Need some help

[Mattk]

I’m looking for pictures of the front so that I may repair it. The PO butchered the front, I’m planning on fabbing up new tabs/strips for the center to attach to and look a little more correct.

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Thanks ahead of time

Matthew

[Nissanman]

Here are some of my '65 during painting: -

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Hope they a help
If you want hi-res images that you can zoom in on, I can email them to you.

[eye]

I'm sure you will get a better answer, but what you have there seems about what mine looked like(other than the weld boogers) What I remember being important was where the hinge brackets attach because that sets up how the hood fits. It can be a PITA if you get those wrong. There is a left and right too, I believe. Keep the relationship between where it is welded now and whatever you decide to do with the inner fenders.

Just 2 cents

[C.Costine]

This is not very close but you may get some idea from it.

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Colin


.

[eye]

I think the center bracketing is different for different year cars?

[spl310]

I think the center bracketing is different for different year cars?

Stamped piece in the 62-67 cars (4 holes) assembled piece (T bar looking) in the 67.5-70.

[C.Costine]

Charlie, are you separating parts that are spot welded together? Do you have the hole saw for cutting spot welds? If not it is a small hole saw that cuts a hole 5/16 diam. It has a spring loaded center tip that holds it in place, and you go just deep enough to cut through just one of the two pieces. I don't know how the late body is, but the early front center consists of the lower part called the valance and then the upper part that is in front of the radiator. cutting the pieces apart with the spot weld cutter can enable you to divide and conquer. Once you get everything straight you weld back together using a technique called plug welding.

[todd lorber]

I had to drill mine out with a spot weld cutter as well. With all the welding you have on there, you will need to grind it flat first with a flap disk and then probably use a cutoff disk to grind just deep enough to remove separate the top layer from the one behind it. If they are also plug welded, you will use the spot weld cutter for that (use a punch to create a dimple in the middle of the plug welds so that the bit won't wander).

It will be a lot of work, so just take your time, use ear pro and eye pro and a small bench or stool to sit on.

Fenders Offsmall.jpg

[Mattk]

Thank you!! Thank you very much!

That’s exactly what I needed. The previous owner(s) really massacred the grill support when they tried to repair damage to the grill area.

C.Costine- I only wish they had used the spot weld removal tool . Hell I would have lent them mine. They really boogered it up. My pictures really don’t really do the treachery justice.

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I’m going to fab up some new sheet metal, stitch weld it in, grind.....and then grind some more. Then I’ll plug weld the center grill support back in to the newly fabbed attach points.

Thanks again y’all.

Matthew

[C.Costine]

It looks like new pieces are the best route for you. I suggest that you see if you can get some measurements off another roadster that has had no front end damage in order to get correct attachment points for the fenders and hood. Mine had very little prior damage but just enough to make getting the fenders to meet up properly with the cowl and doors a major challenge.

[eye]

If it was mr, I'd weld a spacer c bar across the inner fenders and also a "jig" to spot the brackets for the hood. Once you cut it apart, you lose the relationship between the hood and fenders. Getting them to fit later can be a rough job unless you get lucky.

[Mattk]

If it was mr, I'd weld a spacer c bar across the inner fenders and also a "jig" to spot the brackets for the hood. Once you cut it apart, you lose the relationship between the hood and fenders. Getting them to fit later can be a rough job unless you get lucky.

Yeah Ive been looking at this and Im going to have to brace it some how. Im thinking at this point im going to wait til I pull the motor and remount the fenders and hood so I can get the gapping right, then I can tack it into place from inside the engine compartment, pull everything back off and do the finish welding then. So this will be be put on the back burner till the motor comes out.

Thanks again for the help!

Cheers
Matthew

[eye]

That TOTALLY will make your life easier. Ask me how I know.