Maybe

The right rear shock tower is 99% rusted through. 1/8" piece still holding. The area on the wheel tub where it's tack welded is quickly being cracked. In a week, the shock will be sticking up through the bed. The plan is to remove the shock, drill out all of the spotwelds, remove the shock tower from the body and frame, and recreate the whole thing on a bench. Clamp to body, weld new one on. Patch hole in bed. Depending on how difficult that is, we may preemptively do the same thing to the other side. We still need to manufacture new subframe connectors for both sides.

I admit, i haven't welded anything on the body, and I'm hack when it comes to welding in general (you shouldda seen the exhaust repair I made earlier in the year, hehe!).

 

But with the floor, etc - WHO CARES what it looks like! Just so long as it holds. It's maybe a good place to practice getting pretty.

 

Question - what kind of welder is best for thin-gague sheetmetal - wirefeed ok? Harbor Freight has a 90-amp wire-feed for like $100 bucks. yeah, I'm sure it'll die soon, but that's cheap tuition in Welding 101 or Welding 102, if you ask me.

But with the floor, etc - WHO CARES what it looks like! Just so long as it holds. It's maybe a good place to practice getting pretty.

 

Question - what kind of welder is best for thin-gague sheetmetal - wirefeed ok? Harbor Freight has a 90-amp wire-feed for like $100 bucks. yeah, I'm sure it'll die soon, but that's cheap tuition in Welding 101 or Welding 102, if you ask me.

Virginia inspection guidelines state that there should not be any holes in the cab area. Don't want CO coming in. Yeah, i realize the carpet probably negates that.

 

Wirefeed is the BEST for thin sheetmetal. Flux-core gasless welding, not so much. I used a cheap, gasless wirefeed to fix Miles Fox's Trashwagon. Sorry miles, but that thing was a heinous crapbox. I could weld for 15 seconds before i would trip its circuit breaker. It had around a 10% duty cycle, which means it had a 10:60 use/rest ratio. For every 60 seconds of time, only ten of them can be used for welding. The other 50 for cooling off (or something like that). You would be wasting your money. Or you could go to Tractor Supply and drop about $650 on a Hobart 130 amp 110v welder that uses sheilding gas, weld 99% of the stuff you'd ever come across, and it would last for at least ten years. My Miller 130 XP is over 12 years old. I've never replaced the liner in the lead, and I had to pay $250 to get it's circuit board replaced once (remove the ground clamp from the work when not in use. Some of these are sensitive to transient voltage). Well worth the $980 I paid for it when I was 16. My Miller is compareable to the Hobart mentioed above.

I've got a $200 gasless flux-core welder. It came from Tractor Supply. It does ok with sheetmetal work, as long as neatness doesn't count. It's got a 50% duty cycle. That works out great for sheetmetal anyways. "Tack, move, tack, move, tack" It leaves a LOT of spatter though.

I repaired the floors in my Pinto with it. Next I'll repair the spare tire well in the same car.

50% duty cycle is quite reasonable, actually. I wonder how the TSC brand stacks up against the USA ones; Hobart, Miller, Lincoln. I'd like to be able to recommend them, but I know nothing of them.

 

I've used flux core wire in my machine before. It's really disappointing to have to clean the slag off afterwards. Ruins the mood.

I'm not sure who made mine, but it's made in the USA.

Yeah cleaning slag & spatter sux!

i know my flux core welder was made by lincoln, but under their cheap line, century. granted, i think mine was a defect, it never worked right.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MILLERMATIC-140-907335-MIG-WELDER-WELD-110V-NEW_W0QQitemZ230197292559QQihZ013QQcategoryZ113743QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Buy me! Free shipping!

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that would look so nice in my tool collection. pity that is well outta my range for now:(

No brat today. Something much worse. Say hello to my little friend, the BABE Rally 2008 Triumph Spitfire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just trying to keep it from collapsing on it self at this point.

hmmm, needs more cowbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and some duct tape.

Hmmm The Brits do a MUCH better job with thier factory installed rot!

That and Lucas Electrics have kiled many a nice english sports car.

Certainly no expert here but dont go cheap on wire. Ask around at the places that sell the good brand welders like the millers and hobarts which kind of wire they like and try a small spool of it. If it spatters dont buy from them and try somewhere else. The one I am using (i will try my damndest to remember to note what kind) doesnt spatter hardly at all and makes it look like we use gas to weld. Very clean.

 

Nozzle dip and spatter can are both good investments when you want pretty welds too. The dip cleans the feed as you go and cools it so it doesnt jam up and the spatter is a pre spray that helps prevent spattering.

Decided that it would be easier to fix the shock tower if it were removed. It had rusted in two. Put a jack under the top part of the mount, pressed it back to where it was supposed to be, welded on some temporary supports, thed drilled out the spotwelds. I'll try to rebuild the tower at work, or at least get some good metal from there.

 

 

 

 

Rock on, Nug. Far too many great cars have been lost to rust...

 

- Scott

Hey NUG, nice job. and hhmmmm that garage,and guys looks familiar!!!

 

cobcob and I live real close by.I loaned him my mig,and hes getting ready for the same fun on his brat as he said.

 

Rx (Roxy) still running great.Needs a few new parts,but shes a great car

 

although your modest,your still"the man":headbang:

 

p.s. thanx again bro for all your help on the A/C trauma and for your hospitality on our long/exhausting trip.

 

party on.

cobcob and I live real close by.I loaned him my mig,and hes getting ready for the same fun on his brat as he said.

Cobcob also spoke to Greg last night and might be doing a trans, rear end AND dash swap real soon!

 

 

 

 

 

Repaired the old shock tower at work. Used a plasma cutter to remove rusted sections, then welded in new metal a section at a time. Used flat stock bent to shape in a vise, and angle iron cut in different shapes.

 

Used bolts to hold in place. Drilled through old holes in tower, welded all the way through the hole. Self tapping screws were used to locate everything and hold it on snugly, then each screw was removed and the different layers welded together. Probably around 20 of these holes welded together. Tomorrow, we'll cover the hole in the bed, weld on a new subframe connector that Robby made, then repair the other connector that isn't nearly as bad. I'm happy with the way it's going.

 

Me with a broken finger, having welded for an hour. I'm trying to flip off those of you that think welding (or owning a welder) is out of your realm.

 

 

The end.

For most people, it may not be a time/tools/or knowledge thing, but a nice, dry, and warm spot to work on the car in. I'm in a freezing shop. The only part of us you see is our face, the rest is covered in warm clothing. You're running around in a t-shirt. Hopefully we'll get our wood stove in soon. As for the rust work. That's awesome, I hope you inspire many people to restore their vehicles.

I mostly meant that I've been doing all of this with a broken finger.

 

Believe me, I've done a ton of stuff in gravel driveways with it raining or freezing. Swapped transmissions, swapped engines.

I mostly meant that I've been doing all of this with a broken finger.

 

Believe me, I've done a ton of stuff in gravel driveways with it raining or freezing. Swapped transmissions, swapped engines.

 

I wasn't trying to put you above us or saying that you're better...just pointing out that having a shop is nice. No :Flame:from my camp.

 

Why is it that almost all subaru owners have done extensive work on their vehicles in gravel? Is it because they leak?

I think old subarus activlely search out "financially challenged" people. Or at least "cost conscious" folks. I've fit in both camps.

 

We finished covering the hole in the bed behind the shocktower. Welded in a new subframe connector. Fixed the other subframe connector. Will take it in to inspection Monday morning. Hope they don't notice the gaping hole on the right moustache bar mount, or the crunchy frame bit up front.

 

No pics. I was getting pissed after having molten metal drip on my neck about five times. Even had a bit stick to my eyelid. That sucked royally.