[Ingersoll444]

Ive had this car for a vary long time. I picked it up in the mid 90's from my BIL. It looks a lot more rough then it is... It does have some rust, but is really mostly solid. Its been sitting for the last 20 years though. All but about 5 of them under cover though, so its been pretty well preserved. Ive worked on it bit by bit over the last 5 years, but still falling short of getting her driving again. This is a picture from about 15 years ago..

About 5 years ago I gutted the inside of the car, and did some clean up on it.. A few small holes in the floor back where the rear seatbelts bolt in, and a few other small places, and thats the worst if it. I started patching the floor back about 3 years ago then the welder died so it sat again.. Now im back to it.

It will never be perfect... but at this point im more ready for "good enough", and get to enjoy driving it, then letting it sit forever waiting to be "done". That being said I need to replace the rear brake, and fuel lines, the tank, and finish patching the floor. The insides need to get back together, then do some "its been sitting for 20 years" maintaince on it and start driving!

 

[Ingersoll444]

This is a vid from when I fired it up for the first time in a LONG time a few years ago..

72 LTD convertible rebirth

Surprised how well it runs!

www.youtube.com

 

[BOSOX]

Looking forward to an ice cream run with the cars next summer, Paul! 👍

Keep plugging along and before you know it it’ll be ready to drive again!

 

[mopar65pa]

Not a Furd guy but I love old iron!

 

[Ingersoll444]

Looking forward to an ice cream run with the cars next summer, Paul! 👍

Keep plugging along and before you know it it’ll be ready to drive again!

Oh sure!! Make me go on a 200 mile shake down cruse!!

 

[PJJ]

I'll take good enough over perfect any day. Good enough is perfect for a driver; perfect takes some of the joy out of driving, replaces with concern over rock chips, etc.

 

[BOSOX]

Oh sure!! Make me go on a 200 mile shake down cruse!!

After some local driving, then the 200 mile ride to the Cape! Lol

My wife really wants to go for a drive in a big rag top!

 

[Ingersoll444]

Fighting with the welder a little getting it to work right, but got some work done. One floor patch done. I tried to butt weld it, but it just kept burning through. So I ended up just spot welding it on. Worked well, and you will never see it anyways under the carpet.

Still have to grind it and fill any missed spots, but im happy. It will be all seam sealed before painting the floor when Im all done. Now that I got the welder setup close to right, Ill get moving on the next hole!

 

[Ingersoll444]

Another day, another patch.. Doing the floor patches is smaller sections so I dont need to worry about compound angles. Plus they will be under the carpet and will not be seen...

Most of the time is spent prepping the floor around the patch.. Grind, sand, recut, grind, and sand to get clean metal.. Its getting there.

 

[PA318Guy]

Won't be long before you run out of holes to patch!

 

[BOSOX]

The patches look good, Paul, nice job! 👍

 

[Ingersoll444]

Won't be long before you run out of holes to patch!

This is the last on the floor. There were only three spots. The two back corners, and the small spot on the tunnel. So unless I find something else when I clean, and paint the floor, I can start putting it back together. I have a lead on someone to fix the seats. The upholstery is good, but the muslin panels that attach it to the frame are rotted.

 

[mopar65pa]

I feel ya. 15 years of on the side rust removal and repairs then paint. I've cut and welded more steel that I care to remember. Looks great so far!

 

[Ingersoll444]

Next patch cut, fitted, and welded. I still have to finish welding, but I ran out of gas on the welder. Its using a TON of gas, so thats my next project..

 

[Ingersoll444]

With research I find that im not using a ton of gas, its just that I have a small 20cf tank that I can only expect about a hour of use out of... So time to find a bigger tank...

 

[Ingersoll444]

OK, so im trying to get a hour or two in every night on the car. Headed out and picked up a refill on the gas for the MIG, and finished my welds. So back corners are done except for a little grinding, and seam sealer.

Started cleaning the front part of the floor, and need to fix where a rusted seat stud broke off. Got the old steel cut away, had to reform the steel a bit, and cut out a plate that I will weld in. I didn't have a bolt so I need to wait for that before I weld it in. Got it all cleaned and ready though.

Now I need to wirebrush, and find some rust converter that doesn't need to be rinsed off after applying.. Then on to paint.

 

[glenn27]

Going to need a ouple o fwire brushs there for your grinder, Paul. The safety glasses and gloves go without saying...Maybe at least a dust mask also.
Good progress
glenn

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

I'll take good enough over perfect any day. Good enough is perfect for a driver; perfect takes some of the joy out of driving, replaces with concern over rock chips, etc.

Agreed, that's where I'm at with my '77 F-100. Don't want to repaint and then have to worry about perfect.

 

[Cruisin'n5thgear]

Ive had this car for a vary long time. I picked it up in the mid 90's from my BIL. It looks a lot more rough then it is... It does have some rust, but is really mostly solid. Its been sitting for the last 20 years though. All but about 5 of them under cover though, so its been pretty well preserved. Ive worked on it bit by bit over the last 5 years, but still falling short of getting her driving again. This is a picture from about 15 years ago..

View attachment 2577132

About 5 years ago I gutted the inside of the car, and did some clean up on it.. A few small holes in the floor back where the rear seatbelts bolt in, and a few other small places, and thats the worst if it. I started patching the floor back about 3 years ago then the welder died so it sat again.. Now im back to it.

View attachment 2577133

It will never be perfect... but at this point im more ready for "good enough", and get to enjoy driving it, then letting it sit forever waiting to be "done". That being said I need to replace the rear brake, and fuel lines, the tank, and finish patching the floor. The insides need to get back together, then do some "its been sitting for 20 years" maintaince on it and start driving!

What engine/trans combination?

 

[dave_r]

For my '04 Sierra, the driver's side floorboard was rusting from water sitting on it (in the winter snow melts off my boots and collects/freezes/melts, and also a leak in the A-pillar). When I upgraded the truck to 4wd, I also pulled out the floor matts/carpet/underlay cleaned and prepped teh floor, then painted it with POR15. That seems to have held up really well in the 5-6 years since I did it. And it didn't need to be painted over with u-v resistant paint because it's covered all the time.