When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Aw geez, now why did you have to bring up dash pad replacement? I just kind of figured to keep using the tired worn out one that's on there now since my aim is to just drive the thing. BUT now I'm starting to think that as long as it's all apart anyway, maybe I should....
I spoke to Don 65 Pro Vette today about my birdcage repair to ask about cutting the fiberglass.
It looks like he is on track to let me bring my car to PA during the April, May, June time frame.
I am hoping he can sort out my front end, headlights and any other fiberglass issues. Then it will come back for finish body work.
Oh my..! I spend a week away from civilization, not have any of our almost daily phone calls, pop on the C2 forum, and see awful looking rust in our beloved birdcage???!!! ...Think I might get physically ill. I was just cruising along, excited about you tackling the instrument cluster and dash pad, and then watched the train go over the cliff..! Oh well, we will get thru it. Sounds like you already have some excellent advice, perhaps, to follow on birdcage repairs. Talk to you soon - after the nausea goes away, lol.
I want to remove the minimum amount of fiberglass to make the repairs. Fiberglass laid back in place. Metal and fiberglass under removed piece. Cut Fiberglass Passenger Side Passenger Access for metal replacement.
I am doing the easy part to try and get the process working. Cut and fitted two sections. Primed hidden surface with weldable primer. Ground surface and primed. Fitted in place and then many tiny spot welds. The holes for the J Clips are ugly but functional. Compound Cruve turned out about as good as I can fab.
My brother is quite persistent and takes these challenges head-on. He continues to amaze me at what he will attempt when I would have turned and ran like a school girl! Good J O B HOLT!
I went to Brett Hamilton’s Race Fabricating Shop and he is backed up for two months. He gave me an estimate of a minimum of six hours. I am well over that and maybe about halfway done. (He gets 3 hours work completed for every hour of mine.) So he laughed when I said he owes me a favor. So here we are with me doing the work and Brett offering to bail me out if I get in over my head.
Originally Posted by ToySnakePMC
My brother is quite persistent and takes these challenges head-on. He continues to amaze me at what he will attempt when I would have turned and ran like a school girl! Good J O B HOLT!
Still need to grind the old dash prior to welding.
Spotted in place. Getting close to moving on to the more difficult areas - inside corners.
Nice fab work and welding, but are you aware that both the inner and outer lower windshield frames are available as brand-new stampings and have been for almost ten years?
I was aware of the availability of the pieces but the outside metal was solid. The side pieces are more difficult to repair. One side is an easy fix but the drivers side will take some effort. I will be glad when this is finished. Your replacement looks great and better than the factory with the cad plating.
Windshield Exterior Frame above door pillar. Under the rubber trim it collected moisture and rusted. Ground down to solid metal. I cut a backer plate that was held in place. Then I filled in the area with welds. Ground down the welds. Finish when I do the body work. Foam is the remnants of a rust inhibitor.
First piece I beat out and formed. Piece on the left was trimmed to fit the pillar and chrome trim. Spot welds in place. Jigsaw puzzle is still missing the top small piece that includes the dash hole. Check fit with all parts in place.
03-29-2019, 10:49 PM
