WHEEL TUBS

[Darren]

Hey guys what is involved in removing the inner half of the rear wheel tub, I have the tub cut for widdening, but the rear quarters need a little work, and it would be alot easyer with the inner half out ,  The car is a 68 dart.  thanks Darren.

[bodyperson]

ALOT   . Just look. spot welds hell this is the whole structure your talking about! You should be able to do all the outer quarter work from the outside. The inner goes in before the outer so you do the math. Charlie

[daneddy]

Removing the inner half of the stock tubs isn't so hard.  Just make sure you make your cut to split the tub straight and not at the existing seam.  Cutting the inner out from the floor pans is easy but you'll want to cut them in a line that will allow you to weld them back in and not have to use much of a patch around the front and back.  Slow and steady, measure twice cut once.  Welding them back in now that's a bit more trickey.  Make short welds and alternate from back, middle, front making no more than one inch welds.  Other wise you'e going to warp the metal and it will fight you the rest of the way.

I'd suggest tacking the bottom to the frame rail in three places, front, middle and rear.  Then tack the top to the trunk brace and the cross brace behind the rear seat.  Do this first and then continue stitch welding the inner half of the tub in place to the frame rail.  Slow and steady wins this race, rush any part of it and you may have a mess.

Dan

[Darren]

I removed my rear tubs completly, is any body using aftermarket tubs or made ther own, and if so did you conect them to the rear wheel lip?  anyone have any pics?  thanks Darren

[bodyperson]

darren,I had some pics but lost them. My car is a 67 cuda fastback. A  little different than a dart but basically the same. I did not cut  all of the wheel well out just the inner most half so I can move the wheel and tire inboard along with the springs. I did not see any reason to cut it all out. In your original post you said inner wheel house but I assumed you ment the outer inner. Oxymoron?? any way it sounds like you cut the whole wheel well out clear to the pinch weld on the quarter panel. Am I right?  Usually the only rreason you would do that is if you were back halfing it or some severe rust or if you were modifiying the outer 1\4 panel. let me know. I'm going out to the shop to take some more pics.  Charlie

[Darren]

charlie you are correct I did mean the outer part, yes I did remove the whole well, there was some rust traped between the well and the 1/4 panel, but the main reason why I did it was I will be running 30x13.5x15 tires and the stock well is not square enough to allow you to lower the car (68 Dart) without the tires hitting the  inside of the outer part of the well. If anyone has pics of how they installed after market or home made tubs,can they please post them.  Thanks   Darren

[NOST440980]

MAYBE THIS CAN HELP.http://autoweldchassis.com/Instruct.ivnu   

[Gumbydammit]

I know the chassis shops use windsheild "glue" to attach the tub to the outer quarter panel - Butyl?.  Can't think of the actual name right now, but it is semi-hardening, like an epoxy that is used on newer glue-in windsheilds.

[Ciscodog]

I used a product called FUSOR when I did the quarters/tubs on my Satellite.  It's like liquid weld - crazy stuff!

[mrhotrod]

My minitub job pictures are to big to post here but, if you PM me with a email address I will send you some pictures.