Order of construction

I'm building a pan for my Fiberfab right now and like most of them, the bodywork will unfortunately need fixing and a repaint. It has spiderweb cracks in various places. But my question is should I build and paint up the chassis first then do the bodywork on it or just get the body done while the pan looks unfinished or???? What do you guys think? Pan first? Body first? Both at the same time and then bring them together? Thanks!
Jeff

Jeff, a lot of different questions seem to present themselves there.
I'm a mechanicals guy. If the car doesn't work the way it should, it doesn't really matter what it looks like.
I'm a fan of completely going over the underpinnings. Anything that you're re-using from the pan should (IMHO) be cleaned, primed and painted before installation. While the body's still off the car is your best opportunity to do that.
It'll forstall major work for a few years if you're able to confidently clean everything up. Put the body on a trailer when you're about ready to put it on the car -- take it to a painter, get the best paint job you can afford when you get to that point, and confidently park it on top of the chassis.
I think you'll be a lot happier than if you're monkeying around with chassis pieces later in the game.
You'll want to put the body on for a test-fitting and adjustments anyway, so you might as well not worry about dings while you're doing it.
Measure twice, cut once.
Merklin will be along shortly. He's done about a million of these things; I'd say he'll probably be the expert opinion ...

i'd also recommend doing the brakes, engine/tranny and suspension before the body goes on.

i wish i did. i can't count how many times i rolled under the car on a creaper or ducked under a fender to do something.

Need to get Shubbie (Dale) to post picture of his garage - the body is tied up to ceiling while the chassis is being worked on. Looks like a spider made a web around it.

Jeff, post a photo, works in progress are fun to look at.

Check this guy out...

Jeff:

Doing my pan now. I plan on getting the pan entirely done, then mounting the body on it and then working on the body.

That is, after I finish a few things around the house:

http://i593.photobucket.com/albums/tt14/speedstahguy/DSC03043.jpg

Strange looking Dynamat! Should work though - tad ichy though. Don't forget the income tax deduction.

Chassis, body, combine the two. That was my order.


PS:....yes, that oil cooler was moved before the body was installed.

Thanks guys. I'm out working on the pan today. It was a shortened pan for a buggy so I'm stretching it back out a few inches. I have to flip it next and get the bottom plate welded in. I have the sides done on the tunnel and will be putting a few access holes in the tunnel (With bolt-in plates to cover them up and keep things stiff.) and I'll flip it this afternoon to get the bottom plate it. Been using original tunnel steel from other projects to get the same thickness and metal. I'lll be adding a few extra braces you won't see once the body and carpet are in.
I have the body on a 1970 pan but I'm switiching over to the 59' pan to make it a little closer to the real thing. :)
Jeff

It may not be as "real" but I would very highly recommend keeping the IRS and ball joint front end. The car can still be fit with wide 5's for the older look but handle far better. I have had Speedsters with both, and the IRS/BJ combination is far far and away better handling, more predictable, and easier to tune if you really want to drive it hard. Just driving about the IRS/BJ combo still prevails...IMO others may differ.....

Now's the time for new brake lines and gas lines. Parts are cheap. Repairs after the body is mounted are a real PITA.

Get ALL the mechanicals done before body goes on, also once its painted do the wiring before body goes on, you could dry fit the body to fit the steering column or wait. my two cents,

i'm with tmpusfugit. keep the IRS and BJ.

you need to get new brake anyway, so get 1967 replacements (wide 5 bolt pattern).

search theSamba for the tech articles. it's been covered many times.