Body shims and pads

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I will be ready to put the body back on the chassis soon so the issue of body pads comes up again. I don’t know if originally there was both an isolator pad and shims such as wood between body and frame. My Pierce just had fabric reinforced rubber pads but I don’t think they were original. The wood rail going across the body at the rear door had been low enough that it was sitting on the frame rails. I had put fresh 1/4″ thick rubber pads before removing the body and that wasn’t enough to quite clear the frame.

I looked under my ’36 Packard I did 30 years ago and I had put hardwood pads on top of the isolator pads – I had a body that hadn’t been messed with and I probably copied what had been there (don’t remember now!).

At any rate, after long explanation, should there be additional hardwood pads in addition to the reinforced rubber pads, or should the isolator pad thickness start at more than 1/4″? I already know I am going to have to do some shimming to get the door alignment, but wonder if I am 1/4″ or more off in how high the body should sit on the frame.

Thanks! Jim

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