Wood to Steel Conversion 32 Chevy Example

[62131]

I really didn't have any trouble getting my pins out. I drove them out with a punch, installing the new ones I used a  Kant twist clamp to press them back in,

[Rattiac]

Thanks for the input. I'll modify a c-clamp and see if I can get a few to budge. If not it looks like I'll be removing the gauges sooner than expected.
Wouldn't want to subject them to any vibrations since they were really spendy.
Im sure once I started air impact, some wood will fall apart into pieces.

[sixball]

In prep to actually get started on  the '26 roadster I've been looking back through this thread. Too bad some of the links no longer work. Two friends are pushing me and I need it. One is really a good metal fabricator and welder and I will be pushed to go all metal. We have another friend who runs a top notch custom cabinet shop. He is also a car guy. He has a wood CNC machine and has shown interest in the past. I'm working on him to work with us to save as much wood as we can and fill in with steel where needed. One problem now is that these guys want to move fast and since the project is moved to one of their shops I can not drag it out too long. We all know steel would be faster. Decisions- Decisions!  I'm hanging on to many of your suggestions. Maybe I ca fool them into putting the wood body frame together so we can better make a steel one.  We are making some major frame changes so a solid body to build from is necessary.

[Rattiac]

Been thinking long and hard on this. I thought I'd might have to add bracing before doing this but then realized it may be in the way and dosent look like the other guy did either. So I came up with this game plan.
Remove the top horizontal pieces , tack steel up. but keep the vertical pieces in , until later.
(one side at a time).

Once I get a big enough piece of cardboard. Im gonna start drawing out the top pieces. They have a bit of a diamond shape to them if you look up laying on the floor. 😉
Sometimes ya need to look at it from a different perspective.😊

[Rattiac]

 I don't have any other projects to put this off this winter. Yay. 
Already priced out the steel and need to go through my steel pile to see what I have.
Was wondering should I remove the doors or leave them in until the structure is complete. 
The size will be 1-1/4" square tubing.
Gonna need some gas for the welder too.

[sixball]

I would square it all adjust all panels & doors and support it by tacking it temporary bracing before removing anything from the body. The doors will have to come off for the A pillars and there will be wooden sills between the body and frame I think  Good luck!

[62131]

You defiantly want to sq. it and support it, If your door openings are off a little you can  fit the doors to the opening










i fou

[chopper526]

My car was channeled when I first got it so when I did mine there was very little wood left, just the A pillar and some around the doors. I left everything in place and braced it, took out the wood and fit in 1" square tubing, tacked it, smacked it and welded it up, including the doors. My body was so out of whack I had to split the door and add metal (I'll try to find pictures). Anyway, then I took the doors off and finished them up. It was time consuming, but so worth it. I didn't have a square tubing bender so I had to make numerous pie cuts, bend the tubing into a radius and weld up the cuts

[sammons]

Same as the guy's above. Square up with doors on, brace, then pull doors. If you have some sag on doors when you get body squared away, you may have to temp tack weld with correct gap.

FYI- good wood paint stir sticks are 1/8" thick, cheap ones are usually 3/32". My door openings were happy at 1/8" gap, so i would stick it, tack and repeat all around the openings.

Good luck and have fun.

[sixball]

That paint stick thing is a good tip whether removing wood or replacing wood.

[chopper526]

Here's what I had to do to the door.

[62131]

I was looking through some pictures and found these of my A pillars

[Rattiac]

Well,  I waited too long and the link is now gone . 😔

[sixball]

A lot of the links & photos here no longer work or at least for me. Too bad. But thanks for bringing it up again. There is a lot of information and some good ideas. I'm still not much farther along but hope that will change soon. I'll update the link to my '26 roadster build thread on the HAMB. It has a lot of rambling but some good wood information too. Also something I didn't see mentioned here are the Fisher body books that are for sale on line for closed cars. Also some GM shop body repair manuals. Now for mine but still good information.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/finally-my-26-chevy-roadster-build.1027114/