1974 Karmann Ghia Convertible: Right Side Rocker Complete

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Right Side Rocker Complete

I got a couple big projects wrapped up today. First I painted the inner fenders with POR-15. That was a much bigger job than I thought it would be. I had to really plan out the attack so I could work myself inside the fenders without getting into areas with wet paint. After a couple hours of squeezing in and out of the fenders I have a pretty good looking set of innards. All I have left to do in front of the doors is a bit of grinding in the luggage compartment and mounting the bumper brackets and tubes.

I broke screw driver #3 trying to remove the last two screws from the passenger door hinge. Thankfully this one had a life time warrenty and I returned it to the Home Depot for a new one. I hit the screws with 2 thick coats of PB Blaster, I guess I'll pull out the torch and see what I can do. I am just afraid of melting a good hinge. I believe they are aluminum, so melting is a big concern.

After I ate lunch and watched the final quarter of the Chiefs game, I set out to weld in the passenger's side front section of the lower rear quarter. These patch panels are notorious for their ill fit. It took just about 5 hours to cut, fit, bully and weld the panel in place. It was about 9 p.m. by the time I cleaned up all the tools, so I did not get the welds ground down. I used SEM brushable weld through primer on all the areas to be welded. I still don't like the way this product makes the welds spatter and the heat that you have to use to burn through it. It's much better than not putting anything there, but I still don't like it. Since it was in the rocker section and I can't get in there to paint AFTER I weld, I don't really have a choice. I have to return to the office tomorrow, and I have to spend Tuesday away from the car as well. Hopefully I can pick up the pace on Wednesday and get a few more items checked off the list so I can get the car in epoxy this weekend.