where do I start?!

I did a quick fix many years back to replace some rotted out sheet metal in the trunk area of my '66 mustang. But knowing it wasnt fixed right has been bothering me ever since! I now work at a shop with all the tools one could need to help on a restore.
So I started with the trunk, and am gonna move to flo0r pans next. Flo0r pans arent bad, just the behind front seats are gone but quick/cheap fixed as well.

Heres some pics of what I started with:










So I brought it up to the shop, to0k out the fuel tank and started bustin up spot welds and cutting sheet metal. Ive never really done body work before, so it was a definate learning process. I tackled the right side first and by the time I made it to the left side, it only to0k me half as long to get it out! Guess you can say im a quick learner. My old boss told me, work smart, not hard. I still try to adhere to this lesson.
So heres what I ended up with after the first day of cutting and grinding:







I dont have any pics I dont think of all the sheet metal out, but I cut just about every inch of sheet metal out that makes up the trunk area. Both sides, the section between the fuel tank and the back seat, and the piece on the very back that the tank rests on.

Ive only ever MIG welded once before, and that was about 6 years ago. I had a guy at work ask me if I would rather him weld up my new sheet metal. My answer ... f%&k no!! I gotta learn sometime, right?

It to0k me a little while to learn how to sho0t some molten metal outta that gun, but after a few welds I got a few compliments from fellow workers like, "those sounded like some go0d welds there".

To0k me about 2 solid days to get it all taken off and then welded back on. I dont have any finished pics, those are at home on a different camera, but once I get home, i'll post them up as well.

This is what I love about this car. I had basically no prior knowledge of body work or welding, but im not scared to dive right in and learn some new stuff. Nothing ever seems to go easy on this car, but in the end, I love a go0d challenge!

That looks familiar! Nice thing nowadays is you can buy the whole trunk in one piece. My first car was '67 Coupe that I had to fix the whole trunk and rear frame and I had to make all the pieces for it myself back in 1979. Cutting sheet metal with a jigsaw and using blocks of wood for a metal brake in the backyard! That's how I learned to weld too.

All in one piece sounds funny when there is no middle...

That dang car was RUSTY! WOW!

yea, was a florida car for probably 15+ years. Pretty sure it was a leaky trunk seal that caused all that damage.
Oh well, it got all prepped and sealed before it got re-sheetmetal'd. Then seam sealer all around and a go0d healthy dose of primer then paint.

Dynacorn
PART NUMBER: 3649S

I tell ya, I don't make this stuff up!!!!

wow, pretty cool, bet it costs quite a few pennies to ship something that large

Originally Posted by pass1over

wow, pretty cool, bet it costs quite a few pennies to ship something that large

Yeah, and you probably don't need the axle hump and shock mount. When I started playing with Mustangs pretty much all that stuff was only available from Ford and $$$$$$$$$ and when you're 15 money was pretty thin! Now you can pretty much build the whole car off the shelf!