With appropriate apologies to the members of the list for whom the
following has no relevance...but I thought (after boring Mark Gendron,
a TR-2 afficionado, with my tale of two GT-6s by mistake) that, having
written the message, someone might get benefit (or at least a laugh)
out of my experience.
If any reader is interested in the logical sequel, I'd be happy to
oblige on an individual basis. Also interested in improvements in the
process...I still have a car (GT-6) to do!
PMCQ
73 TR-6
72 GT-6
69 GT-6+ (2)
______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________
Subject: RE: Re[6]: Treating hidden body areas before reassembly, Spi
Author: Mark Gendron <markge@MICROSOFT.com> at smtpgate
Date: 7/25/96 1:22 PM
I wouldn't want to take credit for your work! :-) Here's your message.
-mg
>----------
>From: Peter Mchugh[SMTP:PMCHUGH@mail.hq.faa.gov]
>Sent: Wednesday, July 24, 1996 5:18 PM
>To: Mark Gendron
>Subject: Re[4]: Treating hidden body areas before reassembly, Spi
>
> Ouch!
>
> Where to start???
>
> The most difficult part of my welding project was to get proper
> alignment of the rocker panels and floor panels...that is to say...if
> you stand back from the car and look horizontally at the bottom edge
> of the welded flange of the floor panel, the inner rocker, center
> rocker and the outer rocker panel, the line you see should be
> straight...from behind the front wheel to the front of the rear wheel
> well. By coincidence, the first side I welded up came out perfectly,
> and so I wasn't aware alignment was an issue until I had welded the
> other side, ....and then noticed that I had a bow in the
> aforementioned "straight" line. A lot of time and four letter words
> were expended in removing all the new spot welds....
>
> The really helpful thing about the GT-6 is that most of the welds are
> easil;y accessible with spot weld tongs, and therefore are easily
> done.
>
> Given your explanation of how much you have cut away from your tub I
> am surprised that you haven't noticed flex in the tub...here is how I
> think I would proceed.
>
> Place the tub in as near alignment as possible...flat floor pan,
> straight rocker bottom edge or what ever other method seems to work.
>
> Brace the tub across the top edge of the flange at the bottom of
> the firewall...(Note that you will eventual have to drill out spot
> welds in the flange to separate the floor panel (if you haven't
> already).
>
> Brace the tub from to rear (to stiffen it, prevent twisting or
> bending)...I don't have a useful suggestion in this regard. The
> tunnel will provide some rigidity, but not sufficient for the next
> step.
>
> Raise the tub, level, about three feet off of the floor and jack
> stand in place...I am assuming you have a reasonably level, flat floor
> for this purpose.
>
> Determine what remains of any point around the bottom of the tub
> that provides excellent reference points for the position of the
> various floor/rocker flanges. This is the critical step, because it
> will determine the visual trueness of the car later. The more
> original points you can identify, the better. Once you have identified
> these points, measure and mark their location relative to the floor.
> Use straight edges, levels, etc...but get as accurate as you can.
>
> You will need good quality replacement parts for the floorboards,
> rockers (inner and outer) and particularly for the center rocker. Do
> not be satisfied with poor aftermarket repos...I found (from Motorhead
> and TRF) excellent Rover body panels which fit really well.
>
> I assume that the rear fenders have been removed????
>
> Cut away the old panels and floor boards...but leave most of the
> tunnel intact...I let the new floor boards overlap about one inch of
> the tunnel...and welded a bead along the top and on the other side at
> the bottom. The rear of the floor board will need persuading to fit
> properly transversely across the rear of the passenger compartment.
> Be sure to remove all of the old floor board from the bottom of the
> flange to which you will weld the rear lip of the floor. Be prepared
> to weld around the drag brace support as well, but don't do that until
> last.
>
> With the floor boards in place, fit the center rocker panel and
> fabricate any connecting metal necessary to make a nice, clean,
> non-rusty panel from front to rear. This panel will describe the
> bottom edge to which will be welded the inner and outer rockers, and
> the outer edge floor panel flange, so get it right...what makes this
> tough, is that the center rocker has a number of complex curves and
> bends...if these are not near perfect, they will tend to force the
> floor and rocker panels out of position...leading to a crooked car at
> worst case, and/or an unsightly bowed belly in less egregious work.
> Check and recheck this installation...and check as you weld, by
> measuring to the floor...and by standing back (hopefully with an
> appropriate beverage) and scoping the aesthetics of the
> job...carefully. Better to make corrections as you go than to finish
> and find (as I did) that you aren't pleased with the result. The
> bottom edge must be straight!!!!!!!!!!!! The panel, by the way can be
> tack welded in place with the spot welder...and when finished will
> give an opportunity for several hours of self congratulation and beer
> drinking eye feasting satisfaction, because the car will have begun to
> come together.
>
> This is not a bad place, for a change of pace, to attack the rear
> valance...which demands care in assuring that the new part is properly
> centered...a little off can create a real problem when fenders are
> reinstalled...and errors are really visible from the rear of the car.
>
> Let me stop at this point....for today.
>
> If any of this is helpful, or if I have raised questions...let me
> know. If helpful, I'd be happy to complete the chronology. The next
> installation (no pun intended) will deal with the inner and outer
> rocker panels and the goblins of the hidden welds and pieces. We
> should also speak (respectfully) about rust preventionif you
> wish!
>
>
> By the way...now that I've committed all this to paper...are you doing
> a GT-6? A Spitfire? or a TR-6??? I note you mentioned bolting the
> floorboard and rockers....hmmmm....I'm really interested in how you
> plan to do that???? Far as I know there are no bolts in body of GT-6
> or Spit....and floorboards and rockers on TR-6 are welded......
>
> Cheers!
>
|