Removal of rear pockets

[billycooper]

I'm about to get some cage mounts welded in to my car, is it any easy option to remove the rear pockets, and if so, whats the best way of doing it ?

Mark 3 shell

Steve

[IAIN]

I have welded plates in the pockets but it is very hard to make a half decent job. Your ques tion made me think, if you want to keep the pockets, how about cutting a section top to bottom out to allow access to the area to be plated then you could refit the cut section by riveting or riv nut plate behind the cuts. Just an idea ?
That would save fitting new pockets if you want the original look.

[billycooper]

I have welded plates in the pockets but it is very hard to make a half decent job. Your ques tion made me think, if you want to keep the pockets, how about cutting a section top to bottom out to allow access to the area to be plated then you could refit the cut section by riveting or riv nut plate behind the cuts. Just an idea ?
That would save fitting new pockets if you want the original look.

That sounds like a plan, I presume the pockets are welded to the floor ?

i'm not that bothered about an original look

[GraemeC]

Yep, spot welded along their bottom flange

[Highnumbers]

I have to replace both rear pockets in my car since speaker holes were cut into both, and patch-welding the holes badly distorted the thin metal of the pockets.

I have the replacement panels, but haven't started yet. Has anybody else done this (on an otherwise complete car), and was it very difficult? Plan is to drill out all the spot welds, then plug weld in the old holes, since I don't have a spot welder.

[rich@minispares.com]

that's how I do it, there are also a line of spot welds up the heel board as well

[Dearg1275]

On early cars the sandwich of rear seat pan, parcel bin & wheel arch closing plate was spot welded together but also brazed. Getting the layers separated may be a problem as a result.
D

[Highnumbers]

On early cars the sandwich of rear seat pan, parcel bin & wheel arch closing plate was spot welded together but also brazed. Getting the layers separated may be a problem as a result.
D

Thanks for the head's up. I didn't see any brazing (not sure how early? Mine is a '66), but I'll look for it closely.

I suppose, if it's giving trouble, I could heat that area with a torch to open the brazing?

[Dearg1275]

The brazing was done from the underside to fill the seams acting like a modern seam sealer.
D

[IAIN]

I have welded plates in the pockets but it is very hard to make a half decent job. Your ques tion made me think, if you want to keep the pockets, how about cutting a section top to bottom out to allow access to the area to be plated then you could refit the cut section by riveting or riv nut plate behind the cuts. Just an idea ?
That would save fitting new pockets if you want the original look.

That sounds like a plan, I presume the pockets are welded to the floor ?

i'm not that bothered about an original look

I've been thinking again

If you do cut the pocket can I suggest it would be better to leave a section of the pocket welded to the floor, say 1" up from the floor, this should give you access for welding and when you fit the cut section bck in, it will be more ridgid.

[69k1100]

A butane torch (liek the type you take camping, or use for cooking) will soften the brazing sufficiently to pry it apart, the problem is getting it back together.

The braze will have to be cleaned off before you reinstate the spot welds (or plug welds) this is the issue that stopped my last bout of madness.

[Highnumbers]

On early cars the sandwich of rear seat pan, parcel bin & wheel arch closing plate was spot welded together but also brazed. Getting the layers separated may be a problem as a result.
D

Thanks for the head's up. I didn't see any brazing (not sure how early? Mine is a '66), but I'll look for it closely.

I suppose, if it's giving trouble, I could heat that area with a torch to open the brazing?

Update, Dearg was spot-on.

I removed/replaced one of the rear parcel bins (took an entire Saturday!), and by far the hardest part was where the brazing of the seat pan/parcel bin/wheel arch/closing plate came together. Impossible to separate the layers, it got a bit mangled-up drilling out the spot welds, so I had some extra plug welding around the seat pan, but it all worked out. Not an easy panel to replace!