I have started doing the body and paint work on my buddy Tom's REPU (rotary engine pick up). Here's a couple of links to the project on AzRx7.com

http://azrx7.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=5829&hl=

http://azrx7.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=5830&hl=

 

Brian,
Any specifics you can provide on the RX-2 Suspension setup?
Sorry for the thread hijach
John

 

trucks need lots of mirrors!

 

Looking good... Two question though. Is the lead harder than the bondo and can you put your finger nail in it and dent it?

 

Nice work.
I feel your pain, just now painting my REPU after 2 1/2 years of prep. Most of my rust damamge was hiding under the windshield rubber. Hey maybe you can help with my reasssembly...on the vent window frame on the outside, there are 4 holes. The lower two (bigger) are for the vent window bracket, but what are the upper (smaller) holes for?

 

Hooray, we are over half way done with painting my REPU! Its going to be looking nice for the first time ever at sevenstock.

 

Well, first off, the front end alignment is severely out of wack because, undisclosed to me at the time of purchase, the frame was rusted through when I bought the car. I welded it together in an ugly, and inaccurate, but bomb proof fashion.

Also, the car was built in 1986... ish by someone other than myself, so I'm ot sure on all the specifics.

Ok, the strut towers have been redrilled so that there are 3 positions. I have not measured how many degrees of negative camber the 2 non-stock positions yield. The lower controll arm has eccentric mounts too, so camber can be dialed in more that way. The front, and only sway bar has spacers between it and the frame. I think that this is to keep caster more consistant throughout the wheel's travel since the sway bar doubles as a radius arm. It may have a slight effect on how "stiff the sway bar is too. I'm not sure on that one thogh. The springs have been cut, and the shocks are revalved konis.

The rear end has no sway bar, cut springs, revalved konis and a panhard rod. The panhard may be stock on an Rx2, I don't know. The lower controll arms have been shortened by questonable means. I'm not sure why.

Uh, I think that it is probably harder than the bondo, but not by much if it is. It is probably possible to leave a finger nail mark in it if you have really hard fingernails... and really thick nail polish The reason that it is used instead of bondo is that it does not absorb moisture like bondo does. Bondo will absorb moisture, and hold it against the sheet metal. This serves to accelerate the corrosion process. This might be the reason for the hole getting as big as it did in the first place.

Sorry, I'm not sure how the window mounts. I'll try and take a look this weekend.

 

I agree. My repu had sever small holes like that as well and I did not want to use bondo to fill them either. I ended up welding all my holes closed then was able to grid them down. This way if it sells or not it will look good longer than bondo would ever allow it.
Looks good, and I feel your pain. Mine is done with welding and is getting some touch up paint this week.
Chad

 

Cool, welding works too. The only trouble you run into with a welder is that steel melts an a pretty high temp compared to lead, or even brass. The excess heat tends to warp the metal that you're trying to get straight. Only the big boys really get stuff that straight though. When we knuckel draggers are working on our odd little rotary cars, we're generally not so concerned about making the car quite that straight. In fact, most of us will just put bondo on the hole

Any way, It's done as of 6 pm last night! Ok, well, we still have to shoot the tail gate and take care of a couple of mistakes that I made, but for the most part, it's done Here's a vid of it hittin' the street again.



Tom, the owner, has more pics too.

 

That is why you just tack weld around the hole untill you finally fill it. If it seems to be getting hot, take a break and let cool. After you make a circle around it and finally fill it then just hit it with a grinder. Also those older repu tend to have a thick bit of metal. After welding you do have to apply a small bit of spot putty and then sand.

Post more pics and congrats on spending the time to do it right.
Here is mine after welding the holes shut.

 

Got some pics from start to finish
http://bud.homeunix.net:8000/imgs/REPU_paint/index.html
Well, not quite finish but getting close. Just a bit more trim and the tailgate to go.

 

Nice, nice work!

You're lucky to have a relatively straight tailgate. My bed/tailgate was so beat up I'm convinced the previous owners hauled bowling ***** for a living.
Question; did you keep the stock fuse block in the engine compartment?

 

yeah, its still the stock fuse block... In all its nasty glory.

 

Your sig, is it drifting or autoX?

 

Yep, you're right, that works great. Iguess it just depends on what tools you have to work with. If you have a welder, then tack weld it. If you only have a propane torch, then do the tin can and solder method. If you have what it takes to braze.... you get the idea.

It's auto x. The smoke is not from my tires