Advice on improvements while doing rust repairs

[Alan B]

Hello all,

I bought a 67 SR that is going to the shop to have the rust cut out followed by media blasting. Any suggestions for places to look for rust or do some rustproofing that we might miss?

Before we get to paint it seems to me there is an opportunity to make some improvements. I'd like to do only things that could have been done in 67-68 and that will leave the car essentially stock in appearance. The R would be a good place to get ideas. Were any body mods done on the Rs?

The engine plan is to stay with 2 liters and go for a bulletproof rather than a maximum horsepower engine build, so we're not talking any more stress than during the day.

Here are some of my ideas:

Dead pedal (where can I get one?)
Gusset between center of rear torsion bar and floor under rear seat area
Weld in front strut brace
Roll bar mounting plates
Seam welding? We're not going to do a complete job, but are there places where some seam welding would strengthen the car significantly? There are threads suggesting seam welding to tie the A and B pillars to the roof. Other places?

Reinforcing longitudinals? We know how much these cars can flex when they're jacked up by or near the jack points. What about strengthening the longitudinals? Maybe just a strong U channel over the pinch weld would add some stiffness and make it easier to jack up the car if needed.
Were jacking points every added to our cars? Tony Adamowicz's Trans Am car maybe?

I'd really like to hear everyone's ideas. Those of you who know me know that I'm a 6-7/10ths driver and I know this will be overkill. Still, you might want to take it for a drive at one of our gatherings and then you might enjoy the difference.

Any other suggestions on the project would be great.

Thanks in advance,
Alan

[Cornpanzer]

Alan,

How about the group 3 flares that we see on R's and FIA cars like Barry Williams'?
No R taillight though....Please!!!

[Alan B]

Thanks Dave. I'll keep those in mind. I also got your PM. Sorry, I'm not interested in the chrome spinners or the neon

Let's hear some stories from Monterey!

Alan

[Zeke]

Why not blast first? Are you blasting the bottom side? You will find what you're looking for after the media.

I added jacking donuts after doing longitudinal repairs on my '71. But, the original panels will cave in if you don't reinforce the area. And that's not stock as you mention.

To me, the 3 part longitudinal is stiff enough if all is well in there. No "clamshell" needed.

Again, another opinion, and that is that the rear torsion tube is hell for stout if in good condition and the panels at the ends are solid. The seat area attachment might not be all that necessary.

My last point would be that there are other concealed areas that need a look. These include the sub frame "horns" at the front on either side of the tank and at the back at either side of the engine. There are small access ports on later models, I don't know about yours. I shot acid in there and vacuumed out with a small tube and blew out with air alternately. I then blew in urethane based rust converter paint thu the same hose withdrawing as I was injecting.

[Tom F.]

Reinforcing longitudinals? We know how much these cars can flex when they're jacked up by or near the jack points. What about strengthening the longitudinals? Alan

I am not aware that these cars flex much. My Targa flexes so that the door gap opens by a mm or two when jack stands are placed under the rear torsion tube or I lift it by the jack socket. My coupe doesn't flex at all that I can see, even when I lift it be the jack socket. Also, if you've ever seen a coupe after a rollover, you might think that they are pretty sturdy.

Then again, I used to service TR-3's through TR-6's, so maybe I have the wrong perspective. Now, those cars FLEXED.

[Sacto S]

The outside of the tube is pretty straight forward but don't neglect the inner surfaces as well. Run a wire brush on a flex shaft down the inner surfaces and then vacuum out the grit. I used a dowel with a sponge to apply a layer of POR15 to the inner surface of the tube being careful not to touch the splines at the opposite end.

Wheel wells need extra attention too. Seam sealer in and around everything.

Not much else I can think of that you, most likely, don't already know.

[NV Stig]

Besides the obvious rust spots, behind the headlights and the battery boxes, I am dealing with some where the gas tank mates to the frame. The back seam. Also discovered a former rat infestation while putting in a carpet kit. Got some surface rust underneath the rear seats and floor boards underneath the carpets. fortunately all surface stuff, and glad we caught it when we did. You might want to give those areas a once over.

[NV Stig]

Hope your doesn't look like this one. Talk about a fixer upper

[66S]

Coupes do not have a flex problem, Targas yes. I like to add reinforcements between the torsion tube and the rear seat bottoms. I think the RSRs got this treatment. The SWB cars sometimes have a problem with twisting torsion tubes and this will help resist fatigue of the torsion tube. Im starting a project to convert a 912 into a 911 vintage racer and would like to know if there are any good ideas to add "internal" reinforcement to suspension pickup points.

[37yrold911]

depends on what you mean by "flex problem"

a coupe unit body can be made a lot stiffer

new cars are much, much stiffer than anything from the '70s