Sep - Oct 2011 Rolling Chassis and Tub Work

The frame is a roller now and it's time to build up from this baseline.

So, the Roadster had horsehair pads between the frame and body as they aged, they turned into sponges and held any water in place. Lots of roadsters rusted out in these spots. 

To avoid the problem people, use exercise mats or other type material as a replacement.  I used a very thick rubber matting and cut to size for the location of what I removed.  Kept the small details like the spacing on the back pad for the reverse light wires to run through.

I siliconed each piece into place.

The E brake is a series of cables and rods to actuate the rear wheel cylinders.  I did the evapo rust soaking and painting of the pivot pieces.

Rear rods meet at pivot point changing cable forward pull to side pull.

This is that cleaned up pivot installed and greased.  

Brake hard lines bent and installed. I used a coated line to reduce corrosion.

E brake rods connected to cylinders and return springs installed.

Rear flex line to rear distribution block.

Chassis is ready...on to the body.

Lots of early Japanese cars had rust issues.  The roadster had lots of coatings in many areas included this very thick coating on the floorboards.

Under my fenders was a decent coating of undercoating.  I am stripping the entire car to bare metal and building up from there.

So, whatever the original was it is no longer flexible.  I used a heat gun to soften the coating and simply used a scraper to clean the metal.

Cleaned the entire inner fender area and there is absolutely no rust or damage.

I etched the metal to receive a protective coating to seal up for the future.

I covered with a coating of POR 15.

Area dusted prior to full curing.

Primed and ready for paint/rock chip treatment.

So, the front fender bolts to the door pillar, the factory put a small strip of foam between the two (you can see the rust line from trapped moisture).

After cleaning the rust I treated the pillar with POR 15.

Just like other areas the POR was dusted for curing.

Since I doubt, I'll ever be under the door hinge's again, they received the same rust prevention process.

Passenger side inner fender will need the same steps.

The coating does come off with lots of work...heat, scrape, wipe, heat, scrape, wipe and finally clean with a metal cleaner/solvent.

Trying chemical strippers on paint.  The formula is not as aggressive as old strippers so it's a slow process.

Since I had no rust out on my rockers, I thought I'd work to keep it that way.  Eastwood offers an internal frame coating with a very long hose.  I fed the hose through most hollow areas and treated the inside with the multi direction spray head.

It obviously sprayed everywhere inside of the rockers and pillars as it found its way out of weep holes.

Did the front frame rails in the engine compartment while I had the product open. 

Well, I need to start doing more hands-on body work and I'm afraid messing with the floors could cause some sag, so I quickly welded up some braces.

I cut plate metal to fit the hinge holes, and the door catch so I can bolt them in and/or remove as needed.

I will eventually do the entire underside but since I was working on the rockers, I treated just those areas got now.

As I strip the car I am spraying epoxy primer and marking areas to work later.  Circles were dents, squares are bumps (dents) pushed out...probably stuff bouncing around in the trunk.

Same process for the passenger side, strip and epoxy.

A few less dents vs. the driver's side.

The seam in this area is bent upward and folded.

Pulled with vice grips and then hammered flat.

Fixed, flat, and ready for epoxy.