Red Oxide

Red Oxide on the bolt line

Last night I really could not be bothered doing anything so had a night off, I think probably because off all the grinding I had to do! Anyway after work I got stuck straight into it, to the rear of the running board bolt line a repair had been done but had been brazed not welded so I had to grind a bit of that off to get to the steel so I had something to weld to. I finished the welding on the bottom plate and ground down the welds to tidy it all up.

Next I put a coat of red oxide primer on the bolt line of the bottom plate and the new floor pan where the gasket will sit.  This needed a couple of coats so while the first coat dried I decided it was time to make a start on the front end. I clamped the new spare wheel well panel in place and aligned it the best I could then dry fitted the front valence to make sure every thing is sitting correctly. This was then plug welded in place using the holes made when I drilled out the spot welds holding the original panel in place. New done plug welds before so after the first one I unclamped and the panel fell off! New strategy was to try penetrate the panel behind then move out to weld to the panel with the hole. This worked and by the end I had some pretty nice welds!

New Spare wheel well all welded in

Getting this new pan in seems to have been getting more drawn out but now there seems to be a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. I think my next visit will see the pan welded in place and the left hand pan cut out ready for the new one I ordered tonight.