Another body removal question

[RustPatch]

I've got yet another body removal question that I can't seem to find a straight answer for.

I've read a couple of times to remove the doors, and a couple times to not remove them or at least not open them once the body is off. The only real reason I could get from the limited info was that the body may bend at the heater channel without the support of the doors. Any truth behind this?

My doors are still installed at the hinges but the strikers are removed. Should I be re-installing the strikers? Or does it matter. My roof is solid and my heater channels are in "good" shape. The passenger side is solid, from what I can see with the body on, and the driver side is the same but with a small rust perforation. This was caused from above from a metal flash-light that was left inside the door; the battery ate through the flash-light, then the door, and had just started on the heater channel.

I guess to simplify my question(s):

Is there any truth to the body bending without doors installed?
Should I re-install the strikers before attempting to remove the body?

This is a pic of the worst spot in my heater channel.

[67rustavenger]

Yes the body can "flex" once it is removed from the pan.
I appears that you intend to work on the heater channel while the body is off the pan. In doing so you will need to open the door to gain access to that spot for the repair. This is the time most improperly supported bodies flex. You don't notice it until after the body is back on the pan and you attempt to close the door.
For peace of mind, weld a brace inside the body from the "A" pillar to the "B" pillar. This will give you solid support while workng on the heater channel.
If you are going to leave the doors in place while you have the body off the pan. Then Yes you need to reinstall the door strikers so that the doors stay closed.
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[RustPatch]

Thanks! So I guess the most important part is to support the body properly once it is removed. Is there any risk of flex during the removal of the body, or only if it's supported improperly? I do intend to do some work on the channels, but I'm going to rebuild the pan first and store the body in the meantime.

[grandpa pete]

You should be fine ( unless your working on a convertible )
I would definitely weld in the door support BEFORE you take the body off the pan .
I welded the doors on cuz I wuz doing " something different "

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