Update on taillight panel and trunk floor replacement

[wareagle]

After meticulously removing all spot welds I finally got the old POS taillight panel off, along with the rear mounting bracket... Have the trunk floor spot welds drilled out and will be attacking that next.

Taillight panel and trunk floor replacement.jpg

[dzahm]

hey don't forget- I need a small piece of that crossbrace (IIRC there was a small undamaged piece that matched my swiss cheese one) Let me know

[aolshove]

Awesome progress. You might want to go ahead and weld a reinforcement bar between the frame rails at the end. It's not likely that they'll move on you at all when you remove the trunk floors but it can't hurt to hold them in alignment just to be safe. You can just cut it away after welding in the new taillight panel.

[Boom]

Looks good! Thats alot of work.

[wareagle]

Originally Posted by dzahm

hey don't forget- I need a small piece of that crossbrace (IIRC there was a small undamaged piece that matched my swiss cheese one) Let me know

Haven't forgotten you David. It is sitting on the garage floor right next to the new one.

[wareagle]

And David, when you removed your taillight panel, were the corner extension a little light on the gauge thickness? I have one or two spotweld holes that went all the way through that I will need to break out the Mig and fill in...

Oh, and do you still need my metal punch set? If so, then just count it as an early Christmas present. I can pick one up at Northern for a song.

[yelostang]

Good advice. Unhappiness would be to catch an error AFTER the welding.

[wareagle]

Originally Posted by aolshove

Awesome progress. You might want to go ahead and weld a reinforcement bar between the frame rails at the end. It's not likely that they'll move on you at all when you remove the trunk floors but it can't hurt to hold them in alignment just to be safe. You can just cut it away after welding in the new taillight panel.

Great tip... Hey, any tips on removing/replacing the trunk floors?

[tycooley]

Hey Bud awesome job. I wish I had half of those skills or Ba..s to do it.

[wareagle]

Originally Posted by tycooley

Hey Bud awesome job. I wish I had half of those skills or Ba..s to do it.

My wife came out after I was finished and nearly **** her pants...

Thanks, but I give all the praise to David (dzahm) for having the patience and time to teach me a buttload of tricks...

Hey David, this came in today
Steck Seam Buster Chisel, Model# 20015 | Auto Body Tools| Northern Tool + Equipment

Was using an old railroad spike sharpened down to a flat tip along with a BFH to get the taillight panel off. Will use the seam buster for the trunk floors.

[aolshove]

Originally Posted by wareagle

Great tip... Hey, any tips on removing/replacing the trunk floors?

Weelll... since you asked, I'm going to spam you with my blog posts on it:


1968 Mustang Convertible Restoration: Kicking Trunk and Taking Names
1968 Mustang Convertible Restoration: Welding In the Passenger Trunk Floor
1968 Mustang Convertible Restoration: Replacing the Driver Trunk Floor
1968 Mustang Convertible Restoration: Finishing The Trunk

To remove them, just cut away around the frame rails and then drill the spot welds and/or use your seam splitter to remove the tops from the rails.

Also, your seam splitter is awesome but all I had was an air chisel that made pretty quick work of separating panels.

[slotracer]

I need to replace my light panel, how do you find all the spot welds?

[Mustang Nate]

Looks good man Keep up the good work!

[69DroptopGT]

Nice work!

[wareagle]

Originally Posted by slotracer

I need to replace my light panel, how do you find all the spot welds?

Some you can see, but others you have to just run your finger over the area to find them. That still may not work though. Once you drill out the ones you find start separating it from its mounting point. You will immediately know when you run into another spot weld you missed.