[mogeo]

Car is a 68 convertible. My right rear upper shock mount has worn/ rotted. I have a nickel sized hole and a lot of movement there.
What is the best way to repair this? Make a cardboard template and weld in some metal? Anyone done this?
Car is a very nice driver but not a show car
Maybe I could cut into the outer wheel house and stitch in a new price of metal then patch the wheelhouse??

Thanks
Rich

[gtobird]

Rich, I can't see where your part is rotted, but if you remove the wheel and shock, I believe you should be able to do your surgery. I "think" you can also get access from the trunk. Also, you can buy repair pieces. Here is a link to the first one I saw by using google. I'm sure there are other suppliers.

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Golden...FRCOaQodCo0N-g

[mogeo]

Thanks. I also found a patch panel from a few other vendors like CI. I just didnt know how to really access the panel. Now that I see there is a patch panel available, I will get back under the car and look. I didnt know if I would have to cut an access panel in the rear wheel well or from on top.

[mogeo]

Ok I found the right shock tower that I need.
It looks like I will have to work from inside the trunk and cut a piece of the support brace that runs from tower to tower and behind the rear seat
Working from inside the trunk, how do I separate that behind the seat brace (that runs from left to right shock towers) from the trunk floor and inner wheel house? Could it be held together with adhesive? I did notice a few stitch welds
Car is a convertible

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by mogeo

Ok I found the right shock tower that I need.
It looks like I will have to work from inside the trunk and cut a piece of the support brace that runs from tower to tower and behind the rear seat
Working from inside the trunk, how do I separate that behind the seat brace (that runs from left to right shock towers) from the trunk floor and inner wheel house? Could it be held together with adhesive? I did notice a few stitch welds
Car is a convertible

You might want to post a picture. Stitch welds were rarely used on the bodies of our cars, so not sure if those are original. I can check on mine to see what you are referring to and possibly make a recommendation. Mine is a convert as well.

If you are asking whether adhesive would have been used to hold a body part on a 68 Bird, that's a "no". Back in the day, everything was welded. The only thing that might look like adhesive in the trunk area is seam sealer.

Also, I'm not sure how skilled you are at body work. If you are not an experienced welder, you could still fit in a new piece and have someone else weld it it.

Regards,
OJ

[mogeo]

Sorry the pic is rotated
This is the Right rear shock tower as seen from looking in from the trunk. Where my long screwdriver is pointing is the area of bracing that I think needs to be removed in order to gain access to that tower, and the trunk floor.

So, Should I just cut the brace to gain access, patch in the new panel for the shock tower, then repair the bracing? I am comfortable with welding, but didnt know if this was the way to go about doing it.

That brace that runs between to shock towers and supports the rear seat. On my car the brace is held to the inside of each rear wheelhouse with a 6 inch piece of angle iron which is stitched in a few spots. You can see this in the photo I think. I have a feeling someone has been back there before me.

Is that how the brace is held on from the factory? I would think not.


Underside view of the rot as looking up from the wheel opening.

[rohrt]

Looks like you only have a small bit of the shock reinforcement piece left. That is a tough spot to work.

http://www.classicindustries.com/pro...rts/kw953.html


Need to know how bad the surrounding area is to determine how much has to come out. Since you say its just a driver I would get the part in the link above and make your own patch piece.

Either make a cardboard template for what you need or put down some tape in the area and cut the shape on the tape and transfer it to some sheet metal.

May have to do some welding from the topside and bottom side.

Sorry I don't remember if there is two layers of metal in that area where that is not. May its time for a mini tube and a DSE 4 link anyway

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by mogeo

Attachment 427853
Sorry the pic is rotated
This is the Right rear shock tower as seen from looking in from the trunk. Where my long screwdriver is pointing is the area of bracing that I think needs to be removed in order to gain access to that tower, and the trunk floor.

So, Should I just cut the brace to gain access, patch in the new panel for the shock tower, then repair the bracing? I am comfortable with welding, but didnt know if this was the way to go about doing it.

That brace that runs between to shock towers and supports the rear seat. On my car the brace is held to the inside of each rear wheelhouse with a 6 inch piece of angle iron which is stitched in a few spots. You can see this in the photo I think. I have a feeling someone has been back there before me.

Is that how the brace is held on from the factory? I would think not.

Attachment 427854
Underside view of the rot as looking up from the wheel opening.

A picture is worth a thousand words..... After seeing your photo, I think your original plan is the correct one. This area is pretty rotted and I'm betting the inner wheel well is pretty rotted as well in this area. You know how it is. Once you start cutting, you find more rot. Cut out the inner wheel well (as much as makes sense) and work from there.

If you find that you have to cut out too much of the inner wheel well to make a patch, I recommend the usa made inner wheel wells. I just needed a patch on one of mine, but it was in the front corner with all sorts of odd bends and I wanted it to look perfect when done. I thought I could use an el cheapo foreign made piece since it was just a patch. It didn't fit worth a darn. I ended up buying the USA made piece (might have been CARS brand), can't remember, but it fit great.

Regards,
OJ

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by mogeo

Attachment 427853
Sorry the pic is rotated
This is the Right rear shock tower as seen from looking in from the trunk. Where my long screwdriver is pointing is the area of bracing that I think needs to be removed in order to gain access to that tower, and the trunk floor.

So, Should I just cut the brace to gain access, patch in the new panel for the shock tower, then repair the bracing? I am comfortable with welding, but didnt know if this was the way to go about doing it.

That brace that runs between to shock towers and supports the rear seat. On my car the brace is held to the inside of each rear wheelhouse with a 6 inch piece of angle iron which is stitched in a few spots. You can see this in the photo I think. I have a feeling someone has been back there before me.

Is that how the brace is held on from the factory? I would think not.

Attachment 427854
Underside view of the rot as looking up from the wheel opening.

Found this series of pictures on a 68 bird that is on ebay right now. Click link below. If you are patient and page through the photos, you will see the shock towers from inside the trunk on this car and the angle pieces that are stitch welded in. If this is what yours looks like, then it looks like what the factory did. This is not my car, but as I remember, mine looks like this also. Can't get access to my car right now.

Regards,
OJ


https://www.flickr.com/photos/133771...7668202886146/

[mogeo]

Here is the cut off outside shock mount. This is the thicker mount that gets sandwiched between the top of the frame rail and the bottom of the trunk floor. The sandwiched part is good so I elected to cut it off here. I will city this off the new piece and stitch it and plug weld it back in here then I will paint it.

[mogeo]

This is the piece that I cut off. It was weak from flexing at the top where the shock goes through. This is bc the thinner shock mount that is visible from the trunk side had failed

[mogeo]

Ok got it all done! A lot of work but mostly patience and being able to get into the area was tough. Made the patch panel spot welded it in and stitched it where I could reach. Re welded the inner wheel house braces in and it looks great. Once I derail the trunk with the trunk spatter paint it should look like I was almost not even there. Thanks for the advice. I'm having trouble posting pics. Sorry

[rohrt]

No pics????