Work on the front end continues. Unfortunately, I've had some commitments that have taken me out of town for almost two weeks, so the pace has again slowed. However, Daniel and I have tried to get at least an hour in every evening and that really makes a difference.
We've had some really temperate weather here lately so that helps a lot in getting work done. We hope to have the last of the major sandblasting done this weekend, so we won't have to suit up in all that protective gear in the heat of the summer.
 |
| tacking the fender in too soon! |
At my last post, we had cut away the rotted inner fender on the passenger side and welded in the replacement frame section. I was really concerned about the final fit as I struggled with getting the replacement inner fender section to fit properly, but we finally got it where it seemed to match the fender contour, so we took a deep breath and welded it in. That was a mistake!
 |
| Cutting the fender back out |
As we moved to the front of the car and began to try and fit the radiator support, I realized something was out of alignment. There was a huge gap between the support and the inner fender where the two are supposed to meet. After wrestling with the support for more time than I preferred, we gave up and went home--frustrated. I had to keep reminding Daniel that proper fit was crucial to making the fenders and hood line up. It's hard for him to see that, especially since there was virtually no front to the car when we bought it.
After sleeping on it, I awoke the next morning and realized that the inner fender needed to come out. It was welded in pretty good, so I was prepared for a long struggle to drill and grind it off the car. In
 |
| Starting over with a clean slate |
reality, it took about a half hour, and it was definitely the right thing to do. With the inner fender out of the way, we dry fitted the radiator support and front crossmember, which fit almost perfectly. With those pieces clamped in place, we again struggled to make the inner fender fit, until I realized that it must be bent. It looked OK, but fit really poorly--so poorly that I knew something wasn't right. I began trying to fold down the top edge by hand, and in doing so, the middle section gave way and bent. I thought I had really messed up, but a quick check for fit showed that it was exactly what was needed! We clamped it in place, and everything lined up almost perfectly!
 |
| Second time around--things are looking better |
I have to travel again in about a week, so Daniel and I have determined that before I leave we will get the front framing welded in permanently, the rest of the underside sandblasted, primed, and a finish coat of black semi-gloss applied. Daniel gets his license in ten days, so I think things will be moving much more rapidly!
