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Body work question

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by DanStew, Apr 11, 2016.

  1. Apr 11, 2016
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I have the body on the rotisserie and i am going to start cutting out the floors and the step up section in the middle between floors and rear tub. It looks like i will cut out the step up section first and install it, then do the front floors. With the center section removed how much is that going to take out of the body stability wise while it is in the jig. Where do you brace the body, lengthwise or side to side? Doe anyone have some pics of their bracing before cutting out the body? Or will i be fine if i just remove the center first, reweld and then do one floor at a time to keep rigidity .
     
  2. Apr 12, 2016
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Hi Dan - Since no one better informed has replied ...

    If It were for me, I'd go ahead and get a couple of sticks of 1"x1" square tubing and brace the tub. You can use the tubing for projects later or whatever. That seems to be the standard approach of the hot rod guys. Either that, or I'd measure the diagonal dimensions of the tub very carefully and make sure the measurements are not changed before I started welding.

    I'd also be reluctant to do this on the rotisserie. I'd expect that the tub would stay square a lot better if it were sitting flat and upside-down on the floor. You could tack it up so that it won't move, and then put it back onto the rotisserie to finish up.

    No experience with this ... just my thoughts.
     
  3. Apr 12, 2016
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    I laid a couple of straight pieces of tube down the sides & ran some strings diagonally underneath to check on twist when I put Tonk back together. Really as long as the back floor is in place you shouldn't have any major issues.

    H.
     
  4. Apr 12, 2016
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    I would agree partially with what Tim stated above..............bracing along the side rails and in the door opening is what I found to work best , but everyone's project will be different and require different methods..........along with as Tim mentioned taking measurements everywhere including front to back and side to side. and don't be surprised when you find out both sides are a little different.............Mine was a conversion from a CJ5 to a CJ6 so the length issue in regards to bracing was always an issue........... although I did some work on the flat..........the rotisserie proved invaluable both on the demo side and the restoration side..............It's a moving target as to what will best suit you in the particular area your working in. Mine was on and off the Rotisserie several times and still yet has a date with it again sometime soon.

    Take a look at my Build there are plenty of pictures: Making my CJ-5 into a CJ-6 / II

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Apr 12, 2016
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Ok,
    After almost 70 years things are not now precisely in the place they should be on your body. When you try and weld in new stuff its going to make other parts have to move a bit. It will be difficult to make sure everything is where you want it to be while on the rotisserie. Its still the best way to do it. This last time I did mine, I used my frame to put everything where I wanted it to be. The time before I used a rotisserie.

    Regardless of the method, you're going to have to weld in cross bracing and longitudinal supports to keep the sides from collapsing in on themselves once you cut out the floors and riser and bed. I would do it all at the same time too. Cut it all out, clean up the inside of the sides where you're spot welds are cut out, get it bright and shiny and spot weld back in. Guaranteed you will need to push out or pull in and both is a good possibility.

    As Tim suggested, 1" square tube for bracing is perfect. Measure 27 thousand times, tack it, measure 27 thousand more times, think about it, set it back on the frame, make sure its right, think about it, then finish weld it.

    Cut out ALL the suspect rusty parts now. Even if you wind up with the sides separate from the cowl. Seriously, cut out every piece of ugly you can now. It will make everything easier later. Don't be scared to have nothing but sides, cowl and corners laying on the floor. You will end up making a much better end result. You're going almost that far now anyway.

    Make sure your wheel houses are square to the floor and parallel to each other. Make sure you dont also weld in a twist corner to corner. This all be hard to deal with if done exclusively on the rotisserie. Make a fixture so that you can take it off the rotisserie and onto a flat surface to check for twist. Once you weld that in your SOL. unless you cut it all apart. Your frame could work for that if you know is not twisted. You might want to set it back on the frame to check for body mount positioning anyway.

    These are things that I have had to deal with from my own work. You have seen what i have had to do to fix it.

    Good luck
     
  6. Apr 12, 2016
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    And for bracing...........I find that sheet metal screws work much better than tack welding the bracing in place.............much easier to adjust and it's just another 1/8" hole that has to be filled later as opposed to cutting loose the welds and then finishing the area.

    Sheet metal screws or Cleco's also work best to hold your panels in place during the fitting stage.
     
  7. Apr 12, 2016
    47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Clecos work very well for fit up for panels. I bought mine and the plier on amazon for a reasonable price. In addition to sheet metal screws, where I had to really pull parts together because of a myriad of reasons, used 1/4-20 bolts. Drill, drill through hole, tap bottom part, screw in and tighten. Sometimes its the only way to make it fit. Takes some time for sure .
     
  8. Apr 12, 2016
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Thanks for the tips guys. I should have enough scrap stock to brace it.

    Even with a little twist to the body i would expect the body to straighten back out when bolted to the frame.. but within reason of the body twist. :)
     
  9. Apr 12, 2016
    sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2022 Sponsor

    exploring the...
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    the factory spec was + or - like a 1/2 inch so anything you do will be better.
     
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