PO has me PO'd - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

jaros44sr · 10-15-2006, 10:43 AM

OK, here's the last step of disassembly. Take your time on the seams as you don't want to destroy the sheet metal underneath. The method that works best for me is as follows
Pry up what ever you can get and pull back with pliers, it helps if you can wedge a small screwdriver on the other side of the spotweld, now when you use your cutoff wheel it will grind both sides of the spot weld, top and bottom, try pulling some more and you should see movement, if not grind some more. After it breaks lose, you'll end up with a 1" pc., cut that off and start on the next one. It's sorta like opening an old ham can. Channel locks work best as they have a rolled head that is helpful in the cam action that is required. BTW you should be cutting, grinding in the same direction that your seam is running! Once you see blue metal, you are almost thru the first layer of metal. Give yourself plenty of light, so you can see exactly what you are cuttin'
Here's some pics.

BTW, your seams should be cut flat, like a ribbon, as any angle on it will only give it more strenght and you don't want that!!

As you can see in one of the closups, I had planned to just weld up the hole that looks like a sailboat, but after separating the seam the rust was hidden and it doesn't make sense not to fix it at this stage, as it will only bite you in arse a few years down the road.

OK new parts are here from Goodmark, time to cut and fit, cut and fit .....

10-15-2006, 10:43 AM	#1
jaros44sr Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Philadelphia, Pa. 19454 Posts: 9,437	Re: PO has me PO'd OK, here's the last step of disassembly. Take your time on the seams as you don't want to destroy the sheet metal underneath. The method that works best for me is as follows Pry up what ever you can get and pull back with pliers, it helps if you can wedge a small screwdriver on the other side of the spotweld, now when you use your cutoff wheel it will grind both sides of the spot weld, top and bottom, try pulling some more and you should see movement, if not grind some more. After it breaks lose, you'll end up with a 1" pc., cut that off and start on the next one. It's sorta like opening an old ham can. Channel locks work best as they have a rolled head that is helpful in the cam action that is required. BTW you should be cutting, grinding in the same direction that your seam is running! Once you see blue metal, you are almost thru the first layer of metal. Give yourself plenty of light, so you can see exactly what you are cuttin' Here's some pics. BTW, your seams should be cut flat, like a ribbon, as any angle on it will only give it more strenght and you don't want that!! As you can see in one of the closups, I had planned to just weld up the hole that looks like a sailboat, but after separating the seam the rust was hidden and it doesn't make sense not to fix it at this stage, as it will only bite you in arse a few years down the road. OK new parts are here from Goodmark, time to cut and fit, cut and fit ..... __________________ Semper Fi...Uncle Sam, you da man All parts offered to help are free, unless otherwise noted Dont try this stuff in my build thread, unless you have 55 years of mechanical OTJ training SAFETY FIRST AS usual, off topic They say your mind goes second, can't remember the first Jim Last edited by jaros44sr; 10-29-2006 at 05:43 PM.



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