Another one starts the Journey back to the road

[SNOWBIRD]

Took the big stuff down the road to get paint and rust removed, and I spent the last few days blasting the small stuff.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Pick up car today.. lots of rust holes still.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Wow.. I need to Raise my prices! I have been selling Top boots for years at $150.00, of coarse now everybody wants my seat toppers instead.

WHITE CONVERTIBLE TOP BOOT
$189.95 EACH S&H $25.00 EACH
One of the best deals of 2019! With a SAVINGS of $61.18, how can you refuse to have a beautiful, bright white top boot on your car?! ORDER TODAY!!

 

[SNOWBIRD]

When ever there is rust holes above the middle I replace the whole door skin. Original skins 20g I use 18 g.
Made up a bunch of steel bottoms too,
Rear hood got mostly new metal as well.

 

[Jon March]

damn!!!

 

[SNOWBIRD]

This has become one GIANT jig saw puzzle.. One piece at a time. 2 hours looking, thinking, templating.. cutting, Them boom Weld it in!.

I always wondered what that pc. of NOS metal was for(holding in hand)

 

[SNOWBIRD]

ready to install. Complete inner rear fenders,, 3 days hard work!

 

[jfriese]

Gord,

I've known you for 17 years now and I must say your skills at bringing "parts cars" back to life is more impressive now than ever. I wouldn't have dreamed of taking this car on myself.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

 

[SNOWBIRD]

I WOULD NOT HAVE STARTED IT IF I KNEW HOW BAD IT REALY WAS!
Put rotisserie on wheels yesterday so I could roll it out and clean shop. So much metal fillings on floor.
Now outside in sunlight I see even more pin holes!

 

[SNOWBIRD]

I can catch my breath,..,. Its in Etch primer!

 

[Brian Crombie]

Gord,
I remember some time ago you promoted inspecting the inside of the square tube frame by drilling an inspection hole under the back seat. It appears you have done that judging by the black plugs in your photo. Not long after you mentioned that, I drilled two 1 1/4" holes in my car and was blown away at the amount of sludge inside. Apparently, bilge water enters through the brake cable tube guides and has noway to get out.
Great advice Gord! Everyone should get the drill out!

Brian Crombie
Land of 10,000 lakes!

 

[jfriese]

Here's piece I did in July 2003 about this problem. Since then I have checked a third Amphicar that had terrible rust in the rails that affected the rear axle housing the probably jeopardized the strength of the car. This is a very important, though impossible thing to check before buying a car. This piece was originally done in Word so I'm not too sure it will transfer without minor issues.

 

[mschlem]

John - Just to clarify, if a person drills and inspects just in front of the transmission mounts as you mention in your article (and as shown on Gord’s photo), will that pretty much get to the entire length of the frame tube?....or are there other places that water could be trapped in the tube? In other words, will that location get the entire length or is there another cavity somewhere in the tube to inspect?

Thanks,
Marc.

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Tube is open end to end only the E brake cable runs threw it(lets water in if 3 inchs..) I use a garden hose and run back and forth to clear out GUNK!

 

[SNOWBIRD]

Test fit outer Quarters and rockers today (right side )
These were custom made to fit in my Fiberglass moulds (red in background)

 

[jfriese]

Hi Marc,

Sorry for the delay in getting back. Gord is right about the main frame rails, they run end to end, from the steering gear box back to the rear axle pivots. One car I restored had the rust so bad that it had expanded the axle tube and pinched the axle in place. I broke a 5 lb. sledge handle banging the axle out and had to grind the expanded section down with a two inch grinder. The frame rail was filled all the way to the top with rusty crud. If you totally sink the car the front rails, in the front trunk, run down and are welded to the top of the main rails but the main rails aren't open at that point so you should be sure to vacuum any water out of those rails too.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

John - Just to clarify, if a person drills and inspects just in front of the transmission mounts as you mention in your article (and as shown on Gord’s photo), will that pretty much get to the entire length of the frame tube?....or are there other places that water could be trapped in the tube? In other words, will that location get the entire length or is there another cavity somewhere in the tube to inspect?

Thanks,
Marc.