My Journey Thus Far

[Steve_69]

I got my roadster in August of 2020. I posted in the So, Why Did You Buy a Roadster, that for me, it was more about the journey than the finished product, though I do look forward to driving the girl.

When I got my roadster, I had to do garage upgrades to facilitate the work I wanted to do by installing a sub-panel with 240V service, purchase a mig-welder and a sandblast cabinet. Big distractions, but well worth it. The engine, frame and suspension are done (I still need to run brake lines, exhaust and wiring). I put the body on a rotisserie a few weeks ago and began the bodywork.

What I have learned.
1. Everything ends up more expensive than you plan, even when you plan that everything will be more expensive! Example, the car was running when I got it (on an external gas supply), but once I pulled it apart to freshen it up, I found a broken piston. $$Cha-ching$$!
2. The website, and the knowledge and help of the members is indispensable. More times than not, I have not had to ask questions because others have had the same question and I learn from them.
3. The vendors are most helpful and are often more about helping than making a buck! That seems unheard of these days and much appreciated!
4. I had never welded a thing until I built the dolly for lifting and storing the body. This was to make room for working on the chassis and engine. Now that I have started on bodywork/sheet metal, I am finding it much more difficult to weld than the structural stuff, but I am making headway. My headway is very slow on the sheet metal and it would be very easy to get discouraged with the magnitude of sheet metal work ahead of me. I am trying to focus on just-this-one-little-spot to keep myself focused.

Do I regret starting this journey? Absolutely NOT! While I was very comfortable with the mechanicals, I am learning many new skills and keeping my brain fresh. If I can maintain this pace, I hope to be putting the body back on the frame this time next year. I am choosing not to work on it when I do not feel like it because I don’t want it to feel like a burden, but rather a journey of love. I would encourage others that may be fearful to dive in!

[S Allen]

Sounds like you are making good progress. Welding the sheet metal on a roadster takes a bit of patience. It is pretty east to burn through without the proper technique and settings not to mention the welder itself. That is where I am stopped at both of my projects. Hope to get back to at least one of them this year. Keep plugging away. You will get the hang of it.

Steve

[theunz]

Take this for what it’s worth, as it’s coming from a self taught, or should I say self still learning, welder. Smaller wire is easier to use than thicker wire, say 23 instead of 35. Solid core wire is much cleaner than flux core, so I hope your rig uses the gas bottle. Japanese metal wasn’t very good in the 60’s and 50 years of aging hasn’t helped. Consider yourself much better than me if you can run more than a quarter to half inch bead at a time without burning through. If you do burn through let it cool before trying to fill it in. If you get to big of a hole you need to use a filler piece. A lot of the time it’s just a quick ziiit at a time. Space your welds as far from one another as possible and keep going back and forth. Blowing a little air from your compressor on the welds will help cool them allowing you to work a little faster. Most important of all is a good grinder. It can make your welds at least look like you know what you’re doing. When all is said and done you will have a real sense of pride knowing you did it yourself!

[Steve_69]

Thanks for the suggestions., I am using 0.023 solid core wire with Argon/CO2 blend. I am using stitch welding techniques, 1 inch or so apart, let it cool after several welds and then make another pass. This takes a long time. I am working the trunk right now so I am able to make a pass on both sides. After I grind it relatively smooth, I find pin holes that I need to go back and fill. Grinding them down is tedious too. I am getting more comfortable as I go, but after several hours and only making a small distance, I walk away and come back to it later. I guess I see why quality body shops charge so much! I had to fabricate a patch for the corner of the trunk where the jack would rest. Fortunately, I went to a 2 &1/2 day class in Detroit in December and learned how to do this. I will post a couple of pictures when I get this patch finished. Next will be the floor pans.

[theunz]

Well Steve it sounds like you know as much as I do, probably more with the short class you took. I wish I could find something similar, but anything I can find is a multi month course at a Vo-Tech an hour away. I have not tried this, but it might be beneficial. Now though, I think it is down to practice, practice, practice .


https://www.esabna.com/us/en/products/f ... -grind.cfm

[Steve_69]

I took the class at Dagger Tools. I learned a lot about shaping sheet metal at this class, but I also believe the class could be better. They use torch welding which I found very easy and I was proficient at doing, however, I had already procured a mig-welder and am using it n my Datsun. While I felt like the teaching methods could be better, I will say it gave me the skills and confidence to pound out and shape my own pieces that are not too complicated. Anyone who chooses to take this class should be prepared for their hammering arm to be very sore!!

https://www.daggertools.com/

[FrankMCG]

I took the class at Dagger Tools. I learned a lot about shaping sheet metal at this class, but I also believe the class could be better. They use torch welding which I found very easy and I was proficient at doing, however, I had already procured a mig-welder(like it) and am using it n my Datsun. While I felt like the teaching methods could be better, I will say it gave me the skills and confidence to pound out and shape my own pieces that are not too complicated. Anyone who chooses to take this class should be prepared for their hammering arm to be very sore!!

https://www.daggertools.com/

Thank you for sharing! Unfortunately, the experience comes only after your own mistakes and actions