pan alignment?
 

Hello all.
I'm sure this has been addressed, but I cant find it anywhere so here goes: After I cut out the old front pan section in my 69, could I bolt the arms to the new one to ensure that they will line up, in other words use them as guides to hold the pan in proper alignment while welding in place. Help?

We did this at DTW's house and it kind of just fell in place. Jamie (jpnovak) measured from one suspention pick up to the oposite corner and did the same for the other side (in an x pattern) I think he may have done something else but I'm not sure

The pan is spot welded. You should drill out the spot weld instead of cutting out the pan.

If you are careful removing the old one and leave the seams intact, intallation and alignment is simple. Measure from front to rear on each side using the same pickups. Compare these to the factory specs. This will ensure the pan is properly positioned front to back. Then measure in an X pattern to make sure the pan is square. The pan should fit square within about 1mm. clamp in place as if you were going to weld and then make a measurement. That way, when its right, you can tack it and it won't move. tack 4 corners remove clamps and check for square again. You don't want it to move or warp when welding. good luck.

I did the pan on my 69 912 a couple of months ago...no problems getting it lined up correctly...the replacement part fits nice and snug, after tapping it into place and checking to make sure everything looked like I wanted, start tacking...once you have all the corners tacked in place recheck, and then weld the sucker...once everything was solidly welded, the torsion bars lined up perfectly with the mounting points. Heck I haven't even gotten my front end aligned yet, it drives great!!
Good luck!!

I hear that...I replaced the pan up and over the steering rack mount...

After lots of measuring and trimming, I got it welded in there, and the car tracks and drives straight...

sjd

Thanx guys,
I understand that the spot welds are what you cut (drill) out, and it seems that the flaring on the pan edges simply lines up, but my concern is the fore/aft dimension, which the length of the a-arms determines. Also, I have heard, but never seen, that the early race cars were seam welded instead of spot welding to increase structural integrity under track loads. Comments?
Holder Trumbo

The Tool store in Forest View, IL (Just west of Chicago) Phone 708-484-2442 sells a 3/8 Rotary Spotweld cutter for $7.95. Part No. SG 18000. They sells a lot of nifty and quality tool for the professional and DIY mechanics.

If the wife would let me I would like to buy my daughter a Yamaha Pocket Rocket motor bike, but she only 9 months old. At least I could put it in the Porsche and take her to an empty parking lot to ride. The tool store also carry the pocket rocket motor bike.

Hoof prints? Zebras?

Bear,
We need serious competent advice here, not comedians.

bump

I did the front suspension pan and gas tank support on my '72 and like the others have pointed out it really just fits into place one way. I took a bunch of measurements prior to cutting out the old pan and found that once I had the pan in place fitted up against the old seams I did not have to shift it around (and actually once in place it really can't shift) to make things line up correctly.

thanx kurt, thats pretty much what it looks like to me too.

I found the same as the other guys as far as any side-side adjustments of the new pan - it only fit exactly where the old on was. However, I had take measurements in the up-down direction by placing a 4' level across fixed points inside the trunk and measuring down to the forward torsion bar mount holes. When I first fitted the new pan and measured, I found that one side was up a few millimeters too much because I guess I had bent the mating metal a little while removing the old pan. It was easy to muscle it back down before welding, but once you weld it in, you will never move it. I would take some vertical plane measuements before you cut the old pan.
Also, that British restoration manual with the blue cover has a nice measurement in millimeters from the crossbar mounting hole to the torsion bar front support hole. It's a good check for peace of mind before welding.
Good luck, Brad

thanx for all the help guys, I'll let you know how it goes, maybe jbryant will come over and help me...

Ah, the other hoof falls. Sure I can help, just let me know when.