Outer sill replacement

[alphatopher]

Shortly I will remove my rusty outer TR6 sill. Any words of advice? Exactly what measurements should I be taking? I took ownership of the car with the door, and both front and rear fenders already removed so I do not know the the original fit of all the body panels. Jackstands are supporting the frame, and the engine is still in the car. The replacement sill was purchased from TRF and it looks like I will have to beat it somewhat as some of the bends are not as crisp to my expectations. The inner sill does not have to be removed, only patched at the first inch of the forward leading edge. Both the A and B posts are in excellent condition. Should I fit the replacement sill with the car on jackstands or should I put the tires on and put the car on the ground?

I'm not an expert welder but I'm not a novice either. This will me the first major panel removal on my six, and I'm nervous and eager at the same time. Sage words of advice are appreciated.

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi,

You should have the car on the ground to do this, not jack stands under the frame. All the IRS TRs should be sitting on their suspension when body work is being done involving structural parts such as rockers, inner sills, floors, etc. This is because the frame is a bit flexible.

It is possible to raise the car, for convenience. Do so either by driving it up on ramps, or if the wheels need to come off, make some adapters to jack stands that bolt onto the hubs.

Watch the A-post when you remove the old rocker panel. It might droop a little and need to be jacked back up. It's also typical for the new rocker panel to bow downward in the center, to need to be jacked up slightly.

If you haven't already done so, I'd suggest refitting the door and leaving it on while doing the repair, opening and closing it and using it as a guide. In addition, a temporary cross brace from the A- to B-post might be a good idea, and one across the cockpit couldn't hurt. The hoodstick mounting bolt holes are one good place to attach. If the windshield is loose, the bracket mounting bolt holes under the dash are another.

I'd also suggest temporarily reinstalling the fenders to see what you have to start with. Check spacing all around and against the other side of the car, to see if it's the same.

Most replacement body panels do require a bit of work and fitting.

This is a good opportunity to extend the scuttle drain down through the rocker and out the inside sill, under the car, if you wish. You should see it with the front fender off. It dumps drain water right on top of the rocker, behind the fender, and is a main reason those parts rust out so quickly.

Best of luck with the project! I've got the same to do on my TR4, which has had fibreglass rockers on it since 1979 or so.

 

[alphatopher]

Thanks for the pointers, I appreciate them.

The A post sag was something that I probably would not have noticed. I was a bit confused as how the car should sit during panel installation. Half of the photos I've seen show folks working on cars while on jackstands.

The "V" wedge bottom inch of the B post trailing side in the rear wheel well needs to be replaced where it connects to the inner sill and inner rear fender. Does this new sheet metal need to go all the way to the bottom (its very tight fit) or can this area be loaded with seam filler/puddy like it appears to have been done at the factory.