So I have totally gutted the 39 master..... everyone was saying leave the body on the ch***is and replace all rusted metal (since there is a lot. The problem that I have found is the following: the firewall is fine, inner cowl shot, floor shot, the 2 mounts will need to be replaced and the spider egg sack is already gone. I dont know how to replace the inner and outer cowl sections and see what iff any patch work I need to do to the lower section of the firewall. The only problem is I dont see how I will be able to do this with the car on the ch***is..... I am stumped and in need of some help. Thank you, Robert
Before you replace the firewall, or floor, fix the body mount. Use some 1" thin wall tubing (its cheap) to brace up the interior as if you were going to chop it. While doing the body mounts, make sure your door gaps are perfect before mking them permenant. Once you have the body mounts solid, check door gaps again, tweak as necessary. The make the firewall. Then make the ****** Tunnel. Then make each side lower rocker panel. Then make each floorboard. For the floor panels, get someone with a bead roller to run you some beads (Before you cut them to shape! Or they will be too small) or the panels will "oilcan" when you weld them in. If you DONT do it in small steps, youll easily get overwhelmed, and will give up. It really isnt so bad if you only do one small step at a time. Just a lot of work.
How does the other side look? If it is in decent shape make patterns from that side and transfer them to your bad side. You may end up taking the body of the frame but if its all taken apart that wont be too bad. Just take plenty of measurements. Another way I can think of would be go ahead and make all the pieces and cut all of the bad out and start replacing from the inside to outside. You might could leave it on the frame that way but be careful so that it all lines up again. Measure, measure, measure. Tack weld everything first so you can cut it loose if you need to.
same on the otherside... :0( The biggest problem is the rockers on each side are rusted through and nothing is holding the body in place from the front door jam forward other than the front body mounts.... the driver side forward (not front) body mount is rusted through but the rest are good until I can replace the floor....after I replace the outer, inner cowl, inner and outer rocker and read quater patch panel....on both sides anyone have a good link to bracing? thank you all....
here is a little better pic well a bit further back and the gutted car hereis a link to my progress http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153767
Hey, progress is looking good! Like Dirk 35 said ,don't get overwhelmed by everything at once. Pick little sections and work on them one at a time. Do the bracing first ,then do the structural parts, then the body panels. get all your gaps and fitting done now because it's a drag to have to redo it when you have primer or paint on it. Mine was alot worse than yours, and I had the same overwhelmed feeling. Just small steps, thats the ticket.
Anything would be great... as far as the door gaps ... they are good but need new hinges and a shim or 2 to be perfect .... anyone have a link on how to brace everything? thanks
Get the whole car sandblasted first. Leave the body on the frame and replace sections like the lower cowl, inner cowl brace, etc. one piece at a time. That way it will be easier to keep track that the body isn't flexing. There will be a lot of "unbolt one, prop up, cut, replace, weld, new bolt", but you will eventually work your way all around the car. And your doors will still line up!
PLEASE don't Sandblast it-get it MEDIA blasted. So many cars have been destroyed from sandblasting-it can warp the Metal-
What kind of "media" are you talking about? If you have one that will remove rust, besides sand or blackjack, I'd like to know too.
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