Full Convert. door issues

[atlantak-5er]

I was running no doors for the last couple of months. So i bought some doors off of a fellow ck5er and they dont fit! Its not the doors though, it seems as if the windshild frame and firewall have sagged inward. I can push on the driver side of the windshield frame and it will move an inch or so. I was thinking about just welding the top of the windsheild frame to my roll cage to solve the problem. What do you think. Is this ok?

 

[rampage]

It sounds like your rocker boxes are rotten, you might want to check them. Without these supports the firewall/windshield frame will sag inward, just like if you did a full convertible conversion on a halfcab. There are two ways to fix this. One is to rebuild the rocker boxes. The other is to connect the windshield frame to your rollbar, like you already suggested.

 

[beater74]

sure sounds like your boxes are gone. on my 74 there is no play in the wind sheild frame. i wouldn't tie it into the cage with out fixing the problem of your saggy body first. with all that sag and then you take it wheeling and get really twisted up it could be bad news for thw wind sheild. thats my iMLAO /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[shane74]

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with all that sag....you take it wheeling and get really twisted up it could be bad news for the wind sheild.

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And the top!! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif. The P.O. cut out the subfloor (rocker boxes) in my '74 /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif. I have broken the windsheild, top, and, both side windows multiple times /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif You'da thought I would have learned after the first time huh?? /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif I am rebuilding the rocker boxes now out of 1" sq. tube and sheet steel. That should fix the body flex issue some.

FIX THE ROCKER BOXES BEFORE YOU REGRET IT!!!!

 

[atlantak-5er]

How do you fix the rocker boxes? Do you just remove the fenders and go at it or does it require more dissassembly?

 

[atlantak-5er]

Or a better question. Where are the rocker boxes? Are they the boxes that are under the body under the seats?

 

[shane74]

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Where are the rocker boxes? Are they the boxes that are under the body under the seats?

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Yes, those are it. The PO cut mine out /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif I am basically fabricating mine from scratch. I am using 1" sq. tube and 16 ga. sheet steel. Because of the way they did it, I have to weld up a new frame using the sq. tubing, then cover that with the sheet steel. You may be able to get away with some reinforcment. For instance, you may be able to cut out the bottom of the box (don't worry, it's hollow in there), weld a frame up inside of it, and then re-weld the bottom back up. That might work. In my case, a total refab is necessary. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[atlantak-5er]

So ican cut the bootom of the box to see the possible damage w/o making it worse?

 

[shane74]

Well, I won't say absolutely yes on that. Anytime you cut into anything, there is a chance you will cause some damage, or find out you were better off leaving it alone! /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif For the most part though, they are hollow boxes. Once you cut the bottoms out of them (I'd only cut a section just big enough to see whats going on inside there, not the whole bottom) you should be able to see the extent of any floor damage. Also, since the bottoms are flat, you should be able to have new pieces of sheet steel cut to fit with a little over hang so when you weld it back up, you can get good pentration and keep the rocker box solid (IF the only damage is that the bottom of the rocker box is rusting out). I wish that were the case in mine! /forums/images/graemlins/1zhelp.gif

 

[bigjbear]

If your rockers are bad cut them off and you will have access from the side.