Nice job man!!! I can't wait to see that sucker scrubbed down and clean enough to eat off!
Any plans for paint/POR-15 once you get it all stripped? I think it would be neat to have it gloss white on the bottom of the car just so you can see if anything is leaking later on, that and no one usually paints the bottom light colors so it would be unique, just my 2 cents...
Nice job, I want to build one but I'm so scared to drop my car on the roof!
Thanks, guys. This is another why-did-I-wait-so-long-to-do-this moment. I had trepidation.
I missed the CG by a bit. She's bottom heavy. I'm okay with that, as moving the pivot point down would involve making this contraption taller. As it is, it clears the roof corner by 8" or so. It took two healthy guys, and my special lady friend manning the pin to roll it over. There may still be an elaborate system of ropes and pulleys in the future. Or a chainfall, or just bribe dudes with beer any time I need to roll it over. It sucks, because I can ALMOST get it alone, but I am nervous of going past the point of no return.EDIT; I can totally do this alone. I was being overly cautious-not a bad thing.
I have LOTS of thoughts on paint. I waffle almost daily. For sure, there will be rust inhibiting paint everywhere. The rockers, and window frames need to be black, and as such, the bottom will likely get the same treatment. And if I'm painting that much black, howabout a racing stripe? This argument will go on past the point I have made a decision. I know the smart move involves white, but time will tell.
Minor update: Welded new jack plates on each rocker, straightened rockers, and started welding in those torque boxes. My patch looks pretty good... from the bottom.
A shot of the stock rearend next to the '85 Toyota spacevan rear destined to take its place. 4.10 gears opposed to 3.54 or whatever stock was. I'm planning to get it narrowed, do a clutch type LSD, and cut the mounts off the bent stocker. 
It took about 3 cutting discs and an hour and a half to get that sucker out. I did screw up some mounting holes, as the bushing tubes were seized on the bolts. I'll reinforce everything when it goes back together.
wheelsmithy wrote: A shot of the stock rearend next to the '85 Toyota spacevan rear destined to take its place. 4.10 gears opposed to 3.54 or whatever stock was.
Would you believe either 2.93 or 3.00 to 1?
In reply to Jerry From LA:
I would. This is the first year of FI, and got the 4 speed. Must have been LAME. We'll fix that...all in time.
Here's where I quit on our first episode of "Clean a Starlet's Bottom (ewww!)
Toyota was good enough to make the undercoating the color of rust, so please don't be alarmed. After some experimentation, I ended up with:
Step 1. scrape with a chisel.
Step 2. wire wheel.
Step 3. MAP torch and more scraping (maybe)
If you want to see this done to a much more professional (and GLOSSY!) degree than I have any intention of doing mine, check out Rad_Capz (ninja edit.Mistaken identity) awesome build. Link to follow.
There may be those among you, and I may be one, who believe I'm going through an inordinate amount of trouble to save the crappy stock headliner when its destruction is inevitable. But I did this, even though the sandblaster tattered the inside A-pillar bit.
Why haven't you just removed the headliner?
Dusterbd13 wrote: Why haven't you just removed the headliner?
Wow, that is a shockingly good question. To answer as honestly as I can, I ASSumed it would be quite difficult to replace, and just planned on leaving it in. That's happened a couple of times, where I started down one track, and was so focused on that direction, that I just carried on.
I suppose I have been conditioned to fear headliners, which I admit seems silly in our given situation. Feel free to make some fun should the headliner remain. I have already decided the red/orange paint splatters will remain on it as a reminder of where the car has been.
That's the right way to do it. Scale that back CONSIDERABLY, and that's my goal. This guy builds museum pieces. Above is the fit and finish on a racecar. If you haven't already, check it out.
wheelsmithy wrote: In reply to Jerry From LA: I would. This is the first year of FI, and got the 4 speed. Must have been LAME. We'll fix that...all in time.
The Starlet went head-to-head with Honda's Civic for Fuel Mileage Championship of the World, hence the super tall rear gear. The Starlet was probably the only car ever built that could attain top speed in either 3rd, 4th, or 5th.
I'm not going to post a pic, because what I'm doing is BORING. Like spot welding is exciting boring, but I do have a new proclamation: I LOVE Cookies! You know, those things that fit on an angle grinder, or drill, and look like like you dipped the leavings from 1000 urinals in some goopy glue. I believe they are sold as paint/ rust strippers. After the inevitable chisel work, I used some of these beauties, and loved the results. I will show the pretty pictures once I have them.
Jerry, yeah, my love of entry level cars is what led me into the warm embrace of a Starlet. Gotta love a purpose built car that somehow transcends its humble mission statement.
You know I used dry ice on the interior floor goo stuff but being you can flip the car over it may work on the undercoating too? Would be worth it to get a few pounds and see.
Lomax: That's probably the smart way to do it, but I was already several steps down the dumb and stubborn road I often travel.Where do you get dry ice, anyway?
Here's where I am now;
I'm working, but there may not be too many updates for a bit, because progress is slow, and when I do move forward, it doesn't look any different. I gotta say, I am spending a ton of money on abrasives. Until next time...
In reply to wheelsmithy:
The Harris Teeter grocery store chain carries it. It's $.99 a pound around here thy usally have 8-10 pound bags
Looking good man, all that slow hard work is paying off!
DirtyDiesel wrote: Looking good man, all that slow hard work is paying off!
Thanks, man. You know, it IS clean enough for me to eat off it as it sits, but then again, I'm a well documented dirtbag.
In my experience, you're at the perfect spot to seam weld, seal, spray in epoxy primer, and apply bedliner. After the first rain storm, it will look the same as if you went further.
Dusterbd13 wrote: In my experience, you're at the perfect spot to seam weld, seal, spray in epoxy primer, and apply bedliner.
I was thinking POR-15, then black rustoleum. Thoughts? I'm getting a little spun out on the small voids and tiny bits of rust I just can't get to. I'm not so concerned with the undercoating in the corners. I just got a bit tired of breathing that nasty crap while I was welding (yes, I know it will never fully go away, but I was trying to minimize my rubber smoke inhalation).
wheelsmithy wrote:Dusterbd13 wrote: In my experience, you're at the perfect spot to seam weld, seal, spray in epoxy primer, and apply bedliner.I was thinking POR-15, then black rustoleum. Thoughts? I'm getting a little spun out on the small voids and tiny bits of rust I just can't get to. I'm not so concerned with the undercoating in the corners. I just got a bit tired of breathing that nasty crap while I was welding (yes, I know it will never fully go away, but I was trying to minimize my rubber smoke inhalation).
Please please please POR-15 WHITE!!! then flat white rustoleum? I guess either bedliner or POR-15 would work, but I feel like POR-15 would be better because it's actually designed to seal rust, where the bedliner may just put a barrier between one side and the other and could potentially trap moisture. If not white, let's compromise on grey maybe? lol
Por15 over clean, nin rusty, bare metal don't work too well. Por 15 the seaps/rusty spots after seam welding, but before seam sealer. Then epoxy primer, which should keep it from ever rusting again.
I recommended bedliner because of durability, ease of cleaning, ability to hide flaws and fill gaps, as well as some sound deadening and heat barrier properties.
Allright, this is a discussion I've been pondering. Paint.
Dirtydiesel, I hate to disappoint, but I'm simply looking for an easy way to stop the rust, and protect this thing. Black looks great in wheelwells, and the rockers should be black also. The underbelly is getting black. I do like the idea of seeing better in the engine compartment. That will get black, then maybe I'll get sparky and do body color when the time comes. This is what my hand looks like after several scrubings on the average day:
I'm just not seeing white as the right choice for what will be my daily driver. Right now, Ford tractor grey is the front runner, so yes, maybe we'll reach that compromise on final color. Light colors, hiding dents like they do, keep heading to the top of the list.
Duster, I'll dig up the El Camino thread shortly, but here's the question(s): I heard light surface rust, and POR-15 was a winning combo, and this thing rusts quickly here in TN humidity . This idea rubs me wrong, but letting it rust just a bit, and using Por-15 all over so it bites has been suggested. Also, since my rotisserie is stationary, I want to do all the finishing (except final paint) before I make it a roller again. I had miserable luck with roll-on bedliner in the cab of my truck, though I do admit to crappy surface prep on my part. I do have J.C.Whitney brand dynamat that will go inside, so sound deadening isn't a major concern. Do you have a brand of DIY bedliner that you'd recommend?
Raptor. But if you're willing to let it rust, then do the full monte por15 process, that should do the trick as well. Just remember it's not uv stable. So you will need a topcoat.
Dusterbd13 wrote: So you will need a topcoat.
Done. Still deciding if I can let it rust. The idea of roller/brush application is very appealing. Calling this the full Monte version, and the imminent Por-15 on my hootus almost forces my hand.
Does anyone know if I can Bondo or fiberglass over POR-15, like my Eastwood rust inhibitor claims is cool. Anyone who has done this sort of thing, please chime in.
Cosmetics are not really a concern on the underbelly.
You gotta scuff and clean it real good, but yes.
And por15 on your hootus is absolutely terrible. Or so I hear....
Wow Duster, just read through about half of the driveabeater post. Thanks for dropping by my humble thread to offer some much needed advice.
For clarity, the yes directly above is saying that I can use body filler, or fiberglass (and I ASSume, panel bond) over Por-15'd metal if I scuff it up, right?
Thanks for all the advice. I'm going to have to read your thread in segments. There's just too much.
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