Another body off!

Another body off!

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B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Tuesday 26th May 2015
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Some new 'top hat' hub-centric spacers knocked up by the machine shop at work, arrived on my desk this week



Time to chuck a couple of the wheels that have been sat in the back of lock up on, a bit of cleaning up needed on the centre bores but the fit is good.



Rear hubs both painted, problematic wheel bearing replaced with liberal bearing retainer and yes it still has play in one axis... I'm beginning to suspect the stub axle, I'm going to try the other drive shaft before I give up and accept it's always going to have some play in it (To recap, that's now three wheel bearings and two different hub housings that have play only in the vertical axis) Anyway bearings packed with plenty of grease and housings painted ready to go back on.







Wedg1e

26,803 posts

265 months

Tuesday 26th May 2015
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B@man said:
(To recap, that's now three wheel bearings and two different hub housings that have play only in the vertical axis)
Did you ever check to see if the bearing housings were out of round?

I've fitted new bearings and have a midgie's willy of play in both of them that wasn't there before so I'm working on the bearings being a tad out of spec - the housings and inner race bores were cock-on for diameter so it's neither of those factors. I'd guess it's the inner races moving around on the balls.

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Thursday 28th May 2015
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Hi Ian,

With a pair of internal calipers I couldn't see anything, however I will get the spare hub measured on the CMM at work as I really do want to get to the bottom of this once and for all. For now though it's a case of keep going....

16 May 2014 :



28 May 2015 :





Not quite ready for the big lift, the shell has a couple of holes underneath caused by the 2003 "off" and I have the exhaust to modify while access is easier.




Campbell

2,499 posts

283 months

Friday 29th May 2015
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Looking very nice on its wheels, it must be great having the body off to run all the pipe work neat and tide.

More photos please...

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Sunday 31st May 2015
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As mentioned above the next task was to do something about this hole in the inner sill, based on the position and the damage in the area it was part of the 2003 incident that resulted in the car being a Cat D, I suspect that the position of the chassis made repair impossible at the time.



As is the norm the damage was much worse than expected, the seatbelt /door lock /hood support bar was badly bent causing a 1/2" gap between the striker plate return edge and the shell, clearly the muppets who "repaired" the car knew this as they had shortened the bar that runs across the parcel shelf to make it all fit, oh yes and they seem to have had a good time with the drill getting the door to latch correctly.



Having removed the bent/bastardised bits the floor is in pretty poor state.



3 layers of 450gm matting plus plenty of resin later



I also cut the seat belt bar in half, re-welded straight (it was twisted about 15 degrees) added some extra bracing and made a new "foot"





Laying up the GRP underneath was interesting, with resin running down my arm I settled for a single layer of mat and a layer of surface tissue.



However, this recent work has take it's toll on the interior



As a fill in job while the resin set I've fitted one of the cars new toys






B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Wednesday 3rd June 2015
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And onto the exhaust...

A big box of bits arrived from www.304stainlessexhaustparts.com, custom made 2.5" to 2x 2" Y piece to my specifications four 2" bends, a 2.5" flange (oh err..) and a couple of rather nice 3" tailpipes, plus a roll of 308 mig wire form fleabay..



After a bit of cutting, quite a lot of welding (first go at stainless yikes went reasonably well)



Y Piece attached to the original "silencer" via the flange, chassis cleanance is much like the rest of the system and measured with my new special tool..





Hmm could stick the tailpipes on and go for Elise look, maybe not, the rest will have to wait until the body is on....

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Wednesday 10th June 2015
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Ready for the big lift!


mrzigazaga

18,557 posts

165 months

Wednesday 10th June 2015
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clap..

matt-man

2,665 posts

219 months

Wednesday 10th June 2015
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Good work!! Well done!

Trickie Dickie

2,399 posts

234 months

Thursday 11th June 2015
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Looks FAB Simon

Let me know when I can drop mine off for you to do!!!! ha ha

Very Jealous

Trickie

adam quantrill

11,538 posts

242 months

Thursday 11th June 2015
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I just had an idea -- probably a bit loony - why didn't TVR use the main chassis tubes as exhaust pipes? Just tap in at the engine and add an extension for the tailpipe... would have saved all that hassle.

(Don't forget Jenson used a chassis tube as a brake reservoir on the Interceptor)

mrzigazaga

18,557 posts

165 months

Thursday 11th June 2015
quotequote all
adam quantrill said:
I just had an idea -- probably a bit loony - why didn't TVR use the main chassis tubes as exhaust pipes? Just tap in at the engine and add an extension for the tailpipe... would have saved all that hassle.

(Don't forget Jenson used a chassis tube as a brake reservoir on the Interceptor)
They could of put the tail pipes facing the corners of the outriggers so blowing all the crap away from them...Although bugger having a new exhaust system fitted...You would see posts like.."FFS..Exhaust is badgered" and replies like.."Body off"...laugh

The exhaust should of ended at the downpipes..Slash cut blowing out fire!biggrin

Wedg1e

26,803 posts

265 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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adam quantrill said:
I just had an idea -- probably a bit loony - why didn't TVR use the main chassis tubes as exhaust pipes? Just tap in at the engine and add an extension for the tailpipe... would have saved all that hassle.
Yeah, cos if there's one thing a TVR chassis needs it's some lovely corrosive moist gases in its tubes... banghead

Wedg1e

26,803 posts

265 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
B@man said:
After a bit of cutting, quite a lot of welding (first go at stainless yikes went reasonably well)...
Better than some welding we've seen on here... wink

mrzigazaga

18,557 posts

165 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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B@man said:


Thats about right for measuring the gap between exhaust and chassis..I have been getting a strange rumbling noise lately..Sounds like the idle is really hard and shaking the car..Thought it was a wheel bearing at high speed.

Then Chris spotted a hex head screw that is lodged between the N/S down pipe and chassis rail...Bastid....

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Step by Step - Body Back on !

Step 1 : Assemble 12 petrolheads (creating Chaos in the street is a bonus)





Step 2 : "pit Box" marked on the drive to show where the chassis will end up, body pushed into the same box, in theory body will need to be lifted, dolly pulled out and chassis (with some 4" blocks attached) wheeled under, body put down.



"Test" lift didn't go well and we had to move a few people around to get a better balance of biceps on each side.

Step 3 : UP !- Dolly out - no going back



Step 4 : Arghh up a bit more - Chassis rolled under



Step 5 : Down onto the blocks



Step 6 : Blocks out at the front and the inner wing bolts dropped in to stop the shell moving



Step 7 : Blocks out at the rear and OMG the two holes we transferred from the old mounting plate to the jig to the new mounting plate line up perfectly !



Step 8 : Bug it back in the garage and head to the pub !




Transmitter Man

4,253 posts

224 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Brilliant job Si. beer

Phil
420 SEAC

adam quantrill

11,538 posts

242 months

Friday 12th June 2015
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Proper job! all done in 20 minutes.

I see as an added bonus Sam Fox came along right at the end to watch you push it into the garage ;^)

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Friday 12th June 2015
quotequote all
adam quantrill said:


I see as an added bonus Sam Fox came along right at the end to watch you push it into the garage ;^)
Yeah I think it was the F430 that attracted her not the loosely assembled wedge !

B@man

Original Poster:

1,486 posts

204 months

Saturday 13th June 2015
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Hopefully assuming I've not screwed up with the youtube upload this should be a video

Got all of the bolts fitted today, well almost the thread was damaged on the last one so it needs a tickle with the grinder. Jacked up the boot section and packed as appropriate to set the door gap which is now better than it was before I took it apart !

For anyone contemplating any body off action the following is a list of the bolts sizes (400SE)

Front Chassis rail 2x M10x70* (A2 Hex Set Screws + repair washer)
Inner Wing 2x M6x50 (A2 Button Head + repair washer)
Front Outrigger 2x M10x40* (A2 Button Head Set Screws + repair washers)
Front Tunnel 2x M10x40 (A2 Button Head Set Screws + repair washers)
Seatbelt Outer 2x M10x60 (HT 8.8 ZP)
Rear Outrigger 2x M10x40 (HT 8.8 ZP)
Boot Floor 2x M10x70* (A2 Hex Set Screw + repair washers)

  • = Required trimming - depending on how many layers of rubber between the shell and chassis