Photo update for today

This is just pictures of the things that I worked on today, without much explanation. Removal of partial front panel, removal of doglegs (passenger fender) and final paint removal on front Porsche Fuchs wheel.

Inner Structure - various updates

This distorted photo above shows the space that between the lower nose cut and the picture that follows.  Getting the inner structured install is going to be a challenge.

Sizing up the new inner structure.  While it is not that same as the original in shape, it will serve the purpose. I will document my steps once I have both pieces installed.

Inner Structure from the inside

 Here is a view from the inside.

Inner structure from the side view

Repairing mount for Inner Structure

I cut out the lip where the inner structure is mounted.  I used my plasma cutter as I was majorly frustrated from removing the spot welds to the valance in the front.  So, I welded in and filed down the new replacement piece.

Here is why I used my plasma cutter to originally remove my inner support panel. As you can see, the section was really rusted up due to the prior crash.

Rust and damage

A-Pillar/Front Valance connection

I am currently researching where this tab connects when rebuilding the front pillar. I've examined the old one removed and it doesn't seem like this existed on the original design.   If you know how this connects, please comment to let me know.

Front Nose Clip Repair - Part #2

 I used a plasma cutter to remove the front headlight support bracket.  I guess it was from being lazy or just frustrated with removing the inner valance off of the frame.  I've fabricated a new replacement for the section that I quickly cut out.  For some reason, this still seemed a lot simpler.  This was done on both sides of the van.  I am currently awaiting my order for a new headlight support bracket. I just need to grind it down once a few places are tack-welded to the body.  This piece is required to spot-weld the inner valance to the body, so I must put it back.  I'll show this completed, but I will only continue after I have the replace support bracket in my possession to try it on for size.

 Just making sure that I am going in the correct direction with the fender and pillar from the size perspective. It doesn't completely line up yet because I have not grind-ed down the tack-welds for the side rocker panel that I repaired previously. This is just to check to see if the angle will be right when I hit that step soon.  This should be completed in a few weeks.

Although, the valances does not fit onto the frame, because of metal that still needs to be clear off the two frame post.  I had to try it partly on to make sure the part's location is exactly where I expected it. This is an AutoCraft part, so it is very proper.  Stay tuned.

You can watch this video to get a full status of what I've just discussed:

Nose and Valance Removal - updated

In this photo, 8" inches of the noes has been removed to fix a few crushes  along the driver's headlight and the point in the center was banged in pretty badly. A former own drilled a lot of small slide-hammer holes to try to pull the tip out.

 I removed most of the outer front nose panel skin from the heavily rusted and bent out of shape inner valance.  The target is to remove the inner valance and headlight support bracket.

Exposed is the headlight support bracket on the top and the inner valance at the lower half. This is before the removal.

Side view of most of the inner valance removed. The hard part is removing the part in which it is connected to the frame. I'm am going to finish removing the headlight support bracket so that getting to the top of the beam would be simpler.

Front view of the removal.  I mostly used a plasma cutter to remove most of the metal and a cutoff wheel when control was required.

Here is all the scrap removed.  Stay tuned.











Getting the bottom valance off the bumper support beams is not an easy task.  After another 2 hours, i'm basically still in the same situation.  In this photo below, I removed 80% of the metal off the bumper support beam and I have the headlight support bracket detached from the passenger's side. I've decided to remove it to have access to straighten it out. It had been impacted by the minor accident.