Hi all ,

This issue needed a new thread; it originally started in the Who sells complete rear frame rails? Thread ,,,
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
I have received both my complete trunk pan and frame rails. I attempted a "test fit" of the rails to the floor and right where the rails turn down towards the floor just above the axle on both sides I have a gap of around 3/16 to ¼ inch, it’s right at the shock support area. Both pieces seem pretty rigid, and doesn’t look like either will readily give.
Is this issue easily handled by using 1/4 inch bolts through both pieces and pulling them together?

My thought is to temporarily install the trunk floor, get it lined up as best possible. Then Install the frame rails using nuts, bolts and washers to really pull everything together as sheet metal screws won’t have the clamping force needed to do this.

Then measure, measure then drill, plug weld and hopefully it come out ok..
Has anybody here runs into this? If so how bad was yours and how did you end up dealing with it..

A couple other guys are performing this replacement too, or very soon.

Bob

I had similar problems with my car, I think the problem is 50/50 between the pan and the new frame rails. Then again i am no pro and there are probably better ways to fix the problem then what i did....

Luckily i only had to replace 45" of one of my frame rails and when i started comparing it to the stock part it was obvious that one of the bends in the rail was not at the correct angle. I had to cut my rail, bend it and weld it back up to make it better.

After that when i installed the trunk pan the area where the pan turns down (around the shock towers) and the section in the front of the pan (closest to the tail panel) fit very well but the section in the middle had the same gaps that you describe. I bent the "ears" on the frame rail as much as i could but it didnt help as much as i would have liked.

I ended up having to take a body hammer and denting up my my pretty new trunk floor to bring everything together :angry: but now it is all welded in and i dont think it is coming out easily.

Looks like i will be getting one of those houndstooth trunk covers now :(

edit: i did try using bolts to pull the two parts together and it did help to a extent but didnt bring everything together enough to make a strong weld (i am excited to get back to bolt on parts soon :clonk: )

Ok thanks , I was really beginning to think it was just me running into this stuff..LOL

I'm thinking about placing a cut in the trunk floor so as to help the floor give some when being bolted together , then once it all is in place weld up the cut in the floor. I don’t really want to slice up the new frame rails.

I’ll spend some time tonight test fitting again. Just to see which would be the easiest and most logical to do.

All this fit stuff I run into really makes me think about what goes into making the new 69 vert shells. They must have some hefty jigs to force everything in place!


Bob