E-tek Restorations: PROJECT THREAD

[MP&C]

I'll remove some more of the old filler from the quarter so I can see where the old damage is holding the metal up, but I don't really want to remove it to the top of the quarter, as it's in decent shape....and that'd just make a lot more work where it's not really required. In cases like this you have to strike a balance between finishing the new repairs so as not to require a half inch of filler, but still having to blend the new repair into the old filler....

***Here's where I'd like to hear what you do Robert! ****

At this point your name is on the car, (it's repair, anyhow), and IMO, given some of the substandard repairs you have already seen (lack of sufficient welds when tail light panel was installed, etc) I would say all repairs are suspect and need to be seen. I would remove all filler to be certain of what you have to work with and if any more corrections will be needed. This may also involve further discussion with the owner to "draw the line in the sand" as to how far to take the repairs. But at this stage in the game, removing filler to expose bare metal for inspecting it's condition is cheap. Once that finish coat goes on, anything that pops up later just became real expensive (comparatively). If the owner decides against further "exploration", then they should also assume liability for any premature rust/bubbling damage that may occur to their new paint job due to issues that should have been discovered otherwise. I think I mentioned the small, dark circle discolorations to you before that indicate pitting starting to attack from the rear of the panel and getting ready to break through. Covered in filler, areas like these are never seen, you have to get the area exposed in bare metal to see them.

 

[jarhead]

I've read that all of those "classic" cars you see in street life photos of Cuba are repaired with chicken wire and concrete.

If you did just one quarter panel would you get custom plates that said "ILENE" ?

 

[e-tek]

Did some panel-beating and weld-cleaning on the Cougar today. Here's all the metal that was cut out and replaced, as well as some of the cut-off wheels I went through! (Some of them came apart before they were used up - one hit me in the knee, one glanced off my face mask...yikes)

Then, after a ride-around in the Galaxie to visit our rental properties and stop by the Hell's Angels party, I got distracted by engine work:

First up, trying to remove head studs from one of the FH's:

After days and weeks of using all these release agents, I decided to start on the studs the PO broke when removing the heads - but they still wouldn't budge... I even used some heat, then soaked them down again hoping the wicking effect would help...

So onto the "tried and true" method...

AHA! SUCCESS!!!

About now, I'm feeling pretty damn 'POTENT'!!
And my Daddy always told me: "If you's gonna act im-potent, then you gotta make yourself IM-POTENT!"

Of course the next one didn't go as smoothly (D'OH!!). Look closely:

After that brutal happening - and thinking of the drill and easy-out fun I wwas now in for...I decided I needed another "feel-good", so I finished up the 390:

Also, the owner of the '40 Ford rod that is up next came by yestarday for a visit. He was driving his last project, a kick-*** '56 GMC Step with a front clip, 350 and custom interior. He had done it over 10 years ago and driven it regulary in the summers - over gravel and down highways - and it still looked good! I wish now I would have taken some photo's - Maybe he'll read this and post some up for us (c'mon Leonard, I know you're reading this!)

 

[bgott]

If you did just one quarter panel would you get custom plates that said "ILENE" ?

Not if you add a couple of leaves to the springs on that side. Something that I noticed when I was looking at Google pictures of Cuban cars, a lot of them have straight axles on cars that didn't come with straight axles. Being that they are not gassers I figure that the bodies have been mounted on old Russian truck chassis.

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=cuba...=2100&h=1313&ei=nYILUOzVH-jD2QXDm8D1Dw&zoom=1

 

[e-tek]

As I mentioned, the owner/builder of this sweet 56 GMC Step came by to talk about having me finishing up his 40 Ford custom. He built this truck nearly 15 years ago and still drives the paint off it! Life is busy, so he's asked me to help him finish it out, including wiring up the 5L Ford with EFI and chassis, all the interior work, including the dash, gauges, custom console, all the actuators and final body mods. Sounds like a challenge!

But first, let's make Trent's Cougar a winner!

 

[padstack]

e-tek - you are no bodyman. No. Not a body man at all. You're a freaking ARTIST! Nice job man! Totally jealous of your skills. Keep up the good work! Always love your threads!

 

[e-tek]

e-tek - you are no bodyman. No. Not a body man at all. You're a freaking ARTIST! Nice job man! Totally jealous of your skills. Keep up the good work! Always love your threads!

HeHe - Thanks man. I started reading that and thought: "uh-oh, someone's on to me....."

 

[e-tek]

OK Robert - ya *******! LOL!! Here's what was under all that filler....

Ahead of the right rear wheel there was a brazed-in patch panel. I'm not gonna disparage the old repairs, because some of it is just "old-school" production shop style repair, not really "butcher-work". This was before mig welders and new replacement panels (although you still cannot get new replacement panels for this car!). The slide hammer and brass filler where staples for this kind of repair. Remember, in the the 70's and 80's, this was not yet a collector-car!

You can see where the patch extends, the brazing being soft enough to move and pucker over the years:

Further up, the slide hammer was used to pull a crease out. I might have accepted this repair back in the day - if the holes would have been welded shut...

This is the leading edge of the same quarter, where it meets the door. The damage here was filled but it really should have been banged out, so as to avoid a weak-spot at the edge.

These patches lasted quite a while - but you can see the rust/contamination creeping past the edges. Had I not removed the filler it would have breached (broached?) the surface at some point. (Thanks again to Robert for pushing me to do what I knew I need to do - DAMN you!! )

I'm surprised there isn't more rust behind the filler around these holes...Owner says it was an Arizona car, which would explain it. These repairs wouldn't have lasted as well up here!

Along the wheel arch edge, some brass was used to fill what mist have been pin-hole rust spots....

 

[e-tek]

Continuing on the Left side...

The damage here wasn't worked out enough to meet the quarter panel extension. I think they tried, but due to the damage still evident it would have shortened the panel some. They likely pulled it as much as they could but it must have kept breaking at the rear edge, based on the amount of weld (braze) that is present:

Here's a nice hole that was likely made when a tab was welded and pulled on at the edge:

Slide hammer holes...

Front side:

Back side (!):

I'll have to make a new piece to replace the entire corner, leading into the quarter panel. This way I can remove the brass and put metal to extend the edge where they had used filler.

Fun stuff!

 

[e-tek]

On the door, another brazed patch panel was showing it's age:

[/IMG]

One on the underside too:

The entire corner will need to be fabricated:

So there you have it. All the "issues" have been uncovered. Now we (meaning me...) can address each area with "modern" repair methods and thus give the old gal (Cougar - get it??) at least another quarter century of turning heads! Now I know what Joan Crawford's plastic surgeon feels like....

 

[Carguy99]

I have heard you use the term "slap file"??? could you please explain? Is it used for high spots or low.
oh, FYI because of this thread and I guess you. I acquired a fender with a dent and some rust. I'm going to give body work a try. If you hear any swearing... that would be me.

 

[MoonRise]

First up, trying to remove head studs from one of the FH's:

So onto the "tried and true" method...

AHA! SUCCESS!!!

About now, I'm feeling pretty damn 'POTENT'!!
And my Daddy always told me: "If you's gonna act im-potent, then you gotta make yourself IM-POTENT!"

Of course the next one didn't go as smoothly (D'OH!!). Look closely:

After that brutal happening - and thinking of the drill and easy-out fun I wwas now in for...

Ummm, unless you were just really in the mood to make some threads using the die on the protruding lump of the stud, why did you go to all the time and effort to make those threads?

Since the nut is being welded to the stud 'post' and then the extracted pieces tossed, I usually just grab a nut that slips over the broken 'shaft' and weld said nut to said 'shaft'. No threading needed.

Let cool (so the intense heat from welding gets a chance to hopefully break loose the frozen threads from the block/item and so that you don't burn yourself on the hot metal ). Then apply wrench to nut and (hopefully) remove nut-n-stud (sort of like NutN-Honey, but different ).

If the nut don't work and either the nut breaks loose from the stud (weld failure) or the stud breaks off flush with the tapped hole or slightly under (like what happened with your second stud attempt), don't despair or immediately run for the drills or Ez-Outs. Just grab a washer (optional, ID hole just slightly smaller in diameter than the root diameter of the stud threads) and another (slightly bigger) nut. Put (optional) washer over stud end (helps keep you from buggering some weld onto/into the block surface or the edges of the threads). Place (slightly bigger size) nut on top of the washer and again mostly centered over the stud remains underneath. Proceed to weld the ID of the nut to the remains of the stud end. Let cool (heat to hopefully help break the corroded threads loose and so you don't burn yourself ). Remove nut-n-stud. Repeat as needed or until you don't feel comfortable trying to weld deep into the tapped hole in the block.

At which point you can either attempt using a SMAW electrode pointed straight down into the hole (the flux coating kind of lets you reach down into the tapped hole without instantly jumping the arc to the female threads of the block and you can hopefully just arc to the end of the stud, if really cautious you can put a piece of tube/pipe/whatever into the threaded hole so you really can't jump the arc right to the threads in the tapped hole in the block) and building up some weld up protruding past the top of the block and again putting a big nut on it or going with a fine touch and blasting out the steel stud remains out of the cast iron block with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch (the oxygen cutting shouldn't cut or burn the block but instead should burn the carbon steel stud remains out, I'm not personally experienced or comfortable enough with this to completely recommend it, but several others have reportedly used it successfully).

Or you are then to the point of using the drills or Ez-Outs. Or a shop with an EDM machine.

Speaking of welding, that pic with the solid-wire GMAW (aka MIG) wire looks like maybe just 0.025 inch diameter wire? Great size wire for body panels and sheetmetal, maybe a little small for trying to get the nut attached to the stud remains. Short-circuit transfer with 0.025 solid wire can get you up to about 100 amps or so, 0.030 wire up to about 130 amps or so, and 0.035 wire up to about 180 amps or so (dependent a bit on the shielding gas being used). Higher amperages than that and you are pushing the wire past short-circuit transfer into globular (not really a problem for trying to stick a nut to a stud, just watch out for spatter onto the rest of the parts) or up into spray-transfer territory (not getting an actual spray-transfer with C25 or CO2). My usual 'Go-To' wire for small GMAW is 0.030 (workpiece thickness and machine ouput power 'sweet-spot), unless doing sheetmetal mostly (change to 0.025 wire) or slightly thicker stuff (change to 0.035 solid or some FCAW in 0.035 or 0.045 or grab the stick welder). YMMV, but I'd probably slap at least the 0.030 wire in to get the nut attached to the stud remains to get a bit more 'heat' into the weld and the stud.

 

[gustoffur]

There is a Cougar out at Amigo's. Do you want some panels?

 

[MP&C]

OK Robert - ya *******! LOL!! Here's what was under all that filler....

Now that's exactly how my luck runs as well.....and why I like to see what I've got to work with. Looking forward to seeing you tackle the various issues!

 

[e-tek]

Thanks for the input Moon-rise! Reason I like to run a thread is that's how I was taught, doesn't take but a few minutes and it makes it easy to keep the nut centred and at the top if the stud for welding.

I've tried welding another nut onto a broken and now flush stud, but have never seen where it's worked. If the stud wouldn't come out with the extra weld surface we had to start with, it's unlikely (in my experience) that it would come out now with even less. Of course it may be worth a try and even if it worked once it sure would be nice!

As far as a larger wire giving more holding power in this situation, I believe I'm using 0.030 - do you really think there'd be that much difference in holding power going to .035? Again, I'm up for anything that might work so I'll research that a bit further for sure.

 

[e-tek]

There is a Cougar out at Amigo's. Do you want some panels?

If there was a donor with a CLEAN quarter, right down to the bottom, we could skin a larger section - but even if there's one that's just clean around the rear portion, where it meets the extension, we could splice it out to give us a clean mating section. Have to decide what's gonna give us the best over-all repair.

Now that's exactly how my luck runs as well.....and why I like to see what I've got to work with. Looking forward to seeing you tackle the various issues!

Well don't be shy - here's where we need your expertise/input!

 

[gustoffur]

Here are a few pictures of the Cougar at Amigo's.

Might be easier just to cut that section off the car at Amigo's than trying to repair the damage on my Cougar.

 

[e-tek]

You're prolly right - I'll try to get out there to look at it.

 

[MP&C]

Take an Ice Pick with you.....

 

[HOTFR8]

You're prolly right - I'll try to get out there to look at it.

Take an Ice Pick with you.....

Must be an old photo as you are in Summer now. Whatever you do do not start a fire in that grass. I've seen many a good car body destroyed in a fire beyond use.

 

[1948]

on the flathead studs. ive done a ton of flatheads! and one thing i can tell you, is you need to get those studs CHERRY RED! get them things nuclear, then while they are still hot wiggle them a bit. once they cool, then grab em with a vice grip or do as you did with the nut. spray some pen oil on them and then wiggle them some more. once it seems loose THEN try and unscrew em.

 

[MoonRise]

Thanks for the input Moon-rise! Reason I like to run a thread is that's how I was taught, doesn't take but a few minutes and it makes it easy to keep the nut centred and at the top if the stud for welding.

I've tried welding another nut onto a broken and now flush stud, but have never seen where it's worked. If the stud wouldn't come out with the extra weld surface we had to start with, it's unlikely (in my experience) that it would come out now with even less. Of course it may be worth a try and even if it worked once it sure would be nice!

As far as a larger wire giving more holding power in this situation, I believe I'm using 0.030 - do you really think there'd be that much difference in holding power going to .035? Again, I'm up for anything that might work so I'll research that a bit further for sure.

I usually figure that as long as the nut is 'reasonably' centered over the shaft remains, that is usually "Good Enough". If you feel happy/comfortable running the die and threading the tip of the shaft, that's fine. It's not like you are spinning the nut/stud at several thousand RPM and have to worry about being off-center or anything. You are just slowly wrenching the stud/bolt out of wherever it is stuck and then scrapping/tossing the welded nut-n-stud.

As to the "holding power", if the weld itself (either on/at the nut or the stud/shaft) breaks then you didn't fuse/penetrate adequately into the parent metal on the nut or the stud/shaft. If the stud/shaft breaks, then it's because you exceeded the material strength of the metal there.

I usually leave the nut a little 'high' so the stud/bolt is a little recessed below the face of the nut. Makes it easier to see and center the weld with the hood on and get a bit more overall heat into the shaft. You're welding the pieces together so it's not like you are relying on the threads there to actually hold the nut and stud together.

I usually figure that getting 'adequate' heat into the (corroded/frozen/jammed) threads is a good side benefit of welding the nut onto the stud/shaft. Instead of having to break out a torch flame and heating the threaded fastener remains up to RedHot to get some thermal expansion/contraction going on to try and break the rusted/frozen threads loose from one another, you are just using the residual heat from welding to do the thermal expansion/contraction. That's kind of why we weld the nut on (something to wrench on and the heat from welding to give the thermal expansion/contraction) instead of just sticking a pair of vise-grips onto the protruding stud end and yanking (no thermal expansion/contraction, so unless you can end up 'overpowering' the rust/whatever you end up spinning the vise-grips on the stud end or snapping the stud flush with the block (where the threads are still holding tight).

As to the wire size, over the Net the pic just looked a bit 'small' on the wire diameter. I figured if you were welding sheetmetal then you probably had some 0.025 wire in the machine and just grabbed that when you went to weld the nut onto the stud.

0.025 wire = tops out ~100 amps

0.030 wire = tops out around 130 amps. That's 30% more heat into the weld (better fusion/penetration into the nut/stud) and just overall heat into the stud (thus getting the stud hotter for hopefully a little more expansion/contraction to loosen the rusted/frozen threads).

0.035 wire = tops out around 180 amps. That's almost double the amps and heat into the weld and into the stud (good fusion and more thermal expansion/contraction to hopefully loosen the rusted/frozen threads). It's not like you are all that worried about blowing through the nut/stud from too much heat/amps like you are when welding the sheetmetal.

(amps numbers are for short-circuit transfer GMAW. If your machine can do spray transfer and you are running the 'appropriate' gas, those number can go higher.)

If the stud/bolt breaks off, then the threads are still rusted/frozen. Heat it again from welding another (bigger) nut on and/or heat the stud RedHot with a pin-point torch flame (not a big wide propane plumber's torch). Thermal expansion/contraction to help loosen the rusted/frozen threads. Repeat until stud is out or you run out of welding wire, shielding gas, spare/scrap nuts, or patience.

 

[e-tek]

Good info, but now I'm almost sorry I started that!
Oh well, back to "E-tek's Projects Thread"!

Specifically, the door corner repair:

Starting the cutting:

What's behind window number One?!

This brace is on the inside corner...wonder if they knew how well it would trap dirt and moisture?

The cutting continues underneath....

Lots of brass to get through...

...and more rusty bits of course....

As usual, any surface rust underneath gets treated with MetalReady, then sealed with POR15:

With the pieces removed, I can use them to shape the replacement pieces:

Cut and bend...

and shape...

First try...almost!

Outer corner:

Lots more fun to come!

 

[machine_punk]

I love seeing you do this with very basic tools...whatever it takes to get the shape. Do you have a huge collection of body hammers and dollies, or do you just make do with whatever you have lying around the shop?

M_P

 

[e-tek]

I love seeing you do this with very basic tools...whatever it takes to get the shape. Do you have a huge collection of body hammers and dollies, or do you just make do with whatever you have lying around the shop?

M_P

No big collection here! I have 4 body hammers, of which the chisel-end is my most-used. I have maybe 6 dollies and use 2 often. I like to use the anvil, vice and a few heavy pieces of scrap. That's it.

 

[e-tek]

I have heard you use the term "slap file"??? could you please explain? Is it used for high spots or low.
oh, FYI because of this thread and I guess you. I acquired a fender with a dent and some rust. I'm going to give body work a try. If you hear any swearing... that would be me.

Hey CarGuy - sorry I didn't see this post until now. Kinda surprised someone else didn't reply too. Anywho - I was taught/introduced to this tool years ago by an old time bodyman at my Dad's shop. A slam-file is similar to a slap hammer, which spreads the blows out over a larger area than a hammer, with the addition of being able to "shrink", or move the metal ever so slightly.

Slap Hammer:

Shrinking Hammer:

Slap File:

 

[machine_punk]

Kinda surprised someone else didn't reply too.

I was just introduced to this tool a couple of weeks ago, at the Cuesta Metal Meet. This gentleman, Paul Bragg, who's says he's been into automotive metal shaping since he was a teen, was telling us what he used it for. It only took him about 10 minutes to get way over my head, but I will tell you what I remember about the tool...

He said it is actually a file (closer inspection confirmed that...it has teeth, just like a double-cut file), but is not used to remove metal. He uses it like a spoon or *******, when raising low spots. He uses an appropriate dolly on the bottom of the panel and uses this slap file to move around the edge of the low spot. What you end up with is very clear markings, to show you exactly where the low spots and high spots are. This tool CAN move a little metal, but only with very light taps (which is all you should be doing anyway, in metal finishing). His primary purpose in using this tool, though, was to get a visual for where the low spots are.

 

[e-tek]

Mine is still the original tool made for me by that old tech (Jerry) from (as M_P said) a double cut file. He heated it cherry red and bent it in a vice, then cooled it slowly.

 

[wnstwolf]

Hi E-tek have been lurking but my first post on your inspiring work. I have had a lot of good experience in restoring a few Camaros and a mighty fine 68 stang but recently I picked up my biggest challange yet, 64 Jag e-type. Back a few pages you showed floor replacement panels where for the most part you "****-Welded" the panels but chose to overlap in some places for strength. I follow the logic but from an asthetic approach do you dress up the welds both inside the car and then go underneath and hit that other seam as well? If not, are you worried moisture will get up there and start the rusting process all over again? Just trying to learn before I cut.. Novel Idea..

 

[CoconutPete]

Love it. I hope to have 10% of your metal work stills when I start my first big restoration.

 

[e-tek]

Hi E-tek have been lurking but my first post on your inspiring work. I have had a lot of good experience in restoring a few Camaros and a mighty fine 68 stang but recently I picked up my biggest challange yet, 64 Jag e-type. Back a few pages you showed floor replacement panels where for the most part you "****-Welded" the panels but chose to overlap in some places for strength. I follow the logic but from an asthetic approach do you dress up the welds both inside the car and then go underneath and hit that other seam as well? If not, are you worried moisture will get up there and start the rusting process all over again? Just trying to learn before I cut.. Novel Idea..

What I do is dress the welds on the upside, then use Pro-Form seam sealer on the underside, followed by primer, maybe a light rock guard, then paint. This completely seals both sides and apparently looks good enough to garner several award-winning builds.
I generally wouldn't overlap a seam in the middle of a panel where there is no other seam already present as it would look out of place - but under the seat, along the rocker seams look OK.

 

[e-tek]

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

How long till he gets his license; will the rod be ready for him? It looks like he's ready to roll, so the 'old man' better get on the stick! lol

 

[e-tek]

How long till he gets his license; will the rod be ready for him? It looks like he's ready to roll, so the 'old man' better get on the stick! lol

Well, he has his own car 0 the 1971 Datsun/Nissan 240Z - so no Rod for him. Luckily, I've also got about 8 years to finish THAT too!

 

[e-tek]

Repairs required inside and in front of R. wheel well -

Lots of slide hammer holes not closed up. I'll likely cut and replace about 8" of the wheel well -

Continuing on the door corner, I first sprayed the inner with high Zinc weld-through primer:

Door corner metal-finished - about 80% there -

Welded outer patch panel on, leaving flaps to be bent over after -

Using hammer and dolly to bend flanges over -

After some hammer and dolly work and first pass with grinder -

Don't forget to remove the tags before it goes to paint and they get masked up (again)!

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

"I first sprayed the inner with high Zinc weld-through primer"

E-Tek, I've read (on GJ, I believe), that you should never weld galvanized without grinding the plating down to bare metal in the weld area. Do you have to take precautions of any sort when using the weld-through primer?

 

[machine_punk]

I have a question about a piece of equipment I suspect you might use.

Do you use a porta-power ram of any sort? I've been thinking about getting one lately, simply because it looks too useful to not have one. I don't do the sort of body work that I believe they are primarily used for (un-crunching parts which are crunched), but I can imagine all sorts of ways to use this for the things I do, not to mention the fairly normal use of using it to cut large holes in sheet metal (with a greenlee-style punch set).

If you have one, which brand? Which size (4 or 10 ton)? Do you use it with the included hand pump, or do you have the air-over-hydraulic adapter/reservoir?

While Harbor Freight (our cheap tool seller in the US) definitely has these, I don't think I want to go that route...I think I want a little higher-quality tool (I could imagine the HF unit dripping and leaking everywhere).

M_P

 

[wnstwolf]

Machine Punk. porta-power rams are a tool that like many you don't need till you need it and when you have one you will find all sorts of things to do with it. I have the10-ton Grainger unit that cost about $450 While it has been a great tool on car projects it has been used on so much else from bending back mower decks to knudging a deck into place.. One of the best parts is the spreading "jaws" for the amount of Time I use it the hand pump is fine for me..

 

[e-tek]

"I first sprayed the inner with high Zinc weld-through primer"

E-Tek, I've read (on GJ, I believe), that you should never weld galvanized without grinding the plating down to bare metal in the weld area. Do you have to take precautions of any sort when using the weld-through primer?

That's an interesting point "O".... Although I'm no subject expert in this area, I do remove the electrochemically treated galvanized coating prior to welding, but after some cursory research, it doesn't seem as necessary as once thought. The Zinc coatings vaporize(oxidize) in the welding heat creating Zinc Oxide - like the stuff beach volleyball players use on their noses.

In addition, although I've seen and heard a lot about the "toxic effects" of welding Galvinized Metals, I'm now really not overly concerned with long-lasting negative health effects due to this same research.

Here's a good synopsis of where I'm coming from - which I'm sure will lead to a LOT of "heated" debate on the subject:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/weldinggalvanized.pdf

If you need an OFFICIAL view point, here's the AWS bulletin on the subject which states there is no known long-term safety issues known:

http://www.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-25.pdf

*** Having said all that, I do of course take precautions not to breathe in (any) fumes and often use a fan behind me, as well as a wall exhaust fan, to remove toxic welding (and any other) gases from my work area.

Do you use a porta-power ram of any sort?
While Harbor Freight (our cheap tool seller in the US) definitely has these, I don't think I want to go that route...I think I want a little higher-quality tool (I could imagine the HF unit dripping and leaking everywhere).

M_P

You bet. As was just said above, although it's a seldom used piece outside of "collision" work, you'll likely find other uses for it around the home and shop if you try.

I use Princess Auto's PowerFist unit (Canada's HF) and have never had any issues with leaking. However, the hydraulic pump seems rather stiff and I always imagine that another $300 spent on a high-end unit would alleviate this (true or not, I'm not sure!)

 

[e-tek]

I should know by now that rust - and a rust patch - is just the tip of the ******* iceberg....er' RUST-BERG.

I was going to weld these holes up, then I though I'd be better off to cut the worst areas out and replace them with solid metal....

....but when I started cutting the patches out....

>>> Make creaking window opening noises here.... <<<

Old school butchery - instead of cutting out the rust they just covered it:

Oh, what's that inside the rocker?? A giant Turd??

nope - seam caulking to stop up a hole....

Wait, there's more - what's this? (Check out my "Rocker Panel Cam")

Mouse nesting materials....

Send in the vacuum hose:

Once I get it as clean as possible I'll spray Eastwood's Rocker Anti-Rust in there. It's an oil/wax substance in a can with a 2 foot spray hose and conical spray tip:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74725&page=42

But first, there's a little more to cut:

...and here's where the cutting ended:

Forming the metal replacement pieces - from the inside out:

Rough cutting rocker patch:

Fitted and closer to welding:

And that was about 4 hours worth of work. I also worked on the doors and quarters today, cleaning up welds and hammering out low spots.

I always study the tools other guys use, so I'll show mine in case anyone cares to do the same: