Technical Unchannelling a 32 Ford 5 window coupe

Help, anyone in or near Houston,Texas. Anyone to give me some pointers on this task. I have a new subframe and floor bolted on a new rolling chassis. Ready for the task of mounting the body to the subframe. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks m.ralph 713 927-9930 or m.ralph@yahoo.com

 

Bruces Rod Shop out in the Kline area

posted via smoke signals made with a Mexican blanket

 

There are a couple of natural alignment aids: An original firewall and original rear fenders both locate to body and frame and will give you some guideposts as you figure out how the shell is going to attach to the subrails.

 

If your doors and deck lid open and close good now, Tack weld cross bracing on angles to the door frames (Like you were bracing it, to chop it) also tack weld small straps from the doors to the jambs from the inside (And draw a horizontal line with a sharpie through each one) .... Leaving an escape route out of the trunk.

As Bruce mentioned, use a stock firewall with original feet and rear fenders (If you have them) to further stiffen it up and locate everything,... Set aforementioned Deuce 5er on its new frame,.. Ingress through your former escape route .... See what ya got, Make what you have to,.. and start making sparks,... Tacks, then stitches,..(no finish welding yet)

Use a die grinder to cut the tabs from the door jambs to the doors, But leave the tabs in place.... Then cut out the cross bracing.... The lines through the tabs will tell you "If, and where you might be out of alignment..... ( if everything is pretty durn close,... weld her up !)Don't be surprised if you have to do a little shimming,... (That's where the lines and the tabs come in handy),..but this should get you really close.

At least, That's how I did it in the past..... Seemed to work out pretty good.

 

Thanks for the replies. I just ordered an original style firewall to replace the aluminum flat one that came with the coupe. m.ralph

 

How about some photos when you get into doing this??

 

Good idea on posting some photos. There are a few 5w's going together on here and I'm sure sharing your progress will be of great help for others going through the same process. This is where the HAMB really shines, especially when the older guys show the youngsters the ropes.

Frank

 

Reference my thread on my 5w build. I didn't unchannel it but I had to cut away all the old sub rail and replace it with new. All of the advice provided above is sound and just so happens to be what I followed. I may have additional photos that I didn't include in the thread.