Rear Apron - First Try

I just finished welding the H pattern into the new rear apron I bought. Don't look too close cause it's crooked. I'm also not at all happy with the way the apron fits on the car. The aftermarket aprons just aren't rolled as well as the originals. I'm going to start looking for a good used apron I can weld this H into this next week.

Final Grinding

The top is finished! All the welds have been ground off and the pin holes filled in. There will be some additional work to do on the bullet hole still. I will also wind up cutting part of the corner above the windshield on the driver side free and redoing it. But I want to move on to the rear apron first. I'm getting a little worn out on the top at this point.

Final Welding - Part 3

There it is... A '57 rag top. I've wanted one of these since I was 16. It's taken just short of 20 years, but I finally have one.

The welding on the passenger side and the back both turned out very well. I still have a ton of grinding to do, which is the part I have always hated. Once that is done, I will have more than just a few pinholes to go back and fill.

When butt welding 2 pieces like this, if you miss 1 hole moisture can get between the body and the paint. When that happens, the body will rust and the paint will blister up from the under side. The best way I have found to get them all is to use a flashlight from the back side. Make sure to look at the weld from all angles, cause those little buggers will hide from you.