Expert: Ernie - 4/1/2007

Question
I am going to completely restore this car right on down to the frame. However, I was told that I should do the body work repairs to the quarter panels,etc. BEFORE I take it off the frame to ensure that it will fit back on the frame correctly. I was going to just take the body completely off and restore the frame & body separately and then put the body back on. What should be done first? Should I really do the body work first and then remove the body before I restore the frame? Any information would be helpful. Thank you. Mike

Answer
Any project done right starts with a good base.Restore the frame first and be sure to use new body mounts.If you do the body first the likelyhood of everything lining up right is slim.The body is going to shift no matter what so when the frame is done you can bolt the body on with the new mounts and the car will be solid,again a good base.Also it is a good idea to take several measurements before you start,door openings,trunk,windows,etc.If you want to repair the floors and braces before you remove the body that is o.k. but I don`t know the extent of the rust involved.