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Please don't give up. There is, always, in a complicated project a time when you feel like giving up. Muscle through this period, and you will find new reasons for enthusiasm. Give up, and you will only find later regrets.

This 'advice' only applies if you are not cutting your losses.

Cheers,

Tom

Thanks for the pep talk Tom! I haven't quit yet. Sometimes, I just wish it was over. At least the rust repair part. Unfortunately, I have a LOT more to do, not only in the trunk but the rockers and floor. Then there are the issues with the doors....I think I would have gotten a shot of motivation if the new trunk panel I'm trying to fit in aligned the gaps on the trunk lid. Gets frustrating and I'm no body man for sure. I'll just have to plug along. Maybe spend some time in the front of the car for a while for a change of scenery.

i'm right there with you...my car is irritating me as well. got that give up feeling, but we can make.

My car needed two of everything...... sometimes when these moments hit, it's a great time to leave that problem alone, and move onto a different task until your are ready to tackle it again.

At least once you think about rolling the car out to the driveway, pouring gasoline all over it, and setting the damn thing on fire.

(o{}o)

5-30-13

OK took a few steps back from the car. Weather has been pretty rainy anyway. Today I came back to it, but turned my attention to the floors. I want to evaluate how bad they are.

After playing with moving the seat back and forth, I found a broken spring on the passenger side. That would explain why that side was difficult to move. I'll have to find one somewhere.

Removed the cushion. Started on the drivers side and when I went to the passenger side, I lifted it up and I swear something ran out from under there! Totally freaked me out! I didn't think any rodents would try to live in there since I have been banging around the car. Maybe he was just checking it out because I do not see a nest or anything. Hopefully he isn't living under the rear seat!

Once the cushion was out, the frame came next. Pretty easy. Just took off two nuts on each side and the frame/back lifted right off the tracks.

Pulled the rubber floor back and the drivers side looks better than I thought. I think I will be covered with the floor section that was included with my rocker panel sections. Passenger side was not so great. I need to take more out of the the car to get a better view of that side, but I see a lot of ground!

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I found a HD pedal return spring from Autozone that worked great as a replacement for the seat track on my '54. Pretty sure it the same as the one on your 51. Check my blog as there are pics of it on there.

Thanks Kev! I love easy fixes. Wish I could have gotten your old seats that you were restoring. Would have saved me some work!

Looks are deceiving. Once the metal was exposed, the drivers side has proven to be the worse of the sides. Once the riveted sheet metal was removed, the wood was exposed! Those who have read my blog from the beginning may remember that I noticed a 2x4 under the car when I was working on the transmission. I thought it was just a reinforcement but it turns out it was the entire rocker on the drivers side! Pictures of both sides tell the tale. Taking a couple of steps back now. Maybe I should have stuck with the trunk!

I have to keep telling myself it looks bad, but I do have some new metal for these areas.

Can I have your opinions on these questions below? Any imput would be appreciated. I doubt anyone has tackled something like this, but your thoughts would be appreciated!!

1. If I remove the wood when I go to add my donated rocker panels, will there be problems with the body or will the remaining floor be good enough support?

2. I have new body supports that come off the frame. On the '51, they were riveted on. Later, I believe they are welded. I'm sure I cannot rivet these. Can I put some big bolts though to hold them instead of a rivet? Maybe crank my welder up as high as it will go and put some welds on it as well. Will that be strong enough?

3. I had to cut the rockers in half to save on shipping costs. Should I try to reassemble them (taking into account lost metal from the plasma that cut them) or should I add them to the car in sections?

I know I will not be able to go OEM on the floors and I do not mind. This will all be covered so adding extra bracing if necessary will not be a problem. I don't care what it looks like underneath.

Any thoughts or opinions (besides run away) would be appreciated!

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WOW, looks bad. Although my '52 may have been worse. What I did with the front floor pans was cut out the rust and jagged edges, and buy some "20 ga. sheet metal?". Made some templates of the floor pans with cardboard and transferred that over to the metal. Since my welding machine wasn't working I riveted them in place and used a liquid gasket to make it water tight. Not the best fix, but at least I can drill the rivets out if I change my mind and decide to go another route. And it gives it an industrial look, which is what I am going for with the interior.

Good luck!

-Garrett

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