Measure twice weld once - Duh!

[palerider94]

Doing a full restoration on a 66 vert. Rockers, torque boxes, cowls, etc. Learned a lesson today. Finished welding pass side and was putting in some more bracing since I'm going to do a full floor. Went to put cowl on top and noticed it was off quite a bit. Measured from the front of the car and noticed I had a 1/2" more from end of front frame rail to torque box. Boy was I bummed - thought I was golden (although first car I've done this much work). I had measure all rear areas in back end of car before welding in new pieces. Guess I never thought to measure from front rail. Plus should not have cut out cowl side panel until I had other parts in place - duh. Also notices repro torque boxes were a 1/2" longer than original.

Drilling out spot welds on torque box now - I guess it could have been worst could have put the floor in, painted car, etc. What a newb. May have got in over my head on this one.

Just ranting!

 

[2+2GT]

Paranoia is a good thing on such projects. I measured for hours before I welded my rear torque boxes in place.

 

[palerider94]

You're I thought I did. I've been told I'm an impatient perfectionist. Probably got to slow it down a little bit and lean to more of the pefectionist side.

 

[65Rob]

Keep in mind that the repop pieces bare little resemblance to the original sheet metal. I'm about 3/4 through a 65 vert restoration and know this all to well

 

[palerider94]

I kept trying ti think how I could have been so far from what I thought I did was a good job measuring. I had cut out side cowl panel to make it a little easier to put in torque boxes (damn plasma cutter making cutting too easy). Was sorry right after I did it since it helped keep everything lined up. In any case after thinking about it all night wondering how I could miss it - went out and looked at it again today and I now think it sagged a little causing the wider gap at the cowl. I had took off stand to roll around and did not put the car back up on them. I could shorten the gap a little just by pulling dash and front radiator support together. I'm going to get some trailer levels today and level whole thing back out and then tack somethingin place to hold it together