Help

[mckenzie]

Advice please I bought a 1969 four door a few weeks ago to strip for parts for one of my split screens, it has a lead free engine, new exhaust, four new tyres and four very good doors, but on close inspection I can not bring myself to break this car as most of the welding has been completed except on the drivers side, the sill has been removed and the last 10 inches or so of the cross member is rotten, the problem is the car seems to have dropped in the middle and the top of the drivers door is almost touching the roof where it meets the door pillar.
Is there any way of jacking the pillar up to straighten sill and floor before welding, I really don’t want to let this car disappear into a pile off parts.

Thanks in advance

Tony

[PSL184]

Tony, simple fix...!
Jack car so that the sill is level and weld the strength back into the floor / sill area. Once that is solid, cut some steel tube or bar to the required legth and force it in to position. Then secure the floor sections to the sill. Body should then hold its own shape. You can buy or hire specialised body repair kits to jack out the door appertures but if the structure is wek anyway you just need to hold the correct shape whilst you weld.

[bmcecosse]

Good on you for trying to save it! Post up some pics!

[mckenzie]

Thanks psl where do I force the bar/tube into position ? I have tried putting the jack under the door pillar to push the pillar back up into place but this just lifted the whole car the inner sill has been repaired and it looks as if it is curving down maybe I need to remove this first? Will try and post some photos over the weekend

Thanks

Tony

[PSL184]

Sounds like it was welded wrong before so you will have to remove the wrong bits to make it right again

[bmcecosse]

Or - jack it up (just a wee bit off the ground) and then get heavy mates to stand in the car - and jump up and down !
But yes - you may have to waeken it slightly if it has been welded up in the wrong shape.