1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

[JTR70]

Floor repairs officially completed.
Left pedestals installed. No other attachments or things to add in here.
All cockpit metal work now fully completed..
Now that I was done topside I decided now was time to bite the bullet and finish off the numerous remaining plug-weld heads along the tunnels flange. By this photo I was just under 100 heads left to dress along the left side flange run. As tedious as this all was it was a far more pleasant experience dressing these down smooth out here rather than top side with the tunnel in my way. Just the things you pick up as you go.
A few sessions later I had all the heads leveled and followed up with my panel spotter for the finishing detail.
All metal work and finishing detail on this side of the floor now completed as well. Onto the next deal.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Right side Lateral pedestal mount install complete.
Forward, aft and width dialed in leaving just the slight incline to pair up side to side to ensure a smooth operation. The tunnel is of course set so it is the baseline and dictates what adjustments need to be performed to achieve a match.
Now a match with the tunnel showing the bubble just outside the rear line.
I thought I had it but after this rear mount was tacked it was too inclined in relation to the tunnel so I had to cut it free and rebend that outer flange a few MM's lower so it would stand taller and at level. Above pic shows how much it was short.
Welded up with a smooth seat base operation with mounts synched down tight; All set on this side. Forward pedestal seam welded along its edge as found on my original reference floor.
Repeat the process on the left side.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Forward pedestal prep.
Width and placement of the lateral track is set but the pedestal is shouldered right up against the wall here. All things being equal I now want the studs centered in the flange holes. This neutral position will allow for more potential adjustment options in the event of a fitment issue when actual seats and tracks for this car actually go in for the final time. The flanges will need some trimming to allow for this final adjustment.
Original example shows a much narrower flange for further confirmation. I always thought these pedestals where spot welded onto the floor but no, this example from a late '58 coupe are gas welded on in three runs around the perimeter.
Both flanges marked out for trimming to reduced diameters.
Trimmed and just about ready to mount on for good. I don't entirely trust these pressed in studs so a quick weld was added between the heads to ensure they never get loose. Can you imagine the frustration when this car is all buttoned up and the need to remove the track only to find one of these studs turning free? Won't be an issue now.
Mounting the right pedestal in for good next.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[JTR70]

Lateral seat track mounts. The final additions to this new floor installation capping off this major repair.
To dial in the lateral pedestal position an old seat base with tracks is needed to find the right width, spacing on for those new mounts.
Basic mock up here.
The base slid nicely but the real test will be after the pedestal are tacked and the nuts synched down snug.
Width is set and now dialing the outer fore and aft adjustment so the tracks end up even and square with one another. Metal strap laid at the front edge of the tracks above confirms the needed final position.

More later...
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Appreciate it Roy! These repairs can get involved and at times there is no other way around it. Thanks again Sir! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Very well done Justin. You have the pacience of Jobe my friend. I keep on saying to myself how lucky I am not to have encounted repairs like that. It will be a great car when finished !
Roy

[JTR70]

Finishing out the last of the new floor installation details:

Really got bogged down with that new left closing wall installation and needed a break from it before I go after that last upper flange area correction. Switched gears and finished up the last bits of the floor installation.
Beginning with the pedal mounting bracket. Drilled for the last two remaining holes and its into final position here.
Original reference shows three small seam welds along the edges and its relation with the round embossment relief.
Bracket mounted for the final time and ready to weld. Tips will get a seam weld and the center/corner next to that hole has been ground level for a small weld as originally done. BTW: Its ultimate placement in relation to this floors embossment location could not have turned out better. This has been a problem with other installations I've done.

The pedal location is pretty much set. The three floor studs should end up towards the back of the slots in the pedal frame/housing when the master cylinder flange is drawn tight against the bulkhead wall for ease of removal and installation so its up the manufacture of these new panels to get that rounded relief's placement close. They got it right on this one.

Welding completed and onto the next deal. As you can see I still have several plug weld heads to dress down could not avoid that unpleasantry much longer...

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

Moved onto other aspects of this new wall installation.
Finished up the double row of plug welds along the bottom edge. Still have to come back and level the heads but the intensive leap frogging of set screw to welding for a tight fit was at least completed along this run.
Just about ready to hammer this old flap back over top to finish the new lap joint.
Moved back over to the B-pillar base gusset. Slathering the cavity with sealer so the cap could be installed for the final time.
Cap installed for the last time and plug welding it on here. As you can see aside from the needed modification along the top there was still plenty of other loose ends still to tie to complete this new wall installation. The list was getting shorter though.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy, Will get this final obstacle right in the end; no choice as its 90% installed at this point. Every panel you buy is a "will fit" but this one has been exceptionally challenging to install in one piece as it intersects in so many areas and as the last entry shows it has to "arrive" at just the right angle and height to allow the next layer to seat correctly. It has tried my patience on more than one occasion but its almost there so that spec of light keeps it going. Thanks again Roy!

[roy mawbey]

Oh Justin how true your words are ! You would think a reprom part should just fit or maybe if the suppliers had a problem just advised a procedure. Some people who do not have your experience would be bald by now. Hope it works out Justin,
Roy

[JTR70]

Most of this upper run will have to relief cut to allow the garnish rail to come down and seat correctly in the window opening.
I went through in my mind that maybe I should have installed the panel with a downward angle to accommodate this but no, that would have thrown all the flanges off as it continues on into the engine compartment and the one against the striker post.
The upper panel shoulder should have been installed with a tapered clearance angle as it makes its way to the B-pillar. Another example of how little you can trust these new parts and how often they will create situations that will have you pulling your hair out when it comes time to reassemble the car especially if you don't test fit the additional finishing components as it goes. More to come...
Thanks for looking.

Justin

[JTR70]

I began to notice that as the flange moves forward to the B-pillar it runs "down hill" and gets taller. By contrast the new panel runs evenly across.
My earlier T1 coupe shows the same feature.
Once a garnish rail was added it became clear as to why it tapers wide at the B-pillar.
Rail is allowed to seat flush and even with the window opening.
With no tapered clearance this where the garnish rail is sitting on the new panel.

[JTR70]

Going to leave the sail panel area for now and move onto the pinch flange along the bottom of the quarter window opening.
Excess on the flange trimmed back and in process here of heeling it over the body's edge as it was done originally.
Had my first clear look at the sail panel skin post welding with the body up righted. Some mild deformation from the heat but all very localized and minimal; the best that I could have hoped for. Lost a bit of the old lead in the corner but will add that back in during the bodywork phase.
Pinch flange just about set here.
By this point the entire top run of this new panel was installed and set. Upon further comparison with the other side an overlooked discrepancy began to jump out.

[JTR70]

Left side engine compartment repairs complete.
Final spot weld detail, upper edge fused completed the install in this corner. Some minor clean up but for all intense purposes complete.
Moving to the inside of the fire wall you can the continuation of that new panels excess just needs to be nipped off even.
That excess trimmed and finished. Now onto weld up the rest of this inner sail panel attachment.
This run all welded up with quarter window junction sealed with a gas weld as found. Plug welding completed and dressing the heads level next.
Once a few minor rust repairs to this flange are completed it will be ready to reinstall. Initial fitment along the new closing wall's should is good.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

Closing arch panel installed:
Heavy coat of sealer bushed onto both sides of the cavity. After all the welding is over I'll be able to shoot more sealer into this area for more insurance.
New patch panel mounted in for good. The weld joint area is irregular and a tricky concave shape so I curved some heavy stock to help press both sides into close alignment.
Weld joint all stitched together and dressed as cleanly as I could hope for. The plugs were next and are no brainer so I wanted this joint out of the way first.
Plugs welded and dressed. This new panel is all but in. Adding in some spot weld detail next then trimming and fusing its leading edge at the opening as it was done originally.
Again the firewall junction drain detail was a replication of the opposite side.
Continuing the welding installation of the new closing wall.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

Thanks for looking.