Restoring a Blazer tub

[kw]

I thought I'd post this here instead of the paint and body board because I'm sure somebody's done this here before.

Getting ready to start tearing down the Blazer and had some questions about restoring the tub.

Since the floor is pretty bad, and the rust at the pillars and kick panels is pretty bad, I'm wondering if it's easier to get the tub off in two pieces. Any reasons not to? I suppose I'll need to take measurements at the doors to give me an idea of what they'll need to be when I get around to putting it back together.

My rocker boxes might still be good, but the interface at the rocker panel is pretty rusty, so I'm thinking of replacing them too. How hard are they to do? And is it best to get the tub jigged up on new body mounts prior to putting them in?

Finally, I'm a bit confused on the inner rocker/outer rocker issue. Were inner rockers used on Blazers? Since I'm doing floor patch panels, kick panel patch panels, pillar patches all around (I'm guessing) and rockers, is there any 'best sequence' to do this work?

I'd appreciate any and all comments and assistance.

Thanks,

Kurt

[raggedjim]

This guy has done it all...

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...12&page=1&pp=25

Rg

[raggedjim]

Sorry! try this http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...2&page=1&pp=25

[sb400]

I just finished one side of floor replacement:

I didn't take the tub off the frame 'cause I wanted the benefit of the frame to help hold the shape of the tub.

At first I left the top and doors on. On the side to be repaired, I took off the fender to gain access to door hinge bolts. I left the other fender on to help stabilize the firewall. I replaced all the body mounts except for the front cab mount. With the old front cab mount bolt removed, I jacked the body and adjusted the door hinges so the door closed perfectly. With the jack in place and door closed, I welded two angle irons from the rear door pillar to the kick panel, one straight and one on a diagonal. This held the shape of the door opening and kept the firewall in place.

Then I removed the door and cut out the floor, front cab mount, outrigger, lower kick panel, door pillar, and outer rocker. A PO had already done me the favor of torching off the rocker boxes. What was left was well, nothing between the firewall and the rear floor on one side. Hence the need for the braces and keeping the tub on the frame.

If you are putting in a new floor pan you don't need the inner rockers, they come with the floor pan.

The rocker boxes were pretty easy, they bolt on in the back and are welded along the outrigger and at the firewall under the heater box. One advantage to replacing the rocker boxes is that you can access the bottom of the floor pan and braces to paint/undercoat after welding.

With one side done I put it back on the road for the last few weeks of topless summer. Problem is now the one side is done, the door closes nice, but now the other side door barely closes. Not unexpected, since the body was uniformly sagging before and now only sags on one side.