I put on old clothes this morning and started work stripping the transmission tunnel. I wore goggles, a breathing mask, and gloves to protect myself. The job was very slow moving with the fine wire wheel I started using. After working about an hour, I decided to head to the store to get something a little more aggressive.
I returned with a pilot bearing removal tool from O’Reilly and a course wire cup from Truck and Tractor Supply. The wire wheel made quick work of the dirt, old paint, and rust. I’ve heard the undercarriage of the Mustang was painted a red oxide color originally. I was not able to see a color for the front part of the tunnel but the center cross support was the same grey color as the inner fenderwells.
I only stripped the areas I knew would not be replaced later. I plan to replace the entire floor pan and the toe boards. This made the job a little easier. By doing this now, I hopefully will not need to remove the transmission when I start replacing the floor pans.
I managed to fix the hole in the transmission tunnel. I could reach one are through the shifter hole with a dolly. I then used my hammer from the top side to smooth out the metal. The end result was great. The metal is smooth and the hole is completely sealed. Although I can’t weld it closed now, I have no concern about being able to weld it up as is later. Since there are no gaps, I’m not concerned about dirt entering through the hole either.
I tried to clean the front tunnel area out to about one inch past the toe boards. The toe boards have several rust holes and will need to be replaced. I wanted to make it out one inch so I could overlap the panels. I think this will work except for the lower corners have holes on each side. I did the best I could and will determine the best way to patch the areas when I get to that point.
I was able to put two coats of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on all the metal. Eastwood states you should wait 6-8 hours before painting over the Encapsulator. I’ll paint it tomorrow with the Krylon 1613. I’m not sure the Krylon will be my final choice for the entire undercarriage but it will work for this project.
I returned with a pilot bearing removal tool from O’Reilly and a course wire cup from Truck and Tractor Supply. The wire wheel made quick work of the dirt, old paint, and rust. I’ve heard the undercarriage of the Mustang was painted a red oxide color originally. I was not able to see a color for the front part of the tunnel but the center cross support was the same grey color as the inner fenderwells.
I only stripped the areas I knew would not be replaced later. I plan to replace the entire floor pan and the toe boards. This made the job a little easier. By doing this now, I hopefully will not need to remove the transmission when I start replacing the floor pans.
I managed to fix the hole in the transmission tunnel. I could reach one are through the shifter hole with a dolly. I then used my hammer from the top side to smooth out the metal. The end result was great. The metal is smooth and the hole is completely sealed. Although I can’t weld it closed now, I have no concern about being able to weld it up as is later. Since there are no gaps, I’m not concerned about dirt entering through the hole either.
I tried to clean the front tunnel area out to about one inch past the toe boards. The toe boards have several rust holes and will need to be replaced. I wanted to make it out one inch so I could overlap the panels. I think this will work except for the lower corners have holes on each side. I did the best I could and will determine the best way to patch the areas when I get to that point.
I was able to put two coats of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator on all the metal. Eastwood states you should wait 6-8 hours before painting over the Encapsulator. I’ll paint it tomorrow with the Krylon 1613. I’m not sure the Krylon will be my final choice for the entire undercarriage but it will work for this project.
I then cleaned the block plate, primered it, and painted it with the Krylon blue paint I used on the engine. I cleaned all the bolts I’ll need to reuse and placed them in a phosphoric acid mixture. Finally, I made a little plate out of wood which will hold the transmission on the jack. It has a hole for the drain plug and wood lining the sides to help keep the transmission steady.
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