Build Thread '83 T-top Coupe - Welding Holes in My Rear

[Davedacarpainter]

I got the IP painted today.

I'm caught in a bit of indecision now. I want to sand off the rust on the frame for it and paint the frame, yet at the same time I don't want to take a chance with messing with the grounding there. I might just give the metal a light scrubbing to remove the surface rust on it and just put it all back on the panel.

Anyhow, pictures. It was a long haul on this one panel. Not as long as the hood, mind you, but still......Jeez i'm glad to be done with it!

 

[General karthief]

Can't you just ospho it and be done?
Did I spell that right?

 

[A5literMan]

Looks amazing. Again lol.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I'm going back to the yard tomorrow to fetch the replacement driver's top,

While i'm there I need to get a steering colum upper cover and I believe I'll yank out the airbox so I can clean it out and replace the heater core and ac condenser. I have new gaskets for it already too. It really, really needs to be disinfected.

I need to get a replacement ignition cylinder housing from another vehicle there as well. Though that will probably have to wait. Not enough time to do everything.

So, for the next few days my progress should involve getting the t-tops themselves painted and rebuilt with their new seals. If I find an acceptable steering colum trim piece, I'll repair and paint it as well.

Then an exciting tour through my airbox, it's like opening a box of Cracker-Jack, I can't wait to see what i'll find inside! I'm betting on more rat turds though, what's y'alls guess?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Can't you just ospho it and be done?
Did I spell that right?

Yeah, probably. Maybe a little naval jelly.

 

[Deleted member 215073]

You could paint the frame, and during reassembly you can clean off the paint where you need it to ground. Make the connection, and cover it with a primer used on pinch welds for glass. Sika primer is a very good primer, if you know someone who works for Safelite, see if you can get a bottle from them. I installed windshields and glass for Safelite, and used that primer quite a bit to cover scratches and after doing minor rust repair. It resists corrosion like nothing I've seen before, and doesn't effect the adhesion of glass to the body like other primers do. Flash time is 10 minutes if I remember correctly.

 

[General karthief]

Good lord, they still make that stuff?

 

[Davedacarpainter]

You could paint the frame, and during reassembly you can clean off the paint where you need it to ground. Make the connection, and cover it with a primer used on pinch welds for glass. Sika primer is a very good primer, if you know someone who works for Safelite, see if you can get a bottle from them. I installed windshields and glass for Safelite, and used that primer quite a bit to cover scratches and after doing minor rust repair. It resists corrosion like nothing I've seen before, and doesn't effect the adhesion of glass to the body like other primers do. Flash time is 10 minutes if I remember correctly.

My problem is knowing exactly how the grounds are made. I know where they connect to the frame, and I got a good idea how the ground to the body. I'm just a little tired of screwing with the IP at the moment.

I think I need to take a small break from it and work on the tops and the airbox. Sometimes it's not bad to walk away for a short period. The IP was very time consuming.

 

[Deleted member 215073]

Fair enough...

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Good lord, they still make that stuff?

Naval Jelly? Lowes still sells it, if I remember properly. I'll look next time I'm there.

 

[Noobz347]

Maybe a little naval jelly

See? It takes on a different connotation all by itself.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Jeez,....I'm still trying to figure out what an IP is..., and how you'd paint it.

I thought it meant Internet Protocol

 

[Noobz347]

instrument panel


...and I'm the computer guy.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

instrument panel


...and I'm the computer guy.

Uhhhh beg to differ then Jeeves..

This is a fox instrument panel:

And this,.......This is a fox Dash panel

 

[Davedacarpainter]

Uhhhh beg to differ then Jeeves..

This is a fox instrument panel:

And this,.......This is a fox Dash panel

And that is a very NICE instrument cluster Mike. It would look great in my instrument panel, thanks!

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

And that is a very NICE instrument cluster Mike. It would look great in my instrument panel, thanks!

I think you need a "paneled" room Dave.

One w/ soft panels,.....to keep you from hurting yourself.

You Crazy! That is an Instrument Panel! You have been working on a dash "board". Lets not make it anymore confusing than it has to be here.
Besides..........
There are people that can't read and write here as it is....Once you start muddying up the water with terminology,..

Cats and Dogs,.....living together!......Pandemonium!

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I did make it to the yard today. I swapped out the driver's t-top for a nicer one. I also got the air/heater box. You can't imagine how easy it is to pull that out without an instrument panel in the way! I also gathered up the ducting.

I'll focus on the tops next, one of those easy peasy things. I'll disassemble this one, clean the glass and sand down the trim and paint both of them grey. Then I'll reassemble them with their new seals.

Then i'll disassemble the heater box. Tomorrow i'll pluck out the old heater core just to see what surprises await me on the inside. In a couple days I'll tear it down completely and literally clean the crap out of it. It will receive several disinfecting baths. Last one with some sort of febreeze type of cleaner....hum......spring breeze or linen fresh?

You'll also see the top trim for the steering colum, I'm not sure I got the right type. I'll find out tomorrow.

Anyhow, picture

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I think you need a "paneled" room Dave.

One w/ soft panels,.....to keep you from hurting yourself.

You Crazy! That is an Instrument Panel! You have been working on a dash "board". Lets not make it anymore confusing than it has to be here.
Besides..........
There are people that can't read and write here as it is....Once you start muddying up the water with terminology,..

Cats and Dogs,.....living together!......Pandemonium!

I read through the service manual fairly in depth about working on the panel. It took me a little bit before i understood that's how they referred to it. I agree, it's a dash panel. Ford says something else....

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

I read through the service manual fairly in depth about working on the panel. It took me a little bit before i understood that's how they referred to it. I agree, it's a dash panel. Ford says something else....

Ford isn't always right.

They made us choke down that turd known as a Mustang II, That was dead wrong.

And then there was the Probe...Some people at Ford wanted that car to be a Mustang.

 

[Noobz347]

Uhhhh beg to differ then Jeeves..

This is a fox instrument panel:

And this,.......This is a fox Dash panel

...and yet I was still able to decipher its meaning.

I dunno man... I think it's just magic.