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Technical Central pillar ? problem.. >

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by VEDETTE, Nov 15, 2021.

  1. VEDETTE
    Joined: Oct 14, 2010
    Posts: 466

    VEDETTE
    Member
    from FRANCE

    I have a problem with the central pillar for my conversion 2 doors..
    how do you back up and install the central pillar? This one is taken in the bottom of the box with reinforcement under the chassis! :confused:
    Is there any way to get that pillar back without any major work?
    And how to reinforce the welded shortened rear door and all ?

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    ;)
     
  2. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,264

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That is a body mount. Do not move that.
     
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  3. Ned Ludd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 5,026

    Ned Ludd
    Member

    Is there any room to introduce a lateral brace across the floor, under the seats, level with the new B-pillar position? Perhaps an inverted channel section about 75mm high, with a fillet where it meets the pillar?

    (The figure of 75mm is a guess, but dimensions can be calculated. It's not magic.)
     
  4. so I guess the problem is that the "B" pillar goes through the floor/rocker/sill into that body mount that you showed. If so, can you just cut the "B" pillar out from the top taking with it about 3/4" of the top of the rocker/sill all the way around. Then cut a hole in the rocker where needed and drop the pillar in and weld. Then from bottom box in the area so it looks just like the underside that you posted. How far does it have to go reward? if not too far, you could graft onto the factory boxed in area and just extend it to where the bottom of the "B" pillar is now.
    What car is this? is there a factory two door version that you could look at?

    Oh, and good luck I love two door conversions.
     

  5. It's a French Ford Vedette. There was a two door, but they're very very rare.
     
    46international likes this.
  6. VEDETTE
    Joined: Oct 14, 2010
    Posts: 466

    VEDETTE
    Member
    from FRANCE

    Thank you for your explanations but it’s a lot of work..
    Ford Vedette Cabrio (real):
    But that doesn’t help me!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2021
    kidcampbell71, Hnstray and James D like this.
  7. VEDETTE
    Joined: Oct 14, 2010
    Posts: 466

    VEDETTE
    Member
    from FRANCE

    Yes I’ve already got pillar reinforcements but they’re welded to the 'flexible' floor! it is not enough..
     
  8. Ned Ludd
    Joined: May 15, 2009
    Posts: 5,026

    Ned Ludd
    Member

    My point is that the reinforcements need to reach across the floor, though not necessarily over the top of the transmission tunnel, which I'd expect would be relatively stiff as well as narrow. The reinforcements will have to have a certain amount of beam depth, unless they are very heavy.

    What I'm seeing is a box of ±75x75mm welded to the floor, running from the bottom of the B-pillar, underneath the seat, all the way across to the side of the transmission tunnel. The outer end of the box, where it meets the B-pillar, is curved at the top at a fairly generous radius (100mm?) to give the B-pillar, which becomes a vertical cantilever in the lateral plane, all the help it can get within the available space.
     
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  9. desotot
    Joined: Jan 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,036

    desotot
    Member

    when I saw the pic of your door I had to google up a pic. It looks like a merc that was washed with hot water and shrunk. Does it have a flatty V8?[​IMG]
     
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  10. desotot
    Joined: Jan 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,036

    desotot
    Member

    And Buick portholes.
     
  11. The 55-57 Chevy 4 door sports sedan with the roll down windows that leave the roof unsupported in the center has a B pillar that doesnt go to the roof.To make it strong enough to support the weight of the rear door there is a brace that welds to the inside of the pillar,and the flaired base welds to the floor.If you have ever seen one of these cars rusted out the back door/pillar are real flexy until new metal is added to restore.Perhaps you could find a picture of the area by searching here,or Trifives.com.
     
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  12. They have a V8-60 motor that the French used until around 1958. They did fit the full sized flatty for about a year in a luxury version of the car.
    The plump look isn't helped by skinny radial tyres and the ride height. Look much more proper on tall crossplies.
    I'm hoping to find a coupe one day. I really like the roofline. It's like a 40 Merc crashed into a 50 Merc.
    vedette_coupe_aaa.jpg
     
  13. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,391

    Squablow
    Member

    If I were doing this, I'd fill in the hole created by cutting the pillar off, but leave the body mount in place, then replicate another second body mount behind it at the point where the relocated pillar will drop into the rocker box. That way the original body mount spot is not disturbed but the new B pillar base area is still tied to the frame the way it was when it was a 4 door.

    It's more work, and it might look a little odd from underneath to have two body mounts somewhat close together, but it would work.
     
  14. VEDETTE
    Joined: Oct 14, 2010
    Posts: 466

    VEDETTE
    Member
    from FRANCE

    Thank you all for your answers! I will take everyone’s ideas to finally make a lateral reinforcement and an inking in the bottom of the case.. I think that will be enough. ;)
     
    Stogy likes this.
  15. More a 50 Merc and a Lincoln Cosmopolitan. Then shrunk.
    [​IMG]
     
  16. It's not surprising. These cars were all designed by the same guys at the same time. The 49 Mercury was originally supposed to get the fastback styling of the early Vedette sedan, but in the end it never did.

    "Originally conceived by Edsel Ford and Ford designer Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie as a “light” Ford model, smaller than the 1942 Ford. However, Edsel Ford died in 1943, and following the war Ford corporate felt the light car project would pull sales from the full size Ford. Additionally, Henry Ford II felt that Gregorie’s planned 1949 Ford, which shared the same character lines as the Light Ford, was too large for its market, as was Gregorie’s proposed 1949 Mercury. To that end, the planned Ford and Mercury lines were pushed to Mercury and Lincoln, and a contest held to design a Ford that would at once smaller than the Mercury, but larger than the Light Ford. To recoup the cost of Light Ford, that car was transferred to Ford France."
     
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  17. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,391

    Squablow
    Member

    I've been thinking about this, and to add to my thoughts above, leave the bottom bit of the old pillar in place and just close it in (since it adds rigidity to the body mount spot) but make a new bottom piece for the pillar in the same shape. Then, all you have to do is cut a rectangular hole in the top of the rocker box where the new pillar position will be, and drill holes into the inner rocker where the new post location is. The pillar drops into the square hole, and the bottom of the pillar gets welded into place inside the rocker box through the drilled holes. It replicates the original design without having to cut open the inner rockers, just slide the new piece in through the top and weld the new piece to the original rockers as if they were spot welds. A simple brace (similar to the factory piece) that ties the underside of the rocker to the frame like the factory brace should be easy to make. You could add a trapped nut to the bottom of your new B post and drill a hole in the bottom of the rocker where it lines up, so the frame brace would bolt to the rocker like factory.

    I hope this explanation makes sense, I think it would work and not require any fabricating too fancy or require cutting the car up too deeply.
     
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  18. VEDETTE
    Joined: Oct 14, 2010
    Posts: 466

    VEDETTE
    Member
    from FRANCE

    Thanks Squablow! I’m going to fix this! ;)
     
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  19. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,443

    goldmountain

    I would think that whatever you do to strengthen the pillar would probably be good since you are welding up the rear doors anyhow.
     
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  20. CadMad
    Joined: Oct 20, 2012
    Posts: 876

    CadMad
    Member

    Yes both Squareblow and goldmountain are on the right track. You will gain massive integrity once the rear door becomes the rear quarter and is all welded in. If you still have some flex then a 4 mm L plate can be welded in as a stiffener back to a chassis support to give some rigidity to the immediate area . I did this on my 39 Cadillac.
     
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