[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by dataway

Was the window channel a pre-made panel or did you make that? Just wondering about the nice looking trim studs.
As usual, wonderful work you are doing.
Which TIG hand control are you using these days?

I bought preformed window channel patches for my '66 from this place. Don't know if they were around when I did my '68.

https://www.beldenspeed.com/

[Entropy11]

Thanks guys. It’s exciting seeing these obstacles gradually disappear 1 by 1.

I was going to get the Beldenspeed pieces (those guys are awesome and their customer service is the best) but decided against it. I’d have to buy the upper and lower half of the channel and weld them together anyways so figured I’d just make the piece so I’d have the bottom of the channel, the side of the channel, and a little left over to roll into the top pillar/quarter face. I needed practice forming such a tight but smooth contour with the shrinker anyways. Definitely either learned or invented (lol) some techniques to wrap that contour and not have any of those typical or obvious “gather” lines on the flat area. Kinda fun when it’s not agonizing.

I guess it was a lot of trouble to go through but it saved me $120 in parts and 4-5 down days for shipping. Maybe too much effort but I wanted to preserve the curve right where the factory put it. Pics of fitting it in tight just before welding.

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by dataway

Was the window channel a pre-made panel or did you make that? Just wondering about the nice looking trim studs.
As usual, wonderful work you are doing.
Which TIG hand control are you using these days?

Hey John I made a little jig to hold the trim stud at the right height to weld it in place and then separate to remove it from the stud. Once it’s held in the jig you can’t screw it up. I just use the trim studs Belden sells that are made for the stud weld guns. Too much effort for these 2 studs but I also had the 6 or so across the channel in the deck filler.

I’m still just using a simple finger on/off switch I made from Amazon parts on my TIG torch. I do everything in what has become my go-to high amp pulse deal. No need for amperage control once I get it dialed in… just how many pulses I want before heat is an issue.

[dataway]

Sweet, and probably more secure than the OEM studs. Excellent job on the metal, with those kind of skills pretty much any restoration is within your capability.

Not that I don't value our old Pontiacs ... but when I see your kind of work I kind of wish it was on something more rare and exotic.

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by dataway

Sweet, and probably more secure than the OEM studs. Excellent job on the metal, with those kind of skills pretty much any restoration is within your capability.

Not that I don't value our old Pontiacs ... but when I see your kind of work I kind of wish it was on something more rare and exotic.

Haha yeah… I almost feel guilty sometimes going to these lengths on a car that must have spent a good number of years rotting away in some farm field. This car was off the road for 36-37 years and I had to jump through some hoops just to get it a new lease on life with NY state and the registration.

I figure it’s all good practice for that time down the road when I’m working on something where preserving every square inch of metal is essential. In the meantime this should become a pretty solid driver and already feels like an old member of the family.

[Entropy11]

Haven’t updated in a while. Been spending more time with my family than working on the car seeing that my Dad was having health issues. Funny thing was every day at the hospital he’d ask me for updates on how the car was going.

Anyways, what I thought would be a minor patch on the right side of the trunk became nearly a full right third stamping (and the trunk support below). It went in pretty quick and clean. Decided to MIG this side in for a change. I was worried about warpage so located the butt welded seam on top of the fuel tank support below it (felt like cheating) and ran the seam up onto the “shelf” area about 1/4” off the stamped rib. The structure from the rib helped keep everything distortion free.

[Entropy11]

I did this little spot tonight. I didn’t notice I never ran my left trunk floor patch up high enough onto the back edge. Made a quick repair piece, welded it in, then blended the seam out. Maybe the speed of this whole MIG thing is growing on me lol. No before pic but it was just a small hole.

[dataway]

Yep, MIG is like a metal hot melt glue gun

[Entropy11]

Originally Posted by dataway

Yep, MIG is like a metal hot melt glue gun

Haha exactly. I think I tweaked things enough to enjoy it. 0.23 ER70S-7, inductance settings, a non-standard gas mix… Basically I complicated it enough to make it interesting. For some odd reason I’m betting you can probably relate to that mindset!

[dataway]

You can do some amazing things with 0.23 if you have enough controls to adjust. I can't wait to get a MIG welder that isn't 35 years old so I'll have more dials and buttons