Chassis 85517 Number 17 356 Convertible D

[JTR70]

The flange was only fused at the edge below this screw so this detail was replicated. Note the hammer marks along the edge, those where pecked in at the factory so this skin was also a touch too long for the coupe it originally came on as well. Begin filling those plug welds next right after a check of that newly welded up corner edge.
Couldn't be happier than that. Maybe some filing later but not much.

Forward reshaping done; back to plug welding then onto the lower and back edge.
A break from plug welding to crimp the lower flange in tight.
Entire lower run clamped down tight with rear corner welded up like the front. Only three spaced out spot welds secured the lower flange so three plugs went in to replicate that.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

Great effort Justin. I bet you are pleased with the way this door is going!
Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy! I'm just glad to be about finished with all of this, to say that it has been frustrating is an understatement. Justin

[JTR70]

Rebuilding the rear leading edge and setting the rear gap.
Not a large area but a lot of time spent here rebuilding this entire run. Starting with adding in a new flange section through the center.
and welding up the leading edge I had ground though to create the needed 3mm+ gap with the car.
New flange extension add in the center with initial gap set up.

Had to continue adding to the edge both above and below it to get the edge uniform.

The remaining shortfalls were too small for any sort of patch section so all I could do was add weld runs onto the edge.

[JTR70]

Rear edge rebuild complete:
Back taped for my 3MM+ gap then the excess shoulder was ground back. Of course I still had a few low spots here and there that required a second pass of weld.



Didn't get off easy as I had to do the entire edge of this door before it was over.

But eventually got the consistent edge shape I was after. Have to open up that corner but I'll remove from the car side since there is some solder that can go there.
Once its all over and painted this leading edge of the door won't be but a MM or two thicker than it is now; which was also what I'm after.
I'll keep perfecting the gap as the body work phase continues but the basic shape is at least in steel on the door side.

Not out of the woods in through here yet. The gap is done but I've got panel alignment issues and uniformity to deal with now. Especially at the bottom corner. Tackling this next

Thanks for stopping by!
Justin

[Scott B]

Nice work Justin - time consuming but patience pays off. Notice you have the door latch in - do you have the striker plate in as well so the door is pre-fitted sort of a the moment. I have been working on the doors for rough fit but do not install the door latch yet = maybe a good idea before I finish the edging?

[JTR70]

Thanks again Scott! Yes, its all latched and under the added tension of the rubber seal as it goes. Definitely, you'll want all your closing panels in their as close as possible "loaded" position as you finalize their shape. Justin

[JTR70]

door gaps dialed and now onto the next set of problems:
After all the planning and prep by the time I had the skin and frame welded together the damn thing just changed on me. The lower corner was now curved in way too tight.
The entire run just under the door handle was now below fender line.
Wasn't going to be able to correct it by bending the flanges out or by filling it so the frame had to be relief cut and brought back out. Test section tacked in here now widens it the 6mm's I needed back.
Just a touch low now but back on the right track. One more adjustment would do it.
Entire back vertical run now back within striking distance. Pulling the latch out wasn't going to fix this because everything above the door handle would have then been out.

[JTR70]

back filler strips tacked in and now ready for final welding and dressing. One more down...

The last inch of the rear window opening crowded out the glass channel so I to relief cut a few inches more to gradually move it back the needed 2mm's.

I had the top side opening clear but the skins inner flange would not allow enough movement for the length of this stud to clear for both install and removal.
Looked to the other door to see what was done. The someone a long time ago just oblonged the hole to get this all to slip by that inner flange.
Didn't want to do that with this side so I made recessed shape which I'll install in that corner allowing the necessary clearance for install and removal all the while leaving the topside opening width alone.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin, that lower door adjustment had me foxed till you sliced it open and made corrections. The work involved to get that looking so good without even any lead is beyond me. Well done that door was a real job in itself to do let alone all the other work you have done. There must be a lot of 356 cars around you would never want to even start working on or if you did you could spend half your life trying to complete it.

Trouble is, get for example one side done properly and you then have to face the other side! All of this on a car the previous restorer said was ready for paint! The experience gained though on all this body work must be invaluable its certainly opened up my eyes!

Roy

[JTR70]

Hi Roy, I really hated to relief cut that again but once I had gotten the rest of the door align with that lower run now locked in low I was left with only two choices; either use filler to catch it up or cut it free and move it where its now needed. I guess I could have left it misaligned but I don't think that would have gone over well. Thanks again for all the great words Roy!
Justin

[JTR70]

Metal finishing front and rear upper corners:
rear door glass opening modification all stitched back together
Back upper corner now fully finished and ready for a skim of solder.
Moved onto finishing out the welding to the forward upper corner.
Now also in the done column and ready for final solder.
Turned my attention back to the bottom to finish this door out and before the session was over I found myself relief cutting the entire run again to allow the lower edge to come out the needed 5mm for level with the rocker once again. I don't know how it happened but by the time this door was welded back together it just changed on me. Couldn't beat the edge out as it was too far for that to work. No choice, had to add the width back in.

[JTR70]

Only thing that kept me sane was it was giving me the body alignment off the edge of the rocker that I wanted.
Couldnt have the bottom edge of the door thick with filler either.
All set now onto the teadious and unpleasant chore of welding the door frame back up.
Rear all stitched and dressed. ready for final solder.
Now onto back filling this bottom run then I'll finally be done welding on this door.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Door rebuild rodo completed:
Had to take this slow and in small section to keep from getting overwhelmed. Eventually got it all knocked out though.
Entire door skin redo had mercifully come to an end.
Raw door and fitment now ready for final gap and finishing in body solder.
I've done it both ways and I can firmly attest that its much tougher and demanding to build a door/closing panel to an existing body opening versus building the body around an existing closing panel.
Won't need a ton of filler to take it the rest of the way in so all that extra aggravation paid off. Now that its done I'm feeling less stressed about it. I do really like the fact that an old original skin on a dead door has at least gotten a second chance during this process. Body solder next...
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

lead solder:
Surface lead wiped in tinning acid and now ready for the solder.
Decided to apply the solder flat this time for quicker and better formed result. Metal "form" is clamped into the place to created the new baseline gap.
recycled lead now applied and pushed in tightly against the form.
Initial gap with minor divots. Will take it the rest of the way with regular body filler.
Continuing upward.

[JTR70]

Forward edge complete:
Little trickier along the hard turn so I had to map it out in tape so I could set the form accurately while off the car.
Leading edge now fully soldered . Raw gap with the usual divots.
File shaping for the contour and gap.
Close enough; again, will get the rest of the flaws out with regular filler.
Loaded up a bare engine block with 225+ pounds of junk to simulate the eventual engine so I can set my final door gaps to a preloaded chassis.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

Final loose ends of this right side door redo:
Door bottom modification at long last all welded up and dressed. This correction was particularly miserable because its was such a long run. A lot welding but even more grinding and finishing. It was nice to be done with this.
Onto soldering up the rear jamb and edges of this door.
Rear jamb soldered and finished. Will get that last 10% in primer and putty.

Main detail concern is that this leading edge of the door stay crisp and thin when the door is opened.
Back to file shaping the front now.

[JTR70]

Right side door redo complete.
initial top side gap. A little tight in spots but good enough for now.
Heat shrinking a few stubborn high spots in the skin profile. Those Pull-holes from a very old damage repair attempt were among the trouble areas.
Gone about as far as I can in raw metal. I splashed some water on it to give an honest representation as to the condition of the skin. Lots of waves and rollers remain but not heinous. A skim coat of putty will take it the rest of the way.

By contrast a dry matt finished metal surface can certainly give the illusion that the panel is nicer than it really is.
Ready for its first coat of epoxy sealer. A very long and painful chapter but its now in rear view; thankfully.

Justin