Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Planning for my kick panel repair


Here is a place that was cut out as part of the diet and wouldn't have needed to be fixed - but the nut for the dashboard to bolt to is part of the metal that was cut out. So I've got to do something to correct that.

This angle also shows more of the cowl pan modification that I'm correcting.

Also, looking at the floor there you can see the 1/2" holes where the roll bar used to bolt in. There's 4 on each side for 8 total that have to be welded up because they won't be used.


This is the driver's side of that same panel, which is plenty ugly but doesn't need a repair; note the bracket at center with the dashboard nut. Here, I may go ahead and weld in a piece to tie the two parts together at the very top there, but other than that, the work list for this side is clean, grind, clean, treat, clean, clean, and paint.

Returning to the side in need of repair, here it is with a kick panel in the correct place. See how everything would've been hidden?

Here is the look with the full patch lined up and clamped in place. There's a circle around the nut that went missing during the prep work.

(I didn't take a photo with that *and* the kick panel in place, but I should.)


This shows my draft cut lines. I'm replacing the minimum, there is no reason to do more.

Note how the line extends to the lower right so the alignment notch there will be part of the patch. That helps to ensure the patch goes back in straight. Line that up with the matching notch on the car, and it's easy.


The next steps here are to trim out the pinch weld (which has been the right edge of all the photos) on the car where the patch goes . Then I'll drill about 5 5/16" holes the patch along that edge, and plug weld those to the car where I trimmed. The right side will be welded to the existing metal in the same manner. That will provide plenty of support for the dash, and since it is hidden and there is no reason to make more work for myself, it's the best way to go.

No comments:

Post a Comment