backmarker

No I didn't have a tube frame to clamp everything too. I do have angle plate welded in the door openings to keep them from moving. Hope I will not be in for any bad surprises later.

New torque box welded in. Also taking advantage of the floor being out to fit the sub-frame connector.

Needed to modify the torque box to fit the frame. The top had to be extended to reach the frame rail. I cut the parking brake tube off the old box and welded it on the new box.

Fabricated a patch piece for the front frame section. Bought a replacement frame rail and cut off the front 12" and attached it to the old frame.

Decided to replace torque box on the drivers side. Found more rot behind the torque box in the frame rails.

Not sure why previous pics don't come up. Here are pics of rocker before and after.

Slit the butt welds then clamped to the outer rocker. This straightened things out. Decided to replace torque box instead of patching. Pic of new torque box.

I made it look worse by taking pic from end. I can't confirm but I think it got worse when it experienced the bitter cold of my garage. I will take more pics after I weld it.

Been working on inner rocker panel. Cut the rocker to length leaving material for tabs. Didn't turnout to bad for just having a crescent wrench and a hammer. Like others have said in this forum the panel was crooked. Looks like it pulled in at the seem welds. My plan is to cut these seem welds and leave the rest welded. Then weld the outer rocker to the inner which should straighten everything back out. Then go back and re-weld the seems. The inner rock was missing the extra strip of material on top near the front. So I extended it about an inch.

Been working on inner rocker panel. Cut the rocker to length leaving material for tabs. Didn't turnout to bad for just having a crescent wrench and a hammer. Like others have said in this forum the panel was crooked. Looks like it pulled in at the seem welds. My plan is to cut these seem welds and leave the rest welded. Then weld the outer rocker to the inner which should straighten everything back out. Then go back and re-weld the seems. The inner rock was missing the extra strip of material on top near the front. So I extended it about an inch.

Finished drilling out all of the rocker panel spot welds to save the outer rocker. Was surprised to find most of the outer rocker still had the original galvanized steel showing on the inside. New inner rocker setting on left. Already know that it is longer for use on 71. Plan to cut it to length leaving tabs to bend over for attaching to the torque box.

Cut the rocker panel out. Since I left the torque box on, I had to cut the side cowl off to get at some of the upper spot welds.

Cut out part of the inner rocker and found more issues. I plan to go ahead and remove the entire rocker panel already have complete new inner rocker. First need to add more bracing and maybe lift car up higher.

I am currently using the 175 Mig welder from Eastwood. Even though the 110V welders can handle most of the welds we do on bodies, I just feel the extra voltage puts more horsepower behind the weld. I did have to use the Eastwood warrantee when the first welders wire feeder quit. Eastwood does complete replacement without hassle for the first 3 years.

Finished inner apron today. Now to focus on Inner Rocker repair