Jumping Ahead--Part 3 (really?!?!)

I can already hear the comments.  "Part 3?  How many parts are there to this deal?"  To give you my honest answer, "I don't know.  As long as it takes, I guess."    But isn't that part of the whole process?  Isn't life full of part 1, part 2, part etc., etc, etc.?   Well, enough philosophy.

At our last exciting episode, I was working to get the right front splash apron installed.  So after a removing the old rusty and bent parts, the fitting together began.  But here's what I had to do to modify the fender apron to get it to fit....

So I had to add 1/2" on the bottom rear section of the apron.  Notice that cool little clamp device on the right of the picture?  That's a gap clamp from Eastwood that clamps the body panel together and sets the gap for welding.  It is slick!  I used 3 of them on this part.   I slowly worked back and forth to fill in the gaps with the spot welds and keep the heat down.   Here's what it looked like when done....

I also had drilled all the 5/16" holes to reproduce the spot welds.  These holes are then "rosette" welded to attach it to the car.   So after clamping in place, checking my measurements....checking my measurements twice...then checking my measurements, I started the welding process.

So now it's in for good...and very solid.  (I added a few more welds than Ford originally had to give it some more strength.)   Then the final piece to do was to put the VIN back where it belonged.   I cut the VIN out of the old part and carefully put it in place on the new panel by using a scribe and drawing a line around it.  I cut out the metal of the new apron and fit the old piece with the VIN in place.  I did have to do a little grinding to get the gap and fit correct, but here's the finished product....

When it's all finished, it will look like it has always been there.   Pretty neat, eh?   I love it when something goes together so well.

Since I spent all this time on the car, some other things need to take a front seat for the next couple of days...like finishing my taxes!   But I do hope to get back on the car sometime this weekend between yard cleanup, grass cutting, etc...you know...all that fun stuff that keeps us from having fun.

And for the "pastor" part of my life, the next week through Easter Sunday are a bit busy.  But it's all worth it to be able to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, for whom I am eternally grateful for his forgiveness and love...not to mention the abilities to get this Mustang on the road again.