WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#106 Post by Trevor Gates »

Rear seat area complete and luggage tray/parcel shelf welded in. Whole area is coated with POR15. That's not going to rust out in my lifetime!
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Test fitting my original seat rest back after all that welding to make sure a good fit, so no problems when it goes to the interior shop.
Test fitting my original seat rest back after all that welding to make sure a good fit, so no problems when it goes to the interior shop.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#107 Post by Trevor Gates »

B pillar repair.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#108 Post by Trevor Gates »

B pillar continued with a TIG weld and some spot welding.

That brings me up current to July 2018. I promise it won't take me another 2 years to post an update. :shock:

I use Instagram quite regularly to post updates on my 356 and a friend's 1958 Cabriolet that I'm doing the metal work on (in my "spare time"). I added my Instagram username to my signature here for those that want to follow along.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#109 Post by Trevor Gates »

Repair of the driver's side heel panel.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#110 Post by Trevor Gates »

Driver's side inner longitudinal flange (what the floor will attach to).
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#111 Post by Trevor Gates »

Repeating the process on the passenger side inner longitudinal.
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Jim Liberty
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#112 Post by Jim Liberty »

Nice work Trevor. I love to see young people not only working on their cell phones. 356 body repair is a great way to make a successful business, if done right. It has been my biggest hurdle for years, in restorations. The lack of steady talent has kept me from doing any customer cars.

………………………………………………...Jim.
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Wes Bender
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#113 Post by Wes Bender »

It isn't just the bodywork, Jim. A "colorful" shop in Tucson that did some work for me a few years ago had a guy that was going to learn the business so the owner could partially retire. He was going to make working on older Porsches his career. To make a long story short, he didn't think it was important to install the C parking brake adjusters right way up (they fit either way), so who cares if you have to turn it backwards compared to normal to adjust the brake. He also swore he properly adjusted my parking brakes after reinstalling the transaxle. I pointed out that the brake disc was installed without the adjusting holes lining up and I challenged him to adjust them like that. He also trimmed the new rear windscreen metal trim piece by taking all the excess of one side. Couldn't understand why I wouldn't accept the splice being off center. And on and on...... He's gone. It's no wonder that a lot of us do our own work.

...and Trevor, that is impressive work. Isn't it nice to be able to do it right?
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....

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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#114 Post by Trevor Gates »

Jim - Thanks for the compliments. Funny you should mention metal work being one of the biggest hurdles. I think it was Rod Emory I was talking to awhile back and he mentioned that he tells his customers to figure about 40~50% of the budget is going to be spent on rust repair/metal work alone.

Wes - Thanks and yes it feels very good to be able to do it right. I'm lucky to have learned from some VERY talented people. Sorry about the bummer shop! And btw, I crack up every time I read your signature.

In an effort to get more time in on my project Jack offered to rent me some of his shop space here in San Clemente; so now I'm doing my car and also I had a friend ask if I would do the metal work on his 58 Cabriolet, so I'm really getting after it lately, dividing my time between the two cars.

Here's an update, heel panel repair.
Removing remnants of the old floor, love it when the spots welds give up easily.
Removing remnants of the old floor, love it when the spots welds give up easily.
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Passenger heel panel.
Passenger heel panel.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#115 Post by Trevor Gates »

Center tunnel repair. I also (on the advice of Jack) added a piece of metal to the side of the reverse light switch bracket to box it in.
Car rolled on it's side, starting point for the tunnel repair.
Car rolled on it's side, starting point for the tunnel repair.
Driver's side tunnel flange.
Driver's side tunnel flange.
Passenger side rear tunnel repair.
Passenger side rear tunnel repair.
Boxing the reverse light switch bracket.
Boxing the reverse light switch bracket.
Boxing the reverse light switch bracket.
Boxing the reverse light switch bracket.
Bracket extended, yet to be welded to the tunnel.
Bracket extended, yet to be welded to the tunnel.
Passenger side tunnel repair.
Passenger side tunnel repair.
Tunnel flange done
Tunnel flange done
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#116 Post by Trevor Gates »

Then I wire wheeled the center tunnel and removed the fuel and brake lines, then coated it in POR15. I also applied seam sealer to the weld bead that I did on the rear transmission area, where my car was cut into three pieces. Since this is a boxed area with the package/luggage tray, I figured it was best to make sure zero water could get in (through a pin hole) and then painted it with POR15 as well. The whole underneath will eventually be undercoated.
Weld seam sealed.
Weld seam sealed.
Rear trans area POR15
Rear trans area POR15
Center tunnel POR15
Center tunnel POR15
Next up will be the front bulkhead... in 2019. :D Thanks to everyone for their support and following along!
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Putting in some time late at night, not sure what's scarier, me with a beard or that heater tube rust.
Putting in some time late at night, not sure what's scarier, me with a beard or that heater tube rust.
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Jim Liberty
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#117 Post by Jim Liberty »

There is nothing that warms my heart more than a young guy in the hobby. I like you fell in love with these cars when I was a teenager. The passion is still on full boil.

Thanks for sharing, Jim.
Jim Liberty

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Greg Bryan
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#118 Post by Greg Bryan »

Test - do 356 Project Forum posts show up in the View Active Topics list?

Results - No, they don't - I'll ask the webmaster why not
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Jim Liberty
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#119 Post by Jim Liberty »

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As correct metal work has always been my "Achilles Heal", I'm blessed to have a skilled metal finisher here as a neighbor. He has all the skill, and I'm teaching him the ins and outs of the 356 body. He does metal and paint, and just finished my '54, and is working on my Glaser, and European. If you are looking for an honest skilled shop, I can recommend it. I'm available to assist in any way needed.

………………………………….Jim.
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Trevor Gates
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Re: WCSTA -25- 10164Three pieces

#120 Post by Trevor Gates »

Finished welding in the battery box floor and getting this area in paint. I "harvested" the brass washer and bolt from my original floor to give the new floor a little more original look.
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