88 TC Restoration

I pretty much buttoned up the left rear frame replacement and floor repairs.  I swabbed it all pretty good with POR-15, primer and paint.  

I also installed LMR torque box reinforcements on the driver's side.  I didn't know 23parts.com sold lower reinforcements until after I'd started working on the LMRs.  The 23parts would have been much easier.  

Now I have to take a pause to do some home maintenance and punch-list items on my Torino.  I hope to be back to the TBird by mid-October.  

Next on the list:
-patch the RR frame rail
-repair LF torque box
-install subframe connectors
-replace left quarterpanel

Talk to you all in a couple of months.

I've been gradually getting back into the rust repair on the chicken.  I surveyed the right rear frame rail.  It is not nearly as rotten as the left side was.  In fact, the only bad parts are the pocket where the quad shock mounts and the very rear stub where the bumper attaches.  So, I decided to use a LMR Mustang repop rear frame rail as my donor.  Once again, the shape of the curves in the rails is spot-on.  It's just that the Mustang rail is about a foot shorter.  

I cut a little less than 11" out of the old rail and cleaned the metal for welding in the new.

The red template was made using the original rail.  You can see it overlaid on the Mustang rail.  It's fortunate for me that the cars are similar.  

On the second pic, you can see how the rust is bubbling throught the side of the old rail at the quad shock bracket.  It was more than likely okay if I don't autocross the car, but I couldn't leave it alone.

I finished the repair of the area where the quad shock mounts over the weekend.  I butt welded the new segment to the old rail.  Then I used scrap from the LMR replacement rail to reinforce the joints.  I think it should work well.  Torque is the test, though.

       

Next part is patching the rust on the rear rail stub where the bumper seats.  This won't be too challenging, but there are several small segments of 14 gauge to make work.  Once again, the LMR rail will provide the raw material for the patch. 

   

Just awesome, man. Keep at it.

The rear axle stub is repaired but I have to patch the sheetmetal on the end panel.  Getting there.

Now I'm working on installing the subframe connectors.  I have the Griggs lower bar installed on the passenger side.  It lined up very well.  As you can see, you have to cut a lot of the floor to seat the upper connector.  For me, there is lots of metal cleaning on the front of the rear frame to prepare it for welding.  It's tough to get inside it to clean well.  So I've dosed it with Ospho a couple of times with lots of wire wheel and cup work after each dose to get to cleaner metal.  That, and patching lots of small areas with pinholes to make the cab watertight.  Now I'm waiting for some extra pieces from Griggs: a bulkhead plate (doubles thickness of floorpan at vertical portion where upper subframe goes through the floor and into the rear frame), some gussets from the rear of the connector to the rear of the floorpan, and some 1/8" tabs to connect the upper and lower connectors in their centers.  They're in the mail, so hopefully that will allow me to complete installation. 

   
   

Sorry for the lack of updates.  I have the passenger-side connectors installed.  It's pretty beefy.  I have some ideas to do better on the second set.  Mainly, instead of cutting so much of the original floor pan off to make access to the front channel, I will bend it back, place the upper connector, and then fold the floor pan on top of it and spot weld it on the top, too.  

The bulkhead plate that welds underneath the rear seat took some time.  It is 1/8" plate.  I had to slowly tweak it with a 24" pipe wrench to get it to mate well against the existing floor pan.  

Then there is a 1/8" gusset that connects the rear subframe to the connector and the floor pan underneath the car.  

Now, it's time for the following:
1. patch right rear wheelwell
2. patch LF toeboard and cowl
3. install L subframe connectors
4. install Maximum Motorsports panhard bar

That should keep my busy this spring and summer.

I started peeling back my last unibody rust problem last weekend.  The inner cowl, toeboard, and floorboard junction was rusting through.  I'm going to patch in with new metal.  I did some research, and I think the floor pan from a Fox Mustang is close enough to use, but my floor seems to be solid enough to reuse.  I'll attack it with a wire brush this weekend to make sure.  I'll let you know if I need an aftermarket part later.  My problem was that my windshield seal leaks at the top.  I was too cheap to repair it properly and now there's a price to be paid.  I'll have the glass reseated later--hopefully, that frame will be solid.  
   

Here's a pic with most of the rust pealed back. Sorry it's blurry.
   

My plan is repair in the following sequence:  
Lower Cowl
Toeboard
Inner Rocker
Floorboard
Add Subframe Connector

For me, this is the most satisfying part of a restoration.  Cutting spotwelds and peeling back the rust to find good metal is nervous fun.  Then it all starts melding back together.

The floor and toeboard are now patched.  I think it turned out pretty good. The first pic is of my patch for the floor where it meets the toeboard.  Rusty piece is the original.  Had to use the stretcher to get the curve on the flange.  The second piece at top is patch for the lower cowl on A-pillar.
       
Next, I cut the channel for the subframe connector to drop and weld into.  This time, I cut it more carefully so I could use the old floor as a flange to weld to the connector. This should cut down on the number of small patches I have to form to get a good water and gas-tight seal.
   

I finished the installation of the Grigg's subframe connectors.  Now I'm moving onto the panhard bar.  It feels good to have the axle back under the car.  Now I won't have to step around it on the shop floor.  You can see the Maximum Motorsports LCA in the pics.  I plan to ditch the UCA for the MM traction arm, but that mod is down the road a little bit.  

   

I had to cut my exhaust system behind the mufflers.  The hairpin axle bends were not high enough to clear the panhard bar after install.  Fortunately, there's a good exhaust shop in NKC who works with stainless. 
   

I finished the Maximum Motorsports panhard bar and control arm installation (except for final weld of bar to the frame).  The car is now sitting its weight on the rear axle for the first time in three years or so.  It feels good to make some progress.  

   

Next up is to patch the driver's side cowl below the windshield corner.  Then I get to move onto body work on the quarters.  Progress is slooooowwwwww.