Resurrecting Rabbit: My first Caddy

[QuickV4]

For those who do not know me yet, my name is Jerry, and i'm and American bloke that just got his first Caddy.

I had been looking for a small mini pickup that got good gas mileage, had no options (less things to break!) and was different than your typical mini pickup.
I also love bucking the secular mainstream. For example. many guys here my age look for some truck that is "jacked up" 12 billion inches and has a 4x4 sticker on it, all to go up Walmart's driveway!!


But first I had to sell one of my motorcycles, so up went my V65 Magna up on auction block AKA:FleAbaY No luck, tried craigslist, no luck.
So one day I searched " motorcycle" in the bartering section. Lo and behold, I find a guy wanting to trade his Caddy project for a larger motorcycle. I called him, Dave, he seemed like a straight shooting guy. He is really into aircooled's, and this caddy was just a project.

We talked back and forth, met, thought about it, and last Weekend, this was in my driveway...



It's sure a chick magnet...






The truck is basically solid, no widespread Cancer (Here in Wisconsin, they use ALOT of salt in winter!) But it does have all the typical spots, you name it, it has it. One strut tower is great (drivers), but the passenger's is starting to rot, just another spot to weld a patch in!

That's all for now! Will get pics of latest progress in the next few days! Its been close to 90F outside, so working on it was definitly a cooker, especially after coming home from a sweaty day at work.

[Jon]

rust adds charactor....

[Caddy/intentions]

I like the fronts on the American caddys. What's your plans for truck? If any changes?

[cupra butch]

cool truck mate and i also lyk the front end as well.

[QuickV4]

Did some more work on it today. ALOT of cutting the rusted bits out to fit my new OEM half-pan in.

My welder friend was not open today, so I was not able to get the 3mm plate to rebuild the inner rockers., so I did what I could for now...


Cut out pan


Footwll with remaining pan section...



Revealing inner footwell...



Floor mocked.




I did what I could do for now in this area, so now what else to do, fix some rot on the lower door sill.

Cut out




With a lot of cutting, hammering, tacking, and weldeing, I got that bit just shown all solid. SHot some primer on it to stifle any surface rust from forming, It actually looked like I accomplished something!

[BigMonty]

Looks like another caddy to be rescued, where many would shy away.

[QuickV4]

Got a piece of 3mm plate cut up for the inner rocker. I have welded it in place with my flux core wire welder. Absolutely great, its coming together! Pics to come! My welder and electric angle grinder are invaluable!

[16vsump scraper]

some hard work been done,good luck with the build

[QuickV4]

Thanks mate! Im gonna need a bit o luck, but its all fun!

Here is a concept of what I want to make it look like eventually...

Except for the jet engine LOL!

[stegosaurus!]

where did you get that floor pan?

[thatguy]

looking good so far! its funny how guys in the US love the rounds set up and guys over the pond from us like to see the late westies. i myself prefer the rounds i guess the grass is always greener on the other side.

Ill shut up now.

[Skudrow]

Originally Posted by thatguy

its funny how guys in the US love the rounds set up and guys over the pond from us like to see the late westies. i myself prefer the rounds i guess the grass is always greener on the other side

guess its because it something different to what you/we usually see, like the look of US fronts but prefer the European look.

[QuickV4]

Originally Posted by stegosaurus!

where did you get that floor pan?

I have no idea where it came from, the PO said he got it from a a vw swap meet (auto jumble for the brits) so he does not know its true origins. Its been frustrating, as I can only find an overseas source for the full half-pan. Here in the states I can only find the front footwell section new. Ick


Yeah, its pretty funny we like the other front depending on where we live. Someone should start an exchange service!! JK, the square front is growing on me.

[16vsump scraper]

think it will look cool if you do it like that!

as long as you dont fit the jet engine

[QuickV4]

pics of newly welded inner inner rocker (4" by 50" 3mm thick plate)







Got pretty much all the patches done on the sill, alot of beating with the foward most patch to get it looking nice.

[QuickV4]

Ick, some more rusty bits to fix eventually

A-arm mount, some nice heavy plate will do 'er up good.




The rotted bed.

I actually am planning on making a nice, finished hardwood plank-bed to replace the rotted steel.

One of the dampener mounts is rusted off, but I plan to just make some rectangular tubing crossmembers, and make a new dampener bracket anyways.

[QuickV4]

Did what I could on the inner rocker for today, so I started on mending some other rust/rot holes that were starting.

This one hole was starting to peep through the wheel-well/strut tower/footwell. It started as a 10mm hole, but I kept chopping out the rusty metal until I had this....




It was one of those classic cases where moisture got inbetwwen two panels, and started rusting from the inside out. I cut out what was bad for the most part.

I then hammered the infamous two panel walls together and welded them shut (explaining the weld bead in the pic above). I will then cut out the rest of the material in that square opening out, and weld a single piece of 3mm plate for the patch.

I dont want the friggin thing rusting again!!!


The front part of this inner fender, this is how I want the rust of it, all solid metal WOOT. You might see the patch I welded near the battery tray.

Good rubberized underseal is being used!!!

All for today, ill have to visit my welder friend again to get some more material


I just want to get the driver's side done so I can drive my caddy again, then Ill start working on the passenger's side

[BigMonty]

Originally Posted by BigMonty

Looks like another caddy to be rescued, where many would shy away.

Now I dont mean shy away, I mean most folks would have SHAT themselves at that ammount of tin worm.

CAN U FIX IT ????

[QuickV4]

Originally Posted by BigMonty

Now I dont mean shy away, I mean most folks would have SHAT themselves at that ammount of tin worm.

CAN U FIX IT ????

Ive got a welder and a electric angle grinder, and a inexpensive source for metal stock-- bring it on!

[QuickV4]

No work for me today at my job, so I worked on the Caddy for almost the whole morning and into the afternoon.


I ran out of my .8 kg spool of flux-core wire, so off to the weldor's supply house to get some. Shoved the new roll in and I was off to cut and weld!!



bonnet is up, lets get to work!

Remember that hole I posted above. WIth about 3 hrs prep and trimming, I got the piece of 3mm plate formed and welded in. Blasted it with some underseal, its good!



Inside of the above patch, double welded in the foot-well area...






I got that done, so off to get the inner footwell in fine fettle in preparation for slapping the floor-pan on.

Cut, trim, test, tack, weld..... one side done near the a-arm mount




welded fully to 3mm inner rocker







Next part: Patching the other side of the A-arm mount, and then

Getting the lips around the perimeter of the floor pan area patched and prepped to prepare for welding in the new floor pan!!