Best practice in body rebuild

[Mjp83]

Hi,
I am finishing up my ‘52 M38 rolling chassis and am preparing to work on the body over the winter.
I have new side panels and a new full front floor section. I have watched a few videos and browsed over a few build threads on this topic, however what is the best approach to replacing the side panels and floor. I suspect there is an order?
I have a steel rolling cart and plan on mounting the body to this, but that won’t really hold the cowl in place once the floor is removed.
Maybe start by removing and replacing a side at a time and then removing the floor and welding new back? When should the new tool box go in? I know there are some tricks to getting good welds in.

Thanks!

[ocwd]

Maybe replace the floor first then make sure the body and frame mate correctly before working on the sides? That's how I did mine. I didn't replace the entire floor though, just the two floor pans.

Dave

[4x4M38]

I’d weld temporary braces across the sides just behind the dash and just above/behind the floor sections, to keep the body from flexing in or out.

I’ve struggled with pulling the hat channels then replacing the floor, or leave the hats tied to the front cowl and rear to help give you some location points and help the body from getting out of square.

Several folks here have done exactly what you are planning. Hopefully they will drop in.

[CoastieReid]

I'm sure you saw my build. I had Swiss cheese for floor and the lower sides. I welded braces on the top of the sides to square it, then got to cutting. I put the rear floor in place on the frame to line up the mounts, and placed the carcass on the frame and started lining it up that way.


Every build is different, if I were doing yours by the way I envision I would do the same thing and get the floors installed then do one side panel at a time.

I assume you are replacing the entire side panel and not patching like I did.

[Mjp83]

Thanks for the replies, I have been looking through build threads, and remember one member built a wooden stand to hold the tub square.

I will weld square tubing across the sides, and replace the floor first, then peel back one side at a time and weld it in.

April, I have read through your build of Salty, you did some in-depth rebuilding! Thank you for documenting your journey.

[rgmutchler]

When I rebuilt my body I made a rotisserie and attached the frame to it and then used it as a jig to align parts as I replaced the floorboard and firewall with an NOS panel and then both lower cowls etc. Using the frame as a jig allowed me to clamp the new parts on then clamp the rest of the body together before I started welding. My album location is in my signature block, there are some pictures there.

[Mjp83]

Well, things did not go as planned. My tub really should have been scrapped, but now that I already have a good bit of replacement panels, we will move on with the rebuild.
My son and I removed the front full floor section just to find extended rot at the cowl supports, rear floor riser, rear floor, etc…
So I am cutting the tub apart, ordering more panels and sending off the good pieces to get sand blasted, (well, what is left, cowl and rear fenders!).
I have measured the body and will mock up the tub with new bits on the frame with the fenders in place and hope to tack it together. There is one particular fellow who rebuilt a CJ3a with a great website with lots of info.
Was looking for body measurements on the MJeeps site, but after browsing through Wes’s photo Album I realized the yellow markings in his pictures are denoting factory mounts and bolt holes.
If there are “standard” measurements out there, please point me in the right direction.
Thanks!

[jake138]

Even though I'm sure you already know this I'm going to say it anyways, make sure you take plenty of pictures! Once you start some deep cuts, you will surprise yourself how helpful that right picture might end up becoming.

If you haven't started a Jeep Project thread yet, you should start cataloging your progress there. I find that making posts about my build helps me keep focus, and occasionally I like to go back through my own posts to remind myself how much I've done and to find some motivation when I need it.

If you need a members photo album to upload your pictures, you can make a request in the Member Album request section.

[Mjp83]

Yes Jake,

I am taking pictures holding my measure tape up lined up with easy recognizable reference points (flat parts of the tub). A note pad with drawings is also next to me writing everything down. My dash is about 3/16" off from the rear or the tub, and I think as long as the fenders line up well, all else will fall into place.
I have Ryan M's reference book as well as a bunch of the manuals loaded down, and think it will be slow but doable.
Yesterday I was able to separate the cowl section from the floor as well as the driver side 1/4 panel. I did not use a spot well drill bit, but rather a 5/16's bit which worked just as well. I am surprised how easy it was to take off the old sheetmetal cleanly, and very glad I did, as I had a good bit of rust behind all braces! Off to the sandblaster, then epoxy and the slow rebuild will begin!

[Ryan_Miller]

Take measurements on multiple angles to different panels. Jigs or 1 inch square tubing welded to certain sections while the other supporting sections are removed/replaced is not a bad idea.

I use klico's or sheet metal screws to put the body together and then recheck my measurements and or install the top bows and remeasure everything.

You don't have doors and trunk lids, windows, etc to worry about lining up so it can be easier to accomplish.

However you need the top and the canvas doors to line up when installed.

It is not super complicated but taking measurements and tack welding 1 inch tubing to certain areas to insure stability is not a bad idea.