So i made the rocker panel from three sheet pieces - so I could handle it better - and weld them together for the best fit. After this I made the holes for spot welding
Then I had to install the brackets for running board. After several test I fixed the right position and weld them with a welding clamp
Most of the threads to mount the running boards are damaged. So I had to drill them out and insert threaded rivets.
Some holes were no longer present or heavily corroded, so I had to replace them or drilling new ones
Finally, after one week work, I could weld the inner Rocker panel. Only to 30% at this time, but next will do the other 70% and then the right site is done - I hope. Stay tuned
You are doing a fine job. Thanks for documenting your work so others can understand the process. Until you have worked through replacing severely damaged body parts, especially with rust damage, you have no idea of the finer steps in the process. Welding is so sensitive to the amount of heat used to keep parts from distorting. You also have to be well aware of what areas are so week from rust that they can not be welded. A lot of patience, imagination, Origami, and refitting to get thinks right.
As seen in some of your pictures (red painted areas) it is important to use a rust sealer under your work to protect as much of the old and new metal as possible.
Your idea of rust prevention after each step is good but I have found that welding the next piece in removes the preventative and also this material can smolder for a long time and then flare up when you least want it to (I destroyed 1 truck that way). Tony
Hello Tony, Yes, you are right with your hint, but after welding I could not go to this place anymore and without protection I did not want to close it. For Security I stay in the Garage after Welding two or three Hours
In October I worked a few more days on the car, but then it was too cold. Now 6 months later the weather is better and the temperatures in the garage are much better for working on the Chevy. Here are some pictures from work. The newest Pictures are on top. Next week I will bring the framework to dry ice blasting. I'm already looking forward to the result. When assessing the frame, I noticed that a mounting point is not identical with the opposite one. Is this correct?
Left Side / First three Pictures - Right Side / Last two Pictures
The right side mounting bracket is correct. It is the same as my '40. It uses the same mounting pad as the left side does. When I replaced my original pads some 20 years ago, the original right and left pads (cushions) were identical to each other.
Now the Frame is painted and i put the Chassis on it for a Test. I´ve bought the Body Mounting Pats from Chevs.
I´ve counted fourteen mounting places on my Frame, but in the set are much more pads. Left you see the needed and on the right side the remaining Pads. Are the rest, because they fit also on other models, or did I forget them somewhere ?
Always exciting to see what you have done and the degree of professionalism you show with each repair. The 4 pads on the right side of your last picture are pads used for mounting the radiator. You are correct that some of the pads are extra and not needed. I did not use all four of the radiator pads. I used only the wider middle pad and used a metal shim with it. The shim I made was in the same shape as the wide rubber pad.
Hi Mike, thank you for the praise. Next week will get back my engine, than i will have a look by mounting the radiator. Another questions about the chassis shims. How will i see if the chassis is on the right level. It's not a lightweight and will press down on the frame anyway, or not? Did not look for this in the manual yet
In the best case senario you didn't have any shims when you removed the body from the frame just the rubber pads were there. If you have not done any body work to the areas were the pads are installed then everything should go back with no problem. You do want to checkout how well the doors align before and after you tighten the body to the frame, and should assume any area where the frame is not pinching the pads should require shimming. I let my body sit on my frame with the pads installed and the bolts in place but not tightened for awhile (a couple of weeks) and did other work. I assume an over night wait is plenty and then tightening everything gradually (same torque) to watch if the door alignment changes. I had replaced the ends of my floor braces on the passenger side and the bottoms of both firewall braces. Only the firewall braces needed extra shimming.
Hi - Yes, I'm still at work on my 1940 Chevy. A Prolonged Illness has set me back in my schedule, but now I'm back. As I said, in June 2017 get back my, again refurbished, Engine. More on this Thread https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/344166/4.html The above described Chassis mounting Test was, to find the right position of the brackets I´ve forgot to weld on the inner panel.
Next I had to remove the complete wiring harness, because the cable sheathing was broken everywhere and the cables had contact with each other. So it is necessary to make a new W.Harness Next Project, was the Firewall, were I have to disconnect the whole foot pedal linkage, to clean it. On the passage from Firewall to Footboard, did some Body sealant and put Owatrol Oil on the sheet, for better Rust prevent. Over this I paint 2-3 layer Ovagrundol
