Thanks for the comments guys.

I made it out the shop and got some work done. I started cutting out the old tail panel and cross rail:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000566.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000570.jpg

I will put some POR15 inside as well to stop the rust

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000571.jpg

If you're wondering how I went about removing the panels, here's how I cut out the tail panel. Need to cut out the fuel cap part and redo it in the new tail panel

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000572.jpg

As for the rear cross rail, you need to get rid of all the spot welds, which are quite big in size. I started to use my spot weld cutter, but broke it so need to get a new one. I ended up using my air cut off tool as a grinder and just ground down the area around the welds. Worked great. I then cut the panel into two parts to take off. Once I get another spot weld cutter, I will tackle the rest.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000573.jpg

I also started to fill up the new storage compartment. Got the TV hooked up too. :D

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000576.jpg

Nice progress Mike.

Mike -- I'm no pro at any of this -- but look into what is called "weld thru primer"... for those rusty areas (SEM or 3M). If you start using "paint" -- it will just burn off wherever you're welding. The Weld thru primer will protect the metal and won't burn off.

Here's a video on using it!

http://www.ehow.com/video_2326972_ap...ru-primer.html


There is also "rust convertors" -- that will convert the rust and protect the metal. But If I'm welding around the area - I use the weld thru stuff.

Thanks for the tip Greg. I actually have a couple cans of weld thru primer and have been using it on most of the welded spots. I was going to use POR in the deeper areas and then the areas that I would be welding I will use the primer.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :woot:

nice update!

Looks good mike! A couple questions, again you've inspired me to replace my tail panel and cross rail (they need them anyway, and the new metal looks good) but did you have to brace the trunk when you cut the tail panel or cross rail out? Also,did you also replace the brace, and does it matter which order you put it back together? Thanks

Thanks

Thanks. Glad to know my work is making others do more work too :unibrow: I didn't brace the trunk at all when I did mine. Hopefully this update will answer your questions.

I spent every day this week in the shop and I still didn't get as much done as I wanted to. It's amazing how that always happens.

Got back to work on the rear cross rail. That alone took me a couple days by the time I patched some metal, cleaned things up, etc. One suggestion for anyone planning on doing this.....make sure to get a new rear cross brace: http://autometaldirect.com/ListItems...ossmember.aspx and cross rail extensions: http://autometaldirect.com/ListItems...Extension.aspx They will make the job so much easier. That's why it took me so long to do mine.

First thing I tackled were getting rid of the old trunk extension end caps. There were a pain, but can be done with the quarters on. I didn't have the quarters welded were they connect to the end caps so it made it way easier. Here's where the end caps connect to on the quarter panel

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000625.jpg

Looked like crap from the inside with the old ones in place

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000586.jpg

It's gone

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000588.jpg

New one in place. It's been sprayed with weld through primer that's why it's grey

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000595.jpg

Looks much better from inside too

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000628.jpg

Next was patching some of the cross brace

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000587.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000590.jpg

I bought myself a cheap metal brake a while back. Glad I did. Drilled some holes in my work bench and bolted it in place.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000589.jpg

Next were the cross rail extensions. Since I didn't buy new ones, I just made some.

Old one

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000591.jpg

New one. Was actually quite easy to make

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000592.jpg

New ones welded into place. I know...the second one is bent the wrong way. But it still does the job. When I put these in, I realized that I made the bottom tabs too long. When the cross rail sits in place, it slides under the extension caps. I just cut along the bottom so the rail would slide under. Hopefully that made sense.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000597.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000598.jpg

And finally...it was in

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000603.jpg

Next up was getting things ready for the tail light panel

First I spent time cleaning up the rear flange. When I took the old one off and the cross rail, I ended up with a few weak spots like this

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000600.jpg

Here's where a piece of copper comes in really handy. Mine has magnets on it but it doesn't hold very good at all so I clamped it to the bottom and filled in the holes

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000601.jpg

Got it all filled and in weld through primer

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000602.jpg

Put the trunk lid back on to get proper alignment

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000603.jpg

Putting the tail light panel in turned out to be a pain also. I had to tweak the quarters to make them fit better.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000607.jpg

I mocked it into place, but the gap between it and the trunk was quite big

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000608.jpg

One thing I never even thought of until it was brought to my attention was the possibility of the trunk sagging. So I had to persuade the floor a bit

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000611.jpg

Once I got things lined up to where I was happy, I used some screws and clamps to hold things into place.

The rear gap was better. I might still weld in a piece of rod to get it a bit closer

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000612.jpg

Side gaps..I can live with. Again, I might weld in some rod if I get picky

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000613.jpg

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000614.jpg

Along the back. It could go in a bit with some trunk adjustment

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000615.jpg

I welded everything into place and cleaned it up.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000618.jpg

One thing I found after putting in so much new sheetmetal...I've ended up with a decent collection of clamps. And I can imagine this is small compared to some guys.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000616.jpg

After I got that done, I started finishing up some of the little things I never got around to getting done. I finished welding the sail panel around the rear window. Then I got the passenger side wheel well opening all finished. I had a few tacks in there, but it wasn't all done. I also cut 1/4 - 1/2" off to give some more room for the tires. Still have to finish the driver's side.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000619.jpg

Then I wanted to do a 'just sit there' job so I worked on getting the passenger side door jamb stripped. I was going to blast it, but I found it went really quick with the scotch brite pads so I just kept doing it.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...9/P1000623.jpg

Not sure if I'll get anything done on the weekend as the wife is back from her courses and I'm back to work on Monday. Hopefully next weekend I'll get a bunch more done as my wife and step daughter take off for most of my days off.

You made some nice progress.