fastback conversion questions

[bartl]

Originally Posted by wscott00

thanks for all the input. I will be using new full rear panels, would you suggest aligning the doors to the existing original coupe body lines

Attachment 35821

I wouldn't worry about aligning your doors until your quarters have been replaced.

[67t5ponycoupe]

I align the doors and leave them on the car while doing the roof swap. It helps when aligning the new quarters. When you cut the A pillar windshield post, 1/16th is not really going to hurt you. These cars were not that exact but that being said the better you messure and cut the better off you will be.

I use a speed square to mark out where the cuts will be. Lay the speed square on the top part of the pillar and messure in 4 inches and mark it with a sharpie on the top pinch weld. Flip the speed square over and do the same thing on the bottom of the pillar. Use those marks to meassue the windshild opening. Write the number on the car. Do that for both sides. Those will be the numbers that you are going ti use when fitting the new roof. For the cut line I think I messured down 6 inches and marked the pillar all the way around using the speed square and the sharpie. Cut the car on the top of the sharpie line and the roof on the bottom of the sharpie line and that will give you enough to grind and fit the two together.

I hope that all made sense.

[wscott00]

I cut the roof off of the coupe today and started removing all the coupe stuff I wont need. Can someone tell me....

How long should i make the post that will go inside the two windshield posts? I had planned on making them 4".

The coupe is very solid but will need floor pan patches on the drives side and wheel well patches. Should I get he body down to the bare metal and use an epoxy primer or use a wire wheel to get rid of any loose paint or rust then epoxy primer.

How can I tell if the front end is perfectly straight? Today I noticed that both front rails have a notch in exactly the same place, but the passenger side has a hump in it, as if it was pushed in. I dont see an indentation on the bottom of the rail, nothing on the outside nor do I see the strut rod bracket bent.

thanks

[67t5ponycoupe]

You don't need to add anything inside the windshield posts. Grind them to fit and butt weld them.

[66 Fastcoupe]

Here is mine . Butt welded.

[yelostang]

Originally Posted by wscott00

So, what happens if Im 1/32 -1/6 off when I put the windshield back together?

Im used a piece of tape at the top of the windhshield frame just like the hillyerstang video and will be making my cut 8" from the taped line. I also measure 12" from the line and made a small groove for my tape measure to sit in. From that point to my tape line is exactly 12".

Im concerned that my tape line on the fastback windshield may be off by 1/32" but less than 1/16".
So when I measure 12" from my groove it will measure 12' but actually be off slightly.

What is the tolerance for error?
How can I know im measuring from exactly the same point on both roofs?

Im considering running a string from left to right on the lower part of the coupe pillars then taking a 3 measurement from the string to the inside of where the windshield sits.

Thanks

Had to replace two A pillars on a 66 cv and used two rust free cpe Pillars bought from
a person on V-M few years back.
Before any cutting, trimmed a manila folder to fit w/s opening. Put the trimmed
piece into the w/s opening and traced it. Turned the piece over and traced the other
side.
So.....when installing the pillars, used the folder as a guide. I had the cvt piece and cut it about 5" from top. Fitted the "new" pillars to butt to the cvt top piece. I made bonding
strips to insure strength. Prior to this, also had measured the top opening. So using the
folder piece, was sure of accuracy.
Breaking off the cpe drip rails was cake and they became cvt pieces.

[OCHOHILL]

I staggered the cut at the A pillar. You will note 2 separate pieces. I staggered that cut at least 2".

You must also make sure the roof is square with the body at the rear. Measure diagonals at least at 2 different planes.

[wscott00]

can you explain a little more about the roof being square at the rear end? I will be installing full rear quarters and keeping the tail light panel. What points would you suggest i use.

thanks

[OCHOHILL]

for example:

The driver side door opening bottom front corner to passenger side top rear corner. Measure the opposite corners and get them close. I chose another diagonal that was vertical at the front of the B pillar. I think I also did a third at the trunk hinges. I may have adjusted that one a bit to get the quarters and trunk to line up better.

Brace it the way you think it needs to be and check fit on what you can like the trunk and the quarters. On the coupe floor, I aligned the doors before pulling the roof. Left the doors in place and set the fastback B pillar to make sure the angle was right.

[wscott00]

I feel pretty confident I will be able to get the windshield less that a 1/16" to were it was. Since the windshield will be correct and the fastback will sit fall into place on the wheel wells, do I need to be concerned about the height of the door opening?

Once the windsheild is tacked in to place I don see being able to do much moving or the door opening along the B pillar.

Thanks

[turcotte]

I see a picture where they tack weld two strips of 1" wide flat bar from the bottom of the window opening, then ground them to fit into the window opening on the top. cut the window frame mid way. then the donor top slides down an inserted piece on both sides until the flat iron touches the top. This will be a non-fail method to get the same windshield opening as before. I'll be doing this as soon as I find my donor roof! What a pita finding something in Maine.

[wscott00]

Help with measurements. Im measuring everything I can think of on both cars. Today I noticed that the distance from the rocker at the base of the B pillar to a spot in the top of the B pillar is 1/4" shorter on the coupes drivers side than passenger side and both sides on the fastback.

So if I take my measurements for the door opening at the B pillar the drivers side will be off a bit. Any suggestions? I could split the difference or mive the B pillar up some