I have just started restoring a 1957 4 door. The front and back floors, sills, boxing plates and cross member need replacing.
The main question is, what is the best order to carry this out or is it best to weld a frame between the A B & C posts and across the car and cut the lot out in one. The front door hinge area is solid the B post is solid the c post has gone at the bottom. I good nick relay for the year. i was considering using the full length floors with step included. The car is on a rollover jig. Any help would be gratefully received
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If the car is on a rollover jig that mounts to the bumper mountings front and rear I'd brace the shell front to rear and across diagonally both ways. I know the rollover jigs are fantastic but they do stress the shell I feel more when rotated sideways or upside down.
The way I did mine using full length floor panels was to cut out the floor and weld in the new one before I turned the car on its side to do the sill work, this gave it additional strength and means you can keep checking how well the doors open and close while the main strength is out of the car. Have a look at Steveys restoration from about page 5 is the body work.
Thanks very much guys. I think I will go belt and braces (literally)and put the support in. Steveys restoration is brilliant I have looked through loads of it and found it very useful. I suppose now is the time to start documenting my job on here
Great restos, feeling inspired......I think for a 57 mine is quite a solid basis. Have started with front NS inner wing and chassis rail.[frame][/frame]
Made my first weld of many today.....not too bad I suppose [frame][/frame]
I scraped and chipped off the very effective 1950s under seal to reveal to my surprise quite a lot of shiny black paint. Then applied strong paint stripper and washed off. I wire brushed the whole ares then applied Bilt Hamber Deox gel (amazing stuff) to the rusty bits. Then scoured with an aluminium scourer. A bit time consuming but worth it I hope
Bilt Hamber is good stuff, Ive used there spray cavity wax a few times and Im pretty impressed with the way it goes on and spreads nicely and because it comes in a big aerosol its not nearly so messy to apply as waxoil.
