Suspension pan / front end replacement etc

[Joscarlang]

Hi guys! (repost from my bodywork forum post)

It's been a very busy winter break! I got a lot of work done on my 68 thanks to the guys at restoration design and having some time off from work.

I've got everything tacked and sheet metal screwed back together right now. The hood latches (which was satisfying!), suspension is bolted back on and so far all of my point to point measurements line up and jive with the Porsche factory prints I have. I am reluctant to fully weld everything yet because I haven't been able to confirm the proper height of the front A-arm bolting points with the zero plane on the car. The pan was replaced poorly in 86' by my dad and a handful of his friends with incorrect parts and no jig or measurements made/taken or confirmed. Everything rusted out all over again too so as you can see in the photos the only points I could really count on being relatively correct were the front bumper mounts and the location of the hood latch...hence the jig points.

I'm guessing that the front A-arm points are not that crucial? All the parts I got from RD are very accurate so I have just been assuming that "If it lines up, it must be right". However, I don't want to do this again!! So, without further mumblings here are my queries to the collective Porsche minds:

Does anyone know how to easily index the elevation of the front suspension points from the zero plane?

Am I worrying too much about it / Should I just weld it up and be done?

After the pan is done and everything is welded, I move on to fender fitment along with doors on or off? (only one door is original and both fenders are from other cars)

When should I worry about the hood fender gap? (I've got the hood to inner fender gap pretty close)

I've got the inner rockers and jack tubes done now and I know I need to mount the doors to fit outer rockers. Do I mount doors, then do outer rockers then fenders?

I know that everything has to kind of work in concert and I know that i'm going to have to pull the fenders off and reinstall a number of times (along with the doors) but I'd like to be as efficient as possible with this. Does anyone have any input on the whole, "order of things"??

I've been finding myself just staring at the car and wondering what to do next!

[tperazzo]

Hey there,
I recently did my suspension pan on my my car and used the factory dimensioned drawings to check my suspension points before welding.

It takes longer without a jig, but it's possible with the right tools and some math.

I used a homemade spirit level technique, tram Gage, some homemade height gages, and a straight edge.

Everything I did is shown step by step in the following YouTube videos. I used the same technique to confirm the the A arms crossmember is true and square to the rear pickup points too.
https://youtu.be/5Prp3qBijiw

https://youtu.be/VkPx2kQlIb4

Kind of like blueprinting a chassis so to speak as an engine builder would blueprint an engine. It's doable, but honestly most guys just weld it on.

There are also video on my YouTube channel showing how I aligned all the panels and which order is best. My car was wrecked so none of the above was easy.
Cheers,
Tom

[Arminho]

I think we all consider Tom the expert in this topic! Give his videos and thread a look! Good luck.

[tperazzo]

Originally Posted by Arminho

I think we all consider Tom the expert in this topic! Give his videos and thread a look! Good luck.

Thanks, I'm not an expert but play one on YouTube, ha ha.

Actually I'm just an average Joe in a small two car garage. That doesn't stop me from doing quality work.

I'd love to have a cellette bench or cool jigs, but there's no space for them.

My message is that not all repairs require a cellette bench. But you shouldn't weld stuff in that looks straight either.

Do the research and measurements until you've convinced yourself it's good and then do it again.

I'm very confident that my suspension points are withing the +/- 1mm factory tolerance. And that is with the chassis totally relaxed. ( Not bolted down to a cellette bench)

I'm learning more about how flexible these chassis are too. Real deflections are easily measured when the car is supported unequally or twisted on purpose.
Cheers,
Tom

[Joscarlang]

Tom,
Thanks for the reply. I'd seen your videos on YT and they were helpful.
I'm moving the car in a couple months in to a garage with an asphalt floor that is pitched so I'm hoping to get as much done now as possible regarding body alignment before that. Trying to move the car to designated reassembly area away from other cars, bikes distractions for the final push.

I'll keep moving forward!

I should probably start a "Build thread".... but i've been too busy working!