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Is it this bolt (#9)?



Just checked mine and it’s 3/8. The parts book says same




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All good then. I found a tap in my collection which fitted the Rare Spares replacement panel and used that. Pretty sure I bought it to do the same job on the sedan 20 years ago.


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Good stuff Clay,

Doing a car up like this is very time consuming and frustrating at times but well worth it in the end.

Its great to see the parts available to convert the rust to steel again.

Greg

Waiting for weld through primer to dry. I am not very patient. The rares replacement panel is narrower in the top hat “brim”. I’m thinking I will fill up the gap some with mig. I’ve sleeved the new bit inside old partly to avoid taking off the crossmember. Yes I’m lazy.


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Beer o’clock.


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Hopefully it improves my welding


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Steady progress there mate

Hi Clay,

I keep looking at your welding and thinking possibly your style and settings may be missing each other.
Over the years I have worked out with the mig that higher current and a faster wire speed work better. Another trick is bare steel where welding, the weld through primers, rust, or any impurity will make the welding difficult.
Also I favour the spot weld on top of the last weld with thin metal as it cools enough not to melt holes but still hot
enough to penetrate.
So spot then stop and before the redness disappears spot again half overlap and you will be surprised how it comes out. Another trick is a magnifying glass/plastic lense in your helmet, you can get these at welding shops makes it heaps easier to see the puddle of molten steel.

Its just practice both with the settings and style. Your going ok though keep at it.

Regards Greg

Another job done, mate. Good use of the Coopers to hold the part in place while you weld it in.

Cheers,

John

Thanks for the advice and encouragement Greg and John. Gas welding out in the wind doesn’t help either. Anyway it’s getting done. I ended up releasing the bolts and slightly lifting the crossmember so I could weld the end of the repair piece to the rubber bush cup. Probably should have plug welded the seam either side but it’s done now. One more area to do on the subframe.


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Turned mig up a notch and tidier job as a result however some blow through on the old steel. Repair is on a convex section and won’t be seen.
Finally I can finish painting.

Re-fitted brake lines but think I will shorten up this one to better clear the exhaust.


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congrats!

Cheers Patrick
Thats better.

All in all a big weekend on the ute. Subframe is finished for now and ready to go back on the car. I may change my mind and sort out the front engine mounts before I re-fit it but I don’t want to put too much effort in in case I revert to grey power.


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That last photo of subframe repair looks terrible. It was all shiny steel I’m sure but in the photo looks like it has primer rust and hole everywhere.


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Must be getting close to needing a hand to shove the two bits together mate good work..


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