[esahlin]

I'm just finishing up what you guys are starting on so its been interesting to see you guys open your car up and tackle the same work....and I thought I would pass on a few tips I got from other guys who had been all thru it before me.

On the picklex 20.....Wire wheel or sand the rusted metal as best possible (like youve already done in some of your pics) then its best to apply the Picklex 20 with a small brush stiff bristle brush like a tooth brush. Pour some of the Picklex in a small cup and then U can use the brush. Let the Picklex that you applied to the rust set/dry for about 2 minutes......then lightly dab the excess Picklex that is left with a paper towel. Now, let the Remaining Picklex dry for about 15 minutes....you will see a film over the metal/rust form after the Picklex has dried. Then you can lightly scuff the Picklex film....just break the film that has formed over the metal dont try to bear into the metal with the sanding sponge or sand paper. Now you can paint over the Picklex prepped metal with a good epoxy primer. The Picklex is a rust converter/remover so work it into the pittted rusted metal well with the brush you apply it with. A little bit of the picklex goes a very long way so you dont have to use lots of it to coat the metal. Applying the Picklex to clean metal wont do anything it has to be applied to rust so it can convert it. If you get some on some clean metal just make sure you scuff it before epoxy priming.

On the aftermarket outer wheel houses....Yes my aftermarket outer wheel houses were about 1/4 inch too short also and did not fit into the quarters wheel well lip very well either. Thats why I originally said (in response to your first post) the aftermarket outer wheel houses werent the greatest.....since its a hot seller I dont know why the supplier/vendors dont do a restamp?

On your measurement, from the picture it looks like the lower quarter is too close to the spring....that lower last inch or so of the quarter should mate up to the bottom inch or so of the trunk drop down panel. once you get the outer wheel house on there (or once you patch your original)....I think that will probably prevent the lower part of the quarter from extending to far past the bottom edge of the trunk drop down panel. try another fit after you get the outer wheel house patched up. Then I think the lower qtr should mate to the drop down panel better.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Hello Esahlin,

I was expecting some fit issues witht the outer wheel well, you did give me the heads up on them - Thanks. We have made a patch to the lip of the wheel well and are gonna try to make it work - if not I may need to order a new one.

I got some prep work done on the rear panel bracing, I used a thin wire wheel to get in good where the weatherstipping will sit - this worked great.
Sanded it and 3M wheeled a few areas. I cleaned the bare metal with paint prep and was ready to brush on Eastwoods rust encapsulator as my first coat, this can be used as a primer coat too but when I Prime other areas this may get a coat of Epoxy Primer, I then will apply a top coat of Por 15.

I went over the areas better on the side bracing, removed more surface rust then applied Rust Mort on all the bare metal. Fusor Panel Adhesive will be used in the drip rail, where the quarter sits on the rocker panel and the vertical lip of the door jam - the rust mort in these locations is temporary and will be sanded off completely when Im ready to Glue these locaions. The panel adhesive is applied (bare metal to bare metal). I did use the Picklex 20 on the sail panel area where the factory seam is located because I will be welding there.

[67'7F6'Bird]

Esahlin, Regarding the trunk drop down, the quarter panel looked too low becasue I hadn't secured the Tail Panel well enough and it dropped slightly. I have more C-Clamps coming on Monday so this won't happen again. I like using the screws but only when the fit is near perfect.

I drilled out the spot welds on the trunk and lower rear panel - the trunk drop off dropped off. HAHAHA

The trunk floor was straightened slightly as this was another area that showed signs of the damage from the accident.

[esahlin]

looking good.....your car actually looks like it is not too bad on rust. Mine was a bit worse.

I am gearing up here to replace my roof in the next month or so. After I get the back half of the car pretty much finished.....will start tackling that. the car had a vinyl top and there are a few holes in the roof up near the front. I patched them a couple years ago but decided that since Ive replaced most everything else might as well do the roof too.

I am not a big fan of POR 15 since I applied a bunch of it to my car about 5 years ago. Applied it to the badly pitted and rusted roof after I removed the vinyl top. I was trying to take the easy route and sidestep replacing metal and hence went the POR 15 way. But anyway just this past year I decided to remove some of it and it basically peeled off with ease and the rust underneath was alive and kicking. I did use their metal ready product and followed their process....but all that i have removed didnt seem to do anything to slow the rust underneath. Now I cant stand the stuff and have spent more than a few hours removing all that I applied 5 years ago. Now that Ive found Picklex and I now spray a good high quality epoxy primer I wont go back to POR. But I do know some people love it and stand behind it.