Craig "Living life in the SLOW lane" Come, Bleed or Blister something has got to give!!! '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting) '58 Viking 4400, 235, 4 Speed (Thor)
Yikes! I don’t see any bracing on the body. Did you cut out the floor without bracing the body first? If so you set yourself for a nightmare piecing it back together and getting everything to fit properly.
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
What Phil said about bracing. Your best approach would be to hang the doors back on and align them with proper gaps front, back, and top (or beltline matched), then install some bracing to hold that position. It'll be much harder to do, but, like Phil said, if you get it wrong, depending on the floor patch panel for location, you'll be up a creek when it comes to refitting the doors. If there's a Factory Assembly Manual for your year, you MAY be able to use weld checking dimensions from that, but the original doors would be a better approach.
Please take a step back and do some bracing.
Good Luck.
Kevin Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. First car '29 Ford Special Coupe Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Hey thanks. The dash is supported. Thats all thats there. I have to get the floor in before I can put in the pillars. Front clip is off. That`ll be all brand new.
BD
1958 3100 Apache Step side 1/2 ton 327 engine 1958 3100 Apache Panel 1/2 ton 235 engine 1959 3100 Apache Panel 1/2 ton 327 engine In Project Journals
Housekeeping (Moderator) Making a Stovebolt Bed & Paint and Body Shop Forums
I see that the dash is blocked up, but you don't have anything that I can see that would prevent the bottom of the door opening from spreading or shrinking. That's the critical part. You really need bracing to hold the cab in the correct position front to back at the bottom of the door and also something to prevent the door opening from becoming distorted diagonally. It should look like this: [] and not like this: // It really doesn't take much to get too far off for the doors to fit. Are you saying the lower hinges are not there? The front clip is a totally different thing. If you don't have one of these [classicparts.com] you definitely should order one. That link isn't the only source.
Kevin Newest Project - 51 Chevy 3100 work truck. Photos [flickr.com] #2 - '29 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. First car '29 Ford Special Coupe Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I replaced the entire front steel floor section on my suburban - with minimal bracing at first. I put the doors back on - and used a couple ratchet straps to get the gaps close and then welded a couple braces. All of this after the fact of cutting out the old floor...and wish I knew that beforehand. Just like woodworking nothing is fatal except a good fire - but there are some things to prep and think ahead of time to prevent a lot of work later. So - rehang the doors - check the gaps, make sure it is latched - use what you have to push, pull, adjust, and get them close and brace it - then do the same on the other side.
I give you a lot of credit - what you're doing isnt' for the faint of heart - but do-able. The trick is to think three steps ahead.
I`ll be the first to admit I don`t know what I am doing. I have exhausted all hopes of finding anyone that can do the work. Nobody wants to and I don`t want to beg. So, I'll try myself. I have enough money and time. We`ll see. I`ll either end up with something decent or a pile of junk. I have no other avenues.
BD
1958 3100 Apache Step side 1/2 ton 327 engine 1958 3100 Apache Panel 1/2 ton 235 engine 1959 3100 Apache Panel 1/2 ton 327 engine In Project Journals
