330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Moderators: 330GT, abrent

Darren C
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:56 pm
Location: Chichester UK

330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by Darren C »

I thought I’d start a specific “bodyshell repair”thread for 6727.
Here are a few photographs showing the task ahead and progress so far in repairing my 330GT 2+2 Series 1 bodyshell.

6727 was cut apart to be used as a donor for a 330LM replica. By sheer chance I was talking with Callum Hewitt (DJ Chris Evan’s new Son-in Law) when Callum admitted to being the person responsible for cutting up 6727 for Terry Hoyle to obtain the chassis, it’s a small world! Unfortunately the car had suffered a bad racing accident and the chassis was twisted. I do not know for sure but I hear through the jungle drums that it had to be discarded in favour of a “newly” manufactured chassis.
Following the chassis removal the shell had been moved several times before I purchased it from GTO Engineering off of ebay and had been lifted unsupported. With no chassis/backbone, stress cracks at the base of the windscreen pillars had appeared and left unsupported on a wooden pallet it had twisted and drooped.
You can read 6727 history on Kerry’s Register here:

http://www.330gt.com/detail/6727.html

(Tom, do you or any of your customers recall any of 6727 history as it when in the early 1970’s to New York State, for 10 years or so?)

The first thing to do was brace the shell so that it could be manipulated back into line. This was done with angle iron and box section steel. Hours and hours of measuring and jacking into place. Ironically I reckon it’s now more square and level than in was when it left the factory!
The floor had been burnt out of the car with a gas torch and what remained showed signs of massive corrosion. Although a previous owner had replaced the sills, wing and quarter bottoms at some time in the past, they hadn’t been done particularly well and simply covered over rusty steel.
With the shell supported the remaining rotten floor was cut out and the inner sills removed. The outer sill steel was good but unfortunately the chassis had been hacked out taking along the rear jacking point and centre tunnel. A square cut had been made approximately 8” long around the rear jacking point. The whole area was now missing.
If you look carefully below at the photo of me loading 6727 onto the trailer you can just see the square cut holes around the missing rear jacking point.

Image

So the only thing to do was remove the whole inner sills and centre steel sections inside, leaving just the good outer sill. New steel parts were folded and welded into place. After carefully measuring a 330 I saw in a carpark (for jack point position) I turned down some heavy steel tube on my lathe to make two new jacking points. Holes were cut in the new inner and centre steel of the sills and the tubes passed through into place and welded in. Next a new square plate outer section was rolled to fill the cut-out and welded in place on both sides.

Left rear jacking point repair

Image

Right rear jacking point repair

Image

With new steel in the sills, strength was returned to the shell.
Braces still in place I then looked to replace the chassis tubes so that I could begin to fabricate new outriggers and eventually put in the layered floor, back to original specification.
Here is a picture of the Boot floor with rear chassis rails removed (picture as shell purchased from seller’s advertisement)
If you look carefully (you can left click on image then zoom) you’ll see the two gaping holes where the chassis tubes ran and a butchered boot floor!

Image

Using photographs I found online I set the two new chassis tubes in position and fabricated the rear of the new chassis. Once in place new steel plates were folded and formed to make the boot floor and close up the openings. The old cut floor was cut-back to the existing panel seams on the rear quarters and tyre well floor so that the new metal closed off the opening without showing any signs of repair.

Boot Repair Left hand side

Image

Boot Repair Right hand side

Image

There are still lots to do and this is only part of the pictorial record, I am keeping, and hoping to post on the forum as and when I get chance.

Here are a few daunting pictures of the scale of the work required.

Engine bay

Image

Front passenger footwell LH

Image

Drivers Footwell RH

Image

Drivers side rear floor RH

Image

Passenger side rear floor LH

Image

You can see in the above pictures the newly made inner sills and angle flange that I plan on using to weld in the new floor.
If anyone has any photos of a 330GT 2+2 steel floor laid bare, I’d appreciate it as a reference to use to manufacture my new floor.

Thanks.
330GT 2+2 4HL 6727
Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.
Darren C
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:56 pm
Location: Chichester UK

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by Darren C »

I'm still in search of some good photographs of a 330 floorpan with carpets removed, so that I can replicate it correctly. I have the first 4" along each side of the car, before I cut it out to rebuild the inner sills (so have the levels and one side of the seat runners, so all reference points are there to start from) but thereafter its completely missing!
Can anyone help with some photo's please?
330GT 2+2 4HL 6727
Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.
User avatar
tyang
Posts: 4060
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2002 10:28 pm
Location: New York
Contact:

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by tyang »

Hi Darren,

I have Cory's car, a SI 330, at the shop right now. I can take some pictures for you early next week. His interior is stripped out of the car right now.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

Pictures of a series 1.
Attachments
DSC_0175.JPG
DSC_0175.JPG (169.29 KiB) Viewed 12208 times
DSC_0251.JPG
DSC_0251.JPG (249.61 KiB) Viewed 12208 times
DSC_0249.JPG
DSC_0249.JPG (48.73 KiB) Viewed 12208 times
Darren C
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:56 pm
Location: Chichester UK

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by Darren C »

Cory....you are fantastic!

Thats absolutely perfect, just what I needed. So what happens at the front footwells?

Many Thanks
330GT 2+2 4HL 6727
Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

They are a continuation of the aluminum firewall. Drivers side has a cut out for the pedal box. They both terminate in the middle of the first outrigger and meet the steel floor section flush. As an FYI, there are two steel floors with insulation inbetween. There are also 3 seperate pieces to the rocker panel sections. The outer rocker you see, the center section that has holes drilled into it to lighten them, then finally the inner section that the carpet would be attached too. All are just visable in the picture I posted showing the passenger side with the drivers side in the background. Yes, they were just about rotted off the car.
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

Before and after...........
Attachments
DSC_0705.JPG
DSC_0705.JPG (164.55 KiB) Viewed 12157 times
DSC_0074.JPG
DSC_0074.JPG (243.23 KiB) Viewed 12157 times
Darren C
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:56 pm
Location: Chichester UK

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by Darren C »

Thanks again Cory,

This is great pictorial information. Yes I have re-built the rockers (called Sills in UK) as you have explained. The small bit of old cut out floor I had attached to the old inner sill where the carpet fits shows the sandwich construction with a fibre insulation between. I presume where the front footwell in aluminium joins to the steel floor (in front of the seats) the Aluminium is single or double skinned like the steel floor?????

Tom, more pictures would be good, particularly looking at the front footwells taken from inside the car looking at the bulkhead, and some from underneath if possible.

The new steel floor you've put in, I see the pressed ribs are faithful to the original? The "before" picture shows a "H" pressing just at the front of the seats the new is just the parallel lines of the H. I'm NOT picking fault, its a super job, but I just need to understand when I replicate your floor, in my car I have all the information. I'm as stubborn as a mule when it comes to detail. :)
330GT 2+2 4HL 6727
Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

the aluminum floor panel is single layered. Those indentations we're done with a bead roller. The pattern that you speak of I have seen done both ways.
tim
Posts: 341
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 2:48 pm
Location: sacramento, ca

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by tim »

Greetings… You guys are brae beyond words. Thanks for saving these cars.

Tim
1964 330GT 5769 -the big yellow taxi 61&66 Morgan +4's Daimler SP250 Turner 950S and some other dull stuff plus a brand Mercedes C300 4matic
B24Spider
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2011 3:10 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by B24Spider »

Just a quick note to mention that the reason for the holes in the center sill is stiffening, not reducing weight. That's why the holes have a rolled/pressed radiused edge.
-Steve
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

tim wrote:Greetings… You guys are brae beyond words. Thanks for saving these cars.

Tim
Thanks Tim.
A few more for reference....some before and after. You can see in the first picture where the passenger side front jacking point penetrates the foremost outrigger. Second picture is what was left of the pedal box framework. There is enough there to give an idea for placement and form. Third picture: rear drivers side jacking point (the round tube seen to the right) Definately makes you think twice about using these to jack the car up.
Attachments
DSC_0097.JPG
DSC_0097.JPG (239.69 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
DSC_0077.JPG
DSC_0077.JPG (231.13 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
DSC_0074.JPG
DSC_0074.JPG (232.1 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

Pedal Box, completed passenger side, completed drivers side.
Attachments
DSC_0449.JPG
DSC_0449.JPG (222.68 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
DSC_0450.JPG
DSC_0450.JPG (176.7 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
DSC_0288.JPG
DSC_0288.JPG (232.73 KiB) Viewed 12113 times
Darren C
Posts: 123
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:56 pm
Location: Chichester UK

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by Darren C »

Top Work Cory, very impressive and an invaluble record of the detail in these cars construction. Again thanks for sharing.
I have spent the day working on the engine bay again, repaired the louvre side panels today, made up new sections and ran out of daylight, so tomorrow, all being well I'll get them welded in place.
With the detail in your pictures I'm spending each evening working out how to cut fold and make the new floor in my mind so that hopefully in a week or so I'll have figured it all out, and be in a position to buy some more sheet steel!
330GT 2+2 4HL 6727
Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing.
cory
Posts: 227
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:34 pm

Re: 330GT 2+2 Bodyshell Rebuild

Post by cory »

Just a thought. When I did the floors, front box and outriggers it was important that the outriggers and front boxes were done first. The outriggers tie into (weld) to the very inner sills. This gives you the alignment for the floor height and alas the seat positioning. The bottom floors are actually pieces, with four unequal sides folding downwards, that fit up into the cavity created by the outriggers, longitudinal main frame, and inner sills.
The front jacking points actually go thru the foremost frame box that you will be building. The rear jacking points go thru all three sill sections and are welded in front of the front leaf spring attachment point. Those locations can be seen in the pictures I posted.
Again, imo, building and placing those outriggers and front boxes are crucial to insure the correct alignment and placement of the pedal box and correct exaust height/placement. Fabricating the floors are the easiest, and funnest, in the process. Thank you and good luck.
Post Reply