Hi all
Besides my channels, I also need to replace my front firewall. Found that out when I took the body off the pan recently and started poking around. Also, half of the rear cross member (that piece welded to the rear firewall, what the channel is welded to) is rusted out, so will also need to go.
I am thinking of doing it this way and would like to know if that makes sense to you: Bolt the channels onto the frame (first need to do that, btw) and weld the firewall and rear cross members to the channels, making it into a ring. Then place the body onto the pan with this ring mounted to it and weld the body to it. (would I need to worry about the space taken in by the body seal, btw?)
Thinking of doing it this way, because there are just too many planes that could move independently and am afraid that the body/pan/door alignment would not be right if I replaced these things on the body, without regarding where they line up on the pan. The body could actually twist slightly, I think.
Is this the way to go or is there an even better way? It will take me a while to get to this point, but like to think of my moves ahead of time (old nerdy chess habit :)
TIA! Remco