Before welding the rear floor section, the rear crossmember needs attention. There is some corrosion, especially in the outer corner. Though perhaps overkill, I've decide to reinforce the entire piece with a 16 gauge sister*. (Possible rock band name?)

Fit here is critical, so the first step is to create an accurate template. Successively more precise cardboard templates eventually give way to a masonite model, which can be accurately and quickly honed for proper fit.

The major challenge in fabricating this part is recreating the square bump that is raised 1/4" above the rest of the panel. I have a bead roller, but 16 gauge is beyond its capacity. And the bump is critical, other wise the sister will not lay flush. The bump will have to be pounded in manually, using a hammer form. Here the sheet metal is the meat in a masonite & steel sandwich. Opening in top is for beating; unseen recess in lower masonite form defines contour of raised area.

Getting there. Part is out of hammer form for finishing touches. Good psychotherapy, but my arm hurts. Trick is to to beat near the edges where you want the metal to stretch. Chisel shaped punches can be used to define edges. A male form (not shown) is also employed to help define uniform shape.

With crossmember fabricated, rear pan can be welded in. Final fitting taking place here.

And it's in. Rear of driver's floor has unusual shape with a compound curve/ bowl shape inboard, and a simple straight edge that fits beneath the crossmember outboard. (I'd be interested in an explanation for this.) Floor is bent up to form tab to allow the edges of pan to slip around the trailing arm bracket.

Continued... p8 p9 p10 p11 p12 p13 p14

back to part 1

Questions? Comments?

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