Big time body sag......HELP!!!!

[bbfarms]

pulled the 69 into my shop, took the bench seat out, and the hard top off. Had the doors open whille doing this proces. After the top was off and seat was out, went to shut the doors and SURPRISE>>>>>>neither would shut correctly, there is about a 1/2 -3/4 gap at the bottom of each door and rubbing at the top (back of the door) The floors are shot, and the cross member behind the seat, just in front of the bed floor is gone. Got a 1x3 tube to replace it with, and some heavy steel that I was going to replace the floor pans. Should also not that the rockers are shot and have new ones to replace.

If I replace the cross member and put new body mount will this fix it (assuming I can lift if straight)

Has anyone ever added "extra" steel inside the rockers to help support?

Will "thicker" body mount bushings help (in the center)

Body cages??? ( want to use the stock doors) and possibly a soft top

I want to do a good job with out a money pit and not concerned with show truck qualit, just wanting to do a restor to a daily driver.

Also sould note....have acess to allot of steel and my own Miller MIG and no stranger to Fabricating


Any other ideas?????

 

[suckerpunched]

I don't think extra steel or thicker bushings is your best answer. You do need to keep the body alignment as you go. Doors in peticular should fit before you start and while welding it back together. If the top was holding it in alignment you might think about putting it back on. Or jack it up straight and weld in braces to hold it in alignment. Also the the support channels under the floor are likely shot and sagging too. The parts I used to fix mine went in very nicely and fit almost perfect. I have decent body alignment now. I did mine with the top off, body on jack stands, body braced and house jacks under the rockers to tweek alignment as I went. It is time consuming but sure nice when it's done.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Your body is in rough shape. Extra metal isn't needed. Good metal is.
With the floors, channels, rockers all in such bad shape, what is still good? Usually at this point you are also looking at bad striker plates, rust in the seam between upper and lower bed sides, inner fenders, cowl and other places. You need solid metal attached to solid metal.

I would be afraid to try and lift the body off at this point. It could easily just fold. It doesn't sound like there is much, if any structure left in the body if it was the roof that was holding everything in alignment.

 

[JLBachs]

Granted there are some body support pieces that show up at your door and you think, "I can't believe I just paid for that." but if nothing else consider buying new channels to attach your floors to - even if you fab up your own floors. Our vendors all have the support channels, made with original tooling, they fit great, and they go a long way in helping body integrity.
Your '69 probably doesn't have the emissions tubes running between the underside of the body and the frame, but you might want to look and make sure a previous owner hasn't ran a fuel line on top of a frame rail or anything else important that might get sandwiched or cut. Also there may be added stress on your steering column. Putting the top back on until you have the floors taken care of is really a good idea