I realize most rebuilds go from the inside to the outside, but I am struck by how straight and clean the outer panels, including paint, look on my 73 2.0. And all the nasty stuff is hidden underneath--which I know is also not unusual.

Any way, I bought the car knowing most of what it was: a 2.0 with all the sport and appearance group equipment, including 5 good Fuchs, and the original fuel injection. The original engine is confirmed by a COA. In contrast to the exterior the interior was mixed at best, with some funky carpet. And the front and rear trunks (and engine compartment, and interior) had been sprayed with black undercoating.

So after a month, I have the car stripped to a bare shell, except for suspension and steering. I measured everything I could, and the body is very square and on spec. I need to patch some local rust spots, and replace the rear floor. And then do some minor straightening: right headlight bucket, front edge of right front fender, rear panel, etc.

I forgot to mention that I will add some door braces before doing anything serious.

But I wanted to play with my new Fein tool. This thing is amazing for scraping off the floor tar mat: no effort at all to clear half the floor in about 20 minutes.

And I testing the Fein for cutting the floor sheet metal, using the round bimetal blade. This is a circle, but the blade does not rotate--it oscillates by about 5 degrees and cuts a straight, thin kerf very easily.

Use the dry ice method if you need to remove more tar. Works well to make an alcohol dry ice slurry and chip it off in large chunks.

Been a couple of days and I have nearly completed my "final" assessment (though surprises will await!). Now I get start more objective planning and start ordering parts.

The major areas and tasks now:
replace rear trunk floor
replace rear passenger floor and patch front corners
patch local spots on inner sills
repair hell hole, with rust areas on top of sill, inner fender wall, and firewall
repair the right front corner, where a previous repair got dinged again

I need to get the rear done before mounting the car on a rotisserie.

Been there, done that (or at least Cary who did all the work on my car did)....you'll have some fun Bob.
And yes, must finish this up before it goes on the rotisserie.
Great job so far.

Click to view attachment

Or use one of these - the tar will come off in big chunks

Thanks, Doug. Hoping mine looks like that in a few weeks.

Another question: do the body plugs have any purpose? Any reason to cut these into replacement panels besides originality?

The body plugs are important for separating the men from the boys. Other than that, they are just cosmetic at this point. I think they allowed access for the spot welder during assembly. I did find them handy for clamping the floor during replacement, but I was doing a full floor pan. They are a fair amount of extra work to cut and replicate too. Save your old ones though. Somebody might want them. I had to buy a couple.






Before ordering sheet metal, I would run boroscope inside those longs to have a look to be sure they look as sound on the inside as outside.

I have been out of town a bit, but needed to make some physical progress.

First, I finished cutting loose the front right fender. It is not original (nor was the attachment), but is in good shape (except for a ding on the lower front seam). Now I can access the inner fender.

I was waiting for a delivery truck, so decided to make a rough cut out of the rear trunk floor. Still liking the Fein multi tool.

Cleaner cut for the rear trunk floor. Looks like the distance from the rear panel to the transaxle support cross member is short 1/4 inch, compared to the RD replacement panel.

Testing my spot weld drill bit.

The bumpers, and all trim, were painted black. I wanted see the condition of the chrome underneath, so cleared a patch with paint remover. Looks OK except for the sanding marks!

Humm. I have the same one, but mine does not have that lip over the cross brace. It just runs out straight. Did you fold it over to make the flange for the spot welds? Did you drill and weld in a nut in the cross brace, or just go with out it?


I bent the lip, and made the flange. I did not add the nut. Just be sure to line it up tight, before you decide where to bend. And that the small center cap fits the width.

Link to:My Build page on the trunk pan

Click to view attachment

Brought home a donor clip to use to replace my right front corner. Thanks, Steve!

Also a rear trunk lid, straighter than mine and without rust!

Starting surgery on the donor clip.

Watching this build. Keep going!

Cut the donor clip down more. This is the largest section I might splice in, but still more thinking to do: what to save on the car (bent up but little rust) and what to splice in (straight but rusty in spots).

Started surgery on the receiver car. Removed the headlight box and the forward part of the inner fender. Lots of metal work to do on the floor corner.

Here are the parts removed. I will reuse the circular brace.

Are you still using your Fein for the cutting? That looks great. Looking forward to seeing how you make out on straightening the boogers.

The Fein works best where I can cut from an exposed edge, and through a single layer. I also reach for a Rigid reciprocating saw, and a cut-off wheel on a grinder.

First pass at reforming the floor corner.

And progress on the rear, removing the rear panel so I can repair the inner-outer fender seems and get the corners right for the replacement floor section.

Left corner detail. Pretty nasty work done when the original rear panel was replaced.

Quick adjustments of the inner fender corners, left:

and right:

Now the panel fits.

Back at the front, I am probably done working the floor corner, and got the front panel end mostly back in shape.

And started to dissect the donor clip. All I need now is the inner fender wall and headlight box. I will keep the vertical brace attached at least until I can check the fit.

Bad news is some local rust that will have to be patched before it can all go together.

Here's how the front corner started. I feel pretty good about what I was able to do.

Some great progress!

Nice work!

John

Impressive !

Nice work!

Thanks, everyone.

Donor part down to inner fender, headlight box, and vertical brace. I need to repair some local rust but will wait until I cut and fit the fender wall splice.

Looking good there Bob.

Thanks, Doug. I am in deeper than I wanted, but kinda enjoying it so far.

Nice work and skills.

After a long trip to Tucson for turkey and visiting kids, I am back home and at work on the 914. Excited to start actually putting pieces together.

Got the front corner clip rough-fitted, and was surprised that my first attempt measures pretty close to exact (comparing left and right dimensions, and compared to my new straight frunk lid).

More work to do on the right end of the front panel, that was pretty banged up. I did some straightening by eye, and now have to precisely match the clip.

Craftmanship and attention to details, Im in

Still working the fit. Made a cardboard template from the good side, and now need to work the bad side to match (and get the splice, the front panel, and the floor to align).

Work to do. Gap seen from below.

Looking good!

Do some diagonal measurements from the base of the windshield to the corner of the buckets. I had a car that was off by one inch on one side! Made fitting the headlights exciting until I realized and fixed it. Don't neglect the vertical checks as well.

I have a feeling from your work that you know all that.

John

Thanks, John. The diagonal measurements (and lots more) check out. I also compared positions to the front hood (a very straight one).

More metal work, and the fit is getting closer--off by no more than a 1/16 to 3/32 inch.

Last bit of mis-alignment is the outermost end of the front panel.

After a few more hours today, I am claiming victory and will get on to welding soon. All the gaps and measurements are within 1/16 inch, and all the angles within 1 degree.