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Replace or just patch it?

"napaguy" said:
wow!!! modest much? arent you the one that sent their car out for work twice? If you had such mad skills how come you didnt just do it?
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I only sent the car out twice for paint work, not body work. I did all of my metal work myself, learning as I went along. Like Abe, a little experience is all that is needed before one is competent. It's the learning curve that is the bitch.

I apologize if I sounded immodest. While I am not up to Jeremy's level, I can do most any sheet metal work on a Mustang, including forming compound curves and butt welding. It isn't rocket science, but it does take a degree of experience and appropriate tooling, neither of which Kat can call on right now to patch the battery fender apron. Given time/expereince and the tools, Kat could patch that panel without issues within a couple of hours.
 
"napaguy" said:
wow!!! modest much? arent you the one that sent their car out for work twice? If you had such mad skills how come you didnt just do it?
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You obviously missed Mid's point. Cutting out the rust and patching is the way to go if at all possible. Re-pop pieces rarely get all the lines right which requires more work not to mention the inferior steel versus OEM. I think pretty much anyone who knows these cars would agree.
I just think it funny that you have read enough of his posts to know how many times his car was sent out for work and still thought he could be, basically an arrogant ass. I've never had the pleasure of meeting him but I kinda have the opposite impression...the whole sheep thing aside, of course.
 
I said heck with it, and just going to replace the whole thing. I have a brand new whole apron, so might as well use it all. :thu
 
"Horseplay" said:
You obviously missed Mid's point. Cutting out the rust and patching is the way to go if at all possible. Re-pop pieces rarely get all the lines right which requires more work not to mention the inferior steel versus OEM. I think pretty much anyone who knows these cars would agree.
I just think it funny that you have read enough of his posts to know how many times his car was sent out for work and still thought he could be, basically an arrogant ass. I've never had the pleasure of meeting him but I kinda have the opposite impression...the whole sheep thing aside, of course.
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Nope didnt miss a thing...I have been on forums with mid since 04 or maybe earlier so I am familiar with his car and work. I have never met him in person either. Have you installed full aprons before? How about different qualities? Have you patched them before? Or are you just repeating what you read in this months mustang monthly? I am sure you have done everything that can be done to a mustang twice right?

Back on topic...replace the full apron and be done with it Kat...horseplay go ride shotgun with Randy savage would ya? :steer
 
"napaguy" said:
Nope didnt miss a thing...I have been on forums with mid since 04 or maybe earlier so I am familiar with his car and work. I have never met him in person either. Have you installed full aprons before? How about different qualities? Have you patched them before? Or are you just repeating what you read in this months mustang monthly? I am sure you have done everything that can be done to a mustang twice right?

Back on topic...replace the full apron and be done with it Kat...horseplay go ride shotgun with Randy savage would ya? :steer
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Napaguy:
I did patch my battery apron, and I didn't have to send it out for work or redo it. In fact, the only work I didn't do myself was paint and a refurbishment of the engine damper. Horseplay had it right: the OEM steel is far superior to repro or flat steel from a steel distributor. Whenever I had the opportunity to re-use OEM steel, I did so. I also used repro steel whenever the lines matched OEM panels and I did not have access to OEM steel.

If you truly believe I had to send out work to others or had to re-do things other than paint (which I always admit I cannot paint worth a crap), please provide examples. I also refurbished my disk brakes, but the cross-over line threads were damaged on the calipers and I had to find aftermarket replacements. Those are the only things I remember that I had to redo. I may be an insufferable ass in your eyes, but from my perspective, your words are provocative and insulting. What makes your comments more difficult to accept is that I sold you a bellhousing that I was reluctant to part with at a very good price a couple of years ago and I have yet to find a replacement.
 
"Kats66Pny" said:
I said heck with it, and just going to replace the whole thing. I have a brand new whole apron, so might as well use it all. :thu
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That's what i would do. Sence your gonna replace the apron, Take a 1/4 inch thick cut off wheel and chuck it into a die grinder and grind down your spot welds from the apron side. That way you don't cut a hole on the rad. support or the shock tower. My rad. support was previously replace'd and there's a ton of holes in the apron's where they drilled all the way through. Any thing u wanna keep hole-less, grind down the spot weld and pop it loose with a gasket scrapper. C-ya Scott
 
I'm in need of a 6 bolt 289/302 manual bell housing. C5DA-6394-A. The one I have in the car has two threads blown out that accept the tranny, and the PO over-drilled the holes and tapped them for metric bolts.

Everyone says they're a dime-a-dozen, but every swap meet I attend, I can only find the 5 bolt versions or truck versions from the 80's.
 
Back to Kats original program. Kat, keep in mind that you will lose your vin number unless you do a vin graft (chopping out the vin number and welding in into place on the new apron). Not saying this is legal or not and since the vin number would be hidden by the fender, why bother?
 
Back to Kats original program. Kat, keep in mind that you will lose your vin number unless you do a vin graft (chopping out the vin number and welding in into place on the new apron). Not saying this is legal or not and since the vin number would be hidden by the fender, why bother?
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Um there is no VIN number on the battery apron. :shrug I just double checked. The other 3 aprons though have VIN on them that all matches.
 
Hmmmm, I just realized that maybe the 65 doesn't have it on the battery apron afterall. Red only has one on the drivers front apron. My 68 has one on the battery apron. Oh well.....
 
"Kats66Pny" said:
Um there is no VIN number on the battery apron. :shrug I just double checked. The other 3 aprons though have VIN on them that all matches.
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No worries there Kat. 65's, actually, I don't want to speak for all 65's but Fred's front clip metal was all original and the VIN was not stamped on the RS front apron. You will loose the date stamp on the RS front apron as I have. VIN was stamped though on the LS front back and RS back apron.
 
I just want to say that grinding down welds sucks more than removing spot welds.

That is all. Have a nice day! :Katcof
 
I have an angle grinder and a sandpaper flap disc thingy. But since my left wrist is still hurting, it's a slow process! That and the disc needs replaced. :roll
 
:shrug
BA3.jpg


Grinded the welds down as best as I could, covered the bare metal with self etching primer.
 
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