The biggest concern with pulling a convert able body off of the chassis, with the doors removed, is the potential for the body to fold up like a pretzel at the rocker panels. The rocker panels also contain the heater channels that carry the heat from the engine heat exchanges to the interior vents & windshield defrosters. They are susceptible to rusting and these rocker panels were no different. Replacement rocker panels had been welded/pop-riveted over the rusted parts. Though it improved the cosmetics it did nothing to strengthen the body. After the doors were removed, we fabricated three plates for each door, two for the hinge mounting plates and one for the door latch plate. We transferred the hinge mounting holes to them. We drilled out the plates & bolted them onto the door frames.
Then I cut 3/4" black pipe struts to fit and welded them into place.
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