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bracing the car?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 12:11 pm
by tim097
i got a 78 camaro i replacing the firewall but think i need to brace the front of the car whats best to use to brace it to make sure the body dont move

Re: bracing the car?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:01 pm
by '68 Coronet R/T
I generally use angle iron for cross bracing.
Get the car leveled on jack stands, then weld your bracing into place.
Convertibles will require more bracing to keep the body from flexing.

Re: bracing the car?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:38 pm
by Doright
Why are you replacing the Fire wall?

Or are you doing a custom smooth fire wall?

Re: bracing the car?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2020 5:19 pm
by tim097
Doright wrote:Why are you replacing the Fire wall?

Or are you doing a custom smooth fire wall?


rust lots of it i bought a full firewall that comes with the toe boards and the torque box where the body bolts to the frame. but it comes with the heater delete where its smooth on one side

Re: bracing the car?

PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 12:56 pm
by Doright
I would support car from the Pinch welds, Then Cross brace the body from forward door opening at forward front of door jam at the floor too opposite side Roof Pillar post of wind shield. I would then also Cross brace the door opening as well. Maybe a little over kill but better safe than sorry.

Probably a good idea to use a Tram Gauge to check some dimensions before work is started and then again before fully welding back together.
You can make your own Tram gauge with some Pipe and some metal dowels and a few clamps doesn't need to be expensive Just have the ability to get accurate repeatable measurements.
I am NOT a professional collision repair guy so don't take my opinion or suggestions as Gospel or the correct way to do it I am just a home Hobbyist Hack at best.

Re: bracing the car?

PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:55 pm
by Randy Forbes
I'll give this another try; so far, none of my posts have been approved (I registered a week ago, and have made 4-5 maybe attempts to post...).

I made up these fixtures to go across the doors some 25-30 years ago. I recently dusted them off to use on a '67 MGB GT needing work on the LH floor & RH rocker panels.

The LH/RH screws allow me to adjust the door gaps, and the diagonal bar lets to tailor-fit the swage line. I made this set to fit a wide range of British sports cars, but with different length tubes, they'd work on a door as wide as a '66 Toronado. I used 3/4" turn-buckles to supply the threaded rods, and if I did it again, I'd choose 7/8" or 1"; don't even try to use anything smaller than 3/4" or the risk of bending them will be high.

They attach to the pinch-welds that holds the weatherstrip, and still allow the doors to be closed/latched, as the bars are all on the inboard side.