Chassis 85517 Number 17 356 Convertible D

[roy mawbey]

Justin, this repair of a repair, is a tutorial that anyone contemplating buying a 356 should look at. Reading text on how do attempt things is one thing, but when you get so many photos of each stage on an individual section of the car, it makes everything so much clearer. These areas of work you have uncovered should make readers realize, just how deep rust can affect the parts you don't see without, removing a lot of sheet metal.

Many I think can visualize on how the 356 should look when restored but not so many will consider just how many hidden structural rigidity areas are involved and that are subject to moisture over many years not always visible, to the naked eye.

In other words, you know from the experience you have gained, every area that could be suspect. A body restorer of a 356 should in my opinion insist on a fully detailed quotation taking place at cost, before starting work. They should already know the large number of individual area's to be studied and have a points listing to the condition of each area. This will cost the customer maybe a full days work ( only you would know that Justin ) and would need doors etc being removed no doubt.) Then and only then, can a descriptive quotation be arrived at and a realistic offer made.

If work had already taken place some time before, then this would mean the customer would have to be made clear on the condition on what the new restorer can only see from the outside of the repair.

What a job to be in control of but... money well spent to get the correct estimation of cost. Again ... the full listing of all areas and repair requirement before you start, so it will not come back to you and bite you, or the customer!!!

Also a full photographic record on each repair a standard requirement so nothing remains hidden.!

Roy

[JTR70]

That would still be a tough call for me to make accurately Roy as repairs like these always take more time and effort than you think they will. A particular repair scenario will play in your mind a lot nicer and quicker than the reality of it will ever allow. If a shop under quotes a job then you'll probably begin to find corner cutting such as the ones I'm finding here.

[JTR70]

Lower hinge mount install:
Outer closing finally welded up and dressed as best as I could. I left the run of plug welds open in front of the hinge mount for options.
However, once I began fitting it up there I realized they had to be done first to have a clear shot of dressing them down cleanly. All set here; now I can begin fitting this mount back on freely. Have to get the work done in the right order so you don't lock yourself out. Especially in tight spaces.

My trusty angle iron mounted flush to the upper mount gave me the jumping off point. These mounts are stepped in relation to one another so I know it had to go in but I was just looking for square at the mount surfaces and proper distance between these two.
Distance at center was taken from the door side then marked here.
Original seam weld remains also provided a valuable sight marker/referrence point.

[JTR70]

First tack weld attempt. Now for the door.

With no shims in it my initial position held the surface of the door too high in relation to the fender. Had to cut it loose and try again.
The repaired flanges now had to be relaxed to allow it to come in the needed distance. A small trick I learned is to remount the hinge assembly and clamp it tight. This ensures the mount surface stays true and that actual relaxing is at the bends where its needed and not on the weaker mounting face where the bending will unfortunately take place first.
Okay a few more mm's of back spacing and ready for another round of tack welds.
It would take me three tries in total but the third time was actually the charm here. Lower hinge mount all set for final welding. Remounting these can defintiely be a scary proposition which is why I am sure these where cut in half by the previous shop as the remaining half became their referrence point but to fix this area right the entire mount has to come out.

[JTR70]

Lower mount install and welding complete:
Gas welded in as originally.
Along with a continuous seams along the edge of the rear flange.
"mouse hole" eliminated but more importantly this area is now structurally sound.
Once its all sealed and in paint there should be no detectable welding scars on the mount.

Door remounted for another test fit.

[JTR70]

Good initial fit against the quarter panel with plenty of wiggle room for fine adjustments as it goes.
Reestablished a level surface with the fender.
This is with two shims (thicks) installed so I'll have adjustment options here as well once I get back to bodywork on this side. BTW this is how it came to me so this mount is pretty much where it was before I removed it. A single tack weld on top of the mount flange to the left replicates a factory detail versus the wire welded caccoon I cut out of there.

The next step would be fitting the new threshold but before I can do that I have yet another redo. With this spur out in the open I became highly suspect to its actual attachment integrity to the longitudinal. Its buger welded at the top but the remaining flange run approaches at a very steep angle with seemingly little contact surface with panel its mounted to.

Most of the spot welds along this flange also seemed to have burned through the metal at its edges and I'm also seeing daylight where I shouldn't. If I was going to address this now was the time. Jack spur redux next.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Spur removal:

Attachment was much sketchier than I first thought.
With only a few taps with a hammer and some light prying with my putty knife I was able to pry the mid section of the flange away with ease. The spot welds were strictly for show.
Once I cut through the buger welds holding it at the top and bottom it became clear as to why the spot welds had no chance of fusing; the contact surface has to be free of primer if you expect it to weld together. After all I've been through so far with this car the work performed on it still manages to amaze.
The spur itself had integrity issues. Not only was the mount flange too narrow and unseated but the last shop had for whatever the reason ground the surface of it razor thin.

This is repro part so its toast.

[JTR70]

New spur prep:
Easier and much cleaner to begin with a new spur.
Same prep as with all the new ones: cut the snout off even at the weld joint and thin and contour the center flanges.
Ready to locate and mount. The mating flange just has to be adjusted to mount flush with the longitudinal.
Marked the fore and aft placement of 415mm from the lower rear spring plate bolt. I knew it was close but after all I've been through I take nothing for granted.
Door and rocker skin now mocked up with a 3mm lower gap to dial in the snout clearance with the bottom of the rocker.

[JTR70]

right about there...
Set screwed in initial position.
Double checked with another mock up to be sure it didn't move on me before I really commit . Left myself enough wiggle room for any door/ rocker panel adjustments as it progresses.
A little heat and hammering at the turn on these flanges to improve the fit. Continuing to add in more screws to synch it down flush as it went.

[JTR70]

All synched in. Now onto prepping the inside and mounting surface for final mounting.


Added a few hidden seam welds to reinforce the halves at the joint.


Longitudinal mount surface now cleaned to bare metal in prep for welding. Inner surface and spur cavity sealed for added protection.
On for good: Begin plug welding working from the center outward.
By the time I worked my way up to the top some additional heating and shaping was required to get it tuck in tight and flush.

[JTR70]

As got the bottom more heat and hammering needed at this should to get the end to tuck in high and tight.
Welding complete with most of the plug weld heads dressed smooth.

Should be up to the job of being an actual jack point now.
Just have to grind down those remaining heads on the bottom and I'm onto installing the threshold.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin some interesting work you have carried out there. That jack spur and its welded placement was really something to see. I wonder how it would have worked if used to change a wheel had it not been rectified by yourself. I think it would have folded. Nice fitting alignment for the hinges now. That area will look good when painted.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy! Don't know how long it would have held up under the weight of the car with drivetrain installed; Fortunately no one has to find out.
Justin

[JTR70]

Threshold prep:

During the removal of the previous threshold I discovered that the back half of the upper longitudinal flange was not welded!! The previous shops spot welder had fused the upper lip and rocker threshold flange together but missed the back half longitudinal flange during the process so half of this flange was floating free in an envelope of metal. This is the middle of the "frame" so I can't think of a more critical oversight. I don't understand how this could have even happened anyway as these two flanges should always be fully welded before the rocker is introduced but apparently they left this entire run loose until they were ready to weld all three layers at once.
Previous shop had also added a width a metal to the upper lip. Its too wide so as part of the prep I trimmed back the excess.
Plug weld holes added and ready to secure these two properly.



Forward half of their spot welds did fuse but I'm adding a plug weld in between anyway. Besides this run should have twice as many spots than they had.
Back half of the threshold now securely welded together.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

I just don't know what to say about that previous work except to say I am so pleased he asked you to check things out for him. Amazing Justin what some people get up to trying to attempt jobs way beyond their capability. He is a lucky guy you were not frightened off rectifying all these so obvious errors.

Keep smiling if you can.

Roy

[JTR70]

After all I've been through so far Roy nothing surprises me anymore. Wait until you see what I'm up to now. Yet another fresh can of worms. LOL
Justin

[JTR70]

New threshold prep:
back to grinding and cleaning the weld remains of the previous rocker so I can begin fitting the new threshold.
Once I cleared a path the new threshold panel slid in and fit relatively well.
Lots a fine adjusting to come but so far so good.
It soon dawned on me that before I could commit to the threshold panel's final position the rocker skin and door had to be established in their final adjusted position with the rest of the body first.

So it was back to grinding and cleaning the rest of the lock post edge in preparation for that.

[JTR70]

Lock post prep:
As grinding progressed upward I started relief cutting my shapes in to convert this coupe post into an open car version like I did on the left side.

Entire flange free of previous weld and pulled forward to expose the needed secondary stepped relief shoulder.
Previous gap ran tight so I'm cutting it back to create the 3MM+ gap I'm looking for.

Good for starters.
A long road yet to hoe before I have all my gaps, bodylines and transitions off the door dialed in but I'll have it eventually.