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Blue '66 · 05-02-2010, 10:09 PM

Phil, (echo) dude you need to get in here and give us a update!!

fyrffytr1 · 05-02-2010, 10:23 PM

Man, I am just now able to get on this site. Don't know what the problem is. Anyway, I have spent a total of 14 hrs working on the car. I rehung the front sheetmetal and lined up the door gaps. Still need to do some fone tuning but I will leave that up to my bodyman.
Haven't bought anything lately.
I made an error in the hours column and totals last week but when I refigured everything the total came out the same.
Here are the latest.

My Labor @ 399hrs................$7,980.00
Parts ..................................$8,223.03
Outside Labor .......................$6,221.00
Gifts ...................................$1,159.52

Total .................................$23,583 .55

Blue '66 · 05-02-2010, 10:34 PM

I was just able to get on here myself...................

When are going to paint Phil?

fyrffytr1 · 05-02-2010, 11:23 PM

Basically, everything is on hold until my work picks up. I am not going to use any money other than what I make doing trim work for the car.
We may have a few jobs lined up for the near future. If not I may go into the bird cleaning business and move to the gulf!

Blue '66 · 05-03-2010, 08:27 AM

That could be a hazardous job Phil,you could end up with Dish Pan hands!

fyrffytr1 · 05-03-2010, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue '66

That could be a hazardous job Phil,you could end up with Dish Pan hands!

Rather have dishpan hands than angry wife foot in rear!

Blue '66 · 05-03-2010, 04:51 PM

LOL!Yea Phil your wife is a real meanie!

Not!

fyrffytr1 · 05-09-2010, 07:22 PM

Having never put a convertible body back together I am having a few problems getting the gaps correct. The passenger side rear is perfect. But, I have to space the front fender about 3/16" away from the pillar post trim to get a 1/8" gap at the front of the door. THe bottom of the pillar post trim and the lower windshield line up perfectly.
On the driver's side I have a 1'/4" gap at the rear and almost 5/16" at the front with the fender tight against the pillar post trim. All gaps are equal up and down and the gaps at the bottom of the doors are equal front to back.
There was nothing done to the driver's side and the passenger side got a large patch panel from a donor car quarter.
I can pull the driver's side back to give me 3/16" but that opens up the front even more.
I am not sure what else to do.
I didn't actually work on the car this week other than try to figure out what to do. The car was hit on the passenger side. Could this have opened the drivers side up when I loosened the body mounts?

fyrffytr1 · 05-16-2010, 11:36 AM

I am just going to wait until I can take the car back to Norman's shop and let him work on the gaps.
There is not much else to do until I get some work. I may have some starting the first of June. Meanwhile, I have been helping a friend do a job where he is swapping labor for materials to repair his house. At least I am getting a free meal every day!

fyrffytr1 · 05-17-2010, 09:49 PM

I found my problem with my door gaps. I think my frame is bent!! I took some measurements at various points along the frame and found the driver's side is bent down at the rear. I measured the wheels to make sure that they were right. Then I started at the front of the frame and picked a spot to measure down to the floor. I repeated this process on both sides of the frame all the way to the back.
All measurements were alike until I got to the driver's side. Right behind the wheel I got a 1/4" difference and at the back of the frame it was 1/2" lower than the passenger side.
I know the frame was not like this before I took it to the powdercoaters. Could it have been bent by dropping it?
I read on here that tightening the rear control arms in correctly could cause problems. I can't remember if the frame was on jack stands or not when I reinstalled the rear end. I know I am rambling here but at least I know what the problem is. Now, I just have to figure out how to fix it.
The frame can be straightened if need be but, if re-tightening the control arms would help that would be easier.

vamman1 · 05-18-2010, 06:45 AM

I believe I have the same problem Phil.

I have one rear wheel sitting about 3/4 lower than the other side when looking at the fender lip. When I installed my control arms, I did not consider where they were positioned. I am assuming this is the problem HOWEVER when we were completing the repairs on the frame, it was slightly "bent" when laid flat on the floor. We "convinced" it to move to a lay-flat position at the time.

fyrffytr1 · 05-18-2010, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vamman1

I believe I have the same problem Phil.

I have one rear wheel sitting about 3/4 lower than the other side when looking at the fender lip. When I installed my control arms, I did not consider where they were positioned. I am assuming this is the problem HOWEVER when we were completing the repairs on the frame, it was slightly "bent" when laid flat on the floor. We "convinced" it to move to a lay-flat position at the time.

Did it affect the body lines(gaps) at the doors? That is the problem I have. I have added over 1/2" of shims to the rear body mount and that has helped with the gap but will present problems with the rear bumper.
I am going to talk to a couple of local shops that have frame straighteneing machines to get an idea of the cost.

vamman1 · 05-19-2010, 05:54 AM

Spent a lot of time trying to get them to align.

Ended up welded a small strip on the door edges to "make it" fit.

Turned out pretty sweet

fyrffytr1 · 05-19-2010, 08:13 PM

I went by one of the body shops here today. It will cost $250.00 to put the car on the machine. It could run up to $600 to put it back to spec. The owner told me that the frame could have warped from the heat of the powdercoating booth if there was old damage to the it.
I am going to check with another local shop and maybe call some shops in Columbus.

Blue '66 · 05-19-2010, 09:46 PM

Yea I don't think it was the control arms Phil but how do you prove that the powdercoaters did it?

fyrffytr1 · 05-19-2010, 10:28 PM

I am not trying to prove they did it. I am just trying to figure out how it could have happened.
The powdercoating shop has changed hands since they did my frame so the new owner would not be liable anyway.

runninwild · 05-19-2010, 11:03 PM

I have experienced frame problems myself. Just got my frame powdercoated last week. Temperature during process is 400 deg. max. Don't think that is enough to cause significant movement, but the frame IS 43 years old. (mine is '67). Don't think mine had any prior damage but it was under 6ft. of water during Katrina. I have a hardtop and only the convertible frames were boxed, so the siderails are only channeled. I am boxing mine. Perimeter frames are strengthened when joined to the body so the frame by itself will move somewhat. I found all of my fenders and doors were shimmed when I took them apart, so I expect to have to do the same when I get to that, but am taking great care to measure and level the frame as I re-assemble.

Blue '66 · 05-20-2010, 05:25 PM

I think if you tightened up the control arms wrong and really drove the car for months hitting potholes and smoking tires alot,then that would twist the frame.

I think the guy is right about the powdercoaters

Phil,is Norman going to paint your car with the doors and fenders on the car?I have been wanting to ask you that for a while.

fyrffytr1 · 05-20-2010, 08:26 PM

He has already painted the door jams and inner parts of the front fenders so I am guessing he will paint them on the car..

goatmanmitch · 05-20-2010, 08:41 PM

Wow, been following this thread for well over two years now. Keep up the good work Phil, I especially like how well you are keeping track of your time and expenses.

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