Canuck 1960B T5 Coupe Resto

[Scott B]

[roy mawbey]

Scott,

Oh I know how you feel about the door skin. All this work over the past 2-3 months on the door and the final piece the most important from a visual point of view still has to be done.

You have done so well on the door you will manage it even if you have to resort to lead like me. I will be amazed if you get the complete weld run after tacking without any movement. If I knew now what I didn't know then, I would have taken so much longer a bit at a time stopping and checking all the time. I guess Tom has the same thing to do on the skin?
Hope it goes well for you both.

Roy

[Scott B]

[Scott B]

[John Pierce]

Those suspension housings look great. Remind me, are the T5 seat rails different than the T6 rails? Mine is a T6.

JP

[Scott B]

[John Pierce]

If they are similar to the T6 then you can find how I did it on my build blog here on ABCGT.

[bbspdstr]

Sorry, no.
"Remind me, are the T5 seat rails different than the T6 rails? " Sorry, no.
So, here is a rewind on the seat track mounts on the floor.

T-0 and early T-1 were single studs up from the floor, welded through a large square washer underneath.

Later T-1, T-2 and T-5 were formed shapes with double studs raising up that were spot welded to the floor from above.

T-6 had different formed shapes as mounts but adjustable captive nuts as bolt receivers for the different outer seat rail risers and tracks.

Seat bottom tracks for the early versions were very similar, the big change was for the T-6.

Track mounting on the center tunnels was similar throughout the 356 models with detail differences for the evolving models.

The fitting of it all is basic. Get a seat bottom with no back section. Bare frame or pan is preferred.

Check the tracks (all). Are they straight" Are they damaged? Many on seats have been damaged and ignored. Maybe the seat bottom wood or steel pan is damaged or just OLD...everything is at least 53 years old, whether having lived an easy life or a hard one. ASSUME NOTHING about restoration of ANYTHING as there are no GOOD surprises!

Loosely assemble tracks, outer riser and the mounting pods and place on floor/tunnel.

Get a bolt at each end of each track, center the 'pod' studs or bolts (T-6) after getting a machine screw in each end of the tracks on the tunnel (the constant) and mark the floor and side edge of floor just in from the inner longitudinal (the variable).

Start over with just rails and risers and pods and see where a level should be. If skewed in parallel fore and aft or side-to-side, the seat will NOT slide much if at all.

Obviously, get the level of the car across the thresholds and match that with the seat tracks....(I could tell you stories.....)

Shimming or shortening are the only easy compensations if there is ANY discrepancy of the tracks. The outer tracks are the only 'factory' adjustments, laterally, the inner tracks are the constants on the tunnel and MUST be matched.

Often, a careful measurement will get it "close" but proofing with a seat, best being the one to occupy that 356, is the only sure way to have good seat back-and-forth movement when all is finished.

Beware repro seat tracks. Not exactly the same as originals. Springs, if included in the model's design, are in need of some "relaxing."

The bends to interlock upper and lower side edges are not exactly done as the originals. Metal thickness is different.

In other words, check EVERYTHING closely (both individually and together) and never assume ANYTHING is going to fit or perform as original.

Usually, some 'prewear' is required. Smack the nice new blue springs with a drift or piece of wood and a hammer to lower the arc a bit. A very small round carbide burr can make the track edge interface more "original" and the early rear riser mounts need to be sectioned to accommodate the more shallow draw in the big rear depression of the repro floor...maybe not.

This is why mocking it all up prior to welding more than a tack is actually less time than assuming things will work out later...'cause "everything LOOKS great now." If not gotten correctly the first time, woe be to the 'later.' (That's from the "Ask me how I know" archives.)
Bruce

[Scott B]

Bruce. Thank you for your detailed response. Took your advice and took the seats apart And stripped them down to just the pans. Truly the best way to approach this where everything goes using the rail on the top of the tunnel as the constant as you suggested thank you. In terms of level the new mounts for two are within an 1/8 so a washer shim down the road will work fine. The key as you suggested is the sliding distance side to side. Mounting the whole assembly together was the only way.

[jjeffries]

Nice work, looks really good. The humble MIG plug weld is the unsung hero of our restoration work. Yours are particularly tidy. Best regards, John/CT

[Scott B]

Anyone got pictures for the flanges I am creating or measurements. Going by some bad rusted out remains I cut out with not much to go on.

[John Pierce]

I never went so deep into deconstruction like you're doing so don't have any pictures of that area. Sorry. Are both sides rusted out?

[Red911]

Hi Scott,

Could your flanges be the top of the closing panel? If you have the parts you cut out, you may be able to see how it was placed. I know for a current fact, (I am working on the rear part of the front fenders and the closing panel goes up and disappears near the cowl. Mine was filled with seam sealer, so I just dug it out.

Just my $.02

Tom

[John Pierce]

David Gensler did that area on his Swiss Miss:

https://www.abcgt.com/new-forum/forum/main-forum/356-restoration-projects/503-the-swiss-miss-64-c-126687

HTH.

JP

[Red911]

Thanks John, from David's photos, it seems there is a ledge underneath the closing panel that Scott has a good handle on. I will have to be careful as I dig into my closing panel top.

Tom