I am doing a frame off on a 1970 Malibu. It needs floor pans, trunk pans, quarters, and some repairs around the windshield and back window. Should I make thes repairs before I pull the body off the frame or after. I have the body stripped (of componants) and need to decide wether to pull the body and get it soda blasted then make the repairs or make the repairs then blast, sand, or strip the remaining paint etc. from the good metal.
Also would a 1970 71 or 72 two or four door work as a donor car for repairs around the windshield and back window?

The biggest challenge you have is to get it all to fit right when you are done - don't underestimate this. I have recently done a 69 convertible and had a few small problems in the door area (no roof makes it less rigid). I would replace the 1/4's first with the body on the frame and the doors in the correct location to verify all fits. The 1/4's add rigidity to the rear body section and should not be done with the body off the frame in my opinion. I still am not sure how to replace the floor and/or trunk support braces with the body off since the braces are the locators for the body bushings. Hopefully someone with experience can shed light on this.

Right or wrong, I'm replacing my rear seat pan and trunk floor with the body on the frame to avoid any potential flexing problems and/or alignment problems. The rear seat pan is being a bit of a bear though. It's going to take a little more work and ingenuity to get the new one in place, but I don't foresee having to stop and pull the body off the frame to get it done.

If you go to the upper right hand corner you will see the words SEARCH. Under that you will find tons of info on floor replacement

I have read that you want to put the braces in before the new pans so you can line them up on the "witness marks" from the old pans. You guys doing this before you strip or blast the rest of the body? What about the other question about 1970 71 or 72 two or four door donor car for a 1970 malibu to repair around the windshield and rear window? Anybody know? I can get my hands on a 71 4 door pretty cheap (good shape).

Mike, the big reason I go from inside out is because you have much more to line things up with. You gain back the strutual aspect of the car. If you go with the floors first you can line it up with the old inners, floor exts. You can also replace the exts and inners with the quarters still in place making the car more stable.

Say you remove the quarter, most likey if you need to replace the floor,braces and around the rear wondow you will need to replace the outer wheel well. Now you have both those pieces out, then see that the ext is rusted and inner wheel well and cut those out as well. What do you have holding up all that weight??? Nothing at all. That side of the car will drop down. Been there done that. If the floor is rusted then what are you going to weld too?? Rusted out metal!!

You can remove the old floor and braces WITH the car on frame.

Now if you need to replace the inners as well and ext you can replace them as well. Remove one inner, screw it place with screws til you have the floor in. Now you have good inners in place to help you KNOW where that floor has to be. In the back if you leave the old exts in place when doing the floor you know where the floor has to be at in the back. Screw the new floor in place. Now you can fully remove the old ext. When replacing you use the trunk floor, bottom of quater etc to line up the ext. Once you have that side done then move to the other side.

Once done with the floor then remove the quarter and outer.

As for when blasting I would first blast the inside that way you know the amount of rust damage and not surpised afterwards.

The back window area on 4dr and 2dr I believe is different. But if the 4dr is cheap buy it anyway you might find that will need something else off the car.

Thank Sevt Good Info and I certianly can use your pictures as a referance. I guess I'll Start with The Floor Pans.