'68 Dart Convertible: Door Post/Frame repair?

-
P

PinkGT

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2011
Messages
60
Reaction score
3
Location
Vancouver BC,Canada
Hi folks I have 2 questions,

1- I have a '68 Dart convertible and I am showing a fair bit of rust where the door frame joins down at the rocker panel (both sides of the car) . Can I chop out this section of sheet metal from a '68 hardtop and use it to replace whatever has gone wrong on my car? I have seen some posts on FABO that show the heavy reinforcement of the rocker to stiffen the unibody, do my wobbly door jambs indicate a deeper problem?

2- Someone did some bodywork and bondo back in the eighties on this vehicle and I think they may have filled in the drain channels for the water flowing off the soft top and through the body panels then exiting out the bottom seam of the body. Could this be leading to the rusty rocker re-enforcement section and ultimately to why the body seems to flex when the doors are shut?

Any insight or diagrams or photos of the drain channels would be a huge help, I've only ever seen 2 other '67-'69 convertibles (in person) before. I've owned the car 15 years now and it's time to fix this.

Thanks everyone!
PinkGT
 
The drains are in the pinch area on the rocker. Mine were full of dirt in my GTS and caused flooding in the rear floor pans several years ago (got the car in the garage and got the carpet out to dry before it became a worse problem). There's nothing hidden on them.
 
Hi Jim,

Thanks for the heads up. Do you think you could post a picture of your drain exit point on your GTS? How did you go about cleaning them out? I tried to clean what I thought was the drain area in the pinch but I couldn't get anything up through the holes to clear the clogs. Not even a 1/8 inch drillbit in a 18 volt dewalt!

PinkGT
 
I might be able to get some pics on my Barracuda tomorrow. I pulled the side panels out and used a coat hanger pushed up through the gaps and a hose run through the car into the quarter panel area in front of the wheel openings until I got clean water out. The car doesn't sit out anymore.
 
Hi Jim,

Take your time, it's waited this long and another 24 hours wont kill it. Besides, it's sunny warm weather for the rest of the week and I have some cruising to do! :finga:

Thanks
PinkGT
 
I am in in the same process. The door pin post has to be opened where it is loose. And welded square. It might need added steel (which is what I did). You might want to (if possible) update/repair torque boxes. I think they are supposed to be part of the original structure on a convertible. Write me if I could help. Or if you could help me
I need the bottom red part (little pix) in the right condition at the right price.
Phil
 

Attachments

  • Staten Island-20130409-00354.jpg
    124.9 KB · Views: 233
  • part needed-1.jpg
    6.5 KB · Views: 210
The drain locations are circled. Like I said I ran water from a hose through the inside while poking around with wire coat hanger. It finally came out clean.
 

Attachments

  • DW083506 cropped resized drain holes circled.jpg
    79.4 KB · Views: 205
Hi Jim,

Thanks for the picture. That's the area I was trying to clean out before. Mine are full of rusted together leaves, seeds and bondo or something, I couldn't get a drill bit in a cordless drill to go through before. i guess I will have to take out the plastic arm rest panels and see what's up with that area.

Is that the factory installed sub frame connector ( torsion box? ) in the bottom of the picture? I've seen some mention of them on one of the threads here. I'm still not sure if the sheet metal mentioned higher up the thread here is enough to stiffen the door post strike area or if I need to examine some greater frame/rocker connection issue.

All advice gladly accepted folks.
Thanks
PinkGT
 
Yes, that is the rear torque box. I also have homemade sub-frame connectors on this car. Some day it will be back together.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top