[regracing]

Hi all, this is my first post of probably many as i have hit my first problem whilst restoring my gtv. Im trying to fit a new sill i bought from classicalfa (very good service and part) but i have a few questions regarding fitting it.

When i have the sill clamped up and in position it is curved out in the middle and tucks back in at both the front and rear wing panels. not by much but the curve is in the sill itself and no matter how much massaging i do with it whilst on the car its still not quite straight (according to my steel ruler anyway), so im guessing they are suppost to be like this and designed to curve out in the middle? it still looks very good but its very annoying.

Finally has anyone got any tips to make sure i get it 100% in the right place as im not to sure about the quality of the repairs someone has made to the door (welding a strip over the bottom and covering with filler ) so im tentative at lining it up against this.

Here are some pics of the car so you can see what im doing

 

[frogeye]

When I did mine I made sure that the door was adjusted/checked before I removed the sill. The upper part of the sill is covered by the tread plate so your only worry is the outer edge. It seems ages ago but there is a slight curve there IIRC. I would get the door back on and make sure 100% before you weld up. Screw in place is needs be. Matt

 

[Bill S]

Yes, the curve is supposed to be there. Some of the cheaper repair panels don't have the curve. It's possible that the previous owner took the curve out of the bottom of the door when that lower section was replaced. Have you done a rough install of the door with the rocker in place to check this? Looks like very nice work by the way.

 

[regracing]

Thanks Matt and Bill, that input is really helpfull. My car has been so messed around with over the years that it is very hard to tell how the sill should be shaped and fitted, i cant referance the other side because i know that it will be like this side was, full of fibreglass and filler!!. I am going to take Matts advice and screw it in place first with some self tapping screws and then fit the door in the correct place and see how it all fits together. The door does have the curve but the bottom edge sticks out from the car more that it should, probably due to the last repairs done to it being welded over the original skin.

 

[frogeye]

Keep us posted on the progress!! Matt

 

[daveydog]

Without a doubt, placing the door back on the car and getting it to close smoothly, then adjusting the rocker panel to fit the curvature correctly is a fine art. But an art that can be learned with trial and error and an action that's absolutely necessary to keep everything lined up.

I'm working on aligning both my doors at the moment and it is a bit of a challenge, but it's keeping me out of trouble

Getting the front and rear quarter panels installed and lined up with the door and also the rocker panel is a separate challenge that should give you hours of fun!

Great looking job so far. Keep us posted.

 

[regracing]

I have now got the sill welded on after a lot of trial and error and door fitting, spent all yesterday on it. The door fits very well or at least as well as before, i will post some pics later on. The quater panels shouldnt be to difficult to fit as i have fitted them on previously but then at the eleventh hour i decided to change the sill so they had to come of again, i couldnt live with the idea that the sill could be full of rust and rot and i wouldnt know. Thanks again for all the comments and i will try to update when progress is made, ive got to replace the rear wheel arch so that will require a great deal of head scratching and brain power!!!

 

[regracing]

Here are the pictures i promised. My welding skills are complete rubbish but im still learning and getting better, i hope.

 

[frogeye]

You mean you had A & B Posts to weld to?!!!!!!!

 

[regracing]

Is that unusual? perhaps this is the first time this car has been nice to me!!

 

[frogeye]

On a serious note, I suggest you mask up the glass on the car. sparks from the welder, angle grinders and flap discs can easily embed bits of medal in glass and can leave the glass in a bad state! Matt

 

[regracing]

I keep meaning to take them all out, but thanks for the heads up i didnt know that they could damage the glass.

 

[regracing]

Some more pictures of progress, unfortunatly i dont have any of how i repaired the inner wheel arch. The red wing is from a rotten tr6, i used the flare and arch to repair the inner wheel arch on my car, i cut the arch out of the wing and with some panel beating and fiddling i butt welded it to what remained of my inner wheel arch.

 

[jcslocum]

Looking very good. I'm in the same process now with our '74. It's been a slow "Alfa" summer as we had the trans on our Mini Cooper go bad and I had to import one from the UK. There's a shop in Coventry that has them. Long story but she's now on the road and the focus will be back on the GTV shortly.

Keep up the good work!!