2012 Get Engine Running on Chassis and Body Work

To run the engine on the chassis I will need the cooling system installed.  Here I am modifying an electric fan to fit into a 2000 fan shroud.

This is a late model fan shroud but will work for my Elec conversion idea.

Because the fan does not sit centered in the shroud (offset for the top tank). I welded in some tabs to bridge the offset.

Bolted in and sits nice and flush in shroud.

Ready to install, you can clearly see the offset at the top for the radiator.

Bolted to radiator and ready to install.

The radiator installs on the rails on the front of the body, so without the body I had to create a carrier so I can run the cooling system.

Painted the brackets and ready for final hook ups.

Radiator hoses and water lines connected. Ready to run.

To run the engine, I need the exhaust. I have given the vendors lots of $ but can't justify $160 for the muffler hanger.

I used the base of the original 67.5 mount and welded a bolt through it and then bought the correct size isolator from McMaster Carr.

Bonded with glue and threaded on the isolator. Ready to bolt on frame.

The exhaust is hung with pretzel straps.  Mine were completely rusted out so I bent plate metal over the tube size I needed and then simply cut strips at the correct angle.

Pretzel straps with new isolators on both ends.

To tune the carbs, I'm installing a wide band O2 sensor.  Here I made a tape copy of the height of the sensor and testing to see where it will fit without hitting the body or engine items.

After I marked the exhaust flex pipe, I cut out the fitting area and ground to the correct fit.

Secured the adapter so I can weld in place.

Check fit and angle of O2 sensor and it's a great fit.

Welding up the exhaust.

Wiring up the engine to run and hooking up the O2 sensor.

Moved the gauges from the test stand to a "dash" so I can monitor and run engine.

So, with the engine running I need to get back to the tub and get the body ready.

Obvious damage on the fender and the reason epoxy now goes under Bondo (rust). 

This is crazy thick and whoever made the repair didn't even remove the paint and bond to actual metal.

Continue sanding and stripping the fender (many coats of paint). The flat red was the original primer.

Still removing Bondo, I dont think the dent was hammered and they just filled the dent.  All of those pin holes and rust are why the base metal gets some epoxy and the body work starts over it.  The filler I used was Direct to Metal, but DTM fillers bond to epoxy well and I'm not putting it on thick.

To really work the dent (and my goal was to strip all metal), I'm removing the undercoating/rock guard from the inside.

Just like the inner fender I just heated up the material and scraped and repeated until clean.

With the undercoating off I'm doing some quick sanding and stripping.

The final cleaning was a wipe down with Metal Cleaner. POR-15 makes a great cleaner that seems to melt grease and grime away.

Although I believe my wheel tire combo will be fine, I went ahead and sealed the lip of the fender and then rolled it flat while I had easy access.

Deep dent that was just covered over.

Quick hammer and dolly session and the area sands pretty flat.

The fender is completely striped and there is no rust through or pitting, but I do have a large area to deal with at the top front where all of the Bondo was.

So, some sanding and hammering has started.  Unfortunately, the dent crosses a style line running at the top peak of the fender that I will need to keep pretty straight.

Starting to level out.

I was having a hard time seeing the highs and lows, so I primed that area.  You can see that easily shows the wavy area.

With the "guide coat" on the bare metal I was able to finally bring up the low spots.

A quick session of heat and quenching and it looks ready for a skim coat of filler.

Ready to prime.

The inside of the fender got sealer, primer, rock guard, and then paint.

Final prep with an 80 grit on a DA and then a wipe with a paint pre prep cleaner.

So, the fender is done and looks great, more importantly it's also protected.  The method for body work now is to epoxy the bare metal and bodywork over that.

The floor coating is so thick that the melt method is too slow so I'm going the opposite direction.

I bought some dry ice and placed it on the undercoating and covered with insulation and let it freeze the coating. A quick whack with the hammer and large frozen pieces came right off.

Moved to the driver's side to follow the same freeze, break, remove process.