The complete repair, rebuild, repaint, and v8 swap of my early model sedan

[White325is]

What color are you going to spray the car? You ever think about doing truck bed coating on the bay to kinda hide more imperfections?

[JGood]

What color are you going to spray the car? You ever think about doing truck bed coating on the bay to kinda hide more imperfections?

The color is a secret for now :)

No I didn't, and it sounds like a good idea, even if just for the durability reasons. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to get a truck bed coating in anything even remotely close to the color I chose.

Honestly, I'm not much of a car show person. The only person that will see under the hood is me. I want it to look decent, but I'm not all that concerned.

[White325is]

there is coatings that you can paint over and there is coatings that you can mix your color in and spray. I will look it up and report back. :)

[JGood]

there is coatings that you can paint over and there is coatings that you can mix your color in and spray. I will look it up and report back. :)

Color me interested! Thanks man

[jaywood]

Your beads are starting to look better and better!

I hate when the wire gets tangled and I am not a fan of welding upside down either. I can't wait for more progress ;)

[bmwmech1]

I think I'm going to weld a whole new tab at the upper points, as I'm not confident in the thin factory sheet metal tab.

I actually cut off the factory tabs entirely and welded on new pieces of angle, so I would agree that just the sheetmetal isn't enough. It needs to be sturdier, as you have said. Everything looks great though, you're really moving through it!

Garey

[dnick]

damn man! your doing some serious work! A lot or props to you for fixing it all instead of getting a new shell. I love it. Def sub'd

[JGood]

Your beads are starting to look better and better!

I hate when the wire gets tangled and I am not a fan of welding upside down either. I can't wait for more progress ;)

Thanks man! I don't know why it keeps happening, it seems like sometimes the spool just unravels itself, then there's wire everywhere.

I actually cut off the factory tabs entirely and welded on new pieces of angle, so I would agree that just the sheetmetal isn't enough. It needs to be sturdier, as you have said. Everything looks great though, you're really moving through it!

Garey

Yeah, I am going to do that now that I think about it. That's not a place to skimp on. I'm really happy with the progress so far. I know I still have a ways to go, especially with the engine swap.

damn man! your doing some serious work! A lot or props to you for fixing it all instead of getting a new shell. I love it. Def sub'd

Thanks man!

[jaywood]

Have you tried tightening the drag on the spool?

It is typically a nut/bolt in the center of the spools axle.

[JGood]

Have you tried tightening the drag on the spool?

It is typically a nut/bolt in the center of the spools axle.

My setup is just a plastic wingnut, and it requires a few washers to space it out to allow the spool to freewheel. If I take out one of the washers, the nut tightens down on the spool, and it will have lots of drag as it spins. And I can't tighten it just a little, because as it spins, it will get caught, then free itself, then get caught... and the wingnut doesn't stay in that exact position over time.

I'm probably doing something wrong, just didn't figure it out yet. haha

[deutschman]

Most welders will have the spool, then a washer, then a spring, and then a nut to tighten it all down. Try messing around with it and maybe updating with a few of your own parts. I HATE MIG wire birds nests!

[JGood]

Interesting. I have no spring. That sounds like something that would help! I'll swing by the hardware store, they carry Lincoln parts, I'm sure they have some sort of hardware kit.

I need to get a 90 degree fitting for the gas hose in the back of the welder anyway. The current fitting causes the hose to butt up against the tall bottle that I got. Does anyone know what size or type fittings those are, or if it's possible to get a 90 degree fitting?

You can kind of see the issue in this pic... I actually had to slide the welder way forward and angle it, to even come close to clearing that hose.

[jaywood]

Take off the fitting and take it to osh/home depot. They will usually have a sizing chart and you can match everything there. Get a 90* and BAM! Problem solved

I need V8.

[JGood]

Take off the fitting and take it to osh/home depot. They will usually have a sizing chart and you can match everything there. Get a 90* and BAM! Problem solved

I need V8.

Gotcha. I just wasn't sure if it was a special type of fitting with weird threads, since it holds gas. Didn't want to get something that seems to 'fit' but ruins the threads and leaks.

[MR 325]

Don't change the color! Repaint it in the original beige.