1974 Toyota Celica Gen 1 'TA22'

Saw your update on Instagram so headed over here for a proper shufti. You must be very happy with all those tricky patches done and dusted.

I'm presuming that the copper paint is U-Pol weld through primer? D'you find that better than etch primer? Presumably the rust converter (Hydrate) going on first means no need for etch?
Steve

...it was onto the inner O/S front wing - more holes anyone?!


So out with the grinder, and as I started cutting I immediately could smell smoke... my thought process was
....smells a bit close for a bonfire...
....I'm not on fire...
....@£$&! the car is!

Turns out I didn't manage to get all of the rubbish out of the wing from the previous small furry resident and it was now happily smouldering away.

Few more quick cuts and all was revealed



I then stuck the vacuum and airline in there for good measure!

After that brief bit of excitement, more was to soon follow...

it turns out it's best not to try and catch a grinder when it jumps... I'll spare you the gory shot of my finger but have a pic of the cleanly sliced glove, you can imagine the rest...


(I'm still learning to type without using my index finger as it's a bit sore... it could've been a lot worse!)

One I was suitably patched up, normal service resumed.


It's a bit patchy, but again all this will be hidden.

Feeling happy with how things were progressing I then made a start on the O/S front corner I mentioned last time, namely trying to straighten and sort the mess caused by a previous front-end knock. bit of a gap!


Out with the assortment of weaponry


and after much tapping here and there, I eventually managed to get most of the creases out, again it's not perfect but so much better than before, it even nearly met the front light panel where it needed to



I then started giving the area a good clean ready to introduce some strength


It was then time for some rather rudimental metal forming - I think a shrinker/stretcher is going on my xmas list!


I then added the folds that will meet the front panel and tacked it in place


The front panel was then put back in situ to check everything fitted as it should


before being taken off so I could clean everything and weld it in place



not pretty but definitely better than the cracked and bent rusty mess that was there before.



I then tidied all the welds with the grinder and file sander, then giving the area a good coat of etch and primer,



Before putting a final coat of matt black on to match the rest of the engine bay.



I then reattached the front panel using clamps to line everything up with where I'd marked it and tacked it all in place.





No more gap! 



As i'd dug out the grill too I decided to fit it in place just to see how bent and twisted it was... as it happens rather a lot , still the end result almost resembles a tidy front end.

Reassuring to see I'm not the only one revisiting their previous repair attempts!

I'm incredibly lucky to have somewhere indoors available in the evenings (sorry Phil )