Re: This worked well

Posted by Ross On 2018/4/15 20:57:49

Had in a 53 Bermuda Triangle with the all too common sagging tail syndrome: door gaps too wide up near the door handles, and convertible top pulling away at the rear tack strip. This problem is caused by the continental kit hanging waaaay out beyond the rear wheels which with time and shaking causes the frame to droop at the axle kickup.

I had already reshimmed the body to the frame on this car some years ago but had done nothing to forestall a recurrance. Even though the car is rust-free and not used offroad it sagged further.

This time I installed 2" x 1/4" reinforcing steel on the top and bottom of the kickup reaching from the end of the frame's X member to the mounting pad of the rear shackle. I bent the reinforcements to fit a spare frame and then MIG welded them onto the patient. The next-to-last body mounts had to be removed during this process and the holes redrilled afterwards. During the welding I had a support under the continental kit mounting bracket so I could force the frame and body back up into position. The reinforcements are stitch welded on both edges--pretty tricky with the body on the frame.

Results are quite pleasing as the door gaps are parallel now and there is no body shake passing over normal bumps.

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