Model A job

[idrivejunk]

I feel fortunate. So far during this job, the periods of "what have I gotten myself into" panic don't total more than three minutes.  Frustration and swearing is another matter entirely.

Managed to corral myself before breaking a leg or something by starting today with no pressure thanks to random interventions by friends with plain ol friend words.

Late in the morning, tenderly I aproached the vehicle. Happy and relaxed, I observed the scene and recalled yesterday's final act.

I had run out of time, and had to leave with just clamps on it as you saw. But I saw enough to know that even though I had made room, that door was not going to fit the aperature. That sent me into orbit, zing!

I had wanted to unscrew one screw from the holding plate at the roof / A post so the top right door corner could still overlap.

So I did that. Not enough. Took the plate off and the roof side came up just a little. Heft...



Get outta town! No way! Look, it fits! Mostly. Here, the car is a bubble shape, take a step left.



So. It overlaps at the top, expectedly. But at the front...that top corner... what th'



I had to get out a straightedge and tape and put lines all over the place. But look and you'll see... above the belt, the door's perimeter simply veers to the right. A bendy straightedge following the front or rear door edge (arrow straight on the other door) tells the tale. Factory snafu, probably nothing out of the ordinary. Also, the rear of the door window opening is tilted, the others are not.

Other than these problems around the window frame section of the door, she fits mighty fine in the hole I made. I'll be danged (and I probably will).

Nevertheless, tube rockers and probably pillars plus the quarter contour and dimension matching session will all likely occur. But having identified the conflict and moving forward with it is where I needed to leave off so whew. Forgot a both doors open pic but heres a glance inside to prove both are hinged now.



I know. You would have believed me without that. Old habits...

Everybody enjoy your weekend. Mine has begun!

[idrivejunk]

Drip rails came in, pre-bent and all.  



Very slowly, some hinge area reinforcement is taking shape on the driver's side. Again, I messed with the post and pillar position more but with the quarter loose from the pillar, it "wanted" to stick out at the bottom too much. Still does but barely. I moved the pillar base another 3/4" or so to the outside and that helped with the flow of the panel faces at the gaps.



Thats 16 ga hot roll. Pockets look to be 16 gauge also. In the process of trimming pockets and that thing so it can sandwich the door shell to this length of split 1x3" you see hiding inside the door shell. The short edge is only a half inch or so and it runs alongside the vertical window channel, butted against it inside that corner of the shell.

[kb426]

Does your shop use the yellow tape for everything but painting?

[idrivejunk]

Does your shop use the yellow tape for everything but painting?

Yes, also painting. Its not my shop though, I'm an employee. Drip rails came out of the mailing tube that way.

[idrivejunk]

[idrivejunk]

Door is clamped a little too far shut.

[UGLY OLDS]

WOW :!:  :!:     A new way to use needle nose pliers & a crescent wrench          I gotta remember that   :!:    

Bob..

[idrivejunk]

WOW :!:  :!:     A new way to abuse needle nose pliers & a crescent wrench          I gotta remember that   :!:    

Bob..

Fixed that for ya, Bob.    The key lookin thingy on a Spam can works too. Nothin new under the sun.

Everybody has a bad back... but theres a lift, engine hoist, forklift, chain from ceiling...    

[idrivejunk]

Working on getting the B posts down tightly over a cross member. Took doors off to almost avoid whining while moving the body. It was a hassle getting the cowl bolt holes (4) each shoved out the amount I felt was correct for fit then dealing with the side effects, and I never measured them vs the frame holes. But the fit was right on when the moment of truth arrived so the two front bolts went right in. That first hurdle was a lulu.









These were before lunch-

[idrivejunk]

Bad day, I lost ground and casualties were high. Frustration at maximum. I wore earplugs and that helped for awhile but still ended up throwing two or three things.

[idrivejunk]

Welp... Lovey and Thurston must be marooned on a desert isle... Howells won't call back, 4 days now. Sheetmetal should have been here already.

I kinda went all lions tigers and bears on the car... oh, my!

[idrivejunk]

Would you believe the guy who said the car was too skinny at the bottom says its way too fat now?  :?  

So I'll be going for no overhang of the body out past the top of the aprons next attempt. Boy o boy but I tell you what, thats the squirrel who had the body mount wood hid. Came up mid afternoon and said he wasn't gonna say anything but that its not supposed to hang over the apron.

Got me an idea though    that when I try again with no fixture but also no B pillars and no rear window panel... things will look different.

I have re-submitted my team smart application once again with wood under it, so we'll see how that goes. Looky, I think them pillars was all cocked wrong inside the quarters where I couldn't catch on. Shortening the floor crossmember between B posts will move those sides right in, and since now the cowl sides and doors are tabbed with flush gaps, I should be able to swing the whole body sides together closer having the rear window panel out of the way. That will reduce the bottle necked look from behind and allow the car sides to look vertical from front or behind it. Theres the current theory, anyhow. Be sure to tune in next week for more thrilling conclusions!      :?:  

[Canuck]

Don't know if this would be any help to you, but I will throw it out there anyway.

My body was destined to be closer to stock so these measurements  were helpful.  I know a body manufacturer publishes a drawing of the frame, but I wanted more detail so I took this off a stock frame.

[/img]

[idrivejunk]

Thats good reference material there

I think the rough measurements I arrived at are around 44" wide between B pillar bottoms and 4' at their tops. One thing I suspect is that I'll have a much easier time working this body on the shop floor with no engine in the way. I have a plan of attack in mind for next week and parts will be in Monday according to tracking so perhaps I'll do better than stalemate then. Just screwing on a firewall and roof insert and having door skins and cowl patches will be a different world where I don't have to chase my tail so much. Door latches got drop shipped. I hope to have a clear shot at it early in the week.

[moose]

Matt,
Don't stress yourself too much about the measurements of the Coupe body. remember you are building a modified hotrod. The body mounts on a flat platform so as long as it is close and the doors and trunk lid operate then the battle is won!