Listers:
In what is hopefully the last 'structurally' related chore in the restoration
of my live axle 65 4A, I am replacing the inner sill on the driver's side
(left hand). What was there before was perhaps 30" of the original in the
middle (under the 'A' post and extending back and forth). Both the front
section to the firewall and the back section to the 'B' post were gone -
completely rusted away. In its place, the PO had riveted pieces of a pretty
light guage metal shaped to resemble the sill. That's not a criticism of the
PO. He did creditable things to preserve this car at a time when he had
little to work with (70's). Anyway, I cut out the old sill and removed the
patches and am at the point of trying to fit the new sill.
Let me stress that I took a couple of weeks to remove the old sill and the
rest of the metal using air compressor cutting tools, mini die grinder, and
angle grinders as well as other things, I really got a clean separation even
preserving the flange that overlaps the sill at the 'A' post. I can clearly
see the outline of where the old sill was and where the new one should go and
therein lies the problem. I can't say it doesn't fit but it's not that close
either.
With the new sill in place with regard to the top flange, the bottom flange
is a good 3/8 of an inch below the floor pan. It doesn't sound like much when
I say 3/8" but it seems like it on the car.
Is it possible that over the years - or in the last two weeks with the sill
coming out - that the left side of the car 'settled'? (Boy, I hope that
doesn't sound too stupid). The door is off by the way and the posts are
supported but can they have dropped a bit laterally without the sill to
support them?
If that theory isn't totally off the wall, would the fix be to actually
'jack' up the posts until the bottom flange can sit on the top surface edge
of the floor pan? It would be a matter of a fair bit of force/torque but -
does the sill actually play a role in 'holding up' the 'side' of the car?
Needless to say, I don't want to do anything in this regard that's going to
knock the car out of whack. It may not sound like it but its a good, solid,
and very original TR. I want to preserve it, not wreck it.
I think I have the right part - Moss part # 855-230 (also labeled 850122?).
Once this is done, it's on to putting things back together and painting,etc.
Hopefully in time for the SE Regional.
Help!
Jim
CT54531L
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