I have a '68 convertible that has some damage in the rear tub in the wheel wells. I found and purchased a complete fiberglass clip that was cut at the back of the floors behind the seats. The donor car was a rust bucket, so the owner cut the metal reinforcement plate between the door pillars and possibly cut the pillars themselves. This made it possible to remove the clip in one piece.

Now looking at my car trying to figure out a plan of attack that will result in the best looking job, I think that I will have to at least remove the metal plate between the pillars and remove the body from the frame to splice the new clip to my body somewhere around the place where the tub rivets to the metal reinforcement between the pillars (a few inches up from where the floor ends and the rear tub begins).

I would like to do this in such a way that the repair will not show, and the clip that I am using is complete from the door lock pillar fiberglass back. I would like to slide the clip down the metal pillar posts on my body with the fiberglass splice near the rivet area to the metal support between the pillars(a few inches up from where the floor ends and the rear tub begins). I will obviously then have to have the metal plate re-welded at the cuts that I will make near the pillars.

Has anyone here done this? Will I have to remove the pillar support plate for clearance? Will I have to go any further into the metal structures to accomplish this (remove the pillar posts themselves)? Is there a better way possibly? Are there any words of wisdom someone might be able to offer here?

Thank you for your time with this.

John

If it were my car, I think I would leave my current metal intact, and disassemble the new clip and build it back on the car.  Where it is not practical to replace a whole panel at the bonding strips, it is fairly easy to splice without it showing.  But then, I am not looking at the car as I offer that opinion.  Maybe the damage is too extensive for that approach. 

Good luck.  It sounds like a fun project.
Larry

yeah some pics of the damage and new clip would help

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