Another +2 replacement cill question

[danbuoy1]

I had a discussion going on cill replacement ideas but started this as moved on a little, looking for views please.

I’ve jacked under body center to align the door, removed old bit of 50yr rust and trial fiitted O/S Spyder cill today and nothing seems to fit….

I’ve loosely bolted the inner plates and rear floor cracked, repairable! But it’s the lower flange (where the 10 bolts would go) that puzzles me, its not straight, either the body is bananed or the cill is, in the centre the cill is recessed above floor by maybe 1/8” but each end its proud about ¼”, should I best fit and then grind the ends?

I’ve looked at the other cill and the flange isn’t perfectly flat, not expecting perfection but unsure how accurate it needs to be - the metal is thick which means the fibreglass has to flex to fit, is this an issue?

Any advice welcomed - thanks

Paul

[EPC 394J]

Hi Paul.

I may be misunderstanding your post, however. If you’re saying the fibreglass body sill appears to sag in the middle, under the door, I think that’s normal? Yes the metal sills are straight so may well fit in the way I think you are describing.

Spydercars fitted their metal sills to my car, and I had precisely the problem with the metal visible at each end. I queried it at the time and they said it was correct? I don’t always trust what I’m told, but since the doors fit fine, I’ve no reason to think they were wrong? I definitely would cringe at the idea of jacking the car under the door without any metal in the sill, if that’s what I think you said?

I include a picture which isn’t great, but it does show the metal sill visible beyond the fibreglass body line.

Hope that helps?

Here’s a picture of my car at Spydercars without a chassis, supported on a two post lift. The sills were replaced with the vehicle supported in this way. Lifting in the right places, and with doors and screens fitted, the body is remarkably stiff!

The sills were fitted seven years ago. I’ve had no problems whatsoever.

[mikealdren]

It's a while since I fitted mine but I've done 2 cars and the original holes in the fibreglass were used for both. I've supported my current car body with lengths of 2"x4" running lengthways under the floor just inside the cills, this seems to work well. Do you still have the chassis in the car?

As to tolerances, 1/8" is pretty small with fibreglass. Does the Spyder cill member come with pre-drilled holes? Are they all in a straight line and spaced equally? Of so I would fit the ends and jack the car slightly to line up and fit the middle ones? I did have to do some work around the holes in the fibreglass cills on my current car, they were 'worn thin' in places by previous owners so I evened them up. I also fitted stainless nuts and bolts.

[alan.barker]

Seems normal for the bottom to be bowed.
One good thing if you fit stainless Sills it's possible to trim them. no problem with rust after or rust where you drill and fit the screws.
Best to fit stainless plates or galvanised plates on inside.
Alan