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Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:06 pm

Be sure to check the distance of the valance/pedal pan holes. If I recall, the holes are slightly different location. Not a huge difference but if you use an original pedal pan, things may not line up to the later nut holes. You would either relocate , I think the outer 2 nuts or easier to open up the holes on your pan to mate up.

Mon Jan 27, 2025 5:49 am

I can feel your despair with the big hole and nothing to hang on.
Just a suggestion. If the other (driver side) of the roof rain gutter and inner rail is still solid and straight?
I would suggest, just for the moment, to use something like a 30x20mm, or 40 x40 steel tubing to replace the rain gutter bit you cut out, b pillar to rear corner. that way you can weld it in for time being, have a reference of length, and straight/ level line, you can take measures to and from. I would also weld in a zig zag pattern of let's say 20x20mm square tubing between that new rail and the other original rain gutter. that way, going step by step, you will be able to square out the twisted and bent body and roof. if you keep the 30x20mm tubing, let's say 50mm to the inside of the bus, you can fully rebuild all the replacement gutters and channel, C pillar and such, before reattaching the short rear panel. when all is said and done, and the body solid and square again, cut out the inner tubing.
(you could actually add a new tubing rail to BOTH sides of the rain gutters, making it possible to also repair the drivers side, bit by bit, if needed. It is like building a temporary space frame you can hang your panels ).

Huetti_1989 wrote:

At all i feel a litte overwhelmed in the moment, taping from one big Problem to the next at this project, need to come back to make one corner after the another and not looking to much at problems...

Tue Jan 28, 2025 2:48 pm

BeaterBarndoor wrote: Be sure to check the distance of the valance/pedal pan holes. If I recall, the holes are slightly different location. Not a huge difference but if you use an original pedal pan, things may not line up to the later nut holes. You would either relocate , I think the outer 2 nuts or easier to open up the holes on your pan to mate up.

I checked them with a nos pedal pan, they matching
Thanks!

@günther:
Yes, anything like this!

Some detail work on the front valance

-Christian

Wed Jan 29, 2025 2:03 pm

Today i started to make some patches on the front frame, i used a old trailer part from the junkyard to get some 2mm metal.

-Christian

Thu Jan 30, 2025 2:32 pm

Finished the patch repair on the front frame (for now)
And weld the nos front valance in the right place.

With a close look i see that all the nos inner rockers have a bunch of holes and notches, but the remaining of my inner rocker only have later drilled holes through the cargo floor.
Can anyone confirm that there are bo holes in front and back of the inner rocker?

So i used a old spare part and make it fit (i made the profile years ago for my 57 SC) instead of a nos rocker:

-Christian

Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:20 am

Huetti_1989 wrote:
With a close look i see that all the nos inner rockers have a bunch of holes and notches, but the remaining of my inner rocker only have later drilled holes through the cargo floor.
Can anyone confirm that there are bo holes in front and back of the inner rocker?

My 54 did not have the notches on top, only holes drilled through the cargo floor and rocker after assembly. I believe the notches were added after 55 but I do not know when. From my research there were no holes in the bottom of barndoor inner rockers.

Fri Jan 31, 2025 5:31 pm

sgellis wrote: Huetti_1989 wrote:
With a close look i see that all the nos inner rockers have a bunch of holes and notches, but the remaining of my inner rocker only have later drilled holes through the cargo floor.
Can anyone confirm that there are bo holes in front and back of the inner rocker?

My 54 did not have the notches on top, only holes drilled through the cargo floor and rocker after assembly. I believe the notches were added after 55 but I do not know when. From my research there were no holes in the bottom of barndoor inner rockers.

I have a September ‘54 here at my shop that has the drain holes on the bottom of the inner rocker (original)

I have a September ‘53 here that does NOT have the drain holes (original).

I also have two October 52’s here but both were too rusted to tell, I’m assuming no drain holes.

Both buses have holes in the cargo floor that appear to be drilled through after the floor was installed

Sat Feb 01, 2025 4:53 am

I guess it has something to do with how barndoor buses didn't have a third layer of strengthening metal inside the inner and outer rocker. that middle plate would have trapped water inside the inner rocker portion. only the outer rocker had the drain dimples.

Sun Feb 02, 2025 2:06 pm

Thanks for all the good input!

That sounds legitimate!
So I don't add more holes!

I changed the very rear right outrigger with a KF panel.
For the middle one i used a later nos part i delete the sill and add a hole,
Some repair on the frame behind, i must take care of that frame later, hard for me to go one little step after the next.

-Christian

Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:06 pm

Today i weld the nos front and nos middle outrigger and the inner rocker to the right place.

I found a remaining of the third layer of strengthening metal inside the inner and outer rocker.

I testfit the nos outer rocker and a later c pillar.

I checked the measurements wirh my 67 Sparsamba, amazing good so far... for now only the alignment of the b-Pillar makes me some headache...

Put the door out again, with the A-pillar for next steps.

-Christian

Tue Feb 04, 2025 6:47 pm

Huetti_1989 wrote:
I found a remaining of the third layer of strengthening metal inside the inner and outer rocker.

Interesting. I thought that started in 53.

Looks like things are going well . Are you building a jig to assemble the right wall? I plan to build a jig for my left wall so i can restore the panels and then add the ribs while insuring correct profile. Then I can install the completed wall on the bus.

Wed Feb 05, 2025 2:37 pm

sgellis wrote: Huetti_1989 wrote:
I found a remaining of the third layer of strengthening metal inside the inner and outer rocker.

Interesting. I thought that started in 53.

Looks like things are going well . Are you building a jig to assemble the right wall? I plan to build a jig for my left wall so i can restore the panels and then add the ribs while insuring correct profile. Then I can install the completed wall on the bus.

Good idea with the jig!

For now i think i can fabricate the right shape with the templates i can take feom my other splits, we will see!

But today i do some work o the a pillar, sand off the green and add some filler where I maybe can't reach it later.
Put that pillar in the car and out very often to make it fit, I need to overthink that corner...

I am very happy about that kf c pillar, it have the right flat barndoor sill!

So not much process seen here, only a lot of measure and thinking..

-Christian

Thu Feb 06, 2025 2:55 pm

Today i done some reshaping if the roof...how terrible bent!

And i try to fabricate a rain gutter and put the pillar in place...

-Christian

Fri Feb 07, 2025 10:08 am

Very nice work, i follow your post with interest bécause its rare to see restauration where all detail and spécification are conserved.especialy on a 52 model..
I saw you are adjusting A pillar. So are you modify it?
i know pré 52 pillar have à différent shape on the Windows section.?
Post 52

Pre52

Fri Feb 07, 2025 3:09 pm

Xavw wrote: Very nice work, i follow your post with interest bécause its rare to see restauration where all detail and spécification are conserved.especialy on a 52 model..
I saw you are adjusting A pillar. So are you modify it?
i know pré 52 pillar have à différent shape on the Windows section.?
Post 52

Pre52

Hy man. I am a little proud that you make your first post here in my thread =)

I here about that before and i compared them, looks like my 52 have that "later" pillar:

Today was a long one, a little of bending on that a-pillar, b-pillar... a LOT!!

Then some reshaping of the sidewall:

For fun in the evening i done some work on the shelf-made raingutter...

-Christian

Sat Feb 08, 2025 1:33 pm

No big news today, i cut out more of the damaged roof in the rear and the front and start to fit the new raingutter to the remains of the lower section where i done some reshaping of that by the way.
I use some nos parts for reference.

-Christian

Sun Feb 09, 2025 12:50 pm

Today i not made many hours in the workshop because a big hiking tour, but after that i done som chilling work on the roofgutter.

Fabricated the front part where the roofgutter make the "bent" inwards and get smaller and weld it to the next piece, for sure the longest panel i fabricate for now...

-Christian

Mon Feb 10, 2025 2:23 pm

Some more work on the roofgutter, the most biggest part i ever made!!

Not easy to get that thing straight.
Then i started to weld it to the car with a lot of measuring for sure as always...

-Christian

Wed Feb 12, 2025 2:30 pm

Finaly welded the raingutter in the right place.

For the inner reinforcement i need to finally build some new tools for my metal folder!

-Christian

Thu Feb 13, 2025 2:24 pm

Finished the new tool for the metal bending machine.
Now i am able to bend at 9mm the next step.
With this i make the inner raingutter panels.

I also try to put now with the side off to install the parcel tray in one piece but its still impossible, so it really looks like i have to weld the parts together in the car.

-Christian