4 hours ago, wheee! said:

Fascinating fabrication!

TY

Ok, I need some HELP now.

I have most of the car roughed out, but I need to finish the rear valance. The car was rear ended at some point and the bumper damaged the rear valance. I worked on it a number of years ago but I don't like the finished results.

So I tried to start on the rear yesterday. I made a template of the rear curve of the hatch

When I compared it to the rear valance there is quite the difference. So then I figured I needed to have the correct bumper. I was able to finally order some out of Vietnam but I located a straight center section today, in the mean time.

Here is the way it currently sits

It is a little hard to tell but it's really wavy and uneven. I cut out the center of the valance and pulled the center section. Then I welded it back in. You can see one of the joints on the right

This is how the current bar fits

Much closer on the ends than in the middle by about 3/8". I assume this gap is supposed to be consistent. Can someone confirm that for me? Also approximately what is this gap supposed to be?

At this point I am contemplating drilling out all the spot welds and removing the rear valance entirely so I can try to get it straight and right. I really need to be painted by February if I am going to have a shot at being ready for Zcon 2019. I hate to add the extra work but right now I don't see a good way around it

Here are some pictures of the air dam transition I don't like

I don't like the abrupt change where they meet

I would prefer to figure out a way to make it a little more subtle

Even more than he is holding right here

So say good bye to the pretty yellow

"Biting the bullet"

The upside is, I get to get rid of this

PM sent.

8 hours ago, Patcon said:

Here are some pictures of the air dam transition I don't like

I don't like the abrupt change where they meet

I would prefer to figure out a way to make it a little more subtle

Even more than he is holding right here

What's it look like with a thin bumper held up there?

Paint it a light silver.  That looks good against yellow in my o pin ion.

A better view of the current situation

130 spot welds later!!

I think you will be able see the damage inside the frame rail

Those wrinkles above the bumper mount shouldn't be there

The back of this should be flat too

There is a dip below the light in the first picture. I don't think that should be there. It is where the panel got forced under the interior floor panel

The second picture has a way area. I believe this is supposed to be flat. Can somebody post me a good picture of this panel so I can tell how it's supposed to be?

More damage on the left side of the license plate under the finishers

I've always wanted to see inside that rear box section, it doesn't look too bad,  are you going to try and save the outer skin of the valance?

3 hours ago, grannyknot said:

I've always wanted to see inside that rear box section, it doesn't look too bad,  are you going to try and save the outer skin of the valance?

Yes, I have to reuse the valance, since I don't have a replacement and probably can't source a superior candidate. There are several areas of damage that I should be able to pull metal from toward the rear. I am surprised the box section isn't heavier metal, when it's all welded up it is very hard to pull with hand tools. I think there may be some extra metal in the floor too. I order two new frame clamps last night because I am not sure what I have will work. There is a wrinkle in the drivers quarter corner sub-frame that I am going to take a shot at. For a proper repair, the quarter would have to come off and that's not happening! I a made a raggedy mess out of the valance because my previous repairs had large puddle welds so they took big holes to break free. I think I will weld new little patches into the valance after dolly work and then make new smaller holes for puddle welds.

 

 

Any body got any good pictures of the rear valance behind the tail light finishers?

I found some very good pictures in this thread. Found it through google images

 

If you still want the bumper installed picks here's 3 shots of the bumper/valance spacing on my series 1 car, both sides and center. Looks like it's about 3/8's all the way across.

Edited December 25, 20186 yr by w3wilkes