I'm getting ready to start a frame off restoration on a 68 Hurst/Olds.... my question is, what are the opinions on doing bodywork while on the rotator. It needs a quarter, and outer wheel house on one side. I don't have a problem with doing floorboards or the like on the rotator, but panel that include door gaps, trunk gaps are my concern. Thanks.

I've done a lot of quarters but none on a rotisserie. you are probably going to support the car from the ends, that puts an awful strain on the body and buy removing the quarter you take away some of that rigidly. if you still have it on the frame and wheels buy all means I would do it now, just to be safe. you'll have a real fiasco IF it moves on the rotisserie.
Jay D.

I would get all the panels lined up the way you want them before removing the old 1/4 panel, then cut the old and install the new with all the panels still on the car and the car still on the frame. Alignment of the 1/4 while installing it can be checked with the previously adjusted door when ever you need to while installing it. Then you can brace the body---knowing it is not stressed--and put it on a rotisserie. The bracing depends on the body style and the amount of metal replacement. I stole this extreme example off the internet which shows the strength of the X pattern of bracing.

WOW! That is a brave sole right there!
You wouldn't be able to get a Pencil up my Butt as I would be worried some one would breath on that or worse lean on it before I got new floors welded in!

Murphy's laws

If anything can go wrong, it will!!!, Especially in my shop My Dark cloud don't stray very far!

Yeah, looks scary at a distance, but that is all angle iron and quite strong.

From what I've learned, the best practice would be to replace panels with the vehicle on the ground supported at the points that it is when normally on the ground, and then reinforce with bracing as needed. This is also how the installation shop at Auto Metal Direct recommends replacing quarters, floor pans, etc....

Lenny B wrote:From what I've learned, the best practice would be to replace panels with the vehicle on the ground supported at the points that it is when normally on the ground, and then reinforce with bracing as needed. This is also how the installation shop at Auto Metal Direct recommends replacing quarters, floor pans, etc....

While I would tend to agree its not always possible, not all cars or damage is the same especially when you start talking about doing Trunk pans or whole floor pans or frame rails
or a combination of all. At any rate any car that has had serious work done too it should at least be checked with a tram gauge or on a Frame machine or a combination of the two and be tweaked if necessary.

Tram gauges are used to check squareness of a car and worth the money in my opinion, all the ones I have seen very from cheap to expensive but would be and are invaluable tool if your gonna do extensive body repair, I personally have never used one yet! BUT I need to get one very soon to check my own work,
I would like too learn more about them if any one cares to explain how they are properly used? even then You still need the Cars proper repair manual? to get the measurements to check the car your working on and your not gonna find that in a Chiltons or Haines repair manual you find at Autozone.


https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/mo-cla ... b4QAvD_BwE


https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/champ- ... esQAvD_BwE

The one I am looking at
https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/champ- ... 19894.aspx

My Friend Pete Makes and uses his own Home made tram gauge
Love this guy! Always has a down to earth simple down and dirty way to do things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klrFy4c_EOI

The Dream set up way too cool
EzCalipre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Xy4YRhvrzQ

Another Dream set up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLY8sAyoxP0