'63 356B T-6 Rebuild

[ukinusa]

Tom I have 2 x oversize pins and associated reamer - yours if you need them as my hinges are pretty much in spec...

Let me know
steve

[bbspdstr]

The common cracking at your door's upper area ahead of the hinge MUST be another design flaw.

It is not just 50+ years of abuse and flexing misaligned hinges, as I have seen those on untouched original doors, 30 or more years ago.

I think the changes in geometry of the body half of the hinges done by shimming is the real stress source.

Here is an original solution from back then, done on a ranch in Wyoming. This restoration did not include the oversized pins seen here:



Yes, there was a typical crack in the door where they usually exist, but I can't say anything about cause, just effect.

A change of heart led the owner of this car since '71 to not let that detail survive as a reminder of the tractor tail lights and other locally sourced replacement parts that were also on this 356, but to make it like it was when new in a showroom, not a barn.

Painted now, my first choice would have been to ream and bush the hinges to use new original pins. I still may try that, carefully, but as the pins are driven out and in, locking the bushings, as thin as they would have to be, is tricky.

My agreed second solution is to machine special pins from rod stock with normal appearing heads but the shank turned to fit the oversized holes, maybe even machine the pins in place now but modify their appearance.

As for the bump-stop gussets, I tend to go one gauge thicker and if THAT bends, it must be a good reason it had to...and I'd rather design a spring stop. I think the bending is from rubber that lost elasticity a few years from new and couldn't give when forced, so the metal did....but hey, it was a cheap solution back when.

Bruce

[John Pierce]

My right door is not as nice as the left door, which is surprising as the rest of the car is MUCH more rusty on the left. These are original doors to the car with correct stampings.



The bottom skin is pretty shot. The front part is indented where a lot of bondo had been added.



The door bottom is pretty much the same. Fortunately a pretty accurate replacement panel is available for the different model year changes. My approach to fixing the door is to initially fix the inner and bottom sections, leaving the door skin in place. This should act as a jig to stabilize the metal from moving and also provide much needed references.



I have to peel back all the overlying metal to get to the door bottom. First is the bump stop.



First layer of metal removed. It's interesting to see how the door was manufactured and where the flanges were placed. The hinge plate itself was sturdy so I didn't want to mess with re-riveting it.



The front area was dented and rusted through needing replacement.



Out with the bad.....to find more bad This front door bottom flange wasn't spot welded, but was just fitted in place.



In with the new. Got to practice my TIG'ing.

Thanks for following.

[DG58INNM]

John, we seem to always be 356 twins. Doing the R door on the Swiss Miss, and making the EXACT same repair. Nice job. I will pay close attention!
DG

[John Pierce]

On to the bottom door panel. I'm glad I'm replacing it as it hid lots of rust.



Before removing anything I made a template to ensure that the indents and bolt holes would be in the correct locations. The replacement panel is very accurate with lots of extra metal.



The bottom of the front and rear edge reinforcement pieces need to be cut back to get to the bottom panel. Mine needed replacement anyhow so no big deal. I used an angle grinder to remove the flanged door skin edge holding the bottom panel in place. This leaves the original bottom edge location for reference. The bottom panel is also held in place with 4 spot welds.



Lots of rust on that turned edge with many holes. It'll need to go.



The metal above the spot welds is solid so I cut above the spot weld line. This area will be hidden beneath the new door bottom flange. Does anyone know what the bottom 25 mm hole is for? It doesn't seem to be used for anything.



Nice new metal in one piece with the center indent. My metal brake wasn't long enough so I had to flange it in a vice.



So much nicer.

Thanks for following.

[merbesfield]

Nice write up. Thanks.

[JTR70]

Great repair work on that door John! Yes, always more cancer lurking in the pinch seams. The 25mm hole at the bottom at least the ones found on my doors are access holes for a socket to get at the bolt on the window frame footing. As for B/C car, maybe? On my very first attempt at repairing the skin on my coupe door I always regret trying to use the entire lower door skin repair section that is offered. I should have kept the joint as close to the very bottom edge as possible to reduce the warpadge that was soon to follow. It never turned out right and I hated it the result so much that I ended up reskinning the door. Live and learn. Keep the great progress coming!
Justin

[John Pierce]

Onwards to the door bottom.



The door bottom is a very nice reproduction. I did have to add the 4 drainage hole and the foremost bolt holes are a bit off. I flanged the front and rear edges to fit inside the door cavity for more strength and more metal to weld to. The original door skin bottom was used as a reference for where to cut the bottom flange and also clamped to so there would be little movement when welding. I started clamping from the center outwards so the metal wouldn't bunch up.



With everything held in position I welded the front and rear continuous welds then spot welded the flange to the inner panel. Fitting the spot welder is a tight fit, but doable. The hole in the flange was reproduced as OEM at 20 mm while the underlying hole in the door panel is 25 mm. Maybe a mistake on Porsche's part, but it is original.



New metal along the rear bottom edge which had rotted through. Also new metal along the inner top flange spot welded in place.

Thanks for following.

[John Pierce]

Finishing up the inner part of the door repair then onto the door skin.



The bump stop was pretty beaten up and thinned due to rust. On to making a template.



Good clean and fresh 18 gauge metal. I can't get the spot welder in this area so I'm going to rosette weld it in place.



I welded in a new 6 mm weld nut then added gussets for more strength, just like the left door.



Lots of strength here now with all the new metal.



Looking nice.



The inner side of the door is complete.

Thanks for following.

[Phil Planck]

Looking good John. Brings back fond memories. Isn't it nice working on a bench/stand?

Phil

[bbspdstr]

"Does anyone know what the bottom 25 mm hole is for? It doesn't seem to be used for anything."

I would have answered "Ask the guys at Karmann" but I think Justin may have a more correct comment......but why then is there not a duplicate hole for the rear window frame's lower bracket?

I haven't heard or read about the holes in a T-6 Karmann floor and what, and why those were punched and then closed. It had to have been some sort of jigging......anyone?

John, please let me say that your work is like someone is paying you very well to do it. It appears that you like doing it, the most important factor for a professional and the most difficult trait to find in a younger potential trainee. As is said, "Good on ya."

-Bruce Baker

[John Pierce]

Thanks guys!!

Before removing the bottom of the door skin I'll make some reference cardboard templates to get the correct top to bottom curvature. In the same vein, I'm taking Bruce's advice to make a jig for the correct front to rear low crown.



The outer jig is made from 0.25" x 1.5" x 48" CRS with the 5 crossmember from 1/2" tubing. I placed the curvature into the metal using the good left door as a template. Then I clamped it to the door skin and welded on the crossmembers.



I also made an inner jig out of the same material, but 36" long, a la Ron Roland.



Clamping the inner and outer jigs should allow no movement of the door skin. Maybe overkill



I also made a 2" strip of copper from a copper pipe to act as a welding backboard and heat sink.



Now to hone my hammer and dolly skills!

Thanks for following.

[ukinusa]

Good idea on that template ... and nice to see all those long clamps ~

[JTR70]

Very cool jigs, Looking forward to seeing how they work out for you!
Like your assortment of vise-clamps too...

[bbspdstr]

"Overkill"? Nah, you throw words around like "low crown" and "CRS"...to me that's Can't Remember Sh*#....not cold rolled steel.

First, that method was seen by me in an article by the late Harvey Smith more than 20 years ago. Seemed like a good idea at the time.....

Prior to that, I flame-welded an inch at a time...excuse me, about 24mm at a time and just did the old hammer-weld technique. Made my own lower section without a brake that gave the nice full return that the repro guys supply now and I buy now (and if only they'd get the rear vertical contour correct...watch that compound curve's subtle change in curvature toward the repair...I just add weld to the edge and file what it needs to be when all else is done).

Once I made "the form" I did not make an inner spread form, just use an old aluminum yardstick as a back-up and MIG-tack the 2 mm gap, lacing it slowly. MIG spots don't stick to aluminum much at all.

If I had enough career left to justify another design, I'd make a pattern from a good door at that height and fabricate lighter dimensional pieces that would not flex...nor need the same clamps that influence the joining of the seam by their weight cantilevering to the lower part of the door.

Again, fabricated light-weight up-and-down members that intersect on the outside and span the inner part and have a few screw clamps on an inner fab'd form on the door's inside to hold it all together.....hey, it's clear at least in MY mind!

Geez, I'd like to think that a degree in Industrial Design would be justified by at least a project like that!

Yes, no matter what...there will be the slapping on a dolly (or a piece of correctly curved truck spring) to finish the surface, frustratingly difficult toward the front due to cramped access. I am lucky...I just ask for help! Doing that alone is very awkward...truck spring held by pieces of board and flooring shims and tape, giving about 75 mm at a time, back and forth, eating up patience and time, but it's doable.

Best of luck,
Bruce