TR2/3/3A back half to chassis questions

[Frank Canale]

Thank you Steve for the pictures, Weather is getting almost warm enough to paint, if it will stop raining. Graham, thank you for the picture of the plugs, I like that that little detail, looks very finished. Your engine compartment is incredible, saw it in the radiator post. Hope mine turns out that good. Frank

 

[Frank Canale]

Spent a little time tidying up around the driver side inner wing. Seems a little funny that odd areas rust away and leave the rest.

The small u shaped area was repaired but no picture.

plenty of screw holes to fill, but I don't mind that so much as they are easy to fill with the tig welder and a little filler wire. There is still some repair work but I feel like we are getting to the end of the major repair part of this journey and start making things look pretty. Maybe a little optimistic. Frank

 

[Hamish Racing]

Nice work there Frank.
Great to be on the build up/ make better trajectory rather stripping down and finding the issues.

slow and steady.

 

[DavidApp]

I presume the small welds in the third photo are screw holes that you have filled up? Wish I had done that on my car.

David

 

[Frank Canale]

yes David, those holes are screw holes that the PO put in there to hold the side panel I guess. I think they used a # 10 sheetmetal screw. I took your advice and am filling holes as I come across them. Frank

 

[DavidApp]

Good job. Will make your life easier down the road.

David

 

[Frank Canale]

weather cooperated today and warm enough to blast the closing section and spray some epoxy.

The blasting revealed a few pin holes that I welded up before spraying the epoxy to keep from burning it off if I weld them up later.

2 coats of epoxy primer. There were a couple of areas that could not be sprayed so I used a tooth brush and bent the head so it would coat one area and a foam brush to coat the horizontal panel at the bottom of the rear apron. now should last my lifetime and then some. Frank

 

[CJD]

I'm still amazed at your metal forming skills. It's on my bucket list to figure out how you do it so well!

 

[Frank Canale]

I am the one that is amazed, been looking back thru your tr2 post. I still have a lot to learn about body work. Your explanation has been helpful. Frank

 

[sp53]

I think I see some primmer Frank looking good, I have learned so much on this forum over the years, I am completely grateful----plus-- Both you guys are amazing.

Thanks steve

 

[Frank Canale]

Thank you Steve, Yes the closing area is primed. Been a long time coming. Hopefully I can get focused and get this closed up and move on to putting the tub together. Frank

 

[Tr3aguy]

It is looking great Frank, I hope I get mine half as nice as yours

 

[Frank Canale]

slow going but looks like I have rear closing area and rear body mounts headed in the right direction.

Driver side closing panel with rear body mount.

Passenger side closing panel with body mount
Now I have removed the lower panel to put the distance tube holes in for the tubing that connects the rear valance and the lower closing panel. Once those holes are in place it will finally be time to start welding it up. A long time coming but really happy with how it is turning out. Frank

 

[sp53]

Looking great Frank I am still wondering about the tube spacers. I have seen something like that before do you buy them? Did you get the hole for the rear bumper bracket? Always like learning from you.
steve

 

[Frank Canale]

Hi Steve, yes I did get the front bumper brackets repaired. Pictures are in the bumper frame bracket post. Sorry I have not figured out how to insert post. I bought the tubing for the spacer fromStock Car Steel. This company supplies the stock car race teams. They supply very high quality tubing at very reasonable price and you can get small quantity. I ordered 2 6” pieces of .750 X .049 wall DOM tubing. It came in the mail in a padded envelope less than a week. Great company to order from. Frank

 

[CJD]

Excellent...and love the clecos! Have you found a good supplier for those, as I will be needing them..?

 

[Frank Canale]

Thank you John, I got the clecos from HC Pacific thru eBay. I got a bag of 50 c1/8 for Christmas. My car is the first time I have used them and I love how easy they are to use for positioning a panel no matter how many times you take it off and put it back on. Frank

 

[sp53]

Yes those Clecos deals, I cannot see the purpose exactly, but I am use to asking questions that others understand, so perhaps you can explain to a beginner. They must be for alignment.

Anyways the hole I was talking about was the penetration for the rear bumper bracket and how the long bolt goes through the rear section of the body back to the frame; I did not see a hole in the back in the picture for the bolt.

steve

 

[Frank Canale]

You can think of the cleo as a screw without the threads. They are easy to install and remove. The ones I am using use a 1/8" hole. when you have a panel where you want it you drill a 1/8" hole. The clecos are spring loaded. There are special pliers that pull the center pin back so you can insert the cleo thru the hole and then when you release the pliers the center pin springs back between the two outer pins and aligns the hole and holds the panel in place. These can be used over and over and the panel can be removed and replaced as many times as needed. I am able to put the panels together and make sure it all looks and measures right to mark the distance tubes with the frame then take the panels out work on them then put it back together and check it again. My lower inner closing panel does not have the hole for the tubing cut in it yet. I have the center of the holes located and the panel is out ready for me to start cutting the holes. This is why the clecos are handy for this area as I am dealing with 3 panels that have to work together and the distance tubes have to line up with the holes in the frame as well as getting the tubing cut on an angle to match the outer valance and the inner closing panel. There is a lot to get lined up before I can start welding but I am getting close. Seems to be a little bit of interest so I will try and do a little better documentation for this section of the car. Frank

 

[CJD]

They were developed for putting aircraft together. I have watched our big airliners going through their big "C" checks, where a lot of metal has to be replaced. I've seen panels with a couple hundred clecos holding the panel in place. The mechanics make sure every hole lines up perfectly with no mis-matches. They must then remove the panel, stress relieve the hundreds of holes, and then they start to install the rivets.

It's ingenious that Frank has transferred the "tech" to our restorations! I wish I had thought of that. He's using the clecos to hold panels in place until he's happy with the fit.