I have commenced work on the little '60 Lark 4-door I got from Dick Steinkamp. This car was hit hard in the left rear door, and the "B" pillar is pushed in pretty bad. Next to no damage to the driver's door or "C" pillar, fortunately.
I plan to use a Porta-Power to jack the "B" pillar back out, but I need some working dimensions. If somebody here with a '60 Lark could take a tape measure and find the interior width between the two "B" pillars at 3 points, that would give me a target to shoot for.
What I'd like to have:
1. Top: interior width between pillars at the level of the top of the door openings. Cardboard to cardboard; no need to strip the interior trim.
2. Middle: same measurement, taken at the level of the front door striker plates.
3. Bottom: same measurement, taken with the tape level, and resting on the transmission tunnel. That'll put it a couple of inches above the floor on each side.
I have a '63 4-door here. If someone has certain knowledge that the interior width at the "B" pillar is the same between '60 and '63, I can measure that myself.
These should take all of about 10 minutes to get, no disassembly required. If the seat gets in the way of taking any measurement, just measure the closest accessible point, and make a note of where it is.
The rocker panel is really crushed under the left rear door opening. I plan to cut it just ahead of the "B" pillar, then cut the spot welds holding the rear half to the floor and take the rear half out. I can work it straight on the bench, and weld it back on later, and with the rocker panel removed, the floor will pull easier. Straightening one layer of metal, not two.
Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands
I plan to use a Porta-Power to jack the "B" pillar back out, but I need some working dimensions. If somebody here with a '60 Lark could take a tape measure and find the interior width between the two "B" pillars at 3 points, that would give me a target to shoot for.
What I'd like to have:
1. Top: interior width between pillars at the level of the top of the door openings. Cardboard to cardboard; no need to strip the interior trim.
2. Middle: same measurement, taken at the level of the front door striker plates.
3. Bottom: same measurement, taken with the tape level, and resting on the transmission tunnel. That'll put it a couple of inches above the floor on each side.
I have a '63 4-door here. If someone has certain knowledge that the interior width at the "B" pillar is the same between '60 and '63, I can measure that myself.
These should take all of about 10 minutes to get, no disassembly required. If the seat gets in the way of taking any measurement, just measure the closest accessible point, and make a note of where it is.
The rocker panel is really crushed under the left rear door opening. I plan to cut it just ahead of the "B" pillar, then cut the spot welds holding the rear half to the floor and take the rear half out. I can work it straight on the bench, and weld it back on later, and with the rocker panel removed, the floor will pull easier. Straightening one layer of metal, not two.
Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands
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