Todd: That whole thing about "pan flex" was and is a myth. I proved it as a myth a few years ago by jacking up my pan-based CMC and then took photos of the door gap on the passenger side. Unfortunately, I stored those photos on Photobucket that has since become a useless photo server, so I'll reproduce the thread here:
I have a 1969 VW pan-based CMC, with the body sub-frame integral to the body (glassed in, in other words).
I can jack it up under the middle of the door, both wheels on that side off the ground, and the door opens and closes normally, as it always does. I also cannot see a difference in the door seams when sitting level or jacked up. In the following photos, if there is a pan-flex problem, the door gap should be wider at the top than at the bottom.
I can jack it up under the middle of the door, both wheels on that side off the ground, and the door opens and closes normally, as it always does. I also cannot see a difference in the door seams when sitting level or jacked up. In the following photos, if there is a pan-flex problem, the door gap should be wider at the top than at the bottom.
Here is a photo with the car sitting on all four wheels, no jack under it. The door gap looks a little weird (like a syne wave) because of the shadow cast by the camera flash, but it is a consistent 3/16" top to bottom:
Then I placed a floor jack under the door's mid-point and jacked it up. The door gap looks a little more even in this photo......
And, just to show I wasn't cheating:
It was jacked up until both passenger-side wheels were well off the ground and I shot another photo of the door gap - look at the two photos for comparison and see the jack in place at the bottom of this photo:
So that's it. My pan based car is solid....and will probably stay that way. I suspect a lot of pan-based cars on here are about the same. That whole thing about "if you jack up a pan-based car the doors won't operate properly" is just a bunch of Hooowie".
What I HAVE noticed is that many tube-frame Speedsters seem to have a bit more leg or hip room in the cockpit, and that's a good thing.
What I HAVE noticed is that many tube-frame Speedsters seem to have a bit more leg or hip room in the cockpit, and that's a good thing.
Gordon "Puttin' my pictures where my mouth is"
And Todd: If you want to see true, no BS "Masters of Metal", follow my local friend, Wray Schelin, on Facebook or visit the ProShapers website http://www.proshaper.com
Wray's "students" abilities will take your breath away.
