even the frame guy said "don't pull the body, unless it's a last resort and your willing to make a project driver into a full blown restoration."
he feels confident that he can get me on target or atleast real close so I just have to wait for him to finish a couple other projects then he'll tackle mine.
Paul

 

a new wrinkle in the mix.... I have to wait a few weeks (maybe 2-3) before my buddies retired frame guy can come out & evaluate my car on stands in my garage. In the mean time I took my old differential cross member to work that I had previously opened up the 4 mount holes generously (oval'd & slotted) to get me close to the center mount lining up (still off about 3/8").
I work in a fab shop (we build pumping stations for oil and gas rigs), so I prep & weld up the 4 old holes then flush it off with a flap wheel. I get home & take yet another diff cross member I bought to replace the original one I opened up, and use it to lay out the original factory holes on the newly welded up cross member. after getting those holes marked I measured over 7/16" (that 3/8" I need + a smidge more)to one side and remarked & drilled the holes to the factory size.
I bolted the newly drilled member to the rear differential & bolted it up in the car on the sombrero hats and guess what....my differential support bolt is dead nuts lined up and the differential yoke is centered on the rear cross member in line with the trans tail housing! I realize my rear frame horns are still out of whack but I'm back on center.
now heres a conundrum, my rear is back on center facing the correct way, do I leave what I did in and reassemble my whole back end with all my new parts to get the car back on the ground this weekend? Or do I leave it on stands for a few more weeks and see what the guys says he can possibly do,when he can do it and how much it's gonna cost me?
I lean towards leaving my fix in & getting the rest of the car sorted out, as it is not a restoration, never was. and keeping the extra (NOS) cross cross member for a future time when I have more time & more money to either pull the body & fix the rear frame or just try to have the rear frame pulled by itself.
Your thoughts.....
Paul