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Bracing door openings

A1971Blazer

A1971Blazer

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OK I got the factory assembly manual. It's thicker than the Family Bible!

Anyway, it calls for the door opening to be ±.020 for the doors to fit properly. The body is still on the frame and the top is still on but I'm just about finished gutting out the inside.

I made some measurements at several points but was wondering how much bracing I should put in before pulling the body off?

I was planning on a bolt-in brace between the latch striker plate and door hinge mounting hole and perhaps tack welding in another one a few inches
above the rocker in the door opening.

All the rocker stuff and most of the floor will be coming out and I don't want the thing twisting and moving when I cut it all out.
 
I'd suggest triangulating down to the lower hinge (from the striker) as well.

Straight bars are fine, but don't prevent lateral twisting. Maybe run a few diagonals across from one door to the other?

Ultimately, the more the better....the problem is that the best locations will make it a real pain to actually get into those areas to fit up the new metal.

-G
 
Greg thanks for the reply!

That's what I was concerned about.....when I was a kid I loved playing all over the monkey bars.....now that I'm an old man.....not so much.

What about just leaving it on the frame to replace the structural members, then pull it off to do the frame, engine/drivetrain?
I suppose it's a toss up huh?.....not an easy task either way but just trying to make it as painless as possible.

I like the idea of having the body off, and a buddy has a rotisserie he's gonna loan me. Sure would make it easier to get to the underside(where most of the work is needed.

I got delivery from GMC Paul of the rocker boxes, inner and outer rocker panels, and the floor pans and I'm itching to get this project turned from "taking apart" to "putting together":D

I have decided to just concentrate on one thing at a time rather than going crazy buying up stuff that I'm not ready to use yet.
Number one is rust repair/body prep. The rest can come one step at a time.

Last thing(s): I don't see much stuff available for bed floor repair panels, will the short bed pickup stuff work?
 
I would definitely leave it on the frame for the rot repair. The body mounts will help keep things in position pretty well, but they will not prevent the "folding" of the cowl area (either forward or back)..... You definitely need a good doorbar setup to lock the cowl/windshield in place.

-G
 
X2 on Greg's advice. I was surprised at how much mine shifted out of whack without the top on it even though I kept it on the frame. The cowl can tilt back and can also move up and down in relation to the floor which makes the door openings not square anymore.
 
Getting a bunch of measurements recorded right now, even with the rusted out rockers, the door gaps looked pretty good. Next is a trip to the steel yard for some stuff to brace and triangulate.
I'm ready to start cutting out the ugly stuff!
Thanks guys!
 
A1971Blazer said:
Getting a bunch of measurements recorded right now, even with the rusted out rockers, the door gaps looked pretty good. Next is a trip to the steel yard for some stuff to brace and triangulate.
I'm ready to start cutting out the ugly stuff!
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

Would you mind sharing those measurements? My Blazer is a complete rust bucket. When I bought the blazer, the doors and top were off and I believe the front is beginning to sag so I will need to brace it.
 
Chevy2311 said:
Would you mind sharing those measurements? My Blazer is a complete rust bucket. When I bought the blazer, the doors and top were off and I believe the front is beginning to sag so I will need to brace it.
Click to expand...

I haven't had the time to get them all yet but it looks like somebody already has!
I'll get some more soon, I got really busy in my business and it's still friggin cold here, so I may
not get back to it for a few days.
 
A K5 with rust issues? Never happened! :haha:

You'll want to leave it on the frame, install a new set of factory rubber body mounts, align/shim as needed to achieve correct K5 posture.

Believe it or not, from there only one door brace and a ratchet strap from the front frame section to the firewall are all that's needed to keep things in place.

Work one section at a time from the inside out, repeat as needed :waytogo:
 
I did a measurement at the upper door opening.........against the outermost door pillar just below the upper door stop rubber plug................ to the rear most threaded fender hole.
Exactly 41" to the centerline of the hole.....within about 3/32" on the driver side......both sides about equally rotten but whole rocker area is out on that side.
I know I'm slow but, I'm old.....and besides........ hey I gotta insure that someone gets a free ride...right? That's all the politics I'll discuss....(enough said) I was thinking how nice it would be to get to work on more of my own stuff more of the time!

Door1.JPG

Door2.JPG

I'm making a run to the steel yard tomorrow for a shop job and to get some stuff to play with. Since my buddy has that rotisserie he's gonna lend me...
I want to get it off the frame.....too hard for an old man to work on with it on.....:D

Door2.JPG

Door1.JPG
 
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A small bit of all thread and a turnbuckle-type adjuster could prove useful too in your door braces. If things get tight, you can expand the adjuster to spread to opening slightly. Or use it to pull things inward if the cowl is pushing away from you.

Just a tip to use (or not use) as things progress....


-G
 
Greg72 said:
A small bit of all thread and a turnbuckle-type adjuster could prove useful too in your door braces. If things get tight, you can expand the adjuster to spread to opening slightly. Or use it to pull things inward if the cowl is pushing away from you.

Just a tip to use (or not use) as things progress....


-G
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact I actually bought a couple of turnbuckles last night for that very idea! (brilliant minds think alike :waytogo:)
Being a machinist for 40 years has given me a tendency to go overkill on everything I build. So I plan on some serious (and adjustable) bracing.
It's gonna take a few days to get it ready and looking at the entire project is almost overwhelming, but again......one thing at a time. I want to get the structural stuff done so I can get it to the body shop in a few weeks, then I can get started on the FUN stuff!
 
vtblazer said:
A K5 with rust issues? Never happened! :haha:

You'll want to leave it on the frame, install a new set of factory rubber body mounts, align/shim as needed to achieve correct K5 posture.
Click to expand...

VTBLAZER- why rubber mounts? I thought poly was the superior mounts.

A1971blazer- I really appreciate the measurements.

Greg- that's a awesome idea using the all thread and turnbuckle!
 
Chevy2311 said:
VTBLAZER- why rubber mounts? I thought poly was the superior mounts.

A1971blazer- I really appreciate the measurements.

Greg- that's a awesome idea using the all thread and turnbuckle!
Click to expand...


For a stock restoration rubber mounts will be a more comfortable ride and don't squeak like the poly ones can.


-G
 
Greg72 said:
For a stock restoration rubber mounts will be a more comfortable ride and don't squeak like the poly ones can.


-G
Click to expand...

Thank you Greg! It's not going to be stock, but not going full on rock crawler either. More of a DD/weekend wheeler.
 
Made a run to the steel yard finally.......had to put some tie-down rings on my flat bed first.......PITA without them

photo 19.JPG



Blazer is living in the barn so I could only get part way in......

photo 15.JPG


All the pipe is for a customers job 105 feet but I got some 2" channel, ¼ x 4" flat bar, and some 1¼" square tubing for me!


photo 22.JPG

photo 23.JPG



I hope to have it all braced and off the frame onto the rotisserie this week?

photo 15.JPG

photo 19.JPG

photo 31.JPG

photo 22.JPG

photo 23.JPG
 
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A1971Blazer said:
All the pipe is for a customers job 105 feet but I got some 2" channel, ¼ x 4" flat bar, and some 1¼" square tubing for me!
Click to expand...

I looked at the pictures first, then read your comment. I was wondering how you were going to fit all that pipe in your Blazer.
 
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