77 Firecracker Red Wagoneer

[GWNashville]

77 Firecracker Red Wagoneer

Wow those rust pics were hard to look at. Great job in removing the cancer.

[MysticRob]

Sub'd for the fun you had on this one!

[inkedmonkey]

Avert your eyes if you get queasy easily....

There wasn't much left of the rear drivers side frame. After removing the rotten crap, this is what I had left. I wrapped it up but forgot to take an after picture. It was bad enough that the rear shackle mount was ripping from the frame and tilted at the top. I jacked up the frame and let the axle move back to where it belonged before welding in the patches. You can see that I only had to cut away the lower section of the frame so I made the patch a big 90 degree piece of metal. Effectively doubling up the frame side. Welded along the bottom exterior edge and top of the inside. Plus added another big support bracket like the passenger side. Everything got a coat of rust convertor between the panels, so it should last awhile.

[inkedmonkey]

Thanks everybody for the comments. I like saving things and the original worn paint screamed out to me. This probably should have been a parts vehicle but I wasn't going to let that happen.

Remarkably, everything works on the thing. All the electronics, heater, rear window, etc. Everything is just worn and needing some attention. For instance, when I went to change the fuel pump, I noticed that the timing chain was hitting the cover. It was super loose and trying to chew it's way out of the cover so I changed that and went ahead and switched to HEI. It still had the original ignition system that I've read can be cantankerous. When I bought it, it had a pretty substantial trans leak which turned out to be a torn o-ring on the modulator and the shift shaft seal. I still need to check the quadratrac chain and I'm sure it needs replaced.

[SOLSAKS]

NICE WORK

you aint afraid of some repairs. that is for sure.

dave in NC

[UnkleMunky]

Where in MN did that rig come from? So many of the MN/WI FSJs have ended up in that state of disrepair. Sad, but it's reality up here. Glad to see you're fighting harder than the rust! More power to ya! Keep posting the progress as it's inspiring to see something that dire coming back to life!

[inkedmonkey]

It was from Minneapolis. I'll be back at it today so I'll have more pics tonight.

[inkedmonkey]

What a mess! Scraping old undercoating off sucks but man does it look better with it off.

[inkedmonkey]

I did however find some more rust that will need patched. Great......



Also does anybody have a pic of what the tailgate hinge mount on the body side is supposed to look like? The blocks are still attached to the hinges but they have rusted out of the body.

[SOLSAKS]

the undercoating sure saved that metal.


I know that was. a lot of scraping.

dave in NC

[inkedmonkey]

Yeah I was surprised how clean the remaining metal was under the coating. It did it's job for the most part.

[inkedmonkey]

Cut, weld, repeat.

[SOLSAKS]

nice work !

[rang-a-stang]

You do great work! That rig has some rust, but I have seen MUCH worse! You picked a great rig! 'Scribing!

[inkedmonkey]

Thanks guys, It's getting there. At least this way I'll know everything on the rig has been fixed. Hope to have many trouble free miles.

Finally got the front floor section cleaned, primed and painted. The rear is ready too but it's holding the seats currently.



This weekend I have to address the rusted off tailgate hinges. That'll be fun