question imaginable has been asked and answered already!

Here she is now in my garage looking kind of sad

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/camaro1.jpg


Here she was back in March 1993 looking a little better

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/camaro1-1.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/camaro2.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/camaro3.jpg

Hey Aaron, I'm also working on a '76 LT - having a blast!

Sweet, glad there are a few 76s still out there! It's been a challenge at times finding parts that are unique to the 74-77 body. Can't wait to start on some actual work and show some pics.

clean looking car you got there. should be a fun project. keep us updated with lots of pics :)

Nice car. Good to see someone else starting a big bumper project.

Im restoring a 76 but mine isn't an LT.
The folks on this website are a wealth of info. They have been a big help on my project. When it comes to camaros somebody on here has "been there and done that" !!
Good Luck
:bowtie: :bowtie:

Yeah, I saw the sticky in the suspension forum and it was a dream come true. My wife might not like it but it gives more even more inspiration. Tons of info to say the least.

The car is clean overall but will be getting a major overhaul in all depts. I wish I had the room to take her apart completely, but will instead have to do this in phases. But I know this car inside and out, so should not be too bad getting her ready for the paint and body shop.

Excellent, another big bumper car, and a Type LT at that! :bowtie:
Definitely keep us updated on the progress!

welcome to Nasty-Z!

cool car, can't wait to see how your project progresses...
good bunch of folks here, and a wealth of knowledge about our cars....
a little nutty at times, but like family... lolololol:)

Very Cool 76 LT!:bowtie:

RickSSR :cool:

Welcome to the Boards....

You just met your new addiction with some of the folks on here.... Got yourself a great project...

Nice car. Good to see someone else starting a big bumper project.

+1! Best of luck! :bowtie:

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I tore the rest of the interior out down to sheet metal on Saturday, which is my "Phase 1". Discovered rust-through in some spots of the floor board, which I expected. But I am not focused on any body panels right now, just mechanicals and electrical.

I would like to rebuild the steering column and move down to replace the power steering box/pump and steering components. Will be posting some more pics of the progress, although it won't be too exciting :)

Nice bumpers, they're hard to find. My 77 bumper rubbers were messed up and try finding good ones. I decided to go with fiberglass. The front bumper and brackets were completely replaced. Looks good but no good as a bumper. The back bumper will retain the brackets and supports with just the aluminum being replaced.
Good luck on your project. I need to take some pictures of mine so I can show it off. It is also an LT but I don't have the LT cover plate that goes across the back between the trunk lid and the bumper. Some day I'll find a nice one.
My floor on the drivers side had some rust holes and I beleive it was from the inside out. Probably something spilled. I sanded the rust to get the loose stuff up and used some of that liquid stuff that turns the rust black and stops its progression. Then I used some good body filler to cover it up, sanded, and painted. Came out nice.
I like the big bumper Camaro too. :)

solid 76! dig the wheels

solid 76! dig the wheels

LOL - thanks. They looked good back in the 1990s but are shot to hell now. Will be getting something similar down the road though. I like the 5 star look but those exact American Racing wheels are not made anymore.

I suppose some obligatory "holy crap, where did my interior go?!" pics can be posted :) I used my old floor mats to cover the rust areas while I worked inside but you can see how rusty the floor is. Just one more thing that will need to be fixed.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/0802081.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/0802082.jpg

heck, that's not too bad....floor pans will fix that right up
btw, welcome aboard....where in Houston are ya?

heck, that's not too bad....floor pans will fix that right up
btw, welcome aboard....where in Houston are ya?

Yeah, it's no big deal to have some new floor pans welded in. It's definitely rusted though in the low spots where moisture collected. Just means I will have more POR-15 for other areas.

I am up in The Woodlands area, so technically not in Houston but I work downtown, which is close enough ;)

Well, nothing too "sexy" to share, but it is progress :crazy: I started cleaning the frame some and it's not too bad to clean up. Going to spend some time this long weekend on some more cleaning.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/IMG_3875.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/IMG_3898.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/IMG_3900.jpg

I'm doing a 76 LT too. Just started, and this weekend managed to pull out the door panels and dash.
So the inside is almost bear now, other than the steering column and a whole lot of wires.
So far I have only torn apart...I'm sure this is the easy part.:)
Good luck, and keep the pics coming.
Are you planning on paint? If so...keeping the same color? Just curious.
Haley

Nice! Glad to see another 76 Type LT getting done. Let me know if I can be of any help (and vice versa) - I know this car fairly well after 15 years of ownership. I've got a few extra parts here and there, so let me know what you are looking for and maybe I can help. My main advice is to document things really well as you remove parts and take lots of pictures. You can't do too much of either!

I took more apart this past weekend - outer heater/AC box is off, booster/MC and lines are gone, power steering box, steering shaft and steering column are out. Also took out the "aftermarket" wiring inside the cabin. Had some old alarm wiring and some other non-stock wiring that had to go. Now it's easier to see what is what esp with the steering column out. I am pretty sure the next "major" step is to pull the engine/tranny so I can take the frame off and re-finish it, as well as re-finish the firewall.

The car will be painted black (originally all black), but I won't be re-painting her myself. Just not enough space to do it and the body work really needs a professional's touch (like welding in rear 1/4s). I *could* do it myself (painted this car way back in 95), but this is a job I am willing to outsource esp for the type of paint job I want. I am going to handle enough other stuff to keep me busy ;)

I'm glad to see you're making some progress. Remember to take plenty of pics and to bag up and label your parts. Don't throw anything away yet. Wait till you're completely done (and even then may be too soon). Man, those pics sure bring back memories. LOL. Keep us up to date.

I'm glad to see you're making some progress. Remember to take plenty of pics and to bag up and label your parts. Don't throw anything away yet. Wait till you're completely done (and even then may be too soon). Man, those pics sure bring back memories. LOL. Keep us up to date.

Good stuff man! I am all about the ziploc bags, labels and pics :) I'd be totally screwed if I didn't do that - LOL! Good tip about keeping the old parts until you are done to at have something to compare the new parts with. I know it looks like a total mess now, but in my head I can see it being totally different in 3-4 months. Sometimes I will just sit there and stare at my car going through the steps in my head. Just gotta keep at it.

Any progress Aaron?

Well, it's been a loooong time since I posted in here. Been mainly acquiring parts, getting rid of old parts, and doing other "boring" stuff that is not post-worthy (not to mention a ton of house projects that sucked up all my free time it seemed, but those are all done now). Finally did some actual work though over the past few weeks and intend on doing a lot more in the next few months as I inch closer to getting my 76 into the body shop.

Got the front sub-frame removed, completed gutting the interior and made some more room so I can put her on a rotisserie in the next few weeks, which I have to build. Here are a few obligatory pics of my 76 in a reduced form. Next step is to pull the rear end and windshields.

And my temporary shelf above the Camaro was taken down today. I moved all my boxes of parts into my wife's craft room, with her blessing of course :o

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/IMG_4924.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/IMG_4925.jpg

Got the rear end out this weekend - started building the rotisserie but felt like crap on Sunday so will have to finish that up next weekend.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0038.jpg

So this is what she looks like now

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0039.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0041.jpg

Glad to see you making some progress Aaron. Sounds like you have a good wife there letting you use part of her craft room and all. Keep up the good work.

Thanks man, it looks like I am going to wrong way but you have to tear them down before you can build them back up. I expect to achieve quite a bit of ACTUAL progress in February. I have a goal to get her into a body shop sometimes in Q3 of this year so I have to get working here!

I understand completely. I started off saying "well I won't need to do this or that" and wound up doing pretty much the same as you are doing. Wind up taking little breaks here and there too though.

Moving right along!!!:bowtie:

Made another big leap this weekend - got the shell on the home made rotisserie. The design was inspired by szalkuskt. It rotates well and feels solid, so can't wait to roll it out into the driveway and get some real work done!

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0054.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0055.jpg

any new pics

You mean besides the 2 pics I just posted today? :D

Looking good Aaron, it's moving right along.

Thanks for the parts, they found good homes. It was nice meeting you Saturday. Maybe I can stop by for a longer visit next time I'm in that part of town.

You mean besides the 2 pics I just posted today? :D

Duh is me,,, lol:)

Cool, very cool!

Looking good Aaron, it's moving right along.

Thanks for the parts, they found good homes. It was nice meeting you Saturday. Maybe I can stop by for a longer visit next time I'm in that part of town.

Right on man, glad those parts found a home. I would have felt bad taking them to the junkyard knowing they'd get melted and sent to China as scrap. Feel free to swing by anytime you are in my neck of the woods :)

February should be a good month - going to rock and roll on the shell, the frame and the rear axle housing.

I have actually started thinking about hiring someone to do all the welding work and then painting the car myself. Is that something any of you guys have done?

I am not prepared to dive into any welding work, at least on this car. I have painted this car before (and others) so I am not apprehensive about doing that, esp since I have clean body panels. I know I'd save a ton in money - just a lot to think about.

If you just have floor pans to do it is not hard at all. If you have a friend with a welder and can get it done cheap probably ok. If it's going to cost more than the price of a welder then you might think about doing it yourself. Plus you get a welder out of the deal.

Unfortunately I have to replace both 1/4 panels. I don't want to jump into welding and use that as one of my first practice runs, ya know? But I hear you loud and clear. The trunk area that needs work is rather small in size and that does not need to look pretty, same with the floor pans.

Just another thing to think about. Part of me wants to just put her in the shop and let someone else do it all, but I know I could save some serious cash and use that for something else if I did the prep and painting myself.

The good thing is that this represents the lowest point of this project - I can't tear her down any more. I can only start moving forward from here.

Looks like a great project Aaron, not sure how I missed this one.


ANOTHER BIG BUMPER CAR COMES BACK TO LIFE!

Looks like a great project Aaron, not sure how I missed this one.


ANOTHER BIG BUMPER CAR COMES BACK TO LIFE!

Thanks Guy - you missed it because I hadn't posted in my project thread for a loooooong time up until recently. :D

She'll come back to life in due time - 2010 is going to be the year that happens. (ok, might happen in 2011)

Aaron,just relized your the one who sent me the door trim pieces.Agian i want to THANK YOU!Its guys like you that help me have trust in other people.Ill be watching your your progress.Bob:bowtie:

Took today off and was able to get some nice work done. Yesterday I degreased, power washed and scrubbed the underbody (except for the areas that I know will be replaced). I was pleasantly surprised by how good of condition the underbody is. The factory red primer is still very solid. I had intended on sandblasting the entire underbody but now I don't think that will be necessary.

I also was able to blast the firewall, but still have some touch up to do. So one step closer to being able to replace the floor pans.

Some shots of the cleaned underbody

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0463.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0462.jpg


Before and after of the firewall.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0452.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0461.jpg

A few steps closer with many more to go :bowtie:

Looking good Aaron

Thanks man - saw that you got the flu. Hope you are doing better. I can't think of much more I hate than being sick.

Looks like a great project! Glad to see another Big Bumper coming back to life! MORE PICTURES! :)

I hope to have some more pics soon. This past weekend was a high work-to-picture ratio kind of weekend. :)

So I have a slight dilemma. The areas that need no work are in very good shape as far as the red primer condition is concerned. But I will need to replace the floor pans, that is a definite. That means I will need to coat the new pans with something, say POR-15 or the equivalent. Do I need to blast off all the factory red primer before I put POR-15 on or can I get away with applying POR-15 over the factory red primer? I would really like to NOT sand blast any more than I have to. But I want the underbody to be consistent.

Spent some time this weekend stripping paint off the shell. Removed all the paint layers from the roof top and rocker panels and took off as much as I could from the door jambs and cowl using a 4.5" stripping disc on my angle grinder. Will be getting some abrasive supplies in this week which will let me finish up these areas. I didn't touch the 1/4 panels since those will be getting replaced down the road.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0468.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0469.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0470.jpg

And the new addition to the family :D Floor pan replacement will begin soon.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0471.jpg

Nice Aaron, the work and the welder.

Thanks, I'm just trying to catch up with you :D We'll see how well I can work that welder though. ;) I figured I would get something with more adjustment to make life a little easier for a beginner like me. I've watched ~10 online videos on MIG welding and it really doesn't seem *that* bad. Floor pans will be the perfect place to start. I am going to try and get some scrap metal from a body shop to practice on as well. The next few months should be a lot of fun (and probably a lot of headaches, but that's expected)

Aaron,

Looking at your project is inspiring... I have a 77 LT that I plan on ripping the interior out and working on this spring (after I get the car out of storage). I really wish I could pull her apart and do the whole car right, as you are doing. Living in a condo has it's drawbacks, and piece work is one of them. Anyway Keep up the good work, looks great!

Dave

Looking good Aaron!

Dave
:bowtie:

Aaron,

Looking at your project is inspiring... I have a 77 LT that I plan on ripping the interior out and working on this spring (after I get the car out of storage). I really wish I could pull her apart and do the whole car right, as you are doing. Living in a condo has it's drawbacks, and piece work is one of them. Anyway Keep up the good work, looks great!

Dave

Glad I can inspire a few folks. :) While I am fortunate to have a (small) garage, I was sort of in the same boat as you. I was not planning on working on my car until we moved into our next house (that would have a larger garage), but I got that bug and just decided to make due with what space I had. I had to build a shed for my yard stuff and do some other organization projects to make this work though. So I sort of know the feeling.

Do you have any extra space inside your condo that you could keep the interior pieces as you remove them?

Looks good Araon!That nice weather down there is making me jealous

I love the late second gen Z's but I still have a lot of love for the big bumpers.

Looks good Aaron. Progress.....................I love it :bowtie:

Thanks everyone, it's definitely motivating to hear the kind words. :) I think the next step is to clean up the rest of the areas I began to strip and then start on the floor pans. Once the floor pans are done I can decide how I want to finish the underbody and the cabin - still not sure how much work I want to put into those two areas. Luckily in Texas we are hitting spring time so I should see some nice weather from here on out.

Glad I can inspire a few folks. :) While I am fortunate to have a (small) garage, I was sort of in the same boat as you. I was not planning on working on my car until we moved into our next house (that would have a larger garage), but I got that bug and just decided to make due with what space I had. I had to build a shed for my yard stuff and do some other organization projects to make this work though. So I sort of know the feeling.

Do you have any extra space inside your condo that you could keep the interior pieces as you remove them?

Yes, I have a fairly empty basement so I was thinking of storing and recovering the seats, clean up the console etc down there. I have no idea how the floor pans will look, but I'm hoping that I will just be able to use some POR-15 and not have replace any panels.

I can just see someone from the Condo board walking by and see me using a welder in the garage... :mad:

Thanks, I'm just trying to catch up with you :D
LOL. I move slow and take frequent breaks. You should pass me in no time.

Yes, I have a fairly empty basement so I was thinking of storing and recovering the seats, clean up the console etc down there. I have no idea how the floor pans will look, but I'm hoping that I will just be able to use some POR-15 and not have replace any panels.

I can just see someone from the Condo board walking by and see me using a welder in the garage... :mad:

Yeah, it's always the little things that pop up once you remove the interior. Hopefully your floor pans are not rusted through like mine. You could probably see from underneath if there is any major rot. Keep us posted!

LOL. I move slow and take frequent breaks. You should pass me in no time.

LOL - your Camaro actually runs and drives. ;) It's one of those things where you see start to some ACTUAL progress and spend more time on it. A few months ago I was thinking this would never get done and now I can actually imagine it being done in 2011.

Hey Aaron, I am at about the same place with mine, I brushed on some POR over the original primer to check it out and it seemed to "fish eye" in a few places, so I'm thinking I am going to take the floor pans down metal also, which kind of sucks! LOL I wasn't planning on doing all that! I also have a couple of spots in the pans that needed work which I hadn't done before, but I figured what the hell, got a welder and I am learning how to weld.

That's interesting info, thanks. I know POR-15 says to NOT apply their product over painted surfaces, so I guess they were right. I have to decide how "hardcore" I want to be with regard to areas that nobody will ever see but me and maybe some mechanic. I will do one of two things - strip the old red primer off and coat with POR-15, etc or do nothing. The factory red primer is in good condition, so no problem there. But it might bug me down the road that I didn't spend a little more time to "do it right". :)

See my thread for pics, but get some butt-weld clamps from HF they are a great help.

Good choice on the welder, those are sweeeet.

Yep, I snagged a few packs of those butt weld clamps when I got a welding mask - you guys convinced me to grab a few just in case. I will know more once I actually get the old floor pans cut out, but might just do a lap weld on the floor pans. Thinking it would be a royal PITA to do a butt weld with all the curves and contours. Will def do butt welds on the 1/4s and the trunk patches.

Hey Aaron, just wanted to update you on the POR thing. I worked on mine last night and I got a 3M painteater for my 4" grinder and it took like a little more then a half hour to get the drivers side floor pan down to bare metal. Went over real quick with a good wire wheel and had it painted all within a couple of hours. If you decide to go that way just make sure you wear safety glasses! I am hoping to have the whole interior down to metal and painted by this weekend or during the weekend. I will let you know.
Chris

Ah yes, I have used the Norton version of the paint stripper disc for the angle grinder. That thing is MONEY. I used it to take down the paint on the roof and other areas. Here's the kicker - I am replacing the entire driver side floor pan soon and at least parts of the pass side floor pan, so those areas won't need to be stripped down at all. So I bet after I get the floor pans done, the job won't look quite as bad. I really appreciate the feedback, that is very helpful :)

I need to check out your progress thread tonight when I can actually see the pics.

Keep the momentum going !
Congrats on the welder purchase, you will have it figured out in no time.

sweet! another Big bumper in the family.

You will love that Miller. Nice project.

No new pics to share, but was able to use the 2" stripper discs on my die grinder to remove paint in the tight areas on the door jambs, cowl and other areas. Also stripped the paint off the metal dash and the front windshield "lip". Have just a few small spots that I will have to use the sandblaster to remove. Going to wait until I am basically done removing all I can with the angle grinder and die grinders before doing any sandblasting. Did some more yard work to get ready for 2010, so that cut into the Camaro time. Also spent Sunday doing some more organization work in the garage.

Think I can get my hands on a good driver side toe board, so will work on removing the old pass side floor pan this week. Probably will take a few weekends since this is all new to me and I want to do it right. Going to try and do butt welds on the floor pans too, which will add to the required time.

Your making progress!Isn't all the grinding,sanding and wire whelling fun!:bowtie:

Yeah, it's a freakin' blast, let me tell ya! :D This is what makes people send their cars to a body shop, but there is a little bit of therapy to be had in doing this kind of work. Being outside and off the couch makes it worth it. I ride the bus to work 3-4 days a week and all I do is daydream about what needs done next. Funny how the floor pans get replaced in ~10 min in my head - LOL!

My time frame is to have the car ready for paint by Sept/Oct when the temperature is more moderate (i.e. not 100). The idea is to take off an entire week and knock out all the painting. I think I can do the necessary body work prep over the next 6 months. That is where having really clean used doors, fenders, etc will pay off. No dents or rust to mess with.

Started cutting out the driver side floor pan this evening. Took my time marking where the two braces were and the other things I didn't want to slice through. Used my angle grinder with a cut off wheel and just started cutting. Went a lot faster than I thought. Still have some small areas to cut before the entire pan is out but should be able to start touching up the edges, fitting the new panel and maybe even welding in the driver side pan this weekend. Not going to rush it though, I want it to fit properly. More pics to come soon. :bowtie:

Sounds great, glad ya got started on the floor pans. Take your time n you will be fine, but.......................we do need pics lol

Only because you asked nicely, I took some pics, although they are kind of boring - the floor pan will be gone tomorrow night.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0481.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0482.jpg

A crappy pic of the cowl and interior metal dash - hard to tell but it's pretty much stripped down to bare metal.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0484.jpg


Spent Sunday building this cabinet for my tool boxes. It, like my garden shelving unit, is on casters so I can roll it out of the way Everything in my garage is on wheels it seems...except the Camaro :(

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0483.jpg

Lookin good.

Not really, but thanks for sayin' so :D

The goal is to have both floor pans installed (I mean installed, welds ground down, etc) by the end of March. Not trying to rush it so should be do-able.

looks good Aaron. I hope to do some work done on mine tommrow.Were
starting to get some warmer weather up here.:bowtie:

Define "warmer weather" - you mean in the 40s? :D

It was in the 70s and muggy here today, which is OK with me. I'd rather be able to wake up on a weekend and just start working on the car rather than wait until 9 am for it to warm enough. We Texans aren't used to the cold like you Northerners are!

Nice work Aaron. Your little tool box cart gave me an idea. Thanks

Not the 40's. Were having a heat wave lower 50's!!!!!!! LOL

The goal is to have both floor pans installed (I mean installed, welds ground down, etc) by the end of March.

Thats exactly how I do everyone of my projects. Its the best way!! Do it on a time frame, then it dont sit like that for years. Now that the weather is getting warmer, im starting back up on mine :)

Looking Good!!:bowtie:

Nice work Aaron. Your little tool box cart gave me an idea. Thanks

What are you thinking about doing?

Looking Good!! :bowtie:

Thanks man :)

Not the 40's. Were having a heat wave lower 50's!!!!!!! LOL

Oh damn, bust out the shorts and tank tops! :D

Thats exactly how I do everyone of my projects. Its the best way!! Do it on a time frame, then it dont sit like that for years. Now that the weather is getting warmer, im starting back up on mine

Yep, I approach this as a project made up of a bunch of smaller projects. I try not to look at the whole thing at once or else it just gets overwhelming. It's like the movie What About Bob?....gotta remember to take baby steps ;)

Once the floor pans and toe boards are all done, I think I will focus on the underside and get most of that re-finished, minus the trunk area that will need patching. The trunk area will be easier to work on once the pass side 1/4 panel is removed, but it's not a large area luckily.

looking good! Have fun with those floor pans, just be careful not to warp the hell out of things

You mean when I am welding the new ones in place?

yea, I'm no expert welder but I was told that if you get that metal too hot it will start warping

OK, thought you might have been talking about something else :) Yep, if you weld too much of a seam at once you can definitely warp the sheet metal. Slow and steady! :D

Got the driver side floor pan removed tonight. Need to spend some time getting the section in the left-rear area removed still, but that is not a big deal. Will get the edges cleaned up and the spot welds ground down and then time to fit the new floor pan.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0485.jpg

Hey nice work, looks like you are making some good progress!

Thanks, I'm trying my best. Decided I will put in an hour or two after work a few nights a week to speed things up. Can't do work just on the weekends unless I want this project to last another 2 years :)

Lookin' good Aaron! ;)

Dave
:bowtie:

Just keep plugging away, it'll get done.

Thanks guys, I was more cautious with the driver side floor pan since I have never done this before. I am sure the pass side floor pan will go faster. Would rather take my time than have to fix a screw up from rushing things.

Looks good Aaron.

I decided that I just don't have enough to do so I began stripping the interior down to bare metal so I could re-finish it. It's probably overkill, but I figured I might as well go ahead and do it. What's a few more weekends in the grand scheme of things? Just a lot of grunt work, but I think it will be worth it. I'll take off as much as I can with my 4" angle grinder and some 40 grit flap discs and then touch up with the die grinder and sandblasting. Fun, fun, fun!! :D

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0486.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0487.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0488.jpg

And you can see where some previous owner really hacked up the trunk-to-cabin divider sheet metal. So I will need to decide what to do with that. I might cut out the rest of the old sheet metal and put something new in place, but that will be dealt with later.

This is what you call a stripped camaro. Nice work.

Thanks. I am being a little OCD about it - it's not like I actually enjoy stripping paint off the shell :D I also want to get a good look at what's under the old red primer and seam sealer for more peace of mind.

Looks like you are already replacing all the stuff that is bad, Those floor pans are where most of the rotted stuff is typically. Nice looking work!!

Lookin really good Aaron, keep the pics coming.

Looks like you are already replacing all the stuff that is bad, Those floor pans are where most of the rotted stuff is typically. Nice looking work!!

Yeah, the floor pans are crap, esp the driver side. A member here is going to sell me the driver side toe board, so will have that covered. A little rot on the pass side toe board, but I can patch those spots with some sheet metal. So far not finding anything under the areas being stripped, which is good. The old seam sealer was pretty brittle in most spots, so I'm glad to get that all removed.

Lookin really good Aaron, keep the pics coming.coming

Thanks Guy, just gotta keep plugging away. With daylight savings time we have more daylight after work, so should be able to get a few good hours in after work.

Lookin good man

Aaron... That brings back memories of what i just did on my interior sheetmetal a few weeks ago...

Ahh the sand from the sand blaster. Still finding kernels when i do work on her .

Even got a nice textured floor from it when i painted it... The sand come out of no where and planted itself in my paint :whine:... oh well....


Looking good and great job so far.......


OCD...LOL...aren't we all on our projects;)

Yeah, it seems like it's never ending. While not pictured, I also was able to strip 1/2 of the inside roof and the package tray area, so I stripped more than it appears. It's a labor of love, that's for sure :screwup:

I am using my angle grinder right now and it removes the old primer fairly quickly with flap discs. I'll have to bust out the sand blaster eventually though. My neighbors HATE me right now, LOL. One neighbor who I get along with great jokingly said I reminded her that she was in the dentist office with all my grinding. :o I helped her rake the dead grass and leaves in her front lawn as a "peace offering". They all know this is a big deal for me, so they are cool....for now

Got off work a little early today, so I spent a few hours stripping more paint off from the interior of the shell. Knocked most areas down to the point of switching over to the die grinder. Should be able to get more done the next few days. I have to go away on business Sat-Tues, so going to lose a weekend, but a break from the Camaro is not a bad thing - will make me come back and hit it harder :)

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0490.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0491.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0492.jpg

Man, that's a lot of work! Nice job so far. I'm working on my '78 Type LT to get her back on the road. The paint will have to wait a bit more. I need to start a progress thread myself, before I get everything back together and nobody will be able to tell there was any progress.

Keep after it. Great job, really.

Thanks man, slowly getting to the point of actually being able to weld in the floor pans and then re-finish the metal. It's actually easier to do this stripping work without the driver side pan in there since I can crawl inside the car easier. So I will wait until everything is stripped to weld the new pans in.

You definitely need to start a project thread. We all like to see what everyone else is up to, big or small :)

Damn man, you have been busy! Your doing that a couple of hours at a time?! Nice work. should look awesome when you get it painted!

Thanks for the kind words - in the words of Guy "I just want to drive my car" :D A couple hours during the week after work anyway, but I am spending more time during the weekends. So figure a few hours here and there will add up. I am lucky to not have any kids to slow me down either, LOL!

I have a 76 as well and have been working on since 9-09. I should be done with it by May or June of this year. Welcome and send pics of your build.

GOLF72, do you have a project thread for your 76? It would be cool to see what you are working on.

Your build is awesome. The amount of determination you display in order to achieve the perfect shell astounds me. Keep up the good work...

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0491.jpg

That is a man on a mission!

your goin right to town, looks good
cant wait to see the floors go in

Joe

looks great!!!!

Thanks for that, won't be getting anything done this weekend but it's going to rain all day here apparently, so maybe lucked out that I have to go out of town. I actually miss that I won't be able to strip paint this weekend, how scary is that? :D

Amazing amount of handwork! You're doing a great job so far!

Thanks! No updates in a few days but been out of town and busy with work. Worked for a few hours last night and will get a few hours in tonight and then all day Sunday. Will post pics tonight of what I got done the past few days.

Focused mostly on the firewall area today. I will be able to get most of the remaining work done Sunday before I bust out the sand blaster again and hit all the little hard-to-reach spots throughout the shell. Then I can work on the floor pans.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0496.jpg


You can see the area of driver side toe board that will need replacing.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0497.jpg


Here is the toe board I bought from a board member that will eventually go in (at least part of it will)

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0498.jpg

Lookin good Aaron, keep at it :cool:

Nice job. How are you getting those hard to get to places so clean?

You know it man, maybe someday I will have some pictures of something other than my shell being bare metal :D

Nice job. How are you getting those hard to get to places so clean?

Combination of two things - using a flap disc on my 4" angle grinder and use the edge to get into tight spaces and then using my right angle die grinder with 2" flap discs and 2" strip discs (flap disc works fine in most cases). I really don't like sand blasting, so would rather strip as much as I can and then sand blast very last.

I know this is all overkill, but what can I say? :D

My area in front of the doors and behind the fender is still original color. I think I will just scuff and shoot there.

That will be plenty sufficient. I really should have just sprayed it down good with Simple Green, etc, power washed it off and called it a day. Too late for that, LOL!

Great work man, that car is gonna be mint when its done

keep up the fantastic work

joe

Looks great Aaron!

Dave
:bowtie:

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words. It's going to be sunny and 70 here tomorrow so should be a really productive day. More pics to come tomorrow night :)

Wow, great work! That is going to be an awesome ride. Kepp up the beautiful work!!

Thanks man, no new pics as promised since there wasn't much change other than stripping some smaller areas with the die grinder. I have it down to where I can bust out the sand blaster, which was the plan. Taking Friday off and will rock n roll all weekend on the rest of the shell (shouldn't need all weekend). Shouldn't be bad though, there are just small areas here and there that need blasting.

I am going to try a method of using some 4 mil clear plastic with some holes cut in it for the blasting nozzle and my arms, so kind of like making a "portable" blasting cabinet. Would be nice to not have to wear a hood so I could see a little better, so we'll see how it goes. It will be more of an experiment than anything. Those blasting hoods are a little restrictive since all you have is that little 3"x5" window and the sand "frosts" it over pretty quickly.

Getting the shell prepped for sand blasting this weekend. It's supposed to rain so hoping that happens tonight. While it might seem crazy, I really, REALLY, REALLY don't want sand getting into all the little nooks and crannies in the shell, so I taped off all the holes. Didn't take long though. Just heard of too many stories of people blasting their shell and then finding sand pop up here and there throughout the rest of the project. I am really trying to prevent it from f'ing things up when it comes time to paint.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0499.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0500.jpg


And this arrived today. Decided to buy a NOS upper valence panel, but I am not quite ready to put it on. ;) Wasn't too much either (WAY less than a re-pop). Probably because it has a VERY minor blemish on the left side. That'll be a snap to fix.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0501.jpg

Getting the shell prepped for sand blasting this weekend. It's supposed to rain so hoping that happens tonight. While it might seem crazy, I really, REALLY, REALLY don't want sand getting into all the little nooks and crannies in the shell, so I taped off all the holes. Didn't take long though. Just heard of too many stories of people blasting their shell and then finding sand pop up here and there throughout the rest of the project. I am really trying to prevent it from f'ing things up when it comes time to paint.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0499.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0500.jpg


And this arrived today. Decided to buy a NOS upper valence panel, but I am not quite ready to put it on. ;) Wasn't too much either (WAY less than a re-pop). Probably because it has a VERY minor blemish on the left side. That'll be a snap to fix.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0501.jpg

Upper valance look nice. Glad ya got a good deal on it. New NOS can get expensive $$$$

This piece was $100 + shipping, which I think is a fair deal considering the minor blemish. Think the re-pops are $250+ and I am sure they fit really well :rolleyes: :D Figured the time I saved from not having to sand down a used piece was worth it. I have plenty of other crap to do already!

So I postponed the sandblasting until tomorrow since it was supposedly going to rain today...turned out to be a gorgeous rain-free day, but I still got some stuff done. Started stripping the underside with the angle grinder. Got most of the old paint off. I will hit the other areas of the shell with the sand blaster tomorrow.

Pics of the progress made today

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0502.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0503.jpg

DAMMN Hell of a job u doing there.. Big Thumbs up
I have the emblem u sent put on to the doorpanel looks Sweeet!! i will have pics up soon..
Cant wait to see your project finished..

Thanks, I can't wait to be done stripping the shell, it's getting REALLY old :D

And I can't wait to see my project done too, LOL!

Looking good Aaron, nice progress :cool:

You are a machine Aaron!

LOL, thanks Pat! I'm tryin' my best to stick to my Sept-Oct painting deadline.

Keep it up Aaron. This is the "not fun" part but it sure feels good when you're done!

Thanks man, I definitely have to focus on the "fun" stuff to come so I don't go crazy, LOL.

Great job Aaron!! Something I think I'll have to do some day.

Dave
:bowtie:

:mad: RANT TIME!! I was all geared up to sand blast some more this morning and of course there is a slight drizzle coming down, so can't do jack squat until it clears up and the ground dries out. Wet sand and sand blasting tanks don't get along so well.

And of course since I left my shell outside over night there is some very slight surface rust on some areas, which isn't too big a deal. Just something else to deal with, what's new :confused: Pray for sun to come out soon!

Good idea taping up all the holes in the roof panel...I did the same thing when my car was blasted, seemed to keep most of the sand out.

Beleive me, that sand gets everywhere! I'm still finding it!:mad:

Good idea taping up all the holes in the roof panel...I did the same thing when my car was blasted, seemed to keep most of the sand out.

Beleive me, that sand gets everywhere! I'm still finding it!:mad:

I'm not sure if it was you or someone else, but someone on the board said they kept finding sand for months after they did the blasting and it was really annoying, so I took a clue and sealed off all the holes. I am sure I will still find sand anyway.

I'm not sure if it was you or someone else, but someone on the board said they kept finding sand for months after they did the blasting and it was really annoying, so I took a clue and sealed off all the holes. I am sure I will still find sand anyway.

Yeah, you will! I found a bunch of sand on each side of the lower dash. The hole on each side where the kick panels go gives you access with a shop vac, I got the shop vac hose in there and ran it the length of the inner rocker panel and found more sand in there.:screwup:

So the sun finally came out and I was able to do some more sand blasting today. Focused on the underside mostly. Still have some spots to do next weekend, but it's 95% done. I did not blast the pass side floor pan since I will be cutting it out.

With surface rust forming on some of the interior from very light rain last night, it looks like I will be using some POR-15 to finish the inside, which is fine. I was not 100% sure how I'd be finishing the inside, but this makes that decision easier :)

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0504.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0505.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0506.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0507.jpg

Looks great Aaron, underneath of your car looks pretty good.

Yep, no real issues present except for the floor pans. If you look in the upper-left area of the 2nd pic near the trunk drain plug you can spot some rotted area I will have to fix, but it's pretty small and shouldn't be a problem.

Now the 1/4s are another story :confused:

holy crap!! you must have the patience of a saint i cant even grind my old mini cooper project much less a large chunk of american iron, well done

Looks like you got just about all of your stripping done... Nice job Aaron... Even if you have the car covered up and leave it outside with any bare metal exposed it will shows signs of rust.. No fun at all... Even inside the garage the metal will begin to rust just from any moisture in the air, try and get your expoy primer on there to seal it up. Keep up the good work

Looking good Aaron!

Dave
:bowtie:

Looking very good! Very nice work! It's coming along quickly!! Good job

Looks like you got just about all of your stripping done... Nice job Aaron... Even if you have the car covered up and leave it outside with any bare metal exposed it will shows signs of rust.. No fun at all... Even inside the garage the metal will begin to rust just from any moisture in the air, try and get your expoy primer on there to seal it up. Keep up the good work

Thanks :) Yeah, the humid air (which Houston has PLENTY of) will cause "flash rust" to form on bare metal even when stored inside a garage. As I think I said before, the president of Southern Polyurethanes said that I can spray epoxy primer over light surface rust without any concern. I have no reason to not believe him since he has a lot riding on that advice. He said that cars will sit in a garage for 6 months before seeing any primer and it's perfectly fine. I will likely give a quick blast over the surfaces with surface rust just for peace of mind - it should come right off.

Sorry, no new pics, just words...wrapped up the sandblasting today (the sand blasting I needed to get done immediately anyway) after spending all day Saturday doing some spring garden work with the wife. Good news is that now I can start finishing the inside metal and start with the toe boards and floor pans (no really, I can :o). Some more pics to come this week - should be able to work in some POR-15'ing after work this week.

Good job Aaron

Thanks man, nice work yourself. I am so sick of stripping and sand blasting at this point, but can't lose sight of the goal. Will be nice to finally do some other work for a change. I need to start finding little side projects to work on during the week too, like rebuilding my steering column, e-brake, etc. Can't wait to do just "big stuff" during the weekends.

Looks good Aaron!I wish I built a rotisserie when we stripped ours.But then again that's why I have my son.Didn't want to spoil him.Keep it up, you are moving right along.:bowtie:

Man that's a big project you've taken on, but you are doing a great job going about it! Can't wait to see the finished product.

Michael

Thanks man, I wouldn't be doing this unless I've owned the car for so long.

So I got some stuff done on Sat and this evening. Sat I cut out the driver side toe board area and worked on shaping up the new patch from my donor. One small problem - I need to practice welding before I can do anything with the patch. I plan on doing that Thurs/Fri evening and trying my hand at some MIG welding during the weekend.

Removed the area around the high-beam switch first:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0514.jpg

Removed the next part of the rotted area:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0515.jpg

The patch in it's almost final form:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0516.jpg

Not a bad fit - will need a little "massaging" but it should work:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0517.jpg

Started applying some Eastwood Rust Encapsulator to the inside of the shell. I got this when Eastwood was having one of its many sales and it was a good price, so figured what the heck.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0519.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0520.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0522.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0525.jpg

Looks good Aaron, I like the looks of that Eastwood Rust Encapsulator

That does look nice Aaron.

looking good man!

Nice Aaron!

Dave
:bowtie:

Agree with all the above! Looks great!

Thanks guys, the past couple of weeks were not as productive as I'd have liked, but life just gets in the way sometimes. The wife and I are going on vacation May 6-12 so the goal is to have the toe board patch and the driver side floor board in before then and then wrap up the pass side toe board patches (not as bad as the driver side) and the pass side floor board by the end of May.

Then it's on to the 1/4 panels!! :confused: I am leaning toward replacing the 1/4 panels with the car on tires. Thinking I will since my rotisserie is wood and there would be too much flex. If I go that route, it means I will need to get the rear end refinished, front subframe refinished and suspension parts refinished (that would make the most sense anyway). Any thoughts on this?

Holy crap, what a busy week - can't wait to do some work on the car. Stopped by the big box store tonight and got some copper to use as a backer when welding, a fire extinguisher and some foil duct tape. Going to try a trick a guy at Northern Tool told me about - take some of the small square ceramic tile strips, wrap them in the foil tape and then tape that to the backside of where you are welding. Helps prevent blow outs....or so we shall see.

Pics to come tomorrow...hopefully of some decent welds :confused:

What are ya doin tomorrow, gonna start the floor pan?

Yep, going to start on that driver side toe board patch and then the driver side floor pan. I will practice some first on some scrap metal before doing any "real" welding. Hoping I get the hang of it fairly quickly, but not going to rush things. Actually looking forward to it - time to do something else besides stripping and sand blasting!

Heat n wire speed are the 2 big things. Heat down low for floor pans and wire speed to get a sound like frying eggs. Just practice n you'll be ok.

Good stuff, that is what I have gathered from reading other threads. The welder I have fortunately has some more "flexible" controls, so I am hoping that speeds the learning process. Not bragging here, just that I felt I had to pay more for a welder with more tweekability since I have ZERO welding experience. Time is money for me and I don't want to make crappy welds and have to start over (too much anyway). Anywho...

I will be using 0.024 wire with the 16 gauge sheet metal. That *should* help keep me from blowing out the welds. Will also be using Argon/CO2 mix. I watched 5-6 videos on welding and I know that sound well. I hope to duplicate it this weekend. :D

Sounds like a great plan and ya did your homework, good luck.

Thanks Guy :)

Aaron,

Sounds like you have a solid plan there. Can't wait to see some pictures!

Dave
:bowtie:

Sounds good Aaron. good luck

Very cool work here..and some great ideas for me, to use on my 75. Keep at it, your going to have a nice ride...
Ron

Was at work all day n just got home. Doesn't look like I missed anything lol

Easy Guy, easy....:D

I had to do some final sand blasting to clean up the areas that would get welded and did a little extra blasting while I had everything set up. Then I got around to setting up my welder - hadn't really done much with it except put it on the cart. I was able to practice on some 16 gauge sheet metal.

Here was round #1 :screwup:

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0529.jpg


This was the last round - considerably better, but still need to practice some more tomorrow morning before I weld "for real". I think I was not holding the gun close enough to the metal and was moving the gun at the wrong speed. I think I have the right wire speed and voltage.

I circled the best weld from my practice runs - that is what I want to achieve.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0528.jpg

Looks like I had better have some pics of some real results or else :crazy:

I just didnt 't want to miss anything being off line all day ;)

Looking pretty good for your first practice welds. Like you said try n stay within a 1/4" from the metal. Looks like you were going straight back and forth. Try doing a horse shoe back n forth but not a full horse shoe(if that makes sence)overlapping weld to the metal. then next pass overlap again weld to metal. It is hard to explain, but something like this...........
)))))))))))))))) but up n down not sideways. Hope this helps.

Yep, that makes sense, thanks. :) I think I was getting closer to the motion you describe toward the end of my practice runs, but I was not being deliberate enough with making that "horseshoe" motion. I was also "gapping" between my passes so I need to improve that. I know for sure that I was not staying close enough to the metal at first, so the gas wasn't doing its job and my welds suffered. The first few runs were absolutely horrible, not that the last ones were "great", but they were better. And I heard that nice consistent "sizzle" sound on the better welds, so have a good idea what I should be hearing.

Tomorrow should be better now that I have made those mistakes. Just have to bring it all together at the same time.

Forgot to ask..........where did you have you gas set at? Should be about 20 psi.

And after practicing, I think I will do lap welds on the floor pans. Butt welds are nice, but I think I will mess them up too much right now and can't afford to keep re-doing too many welds.

For butt welds, am I correct thinking that I will absolutely need something behind the gap so that the weld doesn't blow through? Or does that mean I am doing the butt welds wrong? If there is nothing behind that 1/8" gap between the two pieces, what helps establish the weld in that space? Am I making sense?

Forgot to ask..........where did you have you gas set at? Should be about 20 psi.

Miller suggested a flow rate of 20 CFH (cubic feet per hour), which it was set at, give or take.

Butt welds can be done with nothing behind them if they are close enough, but I have read some poeple use brass to keep the weld from falling thru. I used lap welds on my floor pans with about 1" overlap and welded both side solid.

Miller suggested a flow rate of 20 CFH (cubic feet per hour), which it was set at, give or take.
oh ya CFH, my bad lol

Butt welds can be done with nothing behind them if they are close enough, but I have read some poeple use brass to keep the weld from falling thru. I used lap welds on my floor pans with about 1" overlap and welded both side solid.

Yeah, the gaps on the butt joints on my toe board patch are not super tight, so will have to put something behind them. But I am going to do what you did on the floor pans. It would be cool to do butt welds all the way around, but not THAT big a deal.

So what else can be used besides brass? Can copper or aluminum be used?

oh ya CFH, my bad lol

I knew what you were talking about ;) But thanks for bringing it up, it helps me remember to check it again tomorrow.

So remind me what it means if I get spatter? Does that mean the voltage is too high? I am pretty sure the wire speed is OK since the wire was not going up into the tip and I never had welds that had huge globs.

Thanks, I figured so since neither metal will bond with steel, but maybe brass is a superior option. I am a welding noob :confused:

I knew what you were talking about ;) But thanks for bringing it up, it helps me remember to check it again tomorrow.

So remind me what it means if I get spatter? Does that mean the voltage is too high? I am pretty sure the wire speed is OK since the wire was not going up into the tip and I never had welds that had huge globs.
Maybe voltage to high or tip to far from metal.

I did a search for "butt welding" and came up with this thread http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156245&highlight=butt+welds

Thanks, that thread makes me feel a little better. I got some copper pipe to smash flat and some ceramic tile, so will just use one or both of those as backers. Still doing lap joints on the floor board though :D

And I bet the spatter I got at first was from holding the tip too far from the metal. Gotta focus on that part tomorrow.

So I figured you could all use a good laugh. Turns out the gaps between the butt joints on my toe board patch were just too big for me to fill using a copper or ceramic backer (inexperience issue). So I decided to make some patches out of 16 ga sheet metal to go over the seams on the interior side. The idea is that I should be able to make the underside look pretty (or prettier than the interior side).

I started grinding the welds along the top patch and will clean that up more this week. I did not touch the welds on the right-side patch (I know, hard to believe :screwup:). I have one more patch to add along the diagonal seam.

Anyway, it was a learning experience. My welds slowly got better, but they still suck balls. Just need to take my time. Will keep at it this week.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0530.jpg

It was tough for me to post the above, but it could have been way worse. I feel like such a dope though.

Don't feel like a dope....................you are a first time welder. I think that looks pretty good for a first timer ;)

Don't feel like a dope....................you are a first time welder. I think that looks pretty good for a first timer ;)

Thanks man, I always set the bar high for myself on anything I do, so just need to accept that this takes some time to get good at.


It coulda been worse. Coulda made big blow holes. LOL

To answer your question in the other thread. The roof panels are the same for all 2nd gens. So the leaded seam is also the same.

Yeah, I had a couple of small blow holes on the welds for the left side. Nothing bigger than the end of a pencil eraser, thankfully. Thanks for answering that roof-1/4 question - it makes sense now that I think about it.

So assuming the voltage and wire speed are correct, what causes blow holes? Staying in one spot for too long is the only thing I can think of. I did the right side patch very last and wasn't making any blow holes, just gnarly looking welds :D But one thing is for sure, that toe board patch is not going anywhere!! I welded the crap out of it.

Im a bad welder too,lol.Sometimes when I have a larger gap,I use a 3 foot x1/16 mig wire I got at the welding store.I got a tube of them for like 7 bucks.I'll lay that in the hole or gap,or sometimes bend a loopdyloop and hold it in the hole,then I'll just start the weld off of there and it fills in nicely.This even works in "softer"areas where you cant get to the back with a copper piece.

hey 76, dont feel bad about your welds, but welding sheetmetal is probably THE hardest weld you can start with, the biggest thing you should rembember is that the weld pool is what dictates what you need, as long as u get your gas correct (sounds right as it is) then its all amps and wire speed, too much heat and your welds will be stronger but they will have a greater chance of blowing through, not enough heat and they will build up and have not enough penetration, my method of butt-welding is a higher than normal heat with a tac welding approach, there is no way a but weld will take a continuous weld without blowing thru, atleast not in my opinion, if I was you I would practice welding on thicker metal with more heat and get a good ratiot of weld speed, wire speed and apms, then after you make some good welds tone that all down and try to do that on your car, after a while u will realize that a mig welder can do anything! GOOD LUCK!

Thanks for the feedback guys, that's helpful. I might have to get some of that mig wire krabben mentions just in case. The gaps on my toe board were bigger than I wanted to mess with at this time, so just went with the patches. That does not bother me since they'll get ground down and covered with filler and sound deadener.

On the pass side toe board I will take better care to fit the patches more precisely. Luckily the pass side toe board is not double layered, so should not be as bad to fab up the pieces for that area.

I am confident that the heat and wire speed are correct since I am not really blowing through the metal. When I made my welds yday, you could see the weld penetrating properly through to the other side, so the metal is bonded well and is nice and strong. I just need to practice on the motion of the tip, making sure I keep the tip close to the metal and maybe making smaller welds so they look better and are easier to grind afterward. I can then venture into making bigger welds.

A friend advised I get a welding hammer to flatten out the welds when the metal is still soft - any thoughts on that?

they harden almost instantly ud have to be spidy quick to make it really harden, unless the weld is glowing red in which case u have far too much heat

So what would one use a welding hammer for? Other types of welding?

The professional welder I work with told me "A little grinding will make your welds better" If you know what I mean. Looks like you are doing ok. Just keep at it. You are practicing in the best area under the carpet where no one can see it. You'll get it before long.

I forget what it is called but when stick welding there is a layer that forms on top of the weld, a chipping hammer is used to knock that stuff off. I can't believe I can not remember what it is called :confused:

slag

slag
Oh ya, thats it lol
thanks

i know what you mean about the replce ment floor pans to then i am gonna send it back and get a used one from one of my old car

The professional welder I work with told me "A little grinding will make your welds better" If you know what I mean. Looks like you are doing ok. Just keep at it. You are practicing in the best area under the carpet where no one can see it. You'll get it before long.

Oh yeah, I hear that. I added the extra patch tonight and my welds were considerably better after having time to think about what I was doing wrong. Also started on the underside and after grinding the welds down they look way better. Just going to require more practice. Honestly, I started my welding "career" in a challenging spot with this toe board, but it is what it is.

My angle grinder is paying for itself again with these welds. Once I toss a little filler in there it will be all good. Hope to have the toe board patch finished in the next few days so I can move to the floor pan.

Keep trying dont give up you will get it aron. If you have an area that seems to blow through. Do a spot weld every inch or two then go back and spot in between your first welds and so on moving the heat around until your seem is welded. When i did my toe kick i could not run a bead had to keep spot welding until weld was complete. You can also use compressed air to cool down the metal. When you weld your floor pan the metal seems to be a little thicker there than the toe board and with a lap joint you should be fine. You will be able to weld longer beads on the floor pan. One thing that works for me on grinding the welds is a cut off wheel draged back and forth carefully until you get the feel for it. This cuts the weld fast and doesnt build up as much heat as a grinder. Once your weld is ground down finish it off with a 36 grit disc. Try it on a practice piece to see if it is for you, might save you some time in grinding. Take your time cutting and fitting your metal, a good fit produces a nicer weld, just like prep before paint. good luck Rob

Keep at Aaron.A few people around here tell us were going to get better at this welding stuff!!!!

Keep trying dont give up you will get it aron. If you have an area that seems to blow through. Do a spot weld every inch or two then go back and spot in between your first welds and so on moving the heat around until your seem is welded. When i did my toe kick i could not run a bead had to keep spot welding until weld was complete. You can also use compressed air to cool down the metal. When you weld your floor pan the metal seems to be a little thicker there than the toe board and with a lap joint you should be fine. You will be able to weld longer beads on the floor pan. One thing that works for me on grinding the welds is a cut off wheel draged back and forth carefully until you get the feel for it. This cuts the weld fast and doesnt build up as much heat as a grinder. Once your weld is ground down finish it off with a 36 grit disc. Try it on a practice piece to see if it is for you, might save you some time in grinding. Take your time cutting and fitting your metal, a good fit produces a nicer weld, just like prep before paint. good luck Rob

Good stuff, thanks man. I promise you one thing, I won't be giving up. ;) In fact, I am excited to keep doing more welds after reading all the feedback here. Today was better than Sunday, so I am making progress.

I began using my angle grinder with a true grinding wheel and that worked out well (to my surprise). I kept hitting it a little at a time to get the feel for how much time it took to smooth the welds. It doesn't take much, so I a feel a little more comfortable knowing I can fix crappy welds with the grinder fairly easily.

Thanks again everyone for the feedback, it helps a lot.

Keep at Aaron.A few people around here tell us were going to get better at this welding stuff!!!!

LOL, that's what I hear. Guess we'd better stick with it ;)

You're doing great Aaron, looking forward to seeing the passenger side.

Dave
:bowtie:

Added the other patch piece to the inside of the toe board and did some grinding on the welds. I will make it look pretty after I a do a little more grinding. Should turn out fine.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0533.jpg


Did a dry run on fitting the driver side floor pan. Not a bad fit for such minimal adjustment. Should be a really nice fit once I secure it with some screws. Got all the seat track holes drilled in the right spots, so that was a plus.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0532.jpg

The underside of the pan

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0531.jpg

So here is my question. Do I absolutely need to trim the edge of the floor pan so that there is only 1" of overlap or can I leave it as-is?? Curious if there are reasons for trimming the edge. Perhaps it allows for a better fit? I know Guy said he left about 1" overlap, so was curious if that was for a reason.

Lookin great Aaron

I trimmed my floor pans down to a 1" overlap cause it seamed like they would not go all the way down to the braces and line up good. Really had to push hard to get them close but after trimming they went down and lined up better.

Do yours line up good and go all the way down to the braces?

OK, that makes sense. I did not give it my all to push the pans down, but I could sense that they were really snug and would need some weight behind them to get them flush against the braces. So removing some of that excess metal will allow for a better fit. Thanks!

So here is another question. I will need to drill holes along the outside seam/lip of the floor pan so I can weld it to the rocker panel lip, correct? If so, how big should those holes be? 1/4"

Also, what is the trick to filling holes when welding? Just quick spot welds? Seems like anything else and the edges of the drilled holes get burned.

Looks good!I used a 3/8 bit when I did mine.When i welded them I tryed to start a puddle in the center of the drill hole.And it would fill in.

I did not plug weld mine. I welded them solid top n bottom. Just small welds at a time every few inches till solid. Helps spread out the heat too.

EDIT: My bad, I did not read right, yes plug weld the lip to the rocker, sorry. I used 5/16", I found 3/8" to hard to fill n not burn thru.

I did not plug weld mine. I welded them solid top n bottom. Just small welds at a time every few inches till solid. Helps spread out the heat too.

EDIT: My bad, I did not read right, yes plug weld the lip to the rocker, sorry. I used 5/16", I found 3/8" to hard to fill n not burn thru.

Thanks. So you are talking about the lap welds - I agree with that. I intend on welding both the inside and outside edges mainly so there are less spots for water to enter.

So GM plug welded the pans along the two braces. That is OK to do again I assume.

Yes, forgot about that. Drill holes in the pans n plug weld to the braces and grind flat.

Also, what is the trick to filling holes when welding? Just quick spot welds? Seems like anything else and the edges of the drilled holes get burned.

Hey Aaron are you talking about filling in a hole in a panel? I have blown plenty of holes so I have gotten pretty good at filling them in. One trick, if you can get to the backside of the panel, is to put something back there as a "floor" that the weld won't stick to and fill the hole that way...I use an aluminum softball bat (hey, it's all I could find :crazy: ). Another way...If the hole isn't that big I just start on one side and continue to build on the weld, not the hole. The weld doesn't burn away as easy. Hope that makes since!

Looking good Aaron. Here is another short video clip that has alot of good info:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e10LDEvLhrA

Take your time fitting the pan, Once you have a good fit you can almost make the welds disappear.
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/0cb5155d7748fba40892_1.jpg (http://www.use.com/0cb5155d7748fba40892?p=1)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/0cb5155d7748fba40892_2.jpg (http://www.use.com/0cb5155d7748fba40892?p=2)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/0cb5155d7748fba40892_3.jpg (http://www.use.com/0cb5155d7748fba40892?p=3)
http://media.use.com/images/s_2/0cb5155d7748fba40892_4.jpg (http://www.use.com/0cb5155d7748fba40892?p=4)

Have all of your weld points nice and clean this will also help you acheive nicer welds. Keep up the good work your pan will be in, in no time.

Thanks guys, good info as usual.

Done's pics help answer another question I had about spacing the plug welds along the braces and along the left-hand lip next to the rocker panel lip. Looks like welds every 3" or so is sufficient. I'm looking forward to the floor pan actually. Will hopefully be a little more enjoyable than the toe board has been.

Kind of a ho-hum weekend. Didn't get jack done on Saturday - wife "asked" me to go to a boot camp at her our gym at 2:00 (which I have never done, I lift weights mainly) and it kicked my a$$. Felt like crap the rest of the day. :screwup:

Worked on the toe board today and got the floor pan mostly fitted. Will need a little more tweeking to get the floor pan "perfect" before I begin welding it but should be able to start welding it in Wed night.

For the toe board, I heated the seam with a propane torch and hammered the gap closed as much as I could to make the welding a little easier. My welding skills are improving, but not quite there yet - they're still too globby. I adjusted the way I was holding the gun to give me more control and cleaned the welds more frequently with a wire brush. At least I am not blowing holes through the metal and not getting as much spatter as before.

First round of welding

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0535.jpg

After a little grinding

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0536.jpg

Lookin good Aaron. Practice makes perfect!

Lookin better man, keep at it :bowtie:

Thanks guys, this toe board actually ended up being my practice piece, which I can live with. I didn't intend on that happening, but would rather have practiced on this patch than other pieces. I expect the floor pan welds to look much nicer now that I have *somewhat* of a clue. But I am definitely becoming more comfortable with the welder, just gotta keep at it.

Didn't mention that I sliced the bottom of my right hand on a metal shard from one of the holes I drilled in the floor pan for the brace welds. Was about 1" long but not terribly deep. That wasn't too pleasant and ended my day early :screwup: I'll be lucky if I get to work on my car one day this week before we go on vacation. Have things going on tonight and tomorrow night and gotta mow the law Wed or Thurs night. So the progress will pretty much come to a halt until May 15. It will just make me want to get back at it after the layoff.

Good work Aaron! Your welds are starting to look good. I know what you mean about having too much other stuff to do! I didn't get jack done on mine this weekend either!

I've really enjoyed following your progress.

Good work Aaron! Your welds are starting to look good. I know what you mean about having too much other stuff to do! I didn't get jack done on mine this weekend either!

Yeah, and it's stuff that is mostly out of my control. I'd like to work on my 76 every night if I could.

I've really enjoyed following your progress.

Thanks, I've enjoyed making some progress ;) :D I need to kick it into high gear this summer so I can meet my painting deadline.

Looking good Aaron!

Dave
:bowtie:

Looks good Aaron!!:bowtie:

Yep, looking good. I got that how to asap welding vid, that we were talking about. I found it to be very informative. Can't wait to get some practice time in with the welder. Keep up the great work.

I wish I had gotten some video like that before hand. Instead I stepped right into the fire.

Thanks for the kind words everyone, it's going to suck not doing any work for a week but I'll come back more motivated.

No progress to share, just figured I would share some pics of the hinges 78LT383 (Douglas) built for me. These aren't just re-built hinges, but re-engineered to better withstand the heavy 2nd gen doors. I read through his how-to document and decided in this case it made more sense to ask if I could pay him to build me a set ;) Can't wait to get these on and test them out. Will have to use them when I replace my 1/4 panels this summer.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0538.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0539.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/DSC_0540.jpg

Nice!!! Looks real heavy duty.

See you all online in a week. Wife and I are off tomorrow for some R&R until May 14. Have a safe week everyone! :bowtie:

Sounds cool Aaron, you n the wife have a good one ;)

Been a couple of weeks since I was able to do some meaningful work on the 76 (vacation followed by a busy week with work). Welded in the driver side floor pan this weekend using a lap joint. It's 90% done, still need to fill in some screw holes and place a patch over a gap between the toe board and the floor pan (you can see in the upper left area).

I've got a 4 day weekend ahead so should get into the pass side floor board then. Thanks for looking :)

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Camaro/floorpan2.jpg

Glad to see you back to work on the car! Hope you had a great vacation! That floorboard looks good!

Floor pan looks great Aaron, I knew you could do it ;)

Thanks fellas :) I took that floor pan in and out what seemed like 20 times until I got it the way I wanted it, but it was worth it. Welding went much better but I still have some improving to do. I'm hearing that nice "sizzle" sound more frequently, so getting the hang of it. It's good practice for the 1/4 panels. I bet I take those things on and off 50 times until they are properly fit :confused:

Oh, here are a couple of pics from our vacation to Colorado. We weren't expecting snow at all but got ~12" up in Estes Park. We still had a blast.

Here's us snow shot hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Colorado/DSC_0304.jpg

Pike's Peak in the background during a nice 6 mile hike

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Colorado/DSC_0135.jpg

One more of my favorites

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn168/Getz_Family/Colorado/denver-8.jpg