WQ59B Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 I am getting ready to rebody my '59 Invicta. I have 1 front wheel's suspension to reassemble then the chassis is rolling, and the body is in finish primer and ready to drop. I have all new bushings & hardware and I had to fabricated my own body washers, as many of the originals were quite rusted.Some of my 'restification' guidance has been from '80s MuscleCar Review articles when they did a long-term body-off on a '66 GTO. From that: MCR was of the opinion that the body HAD to be placed on the bushings/ frame on the level (as opposed to one end, then the other), and that if a bushing was out of place, the entire body had to be lifted and replaced rather than trying to lift that area of the body and adjusting the bushing. This has haunted me, as I would need to assemble that many more people than the 4 I used to lift the body in the first place. During that operation, we lifted the front (placing it on wooden 4x4s on 35-gal drums), then lifted the rear with an engine hoist.Anyone have any experienced opinion on this one? I would also welcome any other rebodying tips anyone cares to pass along.--Mark in NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted February 25, 2005 Author Share Posted February 25, 2005 <span style="font-style: italic">NOTHING!?!?</span> No one here has done a body-off restoration? No encouragement for bringing another proud Buick back from the brink?I am so alone.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 It could be your heading, I thought you were building a new body from scratch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Is your car a CVT, hardtop or sedan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WQ59B Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 Maybe it was the title.I have an Invicta 2-dr hardtop. When the bodywork was done, 1x2" square tubing was installed inside the rockers from the rear wheelwell forward, to facilitate attachment of the new rockers. All weak & rotted steel in the floorpans (primarily aling the sills) has been replaced. So the shell (completely bare except for the doors) is stronger & stiffer than when new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 A closed car as opposed to a Cvt should not matter as long as you use the old shims in the original places and everything is square. Just bolt it down and see how the doors and fenders fit and adjust by adding/removing shims as needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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