Late 1959 S/R coupe project # 108625

[Justin Rio]

Tunnel repairs complete.

At this point I was ready to trim the rearward portion of the flange to final shape and width.

Once I checked with my original reference section I realized I had gone off track a touch. I assumed the flange sections overlapped for a stronger joint, but no. As you can see the rear portion was cut well short with a small window.

Lap section cut and copied to the original. Easy correction because the tunnel isn't mounted yet. So I'm glad I looked before I installed for the final time. Another example of the importance of a reference car if you want the factory details correct and just how easy it becomes to get off track slightly. My initial lap joint configuration is probably stronger and a touch more ridged but my job isn't to deviate and make "improvements". The mission is to replicate as best as I can the build details it originally came with from Reutter, especially whare it will always be visible. Almost ready to install for the final time. Back to weld grinding...

Entire flange repair runs finally dressed and completed. Note my handy T2 floor section to the right for confirmation.

All rust repairs and patches to this housing complete.

Very close to final installation time so its now onto prepping the inner surfaces for a sealer coat. While I'm at it I'm straightening and staging the wire loom tabs while I have a clear shot at them. Also checking to make sure they are still well attached. These are the small things you don't want any issues with after there is no longer easy access.

On the flip side, both the tunnel and these conduits were slightly tweaked so I'm double checking that the ends of conduits sit where they are supposed to.

My first clue was this poor fitment at this forward bracket against the tunnel wall. I also had issues with the ends of the parking brake conduits in relation to the center bulkhead conduit. I had to cut them free from this bracket and reset them. Again this is all small but critical detail stuff that has be right when its finally time to put it all together....and incredibly unpleasant and hard to correct once the tunnel is in.

Again, thank goodness for reference examples so I could confirm approximate conduit height and placement.
That up next.
Thanks for looking.

Justin

[Justin Rio]

Tunnel Conduit and cable prep.

Mocked up pedal cluster to confirm the clutch cable height.

Quick representative mock up of the throttle rod as it runs through that envelope...

and lays across this forward bracket in a saddle relief which I had to add back in. This was part of dialing the final and correct height of this bracket.

And finally the ends of the parking brake conduits in relation to the bulkhead conduit.

All the internal plumbing confirmed, set and ready to go.

Rear flange connection points all within striking distance and will tack and adjust as it goes in for good.

Pulling this housing out one last time to paint and seal then drill the needed plug weld holes down the length of the floor. Decided the majority of the plug welds will be to the outside as it will be much easier to dress and smooth the weld heads instead of in here.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[Harlan Halsey]

Jusin,
The tunnel was pretty well sealed to the floor, or it should have been where it sometimes wasn't. Otherwise, transmission oil or other fluids leaked or spilled in there get out and stain the carpet.

[Justin Rio]

Hi Harlan, Yes, the tunnel flanges were double row spot welded to the floor originally. This detail was replicated with plug welds to recreate as closely as possible the structural integrity that was there when new. See below:

Final tunnel installation:

Inner surface sealed in semi-gloss. Tunnel housing now ready to go on for good.

Final floor preparation was drilling a "few" plug weld holes for the tunnel's flange. Again I'm doing most of the welding on the out side for ease of final clean up.

Conduits and floor section now sealed in a final coat of black.

Rear torsion housing bulkhead area thoroughly coated while I had a clearer shot at it.

Tunnel housing installed for the final time. Now onto back filling all those little holes...

Plug welding tunnel by working from the center outward. Starting inside at the floor pan lap joint rib. The slit in the wall is where the inner conduit brackets will be reattached to the inside of the tunnel wall.

Then it was onto the outside runs. Keeping the progress of these four quadrants even as it went.

A tight flange joint is always priority number one. So far I've been able to leap frog about 3 holes at a time between screws for a nice tight fit. This process is painstaking and monotonous but no other way around it to ensure that the tunnel is attached to the floor thoroughly. This process continued on...

[Justin Rio]

Tunnel plug welds completed:

Wrapped up the last these long plug weld runs out back here.

A lot of prep, welding and grind finishing yet to come but it was still very rewarding to get the welding portion completed. Very tempting to get lazy and do a single run of plug welds but...

the factory double rowed them for a reason.

Heat penetration at the top surface was checked as it went.

So glad I chose to weld from the bottom side. Grind finishing will be much more pleasant without the shoulder of the tunnel in my way. Some seam welding at both ends top side of this tunnel next. Almost there...

A seemingly endless supply of plug weld heads to finish. Taking this duty small bites at a time.

In between weld head grinding I went inside to begin the attachment mounts to the top side of the tunnel. Its tacked back into the same position where it was cut free; A very good sign.

Finished up with a gas welded seam and tack a found originally.

Forward end of the tunnel rewelded to the base of the toe board struts. Peddle assembly mocked up with locating rod installed to dial in the end of the clutch cable conduit for rewelding to the inside of the tunnel. A slit was cut as a welding window to attach the end of the conduit but also to help locate its needed position. In the end however it changed slightly and I had to go a bit higher to achieve final alignment that was needed. All the while more plug weld finishing was being performed in between.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[Martin Benade]

Were those double rows of staggered spot welds only an A thing? My 62 T6 only had single rows of spot welds, but a very large number of them. I’ll never forget all the drilling I did

[Justin Rio]

I can't say for sure. I'm only going by the original examples I have on hand which happen to be A-car tunnels. One thing that seems consistent for all 356 including your account is that there were numerous tightly spaced spots welds down these flanges.

Tunnel installation complete:

Gas weld detail at the toe-board joint replicated.

The body was flipped over on its left side so I could finish up the welding along the right.

And the final tie in welding along the three inner conduits brackets to the tunnel wall.

and with the that the tunnel installation was finally completed. Weld smoothing is all that remains.

Onto the peripheral bracketry starting with the toe-board footings.

Dialing in the correct location in relation to angle so the eventual board lays in there with as much contact and support as possible.

BTW the supplied capture nuts have these shouldered openings where the originals where a flush fit. I was concerned about rocking or rattling on the passenger side mainly so we opted for removal. Wouldn't be an issue so much on the drivers side as there is a cutout for the pedal mount flange.

Oversized holes are closed and will redrill some smaller representative holes for effect since these where not in use for a LHD car.

Double checking and further confirming the right spot with my original reference.

The outer run contact angle does taper away towards the bottom. This was much needed confirmation as I would have been racking my brain trying to get this to seat flush all the way down like the other side of it does.

More on this next...

Thanks for looking.
Justin

[Justin Rio]

Right side footing install:

T2 floor provided additional and final measurement confirmation. Also provided some angular trim details which were copied.

Final location set with all plug weld holes drilled. Like the tunnel most of the welding is going to the outside to make final cleanup and my life easier.

Plug welds completed. A lot of them for such a small piece but this is what it was needed for a uniform and tight fit.

All set and squared off nicely against the tunnel.

Repeat left side.

This time I ground the shoulder washers off for a gas pedal flush fitment.

welded the supplied capture nut from behind to secure it. I get a little smarter as it goes..hopefully.

Like the other side; dialing it in for square and correct angle.

All plug-welded in and secure.

Just have to level off all of these plug weld heads. A good supply of them as you can see.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[Martin Benade]

If I can, I have a comment about the gas welds. I don’t think you have a crisp clean tip and a perfect neutral flame, if you did they’d have better penetration and a smoother surface. Better than me trying to explain getting that flame, a couple of minutes googling might be useful. I’m old enough to have welded very many miles of rust belt junk car repairs. I hope I haven’t overstepped my bounds here.
I don’t mean to criticize you at all, it’s totally amazing the lengths you are going to in order to duplicate the original construction and strength. I’m impressed!

[Justin Rio]

No, not at all. I should have been more clear, the long seam welds your commenting on are actually MIG welds that were leveled and followed over with my torch for a gas weld look. I can gas-weld little spots at a time but I can't make pretty, long consistent passes with any consistency. That's just a talent limitation on my part. I normally lose patients under half way and just want to get through it once I am no longer happy with the way the bead looks aesthetically. This why I never had nice hand writing and had hard time staying in the lines coloring as a kid. Since I can't generate the "row of nickels" with any consistency so my only real concern is that the welds are thoroughly bonded and penetrating. Justin


B-pillar gusset install:

Pedal assembly mocked up for another confirmation fit. Everything sitting square and nice in relation to one another. Both happy and relieved with this final fitment.

All that remains up here is to install the stud plate for the pedal assembly once I take delivery of it.

Other than some light weld cleanup I'm all done with the metal repairs up here.

While I waited on the stud plate and lateral seat track mounts I was back to plug weld grinding and rust repairs to the lower B-pillar chassis area.

Finishing up the right rear closing wall repairs.

Vertical seam weld completed. Gusset cavity and inner surfaces cleaned and top coated. Just a little more weld smoothing and this new closing panel can go on for good.

Closing panel installed for the final time. Its now onto a series of leap frog welds between set screws for a tight and flush formed lap joint.

Plug welds complete. It took some doing but really happy with the tight form fitted edges of this new panel.

Just have to dress the plug weld heads, then it was onto stitching in the rest of this closing wall repair patch.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[Puygranier Antoine]

Fantastic work as always ! Love learning all 356 details through your posts!

Bests

Antoine