TR2/3/3A outer sill and fan tail

[sp53]

I am working on the out sill where that meets the small quarterpanel and noticing the fit on the tail end is not vertical on the tub/fan tail, but verticalon the sill. I am thinking the rear tail is correct and arches down like mosttr3 panels. Does anyone know for sure?

In addition, I think the whole van- tail is not original because it is in very good shape for 1958 piece( I bought it on Craigslist) plus it has a lot of lead work done were it fits on the tail lights and some of the lead work is not really finished in other areas. The second picture shows a nice clean cut of the van tail at the door latch on the B post that has never been leaded and that exist on both sides?

 

[DavidApp]

I gather that the new panels often need some fitting to get them to match the rest of the car. I am working in the same area and having issues with the edge of the door to the B post. It angles the opposite way to yours. Considering my options on a fix before I brake out the welder.

Is the bottom edge on yours straight. Straightedge held up under the outer sill and dog leg.

How thick is the material in your outer sills and where did you get them? The ones on my car were purchased about 20 years ago and seem very thin material. I may get another set as I had a time undoing the POs welding.

David

 

[CJD]

Hey Steve,

I think I would do as you suggested and match the sill to the angle of the quarter panel. That would look more "right", I think.

My striker area on the "B" post are not leaded well either, and look pretty much like your's do. Funny you brought this up, as I had just noted a couple weeks ago how "unfinished" the B posts look. I decided to decide later whether to "finish" them more or leave them as they are.

 

[sp53]

I bought my outer sills from Moss and had some conversations with them about the quality to the point of send them back, tongue and cheek youxxx. They come pre damaged pre bent on the A post. It looks to me like the builds ran a piece of flat stock through an adjustable wheel break kinda like a gutter machine for houses, and when the tail end came out it buckled from the heavy forming of the A post for the door. I am glad I learned to do body work on the forum because now the dent is not that big of deal. The metal thickness is about correct, basically the same as the car.

First the sills come long and half to be trimmed. In the door jamb itself the sill needs to be 3/8to ½ short, but down the face and bottom is an 1/8 to nothing for that finish.

My experience now with these outer sills is to have the front fender on and lose at the bottom, that way you can slid the sill in behind the fender to maintain and establish about a 3/8 to ½ gap between the A post and the sill so the front fender edge/slit can go in that gap and can lap the sill at the A post end. I bought a pair of vise grip tongues and ground them down to about 3- ½ inches to fit the face because at some point at the B post the 90 or curved face needs to be re- shaped. If I had an extra set, I would use one for a template.

Thanks John I will leave the slight arc. Heck everything on a tr3 has a slight arc anyway. Plus now I will feel better about leaving the sheet metal at the latch alone. I take it as a compliment that we are pondering the same problems. Heck watching your work has made me a much better craftsman and in my circle I am supposed to be smart one. There are a couple of other points on this fan tail that have me perplexed, and I will take some more pictures, but I need a better camera. I hope the detail comes out.


steve

 

[DavidApp]

Hello Steve

Thank you.
It seems that my outer sills are 0.040" which is about 20 gauge.

There are some on E bay that they claim are made on the original tooling for about $120.00. Higher than Moss or TRF but may be worth it if they are really made better.

David

 

[charleyf]

One caution regarding more expensive or original tooling sills and that is that your car may or may not be very original any more. Once a new floor has been installed or any similar basic body component has been added to the car , the fit may no longer be "original". You may well need to "fit" any new part.
Charley

 

[DavidApp]

Of course E bay claims are easily made. I was hoping that someone may have some personnel knowledge of better or worse outer sill panels. Guaranteed that I will have to do some fitting to any panels that I get after the PO did the inner sills and floor panels. Probable not working on the frame.

If the consensus is that 0.040" is the norm for these parts I will try to get them to work.
Priming the sills before I close it up unlike the PO.

David

 

[sp53]

So Dave when you say personal knowledge about the sills. What did you expect?

 

[charleyf]

I believe 20 gauge is about correct for thickness. I recently installed a set from TRF. Any miss-fit on these was primarily a result of this body that I am working on. It was not straight when I started so I just have to work slowly and modify to fit.
Charley

 

[DavidApp]

I was hoping for info like Charley's. That TRF parts are OK.

I understand that there some not such good parts out there so watch out for parts from supplier XXXX they are poorly made or I got mine from supplier ZZZZ and the are a well made.

Will probable stick with what I have just straighten them out.

David

 

[sp53]

When I purchased mine I researched the big 3. It sounds odd but, VB has the same part number-- left and right-- and TRF measured the same as Moss and perhaps they come from the same vender. Not that many out there. However, TRF has higher quality on many things. I purchased at Moss for the west coast convenience, plus I have been doing business probably more than 30 years, and Moss has a disclaimer showing how the original design are n/a. the on line guy could not answer any questions.

steve

 

[DavidApp]

Hello Steve

Thanks.

The other one I had considered was Rimmer Brothers.

I do get the majority of my parts from TRF and have been pleased with their service.

David