SO, I have to decide if I want to try and repair the rear inner aprons in my Eliminator. Both sides have been damaged but the Right side is the worst. The main problem is the nut assemblies for the hood hinges have been mostly ripped out, bending the crap out of the sheet metal where the bolts go.
Id like to hear opinions on fixing the original sheen metal or replacing both pieces with new panels. Additionally, the area that overlaps the shock tower on both sides also need to be replaced.
My “Q” code 70 standard has the nut ripped out on top on both sides. I’ll be watching this to see what people say. Or if I get to this repair before that I’ll post my successes and or failures.
#1) Do nothing and then just use bolts, large washers and nuts to reinstall the hinges.
#2) Do some hammer and dolly work on the existing metal to straighten it out. Then weld in some small patches to resize the holes. Then weld new nuts in place.
#3) Purchase the repair panels, cut out the old panels and then weld in the new panels.
Which way you go will probably depend upon your tool collection and skill level. Or your bank account if you will be paying someone else to do the work. Another factor would be what do you want the finished project to look like. A 100 point correct restoration? A nice driver car? A junkyard refuge?
If it was my car #1 would not even be a consideration. I would being using #2 or #3. Which way I went would depend upon the condition of the original parts, if I was concerned about retaining as much original metal as possible and the extent of the damage.
