Brian:
Having done both two times, I would vote for clipping the car instead of trying
to trim two quarter panels and lining them up properly. If you are doing a
clip, the frame actually helps you, as once you have the initial cutting done,
you can set the rear body half on the frame, bolt it in place, and check your
lines.
Check at the doors, this is where it will show. Also, do not have it on
jackstands at the time you line it up and weld.
Both the cars I did were cut across the middle, but not in a straight line. Cut
thru the rockers ( only place you will need exterior body work), then the floor
pans, then the tunnel. It looked more like a jigsaw puzzle, because the cuts
went different directions. By cutting at certain reference points, it made it
much easier to cut both the front and rear the same, and to line them up
correctly. Also, no overlaps, just clean butt joints.
Hope this helps
Dan & Susan
PS: After 10 years, the new owner of one of the "splice" cars swore his was all
original until I told him to look under the car for a weld line. Apparently the
P.O. forgot to mention it!
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Brian Reynolds <brianrreynolds@yahoo.com>
> --- tputland@charter.net wrote:
>
> > Thank You.
> > He wanted "the opinions of the more experienced guys on this list!"
> > Anyone could tell him that...I just didn't want to be the one to tell
> > him this as I am not "more experienced"...LOL
> > Tim
>
> I received many helpful, detailed replies from people, some of them
> off-list. Thanks very much. I asked for experienced opinions because I
> wanted to get an idea of what a rear clip actually weighs. The consensus
> is: a rear clip is light enough to be tied to the roof of a Taurus wagon,
> but a trailer would be a safer, less worrysome solution - a no brainer
> perhaps, but it's always better to ask questions ahead of time than to
> suffer later. I'm still hoping for a reply to the second half of my
> original question if someone would be kind enough: on a car with a full
> frame like the Datsun, is there any structural disadvantage to welding on
> an entire clip with the weld behind the seats? In other words, is it
> better to weld on new quarter panels than a whole rear clip?
>
> Thanks,
> -Brian Reynolds
> Toronto
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