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1973 Gremlin Project.... "The Demise of Sanity"

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BrotherBamc View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2018 at 5:14pm
First time for anything I guess...
Started with this. This was one of my four wheeling events when I was younger... 
One of many... Wink
No rust to speak of. Just mangled steel. 

Cut all the mangled stuff out then hit it with 60 grit flap wheel. 


Made a pattern from thin cardboard, then cut the pattern out of some 18 gauge sheet metal. 
Fixed the inner panel and ground it down smooth. 


Made a pattern again for the outer side. 


Little finesse with a hammer, vise, and the grinder. Hardest part was getting the curve to the wheel well right. Close enough as no one will see this anyway. Covering it up with wheel well trim. 
One of many trial and error fits.. 

Welded it in place.. 
Ground it all down nice and smooth... 


Then filled the rest in with kitty hair... 




We will see how it looks after I sand it down. 
The other side isn't going to be so easy as this side was. The other side has a rust problem that needs attention besides the four wheelin' adventures that this poor car endured in my younger years. Big smile


77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
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mrblatzman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrblatzman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2018 at 5:24pm
I am wondering how you will treat the rust on the insides of the two facing panels that were never painted or protected from the factory...That has been a concern of mine on a project from time to time...It seems that the air supply needs to be cut off for those exposed pieces in that hollow area...If you have a solution please share.....Thanks   Bob in Alabama
Thankyou....Bob
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/17/2018 at 5:51pm
To be honest Bob, I never really thought about that. I just figured by the time that it starts to rust through, if it ever does, I'd be dead and gone anyways. 
I did dig out a bunch of crap when I separated the two panels. I even had to take the car outside of the garage and flip it over on its lid a couple of times to clean out all the rocks, and left over garbage between the inner and outer panel. Also a lot of old dried up seam sealer came out too. 
I know that you can't flip your car on its lid like I can right now, but it was about the only way that I could get all of the garbage that it had collected. 
I had broke the back window at one time also and you should of seen all the glass that came out that was from that busted back window. I use a shop vacuum as much as I can to clean out everything. 
I have used something called Rust-Prep made by a company called AutoTech. It's green and comes in a spray bottle. Smells a lot like muriatic acid. Kind of expensive, (20 bucks for a 16 oz bottle)  I used it on my hood that was really rusty on the underside. I just sprayed it on and let it dry. Then I sanded where I could reach with 80 grit, then re applied it. Did that a couple of times to make sure that I got most if not all of the rust where I could reach. And what I couldn't reach I left the rust preventative product alone. It did a good job as far as I am concerned. 
My quarter panels have a lot of that garbage on the inside that I believe was used for sound deadener. It's still in relatively good shape still. I believe that's what I was digging out last night and wasn't just old seam sealer. The only other alternative would be to completely remove the quarter panel. Scrape all the junk off of it. Then rust proof it with something like Rust-Prep or some other rust preventative product and then re-attach it. 
Hope this helps. 
77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 6PakBee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/18/2018 at 7:35am
Originally posted by mrblatzman mrblatzman wrote:

I am wondering how you will treat the rust on the insides of the two facing panels that were never painted or protected from the factory...That has been a concern of mine on a project from time to time...It seems that the air supply needs to be cut off for those exposed pieces in that hollow area...If you have a solution please share.....Thanks   Bob in Alabama


I share your concern.  I have one project car where the rust is starting to bleed out from a spot welded lap seam.  I've thought about opening up the seam, doing something, and then rewelding it but what to use?  I initially looked at the zinc weld through primers but everything I read said that you had to scrape all the primer off in the plug weld holes to get a good weld.  So what was the point?  I'm going to try this as I've read nothing but favorable reviews with no need to remove anything where the welds are.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sem-Products-SEM-40783-Copper-Weld-thru-Primer-Aerosol/51559566?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1148
Roger Gazur
1969 'B' Scheme SC/Rambler
1970 RWB 4-spd Machine
1970 Sonic Silver auto AMX

All project cars.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/18/2018 at 12:39pm
Is this what you guys are talking about...??? Ouch



Started with this... 




77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
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mrblatzman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrblatzman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/18/2018 at 2:20pm
Yes...That is my area or concern...It would be great, and there should certainly be a market, for reproduction quarter returns for the Gremlins.   Im not 100% sure but they should be the same for all years up thru 1978....Bob in Alabama
Thankyou....Bob
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/18/2018 at 8:42pm
Is the Spirit the same as the Gremlin...???
What about the Hornet or the Concord..? 
I am going to have to source something to fix my mess. 
The rot and rust goes 3/4 of the way around the wheel well. The more I dig the more I find.
I don't have the tools to do that kind of metal work. 

77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote AfterhoursFab Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/18/2018 at 8:55pm
Ouch, you have your hands full. You'll be alright tho, just keep making small panels. I use an Eastwood shrinker/stretcher for edges like that and they don't cost too much..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mrblatzman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/19/2018 at 8:38am
I don't know if those other model AMCs would share the quarter returns with the Gremlin...The Spirit should I think....My 77 Gremlin has a small amount of rust behind the wheels due to the hatch being closed but the seal leaking for several years...Its not a road salt problem than goodness...I have both quarter panels NOS put away and plan to harvest the lower metal from those...Plan to use about 3 to 4 inches up and back to the rear pan...By opening it up that much we should be able to get to anything hidden inside, and Im sure there is some stuff going on in there...I just cant find anyone I have confidence in who is willing to do the work...There were a couple of real metal artists around here, but time has creeped up and they are in their 80s now and just not able to do this anymore...I don't have the skills needed to even try...Bob in Alabama
Thankyou....Bob
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrotherBamc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Apr/19/2018 at 7:59pm
Looks like I will be purchasing and shrinker/stretcher from Eastwood. Watched a few video's and it doesn't look too difficult. (but, that's what I always say) 
I know of no one that does this kind of metal work in my home town. Or at least I can't find anyone. 
There is one place tho. I asked if they could paint my car last year. Already had the car on the rotisserie and torn down to a shell that I have now. 
Their response...
6-8 month wait just to get to it and a 10,000 dollar deposit. Ouch
My rust issue was caused from the mud flap on that side. 
77 CJ5 360
73 Gremlin 401 4 speed
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
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