Day 47

Well today was another messy day.  And if I hadn't run out of propane for my torch it would have likely been the last undercoating removal day.  I finished both bottles (one was almost empty) and have the passenger side fender area on the body left to do.

Rear before

Rear after

Front before (still have this side left to do)

Front after

This was the mess after the rears were done.  I usually just throw the tarp out with the waste because it burns holes in it and makes it much easier to clean up.

I did get a bit disheartened today as removing that undercoating really shows all the stuff that is underneath it.  In other words, I'm slowly finding out that my Florida car is a Florida car.  Which is to be expected, I guess I was just a bit surprised when I did an initial inventory and found that it wasn't that bad.

Knew about this spot, have a patch panel on the way.  All the way around the driver's side A pillar.

Outside driver's side A pillar

This was a new one, this is the rear apron, the inside lip rusted off.

After using some compressed air to blow the car off this nice hole in the passenger side A pillar reared it's ugly head.  Much less severe than the driver's side.

And in retrospect, so far it still isn't that bad.  After the media blasting I will really be able to tell.  I compare this current rust-piphany similar to when I found the napoleon's hat on the pan needed replacing.  I made it work and all is swell now!

I removed the heater "mufflers" which help deaden some of the noise from the rear of the car.  Pretty simple technology that had it not been for the battery acid on the right side, would still be working well.  I should be able to fabricate these on my own out of upholstery matting and burlap.

Going to get some spare propane, finish up the undercoating removal and then scrub the garage.  Then I'm going to build my workbench.  I'm slowly leaning towards engine dis-assembly before body work but we'll see.