Trying to make a plan for some mock up "struts" that I can use to set ride height and Mark my final cut lines for the wheel arches. I'll probably just end up using some inch box and a few pieces of angle with holes drilled in everything so I can pin it at different heights. Was thinking of some all thread and adjustable blah blah blah, when I realized that it's a temporary measure and the car will go right back up.
I'll probably still end up overcomplicating it.
Anyway, speaking of overcomplicating things... I changed my mind about the brace between the body and rear strut towers. That massive plate is just overkill, and most of the bulk isn't even really useful.
Current plan is to cut some plates and just make a box section that matches the wheel well profile. But first, I still have to box off those inner support panels so the they can actually support the weight without collapsing.
The top edge doesn't quite sit flat to the body on it's own, but everything sits flush with only a couple pounds of pressure, so it should be fine for where it's located. Typically when doing sheet metal work you want the parts to sit perfectly without clamps like the closing panel I made for the front bulkhead. This can sometimes make all the difference in how parts will distort when they're welded.
I'd love to have one of those deep throated shrinker/stretchers, but I don't so I had to shrink/stretch this by hand, with a simple cast of tools.
I used the wood block as an anvil for about 80% of the hammering. (Actually a different one, this is the one I was sitting on.) Hammering directly over the holes where I counter sunk lag bolts (this is actually 2 6X6's bolted together.) with the round side of the little body hammer stretches pretty quick.
Setting the panel over the red dolly while laying on it's side and striking with the cross pien into low spot between the faces makes a "tuck" that you can then shrink down with some careful hammering.
Oh, and apparently I remade that closing panel on the front bulkhead at some point, but don't remember doing it. LOL
I'm hoping to get a bunch of time in on it tomorrow.