View Full Version : Wagon Liftgate Rust Repair
The wagon's lift gate is plagued with the same issue as the tail gate. It has a similar stance when closed, and as such, water lays along the inner window frame at the inside bottom.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture375.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture376.jpg
I normally use an ice pick test.... if it holds an ice pick, it will hold paint. If not, it would have rusted through within a year anyhow, so you just saved ruining a paint job one year later..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture378.jpg
Looking at our sample, the lower bend is fairly flat, going to a tipped flange in the form of an arc, the inside has some compound curves going to the window opening flange...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture379.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture380.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture381.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture382.jpg
I'll attempt to form it in one piece, flange to flange, for a easier job of replacing.. Removing the upper gate...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture383.jpg
My tool of choice for removing spot welds is a 3" x 1/16 cutoff wheel. I also use the premium wheels made for stainless steel. It's worth the extra money when you don't have a brown cloud in the shop, like the el cheapo wheels leave, nothing but resin wearing away.
The upper layer of metal will start to turn blue when it gets thin and hot, letting you know you're getting close to the next layer. When you have a blue circle with shiny metal in the center, you are now in the second layer, grind around the blue a bit more and pry the layers apart..
Here's a video to show better detail on grinding out spot welds....
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/RemovingSpotWelds.mp4.html (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/RemovingSpotWelds.mp4.html)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture385.jpg
With all the spot welds removed, here's what we find inside...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture386.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture388.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture389.jpg
Note the deep pits. The big problem with just welding a hole closed is you don't know where the next pit is lurking, ready to break through your new paint.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture391.jpg
Funny, with all the rust and scale inside, then you find this area of ~60 year old bare steel nice and shiney..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture387.jpg
The inside of the remaining lift gate will then get media blasted to check for more lurking issues.
Here's a better look at the shape we'll need...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture392.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture393.jpg
To start the layout on the new metal, I needed to find the center of the radius along the window opening. By holding a sanding disc on the flats and scuffing, it showed the edges of the radius, which you can then measure to the center...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture396.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture397.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture398.jpg
Then laid out a pattern to be able to measure from the bottom crease...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture400.jpg
....and transposed it to the new sheet, measuring outward from the crease datum....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture401.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture403.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture404.jpg
The top edge was trimmed to size and the tipping wheel used to fold over the welding flange...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture405.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture407.jpg
Comparison....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture409.jpg
The bottom was marked with the tipping wheel and folded in the apron brake. Then trimmed to size, again using the tipping wheel to fold over the welding flange...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture410.jpg
It's real close right now, just needs a bit of tweaking.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture412.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture413.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture414.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture415.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture416.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture417.jpg
This was made using 18 ga, I think if I had the factory 19 ga metal it would have formed much easier.. My twelve year old assistant also was responsible for the bead roller's rotational force..
Media blasting showed more pits and holes, so continuing on, time to make up some Ron Naida inspired insert holders for the Lennox...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture032.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture033.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture034.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture035.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture037.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Super%20Secret%20Metalworking%20Stuff/Picture039.jpg
Next will be to make some inserts to match the contour of the rear lower edge of the upper tailgate.. We'll try some 1" thick phenolic sheet...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture077-2.jpg
Here's the profile we're looking for...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture079-2.jpg
The dies installed in the holders....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture080-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture081-2.jpg
An offset bend was added to the sample 19ga in the brake, then the first of three passes.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture083-2.jpg
Final pass.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture084-2.jpg
Dies held up well....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture085-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture087-2.jpg
Safety tip of the day, 3" roloc discs do a good job of shaping phenolic, so skin is no match.... (note thumb in above pic)
Where my "test sample" was made initially with straight bends in the brake, the actual piece on the lift gate is not straight, so the bends on the "good" piece will need to be bent using the tipping wheel.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture090-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture089-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture091-2.jpg
With the profile test piece looking close, time for a full length version. Hopefully this one will be a keeper.... Checked the lower profile of the upper gate with radius sweeps to lay out the new piece...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture125-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture126-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture127-2.jpg
Laying out the pattern on 19ga steel....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture128-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture129-1.jpg
Tipping wheel in the bead roller...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture130-2.jpg
......and a newly modified back stop, much better than the flat one.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture131-2.jpg
Offset added with the tipping wheel......
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture132-2.jpg
Then run through the Lennox.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture081-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture084-2.jpg
More tipping, then the step die used in place of skateboard wheel with the tipping wheel for the lower 1/4" fold...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture134-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture136-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture137-2.jpg
Next will be to fold the top in the window opening...
To make sure we don't make scrap out of the last piece, another small sample is used to test the tipping of the window opening.. beginning with using the bead roller tipping wheel....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture139-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture140-2.jpg
This is about as far as it would go, and with the good piece already having bends at the bottom, would be a bit less once tried on that piece. This will require a custom made "anvil" for some hammer action...
The donor:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture142-2.jpg
As modified:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture143-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture144-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture145-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture146-2.jpg
.....then for some manual tipping...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture147-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture148-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture149-2.jpg
Comparison to the original....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture150-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture151-2.jpg
This looks close, now to cut a sample out of the original to see how close we actually are... This spot weld on the inner flange is far enough away so I won't need to grind out a spot weld, and still have enough of that flange for a good measurement. In other words, removed with minimal effort where it still holds it's shape for an accurate template.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture152-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture153-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture154-2.jpg
Our profile template:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture155-2.jpg
Just to compare to our test sample, looks like the inner flange was bent down a bit much in the manual hammering, will have to ease up a bit...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture157-2.jpg
Outside profile looks good enough to leave alone!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture158-2.jpg
Following the measurement used on the test sample, the panel is run through the bead roller's tipping wheel nice and slow to give us an initial mark for the bend, then repeated to tip the flange downward...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture159-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture160-2.jpg
This looks about all we'll get without distorting and pulling, so then it's off to the custom anvil...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture162-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture163-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture164-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture165-2.jpg
Then for some manual tipping...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture168-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture169-2.jpg
...and comparing to our profile sample......
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture172-2.jpg
Ready to cut off the old next time...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture174-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture175-2.jpg
Next, to remove the bottom detail of the lift gate and sandblast the remaining structure to check for structural integrity. The lower edge did have a flange folded up, so a slit was cut along the edge and the door skin vise grips were put to use...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture177-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture178-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture179-2.jpg
Next, the spot welds inside were ground out.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture180-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture182-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture183-2.jpg
Media blasting..... nice to finally see through the glass!
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture184-2.jpg
The media blasting revealed a few more holes, and numerous pits, many of them close to breaking through.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture185-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture186-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture188-2.jpg
With all the other new metal going in the bottom, there's only one thing to do. Using the tipping wheel..........
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture189-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture191-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture193-2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture194-1.jpg
Comparing to the pitted version.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture195-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture197-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture198-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture199-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture201-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture202-1.jpg
Next we'll need to do some corking to add the window hole pad details.
Here's the new "anvil", made from some phenolic sheet.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture207-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture208-1.jpg
Put an alignment mark on the anvil, fitted it to the originals, and added the mark there as well. Then transposed those marks to the new piece...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture209-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture210-1.jpg
Anvil was located, and clamped in the vise to hold it's location
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture211-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture213-1.jpg
Started with the barrel end hammer.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture216-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture217-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture218-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture219-1.jpg
For the ends, I used a rounded tip chisel....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture220-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture221-1.jpg
....and then another "anvil" to clean up the hammer marks a bit...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture222-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture223-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture224-1.jpg
Here's all the tools used....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture225-1.jpg
Touched up a bit with a sanding disc, looks close enough.... One down, 4 to go...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture226-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture228.jpg
Next to finish up the pad details on the inner structure of the lift gate.... The center one was wider, so I used the same phenolic and just added a wider detail to the opposite side. I missed showing this earlier, but a handy-dandy battery saw works well to remove the bulk of the material, sawing parallel cuts and then just working the saw side to side to clear out the remaining....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture235-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture236-1.jpg
Once cut out, the sanding disc is used to cut down the angled sides and touch up the bottom..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture237-1.jpg
This compares the two, showing the difference in width...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture238-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture239-1.jpg
Alignment marks transposed from the original, and guide marks indicate the area in need of hammering...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture242-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture243-1.jpg
I 've had requests to show hammering procedures, so here's another of my video attempts. The first one is using the phenolic anvil clamped against the work piece in the vise, the second uses 1" square stock as an anvil to clean up the hammer marks a bit...
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Video232.mp4.html (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Video232.mp4.html)
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Video233.mp4.html (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Video233.mp4.html)
...also sounds like I have a loose hammer handle, something for another day.... ;)
Then the sanding disc was used for final cleanup. Here's the finished piece, just needs a couple holes drilled....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture245-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture246-1.jpg
carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)
01-07-2014, 05:49 AM
beautiful work, thanks for sharing Robert.
Thanks Carl!
Next, the spot welds in the bottom piece were drilled out. This revealed a couple of isolated pits, which were media blasted, MIG welded closed, can ground flush.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture253-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture254-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture255-1.jpg
All cleaned up, the new piece is plug welded on....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture256-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture257-1.jpg
Then the inner panel is fitted up and tacked in place....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture258-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture259-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture260-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture261-1.jpg
Top flange clamped to check the fit.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture262-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture263-1.jpg
Finishing up the welding of the inner bottom panel....used a 3/16 hole for the plug welds this time. I normally use a letter A, but the flange here is a bit narrow, so a smaller hole it is. To make up for it the heat on the welder was cranked up a bit to insure a good weld.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture265-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture266-1.jpg
Looking at the back side, these should hold well.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture267-1.jpg
All the plug welds done, then on to the corner seams.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture272.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture273.jpg
and after cleaning up the welds.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture275-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture277-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture278-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture279-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture280-1.jpg
Cleaning up the plug welds on the flange.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture282-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture283-1.jpg
I've had a few inquiries in the past as to my weld grinding process, so I thought I'd use the opportunity for another video.....
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Grindingplugwelds.mp4.html (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Grindingplugwelds.mp4.html)
.
The next repair was to duplicate one of these mounting blocks for the lift gate's gas strut.
The good one...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture285-1.jpg
...not so good...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture286-1.jpg
Used a hole saw to provide some radiused ends and the 3" cutoff wheel to cut out all the torn and ragged metal..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture287-1.jpg
A piece of 19ga is tacked and welded....note the original color....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture289-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture290-1.jpg
Cut out a piece from a steel angle, drilled and tapped the three 10-24 holes. This was bolted in place using anti-seize on the screw threads to prevent galling during the weld process.. then plug weld holes drilled and welded from the outside..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture292-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture293-1.jpg
Plug welds cleaned up, checking the threads for burrs...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture294-1.jpg
And for next time, we have one more piece to add while the bottom is still open, the floating nut plate for the tailgate latch....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture297-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture296-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture295-1.jpg
Moving on to the next task, removing the "cage nut" from the old piece...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture299-1.jpg
This was a good opportunity to demonstrate using the cutoff wheel for removing spot welds...
http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/RemovingSpotWelds.mp4.html (http://s5.photobucket.com/user/rmccartney/media/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/RemovingSpotWelds.mp4.html)
Here's the cage removed, the spot weld removal method leaves it nice and intact for getting good measurements for the new one...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture300-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture301-1.jpg
A fresh piece of 18ga and some red Dykem, and our new cage is underway....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture305-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture313-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture314-1.jpg
Slots....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture315-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture316-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture317-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture319-1.jpg
All ready for some media blasting and epoxy paint...
Another slight detour.... I need to stop looking for this stuff....or is it looking for me?
This pinch weld showed swelling between the two sheets, and a closer inspection showed some rather thick scale...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture331-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture332-1.jpg
Out with the old...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture333-1.jpg
Test fit of the new...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture334-1.jpg
The exposed metal was media blasted, as was the inside of the newly made patch....and some epoxy primer added...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture335-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture336-1.jpg
We'll let that cure and then get it welded in place.
And just to show the makeshift clamping system for cutting, grinding, and painting in an awkward spot......
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture337-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture338-1.jpg
With the epoxy well cured, holes were drilled for plug welds....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture339-1.jpg
Then used the modified plug weld bit for cleaning out the adjacent panel...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture340-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture342-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture343-1.jpg
Cleaned spots for the plug welds...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture344-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture345-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture346-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture348-1.jpg
I had some questions about how well the epoxy held up to heat from welding. The epoxy next to the weld above, where it turned brown from the heat, was allowed to cool off, then attempted to scrape the paint with my thumbnail. I thought it may scrape some off, but it held tight, not so much as a scratch.
Then I got on a roll and forgot pictures, but here's the patch all welded in....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture349-1.jpg
Next, drilled the holes in the lower window opening....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture350-1.jpg
.....and got the holes placed for the nut plate and it's plug welds...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture351-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture352-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture353-1.jpg
Then, the lower edge of the lift gate gets trimmed to get the final repair part fitted up.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture320-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture321-1.jpg
Once both ends of the lift gate were trimmed, looking at the surface profile you can see we need a bit more crown at the ends of the repair part.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture322-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture323-1.jpg
To add some crown, the lower flanges on the ends were folded flat and used the Erco to shrink the bottom flange.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture324-1.jpg
The multiple bends toward the top were another story, a 1/4 beading die lightly pushing into a skateboard wheel, and the ends were pushed in and pulled up while exiting. Here's the results...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture325-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture326-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture327-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture328-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture329-1.jpg
Oh yeah.....you can see the top of the welding table again! :D
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture330-1.jpg
Laying out the ends for trimming.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture354-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture355-1.jpg
Here's the piece we'll use to cut out the profile blocks, 3/4 thick steel
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture357-1.jpg
As I am fresh out of good band saw blades, these were used....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture358-1.jpg
The lower piece was tapered at the bottom as the bottom of the lift gate tapers in below the bead detail..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture360-1.jpg
.....like so.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture361-1.jpg
Not perfect, but should work just the same...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture363-1.jpg
Clamped in the vise.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture365-1.jpg
Then some heat is applied, and hammered the high spots..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture366-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture367-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture368-1.jpg
Fitted.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture369-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture370-1.jpg
and the other end......
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture373-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture374-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture375-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture376-1.jpg
Things don't always work the way you planned. Before the ends were folded, the bottom piece could never be test fit into the opening. Now with the ends folded, it was slipped over the bottom of the lift gate and it bolted into the opening. With the upper bead detail aligned, the lower was considerably off kilter. Slightly off on the contour, I guess.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture379-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture380-1.jpg
The patch piece was marked off on both ends to bring the lower bead detail up into the car for better alignment...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture381-1.jpg
Here's the driver's side after cutting and welding, shows a much better alignment. Good weld penetration on the inside, the seam at the end will be finished after folding onto the lift gate..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture383-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture384-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture385-1.jpg
We may be able to save this yet..
Working on the other end of the lower patch today, to fix the mis-alignment of the beltline trim, I did get more detailed shots of the process this time...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture380-1.jpg
Made a relief cut....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture403-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture404-1.jpg
Rear view shows full weld penetration....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture406-1.jpg
Welds were planished, then ground to just above panel surface, and next weld overlapped, and repeat. The overlapping helps to eliminate any missed welds/pin holes.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture408-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture409-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture410-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture411-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture412-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture413-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture414-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture415-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture416-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture417-1.jpg
All done and cleaned up....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture418-1.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture419-1.jpg
......for a much better fit..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture420-1.jpg
Then media blasted the inside in preparation for some epoxy primer...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture425.jpg
.....and did some adjustment of the tailgate fitment.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture422.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture423.jpg
Was in the middle of media blasting the innards of the lift gate and noticed the threads for these nut plates didn't look too "full" A test with a 10-24 screw showed that some of the holes were so bad that they had a "slip" fit.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture453.jpg
These hold the rubber bumpers on the bottom inside edge of the lift gate. The spot welds are drilled to release the nut plate..
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture454.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture455.jpg
The new ones are cut out of some 10ga steel, holes drilled and tapped.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture456.jpg
yeah, these threads look much better....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture457.jpg
Where I normally use a couple screws to hold nut plates in place for welding, with the close proximity of the plug weld hole the screw heads would obscure some of the hole, and we would undoubtedly be welding in the screw heads for difficult removal. For this case, we'll use some brass tubing as a spacer. Since the tubing I picked up passes though the screw holes, a sacrificial lock washer is used for it's minimal diameter.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture459.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture460.jpg
A dab of anti seize is placed on the screw threads to insure they don't get welded in place from arcing across the threads.. Plug welded, and screws removed.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture461.jpg
Lock washers removed and plug welds ground flush....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture463.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture468.jpg
And now we can finish up the media blasting....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture469.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%203/Picture470.jpg
Next will be to get the epoxy primer inside and wait for the new welding wire to show up. I've been using ER70S-7, which has better wetting properties than the -6, and is a bit softer for easier planishing and grinding. I've been using .035 wire and have some .023 on order, so in a couple weeks when it comes in we can finish this up...
chevynut
01-07-2014, 07:15 AM
Truly amazing work Robert. Are we up to $11,000 in labor on that liftgate yet? :) :)
I'm curious why you thought you needed the anti-sieze on the screw threads. I know it can't hurt (unless it contaminates the weld), but since there is no electrical path I don't see how you can get any arcing.
It's too bad you can't just dip that liftgate into an etch, then e-coat the inside and outside with primer. I would have loved to do that with my Nomad body and frame.
I've always heard to put the welders ground as close as possible to the weld area. Despite that, I've had instances when welding on nut plates, etc that an arc travels across the threads, and the galling that results requires the installation of new fasteners. After that I've used a slight amount of anti-seize on any threaded hardware, and have not seen the problem since. As you suggested, too much of it oozing out will indeed contaminate the weld, so any excess gets wiped off before welding.
My nephew Chris worked inside the wagon to clean up some of the welds...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture678.jpg
Before closing up the lift gate, we have a couple more items to cross off
the list. A rubber bumper gets installed at the bottom in case the gates are
closed in the wrong order, you won't scar up the paint on the top of the
tailgate...
The old sample only had one good hole location for us to use...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture679.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture681.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture683.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture684.jpg
Next, the floating nut plate was plug welded to the bottom....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture701.jpg
With that done, we could prep for closing up the bottom. In order to use
the spot welder along the bottom seam, we needed to clean off some epoxy primer
where the spot welds would be located. Used and even spacing of 2" and marked
both flanges...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture685.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture686.jpg
In order to remove as little epoxy primer as possible, we decided to use
the modified plug weld drill bit (the flattened one) over all the errant marks a
roloc sander would make. In order that the flat drill bit didn't walk all over
the place, another specialized tool was made....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture687.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture688.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture689.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture690.jpg
Here's another close up of the modified bit...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture692.jpg
.....and the "prepped" flanges...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture694.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture695.jpg
Ends tacked in place, and spot welded the bottom flanges together...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture698.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture699.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture702.jpg
A bit more welding.......
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture705.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture706.jpg
Cleaned up....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture707.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture709.jpg
Other side.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture710.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture711.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture712.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture713.jpg
Only thing left on this piece is the plug welds in the window opening. Need to put the rubber on the window glass and fit it to the opening to see if this part needs shifting prior to welding...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture715.jpg
This might even work....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture716.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture717.jpg
567chevys
03-02-2014, 11:59 AM
All I can say Robert is Thanks for posting this for the site !!! and Wow you are a master at your work !!!
Thanks Sid
Thanks Sid!
Not much progress to show, but I did test fit the rear window, and finished the plug welds.
Cleaning the epoxy out of the holes...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture720.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture719.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture722.jpg
Welds cleaned up.....
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture723.jpg
Got the tail gate and lift gate gaps done this evening.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture803.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture804.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture805.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture806.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture807.jpg
Now on to some quarter panel weld planishing..
Tattoo
04-30-2014, 08:14 PM
WOW that is some awesome work you did there.... Thanks for posting I will need some of that info on my 55!!!!
chaco3258
04-23-2015, 04:54 AM
Robert, you make it look so easy,,,,, how about fabricating a liftgate since I cant find one? Just a thought but interested if thats possible.
thanks,
Javier
chaco3258@aol.com
chevynut
04-23-2015, 08:09 AM
Javier, how much is a good liftgate worth today? I sold a really nice one years ago for $75.
These look pretty good:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/55-57-Chevy-wagon-liftgate-/291436941165?hash=item43dafecf6d&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-1956-1957-Chevy-Wagon-LIFTGATE-/201326244098?hash=item2edffab102&vxp=mtr
Robert, you make it look so easy,,,,, how about fabricating a liftgate since I cant find one? Just a thought but interested if thats possible.
thanks,
Javier
chaco3258@aol.com
The Nomad lift gates are available used. The one I did here is for the handyman wagon, not the Nomad..
chevynut
04-23-2015, 09:28 AM
I thought he was looking for a regular wagon liftgate since he asked you to build one. ;)
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.