Friends,
Yesterday at 3pm almost on the dot, I took possesion of my first rescue project. I am going to call er Double Down (was Deuce), as it was kind of a gamble to take the car at this point in my life, it is a gamble as to whether I can really save it, it is the first time I have owned two eagles at one time, and it is the fourth SX4 that I ever owned.
The car is an 81 with AC and that's just about it. She is in very rough shape but held together on the transport vehcile between Detroit and Grand Rapids Michigan. She was formerly owned by darjeeling (Tim), and rather than send it to the yard, he made an effort to get it in my hands. Really cool deal for both of us and we are mutualy happy for the transaction. Tim could have gottern more for it to send it to the yard, but that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted the car to go to a member of the forum that would give the car a shot at a second life.
My plans are straight forward. I will take a number of pictures and post them on PhotoBucket with a link to it on this thread. The first pictures are very shocking as the car has sat for a bit of time and has weeds growing all over it. The engine compartment is full of long weeds and the interior of the car even has them behind the plastic panels. It is all there though, minus the spots in the frame where the rust has eaten it away. I don't think it is too late for this car, but its darn close.
I'll have to finished "Road Trip" since I have been working on that car all spring and into the summer. I finally have it running good and am now down to cleaning up the interior. Next will be body work and paint. Nothing fancy, just the best at what I can do on a little budget and working a couple of hours each night. I'm saving up to have the car sprayed by a pro, but may do it myself since I've done body and paint work since I was a kid. It has been a long time, but how am I going to know if I still can do it unless I get out there and try?
Anyway, send darjelling an egg if you can and let him know that helping to get an Eagle to where it can be appreciated and saved is half the battle.
Happy July 4th everyone!
http://photobucket.com/81eagledoubledown
Let me be the fist to congratulate you on the save. The wrecking yard is not a good place for Eagles!
Thank you. I added a link to the pictures of the pictures of the car as it sits today.
Wait...now is it Double Down or Double Deuce!? Make up your mind! ;D
Looks like you definitely have your work cut out for you...and speaking of cutting out... you'll be doing a lot of that to remove the rust!
Congrats on the save and good luck on your project my friend. Looks like its gonna take some effort but hang in there you will get it.
Double Down is what I think will stick.
It's also going to take me twice as long as I think it will. ::)
Quote from: rohnk on July 03, 2012, 11:07:01 PM
It's also going to take me twice as long as I think it will. ::)
That's how it turned out for me.
Double Deuce...Like Roadhouse?? That's awesome!!!
Quote from: rohnk on July 03, 2012, 11:07:01 PM
Double Down is what I think will stick.
It's also going to take me twice as long as I think it will. ::)
If its like my projects, it will also cost you twice as much :rotfl:
Congrats on the new acquisition and thanks for saving one from the crusher. You've inspired me to look at a sedan that has been on the Denver C-list for awhile, hopefully they'll call me back.
Rohnk,
I think we need to team up and provide a support system as we work through these "rescue" SX4s. I just got one that needs some love and attention too. What do you think??
Sounds good to me! I'm going to relearn the skills needed to fix this car as I go. I use to do a lot of this when I was younger and had friends!
When it comes to parts, we should work together and swap parts between us. I have a number of good parts and keep the list growing every chance I get. I'm never out to make a bunch of money on anything, just break even and/or ask for shipping in return.
Awesome save, Rohnk! Darjeeling's frame repair on this car gave me the inspiration to fix mine. I sure hope you can get it on the road again, even if it takes a couple years.
I put a post on Clist tonight to trade a go kart my kids don't want (scared of it) for a welder, cherry picker and/or engine stand. I've already got a guy coming over tomorrrow to show me a Lincoln Electric SP-100T 120V flux core mig welder. He says it can be used with gas too which I think is for keeping the flash down? Never mig welded before and the last welding I did was 20 years ago on an ARC welder. I was good at it so hopefully I can teach myself the skills again.
Anybody know about the Lincoln Electric welders? I have read online in different forums that LE is a good brand name and make nice welders.
Quote from: rohnk on July 05, 2012, 12:14:21 AM
I put a post on Clist tonight to trade a go kart my kids don't want (scared of it) for a welder, cherry picker and/or engine stand. I've already got a guy coming over tomorrrow to show me a Lincoln Electric SP-100T 120V flux core mig welder. He says it can be used with gas too which I think is for keeping the flash down? Never mig welded before and the last welding I did was 20 years ago on an ARC welder. I was good at it so hopefully I can teach myself the skills again.
Anybody know about the Lincoln Electric welders? I have read online in different forums that LE is a good brand name and make nice welders.
That would be a great choice for welding sheet metal. If you are welding thicker metal (1/4"), a 220 welder would be better. Wrought iron installer use those little flux core welder all the time. They are great for up to .120 wall metal.
Ok, I plan on doing a lot of floorpan work as from the pics I posted, the entire floorpan has seperated from the rails. The driver side I can put my fingers through and pull carpet from under the car.
For the front frame pieces, I plan to use some steel stock (1/8"?) and shape it a piece at a time. Then I'll probably cut out a section at a time and weld in the new pieces. I thought a small welder like that might fit the bill nicely.
This will be a great car to learn on I think. Lot of work to be done for sure. You all can probably tell I am excited to get started, but I need to finish my white SX4 first. It is almost done as I am into body work on that car already. I screwed up drilling holes for the spoiler so I have to weld in a couple of washers to fix my mistake there.
Live and learn! If I don't know what I'm doing, I've got to at least try, fail, and try again!
When you do the floors, 18 or 20 gauge steel is the thickest/thinnest you want to use. Anything thicker, you won't be able to shape it, and anything thinner probably won't be strong enough. I used a flux core welder for most of mine (started with an arc welder, but that would be way too difficult to do all the floor welding with). Using gas would be your best bet, because you can see the weld much better than with flux core and it is a lot easier to weld thin metal. Butt welds were very difficult to do even with the flux core welder. The nice thing is that a wire feed is basically point and shoot, where an arc welder takes a more steady, skillful hand.
I would suggest trying to find a sheet metal brake, it would be extremely helpful for shaping.
Thanks for the info Baskinator.
I made the trade today and got a nice Lincoln Electric welder to use. It has flux core wire in it right now and spatters everywhere! I'll get oxygen for it and some standard wire when I am ready to get serious. For now, I think I'll go to the scrap yard and pick up some steel pieces to practice with. I also need a mask, gloves and good wire brush. If anybody has any of that stuff, I could sure use it if you want to donate it to the cause!
For now everything is on hold until we get out of this heat. I almost passed out in Lowe earlier today and have been trying to stay hydrated since. I took a nap too since I felt like crud anyway. 99 degrees and high humidity today makes it feel over 100. With the meds I'm on, I just can't take working in it.
Some of the spattering might be due to cheap flux core wire. But it could also be nonideal settings.
Quote from: rohnk on July 05, 2012, 12:14:21 AM
Anybody know about the Lincoln Electric welders? I have read online in different forums that LE is a good brand name and make nice welders.
That's what I've got and I'm really happy with it ;)
Cool. Thanks Priya!
I said oxygen before for the gas to use, but I don't think thats right. Don't mig welders use ARGON or something like that? Also, can anyone give me a sense of what wire to use? Flux core preferred over regular? Just some info.
My last days welding were spent with an ARC welder in my dads garage and high school summer career center. I was good at it but I've never used one of these new fangled wire feed gizmos (I'm 38 for those wondering so I'm being a little silly). ;)
You're right, its not oxygen, if I remember correctly its something like 93% argon, 5% something else, and 2% something else although a variety of formulas are available. I think most welders prefer to use a gas shielded solid core wire over flux core, but I don't know why.
Yup argon co2 mix (what I run in mine), some reasons for solid core vs flux core: cleaner, considerably less spatter (if you've ever welded above your head, you'll know why), prettier weld in many cases, cools as you weld so less warpage on thin stuff. Not saying that flux core is bad though, before I got my lincoln I used to borrow a miller from my dads work that was running flux core. I loved that thing, it worked great, plus it worked better on heavy stuff vs my mig hooked to gas.
I rock a Millermatic 135 welder. It is the 110 volt. I usually run solid core wire but I keep some .035 flux core around too. If you use the gas and the flux core you make a makeshift dual shield setup and you can do well on thick material. It isn't a replacement for the proper setup but it can get the job done. Just some ideas.
Thanks for the info everyone! I am really excited to have the welder as I have wanted one for a long time. I was checking out wire at Lowes and noticed they have aluminum wire too! That will be fun to try someday.
Before I get into any welding though, I need to finish the interior and paint the exterior of my 82 SX4. Then I plan to build some bumpers like EagleFreek did on his wagon. I think he used a small welder too so I am confident that with some practice, I can do a good job.
Really wish I had a welder...did you say you traded for it? Glad you saved Double Down, but I'm looking forward to see more updates on PRT! :)
I know right! It has been so hot lately that I haven't gotten anything done in a while. I did get it back into the garage tonight though and start taking the interior out. Hopefully it will be done next month!
Quote from: rohnk on July 09, 2012, 10:06:45 PM
I know right! It has been so hot lately that I haven't gotten anything done in a while. I did get it back into the garage tonight though and start taking the interior out. Hopefully it will be done next month!
Done next month?? I dont even have ambitions to start mine until next month. You're the man!!
Thanks! I've been working on the engine and getting that all updated and running smooth since March. With that finally done, I went onto stripping the exterior trim and cleaning the car to find out whare the bad spots were. Now I am at the point of sanding the entire car and primering it. Should be blocked and in primer by Sunday.
I still have to work on the spoiler I'm adding as well as fabricating a roof rack from the old style used on wagons. I want it done or mostly done by the show in August.
Did you ever get an old rack? I still have mine..
Hi Rohn,
So glad you're working on this. I'll keep watching the forum and maybe I'll even see this thing in action some day.
Rafe,
Yes, I got the rack from SleepsUnderCars about a month ago. It will go on Road Trip.
Tim,
Keep following this thread! I may make little progress at first, but it should be fun to watch!
Rohnk,
If you need any pointers on welding, I would be glad to help you out. I teach welding at a community college in Oregon and I am I-CAR certified on automotive steel. The lincoln SP 100 is an excellent wire feed welder. We have eight of them and they almost never break down. I don't get on here very often because I have yet to get an Eagle of my own, but I have been a member for four years. That may change soon because I have been talking to someone on The List about their SX/4 ;D.
Dustin
Thanks Dustin I really appreciate that. It will be nice to "pick other minds" a bit on some of the more technical things. I'll have to feel out the speeds, voltage levels, wire types for now. Eventually, I should get pretty good with it.
I finally found a way to get my wife involved with my Eagle hobby. All I had to do was decide to push the 81 outside to mak room in the garage to work on the 82. She didn't care for the dead weeds that were hanging under the car and it being where the neighbors would see it. This is what the result is.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa455/rohnk/Double%20Down/BE3E9FE0.jpg)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa455/rohnk/Double%20Down/58DF7150.jpg)
so instead of her weeding the garden you got her to weed the S/X4 that deserves an egg.
Haha that's funny!
If I ever found my wife laying under my eagle I would have to run out and check my address. I surely would have to be at the wrong house.
Yeah, I thought that in order to get my wife under the Eagle I would have had to accidently have backed over her or something. :rotfl:
Is that a new to you air compressor sitting in front of your other Eagle?
Wraith,
The air compressor is new to me. It is an 1956-ish Devilbiss that I traded a couple of older boom sticks for. i wasn't using them and they have sat around for ever, so I found a guy on Clist to trade with.
It runs but needs to be rewired for 115Vac as I don't have 220 in the garage. I'm also going to clean it really nice and check out the inside of the tank. It has some water in it but holds compression well. The fella ran it up to about 75PSI for me and after sitting in the cat for two days, it was still holding the air.
I think it was a good trade. With some elbow grease and a can of paint, it should look very nice and last a long time. I'll probably have to take the compressor apart at some point to check it out and replace a seal or two, but for now it is working fine.
Haven't heard anything from you in awhile. I know you were job hunting. Hope all is well on your end.
Quote from: TheWraith on September 14, 2012, 09:07:56 AM
Haven't heard anything from you in awhile. I know you were job hunting. Hope all is well on your end.
Rohnk has left the Eagle Nest.
Quote from: vangremlin on September 18, 2012, 11:03:20 PM
Quote from: TheWraith on September 14, 2012, 09:07:56 AM
Haven't heard anything from you in awhile. I know you were job hunting. Hope all is well on your end.
Rohnk has left the Eagle Nest.
I can't figure out why anyone would do such a thing.
Quote from: rollguy on September 19, 2012, 12:13:38 AM
Quote from: vangremlin on September 18, 2012, 11:03:20 PM
Quote from: TheWraith on September 14, 2012, 09:07:56 AM
Haven't heard anything from you in awhile. I know you were job hunting. Hope all is well on your end.
Rohnk has left the Eagle Nest.
I can't figure out why anyone would do such a thing.
Seriously, I'm here every day and I feel weird if I'm not. I could never leave you guys.
I believe Rohn has just been prioritizing his life. He lost his job and has had some health issues. He is no longer on Facebook either. I'm guessing he's just trying to spend less time online.
I wish him the best and hope to see him on here again in the future. He was really moving along with his project Eagle too. He's a nice guy and was a good contributor to the forums.
If anyone has correspondence with him, pass along my best wishes.