RUST WELDINGS
Amazing, only 5 rust holes during 50 years! The car has survived very well, newer welded before, mainly thanks for previous owner’s good maintenance.
I bought two years ago from offer sale a new Bosch Multitool, a grinder + saw + chisel in same tool. Before that restoration I have wondered what to do whit it. D-day was yesterday!
Angle grinder has its limited access to tight corners Vs. Multitool, which is very useful also for car enthusiast. This was my first test and it works well. One hint I can give; you need to buy good collection High Quality blades. I had out of original Bosch-blades some “made in China” blades, and they are more or less throwaway stuff.
Typically rust place; rear shock absorber upper mounting
With 125mm angle grinder it was impossible cut more than this picture.
One good hint is use Multi Tool as a chisel. Upper sheet metal is spot welded to lower strengthened shock absorber support. By using chisel function, it’s easy to take out!
The blade can be turned in different positions. In this picture, I use it as a Saw.
I try to save so much original body as possible. That fore my cutting looks actually too complicated out. Many times it’s easier to cut out more simple & square plates. Because my previous 96 weldings I have already recognized that those rear shock absorber support mountings are normally rusted thin, I use “Rust Stop”- rust modifier liquid and that way save original mounting.
Job is done! Note the small gap between two plates thru fastening hole. It’s that fore; that I can spray rust prevent oil thru it.
BATTERY BOX MODIFICATION
This is typically how shortnose battery boxes look like. Because its nearly impossible to find today so small batteries than 60`s, many times previous owners has cut battery compartment bigger. And because all this has typically made somewhere in parking places, urgently and without any welding possibilities, they look like as here. Same time with other restoration I decide to do something to that issue.
First I use big 230mm angle grinder and finished cutting work in bottom by using Multi Tool’s sawing- function. Here in photo I have original Bosch- blade.
Here you can see the difference original size vs. target size
After cutting it was time to turn a new corner of the original sheet metal by using wide jaw climb.
Because the target is always to save so much as possible the cars originality, I also use original, rounded sheet metal corner. Here some spot-welding.
Ready to use. Now I can use all my batteries from other cars. Nobody can’t drive many cars in same time, so it’s usefully to have possible to recycle the battery from car to car, and keep batteries condition. It’s also save your maintenance cost when you lower your battery investments by lower amount and by longer lifetime/battery. Original tiny battery size is not usefully for other cars such a Saab 96 V4.
RADIATOR SUPPORT MODIFICATION
Here it is: one small thing, which is very harmful when taking out or installing back radiator. Lower water pipe must go thru angle plate. To do that, you must turn radiator so much, that it usually hit heater fan and that way damaged radiator sells. Its more or less optical issue, but has bothered me already when I renovated “sister car”, shortnose 95-62. I decide make improvement by cutting open the hole. After that the angle plate is not more stable enough to support front suspension, so it needed also some strengthening. This I made by using zinced angle plate. Attention: you must leave the place under hole without welding; this place must have some flexibility.
Ready. Note also strengthened plate under the throttle shaft mounting, and battery ground point secure by welding.
