[Silversnow]

So, I got the carpet tore out of my 69,and found a lot more than I had bargained for. There is significant rust damage on the floor. I knew this going into it, but I had hoped that the rails were good and all it needed was a floor pan, some patch panels and a little bit of filler.

Here is the bad, The drivers front rail is showing a lot of rust, not sure how bad it is just yet, but it isnt a good sign. Also, the passenger side floor pan is missing all the way up to the toe board, and the drivers side is about the same. The trunk floor on the passenger side has rusted through, where the grommet/plug sits between the fuel tank (which looks great) and I would assume, over the rear rail. My quarters are rusted through in a few spots around the wheel arches. The rear floor pans are okay in places, but are also prime candidates for replacement. The thing that worries me is that the fronts of the boxes or whatever they are called that support the seats are also pretty much rusted through.

Is this even worth repairing?? I love this year, and haven't really been able to find a decent roller or even a donor that I can find within a couple hundred miles that isn't $3k+

Should I try to find a clean(er) donor or roller and start over? Or should I get a new MIG welder and some sheet and angle iron and make it work?

 

[cougarrand]

I know a guy in Rockford IL that can fix all of your problems. He is a wiz at cutting out rust and welding in new metal. I had my convt. done about 10 years ago if I remember right it cost about $2400.00 that was for floor pans tork boxes and inner rocker panels, plus rear leaf springs. I am sure it would cost a little more but I think he is quite reasonable. It can all be fixed.

 

[CougarCJ]

1969 XR7
1970 with 1969 front sheetmetal
1970 standard - no vinyl top
Solid looking 1969

You will be money ahead if you start with something like the above and pay transporting.

 

[droptopcat70]

Anything can be fixed it really depends on what your budget is, does the car have sentimental value to you, and do you have the patience to take your time and bring a car that was destined to be a parts car to life and be proud when your done you can say i saved it from becomming a bigger pile of rust.. I personally say take it all apart and rebuild that car to a glory it deserves.


thanks
pat

 

[Silversnow]

I'll finish stripping the interior and take a few pics. My neighbor restored a 61 Caddy a couple decades ago, and he guessed probably 2-300hrs to get it in god shape.
The missus agreed to buy me a Lincoln MIG in the spring so I can start practicing if I decide to do the body myself. The floorpans are something that I am going to outsource, as there is way too much that is rotted out for me to be comfortable doing alone. Quarters, trunk bits, and misc body stuff I could get decent and make work, I just dont know if I can get good enough to trust myself to replace a major structural component. We'll see what else is eaten up before I decide.

 

[Silversnow]

On a side note, with shipping it to my house from CA being $1500, I would be in the market for a solid bodied roller. I do not need the engine and transmission, so rolling chassis is the preferred condition.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

As I am sure you realize, there are two ways to go with something like this and you have heard suggestions on both. Me, well, most know the route I chose to go, but I will say that it is not for many/most. I am happy with the route I chose for a number of reasons, you should obviously do what is right for you.

Regards,

Bob

 

[Silversnow]

If I had a lift and a dedicated garage to do the body work, I would be all over it, but I am almost 100% certain that a driveway is not the best place to do body restoration. :/

 

[BarneyFife]

Yeah a driveway would never be a good choice to tackle that, my trusty rusty is spread over half my garage as I work on it. if the boat were elsewhere it would be spread even farther out and I'd still think I didn't have enough room.

 

[jk69cat]

http://www.mercurycougar.net/forums/showthread.php?57581-1969-Cougar-Parts-Car

 

[67.5xr7]

Could there be a trip to Branson and Bass Pro Shop in your future,...for the family??? sssshhhh,,,,and get that roller in Republic.:evil:

 

[69XR7ragtop]

I'm in Bob's (ECI) camp on this one. I have been working on my rusty vert for 4 years of weekends and an occasional leave day here and there. I had extensive floor pan rust with part of a frame rail and part of a torque box that I had to cut and repair. I had not really welded before I started and the Lincoln mig and I did pretty darn good if I do say so myself.
You can do it with patience, advice, money, tools and time!
I started in a carport and am on my second garage location, but it can be done with tarps covering your work in the driveway as well. It will just be a little harder and more time consuming.

 

[CATNAPPIN]

On a side note, with shipping it to my house from CA being $1500, I would be in the market for a solid bodied roller. I do not need the engine and transmission, so rolling chassis is the preferred condition.

I recommend you email Steve Craig, [email protected]. He is a shipping broker and has always done a great job getting my cars to Florida for me. His prices are way better than anyone else. From LA to Tallahassee, FL was under a grand last time. Give him a shout just to see what kind of deal he can get you. West coast cars are the way to go!

 

[Mercougar67]

Walk away from it. Don't try to repair it. Be patient and you'll find a rust free roller for less than $2K out West. You'll save thousands of dollars and years of your time. THe project you're considering will never get finished, and, if it does, It'll feel like a pasted together rust bucket. Walk away.........the West is the best.

 

[1969XR7Vert]

A re-occurring discussion around these parts, that's for sure. Ray is giving good advice, advice that is hard for some people to follow, the evil that you know vs. the evil you don't, that sort thing being one reason one might not follow it. Two cars to deal with a possible other reason. They are not making any more of them perhaps a third. Still, you have to do what is best/right for you, it is a personal decision (one that we all don't mind chiming in on with advice about!).

Regards,

Bob

 

[1969XR7Vert]

Oh, and let's not forget that depending on how bad the rust is it can be a VERY hard/challenging thing to overcome. Some have a better stomach for it than others. Some may get in over their heads. Some may regret their decision down the road. Some may lose interest before "the big finish". Things to consider carefully.

 

[jk69cat]

bob's 100% correct. my galaxie would of been done a decade ago if i didnt have to contend with the rusty1/4s and front end

 

[67.5xr7]

Did you find any promise on that roller in Republic? If you go to "check it out", there is an easy way to check for body filler under primered panels. Take a refrigerator magnet and place it on a surface where you would expect zero body work,.....feel that level of magnetic tension! Now, move it around to notorious repair areas,....the less it sticks, the thicker the body filler. If the magnet does not stick,....they have piled the filler to, (IMO) a ridiculous level.

 

[Bad69cat]

X 4 to the find a better car to start....your time has value far beyond the the typical shop if you really think about it. It will be long enough just doing the cosmetic part of it, much less the structural part. If your car has most of the cosmetic stuff in good/better shape you are money ahead on a solid "easy" resto roller you can mix and match. After many rust buckets under our roof - we learned many moons ago, money is far ahead of time on solid beginings. You can recoup some of your outlay by dumping the buckcket on the next guy who wants the hard road....

 

[G Dub]

How much free time do you have?
In 1984 I took my 66 mustang off the road and did all the major body work. It ain't done yet! I had a lot of free time back then, but somewhere along the way that turned into no free time, and it's still sitting in primer today.
I'm not ready to start my '67 cougar project yet, but when a solid one came available in my area, I grabbed it. Did all the metal work on one car, and proud of it, but not interested in doing it again.
If you decide to do it, here's something you might want to look into:
I used a MIG welder for my body panels and it warped the sh!t out of them. I caught a quick look at a video demonstrating a gas torch the other day. The guy was talking about how the MIG weld is a hard weld and would warp the panels, where the gas weld was a soft weld and wouldn't do that, and any warping could be easily hammered out. I think he was recommending a 1/16" gap between butt joints for expansion.
A bit of knowledge I could have used 25 years ago...