75wagon's GD sedan, now wagon project...

[75wagon]

Inside pics of tunnels.
There is a fair bit of difference.

Auto.


Manual.


Dave...

[75wagon]

I've worked out what I need to do, by getting in and seeing where my feet actually fit, and I've work out, that if I change the shape of the floor between the blue line and the flat section of floor so it's concave not convex, then I'll achieve the amount of room that I need.
The blue line is 500mm from the kick panel, that gives me 130mm for my foot at the top between the clutch pedal and the transmission tunnel. The heel of my foot just pivots, so it's no where near the size of the job I thought it was going to be. I'm thinking panel beating will sort this just fine, just have to take the pedal set back out so I've got room to work.




Dave...

[75wagon]

This ought to do it.

From this.


To this.


I've still got to tidy it up a bit, but I don't know now why I even considered cutting some out, that was pretty easy.

Dave...

[amgis_obrut]

Persistent Possum is persistent !

Im surprised by the manual/auto tunnel size difference

[bruggz351]

That size difference is quite substantial.

[amgis_obrut]

Persistent Possum is persistent !

[75wagon]

Im surprised by the manual/auto tunnel size difference

That size difference is quite substantial.

You guys aren't the only ones.
I knew it was going to be bigger, but really?

Sad thing is, after I refitted the pedal set, I only had 10mm gap between my foot and the pedal and tunnel. I remarked a new line, and started moving it further over. I haven't finished yet, it'll need more work, and a bit of a tidy up.

But IMO, modifications should be done with form and function in mind. It has to work, but it has to be pretty and able to be worked on all at the same time.

I've got one more day at home tomorrow, then I'm back at work. Let's see what I can get done.

Dave...

[75wagon]

Ok, things ended up going further (as they always do).
Just bending the floor on it's own gave a me a 10mm gap between shoe, pedal and tunnel, it just wasn't enough.
So things got a little more serious (I wouldn't have been so confident if I hadn't spoken to the engineer that is going to be approving it first).



The only welding they get from the factory between firewall and floor.


Tack welded in place and tidied up with the grinder so I've got a flat surface to add strengthening.






Steel for strengthening strips (I knew I hung onto this rusted out mudguard for something).


I'm no welder by any means, but I'm confident this is stronger then what the factory did.






Underside view.
Again, I added more spot welds then the factory did. Both sides of the lap joints, not just one.


High spots knocked off with a grinder.
I'm pretty happy, it feels just as solid or more then it was before I started, I have the room I wanted for my left foot, and I have to say, I think my welding is improving.




If you can notice the faint blue texta rectangle on the floor, that is the footprint of the clutch pedal on the floor, it's what I have been using in the absence of an actual clutch pedal.


I just hope the engineer is happy with what I've done now?
I'm still to get back under and tidy up underneath, I'm wondering whether I should add more strengthening up the floor as well?

Dave...

[bruggz351]

Wow, you took a massive bite outa there Dave. Easy to see in your pics.

What will you do about carpet? Modify an auto carpet?? A manual carpet would be too small still, wouldn't it?

Also, this may be a simpleton question, but why didn't you fully weld the floor? The strengthening strips i understand being spot welded in, just concerned how you spot welded the floor...

cheers

[75wagon]

Fair question.
1. Have a look at car construction, it's always spot or stitch welded (new cars are mostly glued together).
2. I didn't think it needed to be fully welded (saying that, I will send the pics to the engineer I'm using and see if he's happy with what I have done).
3. All the firewall to floor had before I start was


There are bigs gaps of nothing between these welds. That's 3 welds from the top to the bottom of the whole tunnel. At least I have them every 10 to 15mm.

Dave...

[bruggz351]

[tandanus]

...Dead set...
Serious work

T.

[astronturbo77]

hmm cant say im a big fan on how you've welded that with the patches, should really of been but welded right along the cuts... i agree with what your saying about it being stronger than the standard welds etc but yeah. trying not to be negative mate but great work none the less

[75wagon]

hmm cant say im a big fan on how you've welded that with the patches, should really of been but welded right along the cuts...

My main concerns were foot room and body strength. Those patches are spot welded and hand beaten one by one to make sure they stayed as flush to the floor as possible. It was quite time consuming, but they do sit very neat to the shape of the floor, which is something I was after. Yes I agree, it isn't exactly how I wanted the look of the finished result, I did consider cutting the side of the tunnel from the brown shell and using that, but there is quite a difference in height and width between the 2.
As for butt welding I wasn't able to do it the whole way along because there was misalignment once I reshaped the floor, I'm also short on skills with the welding, but I am improving every time I do weld. So when I try to butt weld I do have problems with blowing through and then having to repair the holes, which then causes warping through to much heat. I decided as I was progressing with it, that it would be better for me to just beat the panels to shape, tack in place, and then add strength in another layer inside the shell, then come back from underneath and weld along the cuts that didn't meet up. I plan to remove all of the sound deadener from the floor and then put new deadener in. So this repair will not be seen after that. As long as it is strong, and the floor has a smooth contour, and gives me the room I need, then I am happy. I am more concerned with how it looks from underneath (which is why the patches went inside). I will continue working of that a bit later into the build.

i agree with what your saying about it being stronger than the standard welds etc but yeah. trying not to be negative mate but great work none the less

Thanks for that, I appreciate what you are saying.

What I need to do to finish, is to drop the motor and gearbox in this shell, work out the gear stick location, and cut and weld the tunnel section for the gearstick hole that I cut from the Galant sedan that was the start to this built topic. Doing it this way, will allow me to run the factory rubber boot that seals the gearstick to the floor.
This section here.


I've also got to move the front crossmember and suspension from the brown shell across (as that's what I have decided to use), and work out final suspension heights and what wheels I am going to be using. Then I can move onto the body repairs and clearance guards etc... so nothing gets messed up after it's painted.
When then motor is is, I'll pull the wiring harness from the brown shell (already modified for the 2.6) and tidy it up so everything is wired in where it needs to be and I'll re-wrap the harness during this process.

That'll do for now, there's still plenty of work to go, and I still to date haven't picked a colour for the body, or worked out what interior it'll be running.

Dave...

[crystalmeths]

Good work Dave and I have found that when I want to butt weld I do stitch welding seems to work for me regards Chris

[75wagon]

Yes or no?

Brand: Volk / Rays
Model: Mesh
PCD: 4x114.3
Diameter / Width / Offset: 15 x 6.5 +9
Pair / Set: Set



Going by comparisons to the 13x6 +5's I have on my other wagon, these should only end up sticking out 2 1/4mm further, so I still should be able to lower it without butchering the guards or having to use flares.

Dave...

[astronturbo77]

Hmm would look ok i think but not my cup of tea.. Why not 15x8's? How much narrower are wagon rear.guards?

[75wagon]

I'm not looking for super wide rims, just fitment

As for guard sizes, fronts are same as GC/D, but rear is the same as GA/B (much smaller).

Dave...

[crystalmeths]

I think they will suit the car Dave good choice.

[75wagon]

I really need this car on a rotisserie, it isn't nice welding and grinding from underneath it.

At least this angle makes life easier then just having it level.


Ground the underside smooth.




Made a CAD template (Cardboard Aided Design). Term stolen from the Binky Celica GT4 into Mini shell build.


Rusty old panels are always a good source of steel, if you don't have anything else.


This will tidy up the underside, and make sure the engineer is happy with the strength in the modified area.


Fully tacked in around the outside, and cleaned up,


I'm much happier with the way that looks now.


Next I plan on making another panel to clean up the entry from the firewall to the tunnel.

Dave...

[bruggz351]

I really need this car on a rotisserie, it isn't nice welding and grinding from underneath it.

I've never known any other way.
Built up 2 Cortina wagons and 2 FJ Landcruisers in a sloping backyard.

So I can sympathise about the spark showers, not fun...

[75wagon]

Another day underneath the car.

Another CAD template.


Front of tunnel strengthening and tidying up panel welded in, and cleaned up with a sanding disc.




There's only one mod left to do to the tunnel now, and that's relocation of the shifter hole.

Dave...

[geezer101]

You're a brave man Dave - I wouldn't be game enough to cut up my car and try my hand at a mod like this. That being said, keep up the good work

[Merv]

You're gonna have to take me for a drive once she's done

[75wagon]

You're a brave man Dave - I wouldn't be game enough to cut up my car and try my hand at a mod like this.

That's why I spoke to the engineer before I started, and made I sure I over engineered what I did (well I hope I did anyway). Saying that, I haven't passed on the pics of what I have done to the engineer yet

You're gonna have to take me for a drive once she's done

You never know your luck in a big city.

I bought this green GD wagon on the 10/7/2011, and the brown GD wagon around June 2012.
After the amount of time I have spent collecting stuff, I more then anyone will be looking forward to my first drive. As long as it's all done and driving by July 2015 (my 20th Wedding Anniversary) then I'll be happy, but ultimately, I'm aiming for a December 2014 completion date.
Would be pretty cool to long distance cruise with my wife again in a freshly built Galant.
Tammworth July 1995.


Tonights news, I paid for the Ray's/Volk Mesh rims, and they should be delivered in about 6 weeks time from Osaka Japan by boat. When they turn up, then I should really be able to really get stuck in and plan things. I've been holding off waiting to decide major pieces of the car, rims are a major part of the look and style. Now having them locked in will make a lot of other things much clearer as to which direction I take with the rest of the build. Body colour choice is something that's getting closer, I'm going to have to make a decision sooner or later.


Dave...

[75wagon]

New arrival.

Mirror Porn.


XY GTHO teardrop mirrors (I've wanted a set of these on one of my Galant's for about 10 years).

This is what they look like on a Galant sedan.




Dave...

[ddt]

nice, Dave

Are the wheels you ordered a gold mesh? What colours are you thinking about for the car itself? Solid or metallic?

[75wagon]

Are the wheels you ordered a gold mesh?

They look silver in the pics.
I'll pull them apart (being 3 piece) and refurb them.
I'm looking at painting them a silver/charcoal to black/charcoal with polished outers (although I did see some pics of them all back and did quite like it )

What colours are you thinking about for the car itself? Solid or metallic?

Metallic for sure.
As for what colour exactly? I am still uncertain at this stage (there are a couple on the short list).

I will get the rims on it to see how they sit on it and choose a colour from there, interior will make a bit part of that choice as well, I still haven't decided which way I'm going with it. I did want a full retrim in burgundy red leather, the cost I'm looking at for that is bloody scary. I originally guessed about $3K but it's looking like way over double, that's causing a massive re-think for me. It wont be a show car, but I want it to be very tidy. The wagon will be built so it could be used as a daily so some practicality needs to come into it. I have a few ideas on interior choices that are a bit left of centre, door trims are the biggest headache, I don't want them to cost the earth, but I don't want them to look like they cost me 5 bucks either.

Give me another couple of weeks to get these rims here, things should start to have a bit more certainty after that.

Dave...

[75wagon]

Not much happened over the last couple of weeks (I've been working a lot of overtime and doing some work on my house).

I sent the GTHO mirrors back, I've decided that I'm not going with them (well at least for now), I've been spending a bit of time researching what else I can use.
I've also been spending a lot of time working out what colour I will be using.

But on a positive note I did get this package in the mail today.


Dave...

[75wagon]

Got some pics of them.


15 x 6.5 +5 offset. I'm happy with this offset. Means I don't need to run flares or anything, and shouldn't get too much of the wrong type of attention.


So what's next.
- I need to strip these rims apart,
- re polish the barrels, and repaint the centres,
- then put some tyres on them and bolt them up to the car.
- at that stage, I need the motor/box and suspension in the car, so it sits on it's own weight. Then suspension decisions will need to be made.

Dave...