Body Sagging....help!!!!

Hi,
Here are a few pics of the 72 CJ5 I recently purchased. The plan is to build a decent trail rig. I am not after a show queen. I need to replace alot of rusted body panels. I am able to make most panels my self and can weld, do some body work and paint. I have been rebuilding VW Beetles since high school but this is my frist CJ. I need some advice on how to proceed with repairing the rot. I know I can replace the panels but I have a few questions.

Here is the drivers side floor pan. Do replacement panels include the curved channel (that is completely rotted in this pic) underneath the floor?



Should the bottom of the door area opening be on an angle or is it just that the body has sagged really bad?



Here is a pic of the driver side under the door opening. The entire front of the tub seems to have sagged and I am not sure the best way to replace the floor to make sure I repair the mounting points and ensure the body sits correctly. The rivets you see are from the crappy patch panels I removed. I plan to either buy or fabricate new panels to weld in in place of the rotted pieces.



For more pics to give you an idea of what I am dealing with please check out my site

Mike's Jeep

TIA

Mike

 

This guy might be able to help. He makes his parts himself for the early models, but I don't know if he goes as late as '72. His CJ5 stuff is in the M38A1 category. You'll have to call though, the website is broken. http://www.jeepanelsplus.com/

Here's another source...
http://www.dlbensinger.com/

Another...
http://www.4wdandsportutility.com/tech/metal/

 

Oh, to answer your question, the replacement floor panels I've seen in catalogs and on websites have the bottom "hat channel" supports on them.

 

to answer the side panel question, no it is not supposed to angle in like that. should be straight. not sure on the best route for repair. i guess i would remove all the body mounts left, hoist up the body a few inches and start putting in new panels.

 

My approach would be to block up the body until the sag is gone, then tack some stiffeners from the dash to the wheelwells or bed, and along the outside of the body, to hold it straight. I'd use angle iron, black iron pipe, whatever I could find that I could tack to the body. You can probably salvage that side panel, depending on how much metal is left after you blast the rust off.

One advantage Jeeps have over VWs is that most of the body panels are straight, so you can easily cut patch panels without a lot of bending and rolling.

If you decide you need to replace both the floors and the panel sides, there's not going to be much of the body left. IIRC side panels are sold as one piece, fron the edge of the front fender all the way to the edge of the tailgate. In that case, you might want to look around for a replacement body from a similar vintage Jeep (ie 72-75).

 

wheni repaired driver's side 2 winters ago; i used 1"x.5"x.5" C-channel to replace the hats, 20 gauge for the side and 1"x1.5" angle to reinforce the corners. looks like the po had the fore sight to rivet patch panels on rather than braze them as mine did.

 

Classic Enterprises (http://www.classicent.com/jeep.htm) also sells just the piece that goes below the doors. I wish I had know this before I went and repaired a bunch of holes, rather than just replacing the whole thing.

Jim

 

I replaced my floors this past spring. I ended up making my own out of 1x2x1/8 tubing for the supports and 16 ga. sheet for the actual floors.

As for your Jeep I would remove the body, cut out the floor, and then repair the sides first. Repairing the sides first would allow you to get them as straight as possible and then add the flooring and supports.

What I did was cut out my floor and then add 4 front to back supports. I then positioned the body back on the frame and tacked in side-side supports directly above the body mounts. I took the body back off the frame and then added the sheetmetal. I had my buddys sheet metal shop bend up the metal on their brake and then I cut it to fit. When that was done I put the body back on, made sure it was square, and then drilled the body mount holes through my supports. They are more than likely stronger than the replacement panels out there and they are built how I wanted them to be. Here are some pics:

 

Joe's right. Really in the long run cutting and replacement is the best way. Even if you replace every panel but the cowl, you'll be happier. By the way nice work Joe

 

I have a few ideas. Joe's pics look like a good place to start. I am not restoring a show vehilce so there is no need for originality when it comes to the channels and floors. I started last night to cut out some bad areas of the tub sides and made up some patches. Looks like lots of welding but I think I can manage. I'll try to keep updated pics coming.

Thanks for all the help on here so far.

Mike

 

As already mentioned. Cut out the rusted stuff and replace with new metal! I bought the floor supports and toe boards from Classic ent. Great stuff. I made my own side panel repair panels and bottom half of the vertical supprt channel. If you have replaced a VW pan you can do this. Just take your time.

 

I have replaced a few VW floor pans. I have spent some time sizing up my options and for now I am going to fix the sides of the body to try to give some strength back to the tub. When that is done I'll brace the tub and remove it from the chassis. Then I can get at the floors easier and build a new frame to support the area and build new floor pans. I'll keep updated pics as I go.


Mike