repaired long condition?, worth stiffeners/jack replacement? Options

[914lover17]

feel solid, look a little worse in pictures - I'm trying to assess what I'm working with here and any potential ways forward since solid replacement chassis seem pretty rare.

Apparently this was important when I was researching - 2 people can be inside without targa top and doors still close easy and have the same gaps as with targa top on and no one inside.

Repair work was done in the 80's I believe.

Long stiffening kit possible? Worth/possible to replace jackpoints? Right know it's blocks of wood screwed to the solid metal to hold the rocker panel plugs.

[Superhawk996]

This is Pandora's box. Don't open it.

It really is a catch 22. I don't like the look of the work at all but if it's not sagging or flexing, than it's probably functional.

Unless you're handy with a welder, and have lots of patience, this is a money pit to repair it correctly at shop rate of $75 - 100/hour plus the cost or reproduction sheetmetal & paint when done.

The main thing I'd look at is the condition of the longitudinal inner panels and where the seat belt attaches.

Addition of the MadDog inner longitudinal stiffing kit wouldn't be a bad idea but depends on having solid inner longitudinal sheetmetal to weld to. Adds more weight but could help with a belt & suspenders approach to what has already been done to it.

I woudn't mess with the jack points.

The worst thing would be to get in a minor accident and have those seat belt anchors tear free due to rust on the inner panels allowing tear though of the seat belt anchor. If those are sound, I'd probably just drive and enjoy it.

It's sort of like a Model T. You can't expect modern crashworthiness no matter what you do. Once you accept that, it all comes down to functionality.

[Eric_Shea]

This guy always has some of the best advice. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) Whenever I see those all I can think of is all of the rust that wasn't fixed properly hiding behind them (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

This is Pandora's box. Don't open it.

It really is a catch 22. I don't like the look of the work at all but if it's not sagging or flexing, than it's probably functional.

Unless you're handy with a welder, and have lots of patience, this is a money pit to repair it correctly at shop rate of $75 - 100/hour plus the cost or reproduction sheetmetal & paint when done.

The main thing I'd look at is the condition of the longitudinal inner panels and where the seat belt attaches.

Addition of the MadDog inner longitudinal stiffing kit wouldn't be a bad idea but depends on having solid inner longitudinal sheetmetal to weld to. Adds more weight but could help with a belt & suspenders approach to what has already been done to it.

I woudn't mess with the jack points.

The worst thing would be to get in a minor accident and have those seat belt anchors tear free due to rust on the inner panels allowing tear though of the seat belt anchor. If those are sound, I'd probably just drive and enjoy it.

It's sort of like a Model T. You can't expect modern crashworthiness no matter what you do. Once you accept that, it all comes down to functionality.