Restoration: 1978 Honda Civic (1200) Part 2

[Randy]

Not a lot to see, I think the fume’s got to me. Zero Rust is the theme.

Second Coat of Surface Filler

Second Coat of Surface Filler

Second Coat of Surface Filler

[Randy]

The green self etching primer is on and dry for todays high fill primer

Just in time the temperature is dropping too low for painting. I will be glad when it’s at least primed for the winter then I can focus on the floor repairs.

[Randy]

To continue on:

Jack the car up higher on the jack stands and clean the junk out of the car.
I realized I have to put the posts back inside the strut towers as I have the posts holding up the car on the dolly.

Have to get the monster of a roll cage out of the car, it’s heavy man.

[Randy]

Now it gets interesting

The holy floor, I first put a pipe through the rocker panel from the rear wheel well to the front where the cap pops of the front of the rocker, I will tac weld it in place to keep things stiff while I repair the floor and replace the inner and outer rockers.

Pipe fished through rocker front

Pipe fished through rocker rear

Repair patch ready for the inner arch

I may try to work around the front seat rail as I don’t want to cut it out if I don’t have too.

See below the inner rocker does not meet the floor either, I may cut and patch a section to go down below the floor and cut off later. This I might do a lap weld as it may be more difficult with the floor and seat rail in the way.

Then again it might be easier to hand make the inner rocker as long as my sheet metal break will take as the inner is two pieces anyway.

It is very complicated all these panels coming together, and I still have to replace the outer rocker panel too.

Overview

[Randy]

I winched the front of the car up off the floor and put the posts back in going up to support the front of the car by the strut mounts.

The blocks under the front end are where I have to cut up the floor just about where your heels would rest.

Replace short posts for long with wheels

[Randy]

I bought a new tool for butt welding panels together, the demo I saw shows how easily it made a small V in adjoining panes by with you can weld fill and penetrate through to the other site.

I took two small scraps and it makes a small V which is perfect for TIG welding but might be ok for MIG with more material to remove. I guess the size suits both.and will still give some extra stiffness to the panels joined together.

I have an old manual lap weld crimp tool that would create a lot more stiffness but would probably allow more moisture to get in between the two panels and start rust.

I know it’s hard to see but there is a V between the two hairy magnets.

[Randy]

Hi another update, I just setup a vlog page, I am keeping them short. Might be boring but some of the music is ok. For a runner!

Video Log Click Here

[Randy]

Started on the floor today, with so much to be done it hard to figure it. I was thinking of cutting out the whole drivers side then welding in the bumps, nah, overkill a make work project.
Approach, it by taking bits at a time, more rewarding because I will see improvements every day.

I grabbed a video off the security camera, but when I was using the air hammer the camera vibrated to the right looking at the wall, I should put some gaffers tape on it, or just gorilla tape (code named duct tape).
I am glad I took some stills.

In the video I had to resize the cut out as the crushed floor brace was longer than I thought, I had cut through the brace and just touched it up with a few spot welds. I was able to use the Eastwood notch tool only on one side for oblivious reasons as the floor could not be done from under neath. The welds went great, I am loving this tool as there is much less to grind out and I am sure it does a better job than a straight butt weld.

I did spray inside with weld through primer and cleaned off the primer from the spot weld holes with acid tone.

https://youtu.be/gQ2_RukMJEc

[Randy]

I should have just replaced that whole piece, that little hole in the top right had a cousin hidden on the left side. I did not see it until after I had taken a wire wheel to the surface rust. Surface, no such thing.

I am pulling the 4 top spot welds out and bending it back over the repaired area so I can put in a bigger patch between the ribs bumps.

A lot more time was spent on this than I had expected and it’s going to be stronger than before.

The big patch I put on is tacked into place over the area and then cut out the area below the patch using it as a guide. Being in such close proximity of the steering mount made some impressions on the top of my head.

[Randy]

A little disappointed where I took the floor out on the drivers side to find I have to repair the bottom of the door pillar where it goes below the floor. Hummm no surprise it’s a Honda.

I still may change the repair panel the way the tab goes below the floor.