68A or B dimension help needed

[Russ B]

I need to know the width I should set the top of the B pillars, outside to outside or inside to inside measurement. My 68A cabriolet's natural, loose fit is 50-7/16", outside to outside (to wood, no sheet metal), and the pillar tops are centered within 1/16" of the main sill's left to right center without any attempt to adjust.

Thanks for the help.

[Ray in La Mesa]

My early '30 68B door post inside to inside before dissasembly was 45 5/8". It had been an amature restoration in the '50's with a home made wood subframe. the door wood and door post/package tray was all original. The body fit together really well before I took it apart. You are ahead of me, I just finished fitting the floor pans, now to start the body panels. Ray

[Russ B]

OK, thanks, mine is 45-7/16" inside measure right now. We are in the same ball park. Hopefully, some more measurements will be posted so we can settle on a best guess, but your number is likely very close, it sounds like with original posts and package tray.

Ray, I am still fitting/refitting my floor pan, it needs a little tweak. Thanks again.

[Kevin in NJ]

I had a question like that when I built my 68C.

The answer is not a dimension. The correct answer is what allows the top and doors to work correctly together for the sills and other variables will make each car a bit unique. Unlike the factory where they had super fancy jigs, we have to kind of build the bodies to work.

Keep in mind the support that goes up to the upper panel to qtr seam can affect the distance between the top of B pillar. So if you had to do some repairs or the sill wood is off in that area you can get some issues with door fit top to bottom of the door.

Be sure your #1 bow is set correct. The repro ones for the 68C have the hole that locates the bow on the triple hinge in the wrong place. It will set the bottom edge of the #1 bow out too far.
You can never test fit the cabriolet body enough trying to figure out the fit.

[30cabriolet]

The door post gets wider from front to back. I measure 45 1/4 at front and 45 5/8 at rear. Overall measurement outside to outside with metal is about 50 7/8. Also the drawings for the #1 bow show an overall width of the bow, near the top at 51 3/16. The bow then tapers down 5/16 on each side giving a final measurement of 50 9/16 for the outside of the bow at the bottom.

Now with all that said, you are over-measuring. When the quarters are assembled, the final dimension will set itself; unless you have done some major sheet metal work to the tops of the quarters. Just set the quarter posts to the correct height, leave the triangle supports attached but loose to allow the posts to move a little, and assemble the quarters around the wood. Drop a plumb bob to center everything using the turnbuckles, then tighten the lower triangle pieces. After everything is tight, there really is no adjustment for the overall width.

[30cabriolet]

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Originally Posted by Kevin in NJ

Be sure your #1 bow is set correct. The repro ones for the 68C have the hole that locates the bow on the triple hinge in the wrong place. It will set the bottom edge of the #1 bow out too far.

Just got my bow from Classic wood a few weeks ago and I am glad I have the drawings for them because as Kevin said the #1 Bow lower pieces are way wrong. They were too long front to back, too wide by 1/4" at the top, and the holes for the triple hinge were 1 7/8 not 2" like the drawings which sets the bow too high and too far forward. I also had to adjust the overall width of the bow.

[Russ B]

Thanks for all the comments. They are all helpful and appreciated.