['69ragr]

I am seeking some assistance on a problem I have developed. 1969 GTO convertible, I installed a 6 point roll bar, now the door alignment is awfull, the doors seem to be lower now than the rear quarter (it looks like the rear of the car has been pulled up in the middle far back drooping, when lining up the stripes on the side) and that gap has tightened so much it has dissappeared. The roll bar was installed when the car was supports on stands at the axle and on the furthest point at the front of the frame. The rear bars are welded to the part of the frame at the spring towers. I have done some testing and I can get the doors back to normal if I jack the car up were the door meets the rear quarter, the gap opens and they work like they used to. Getting ery discourage and seeking any input what so ever.

Thanks

[x-bird2]

i take it the bar passes through the body to the frame front and rear? it sounds like there's a possibility that when the body was cut to allow the pass through it may have weakened it enough to allow it to sag between the body mounts. Either that, or during the bar install, the frame was distorted into a sagged position by the way it was raised up and the bars are holding it in that position. by putting the stands all the way at the front there's a chance that the car's weight sagged it down.

['69ragr]

Thanks X bird, I will check tonight for an even or constant space between the frame and the body while it is suspended on the jack stands (doors working perfectly) then check the same gap when the car is on the floor (doors bind) to see if the body metal has collapsed any where. If there is a descrepency can I just shim to the proper gap at the location with heavy duty rubber strip 4" by 8" long by whatever thickness I need? Alternatively if the frame is distorted any ideas on howw to fix, do I start by cutting the rollbar tubes, say the back ones first and go from there?

Thanks

[n20ta2]

On all the bars I install I try to level the car on jackstands under the cars own weight.Then I start the welding,it really sounds as if the car was not sitting properly on its suspension.The right wat to fix it would be to cut the bars free and try again. Also where the bars pass through the floor I use a hole saw a little larger then the tubes diameter to drill trough the floor.

[Murf'sDad]

The problem may have come about because of placing the front jack stands under the frame ends rather than the suspension. Plus, your frame mounts may be crapped out and allowed the body and frame to shift when suspended.

Stewart

[turbo69bird]

When I do a car I do it on the lift With out riggers to the frame.

I suspend the car (Frame) with the lft and level the entire body off the rockers. I then Put a jack under the rear of the car and just slightly take the weight off when I weld the out riggers the final time(after dropping the cage and weldng the tops) to the frame, I then weld up the floors to the cage in this same position. Has worked well so far.

Your porblem is solvable so dont freak out Just take a step back and think on it a litlle.

What was done can be redone and repaired 99% of the time.

I never leave full weight on the entire suspension thats just asking for trouble in my opinion.

['69ragr]

Thanks Turbo69bird, a couple of questions, once on the lift what and how do you mean level off the entire body on the rockers/frame? In other words get it so that all the doors are fitting properly or shim the body to the frame? Do I cut just the side diagonal bars and the floor, lift and level and weld back or do I have to cut the back bars (wlded to the frame right beside the spring tower) pain to do again. One comment, the floor at the main hoop and at the front of the diagonal side bars were cut about 8" by 10", the a 6" by 8" approx. plate was formed and then welded all around solidly to the frame itself and then the tube to the top of it, this may explain why the problem?

Thanks,
Deno

[n20ta2]

That doesnt make any sence,the car sits on the suspension at all times.So if you level the car sitting on the suspension the gaps will remain even at rest.And as far as asking for trouble 100 plus cages with no problems installed over the past 10 years seems good to me.Not only that but all my cars leave straight and level at the track.

['69ragr]

Okay n20ta2, how do I fix this. Level the car on its suspension, in other words on its wheels on a level floor, as normal. Cut the front side bars at the frame and the back ones at the rear of the frame, let it all settle and hopefully the doors work. Then reweld all bars to the frame as it sits. Correct me if I am wrong but the hoop bar can stay welded. Let me know I want to do this weekend.

Thanks

[n20ta2]

If it were mine I would cut the bars free from the frame at two points,the fronts are where I would start as thats where the car was on jackstands and see if the gaps correct.If they dont then move back to the next set,than the rear bars if it still isnt correct. after the gaps are corrected I would then set the car on as level a surface as I could find and check it with a 6' level front to back and side to side to be sure it is completly level.If there is a need shim under the tires untill its as close to perfect as you can get it. now clean the frame and bars and re-weld,hopefully you will not need to remove the whole cage from the frame. Im sure you would not have had such a big problem with a hard top but convertibles are a different story.Also be sure the suspension is in good shape and the body bushings are not deteriorated as well.Turbo69birds suggestions may work on a hard top or unibody car but a convertible is very flexible. No offence,to the gentleman but im just speaking from experience.

[n20ta2]

Hoop bar should be fine to leave,you only need to allow the chassis to reset itself.Cut as litle as possible to accomplish this.

['69ragr]

Thanks will give her a go this weekend.

['69ragr]

Thanks for all your ideas, leveled the car, cut the back bars first, the car setlled down and doors opened and rewelded back bars. All is good.
Thanks,
Deno

[n20ta2]

Fantastic! Glad it worked out for you.