Grantura restoration

[T_V_R_D_K]

Hi

I just bought a Grantura MkIIa project. My first task in the restoration
is to do a chassis repair as some part are quite rotten (outer chassis
rails, rear-most rail and surely some other parts).

Has anyone experience in how to remove a bonded on chassis ? I reccon I
have to gut away the glassfiber from underneath to get the body free from
the chassis. But where must i cut ? How much material must be removed ?
How do I loosen the glassfiber from the chassis rails ? What tool is best
for cutting/removing the glass fiber ?

I hope someone can help with some of my beginner questions. And yes, it's
quite a project for someone who hasn't worked with glassfiber before. I
hope i'll grow with it :-)

Best regards,
Olav Hønholt, Denmark

[barbarossa]

There are some useful pictures on the Cottage Classics site www.cottageclassics.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=175. Otherwise there are some pictures in the Grantura Register www.cottageclassics.co.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=175. I am going to start mine http://people.zeelandnet.nl/serel/7b4 this winter!

Edited by barbarossa on Wednesday 11th October 13:22

Edited by barbarossa on Wednesday 11th October 13:24

[T_V_R_D_K]

Wonderfull. Good luck with your restoration. But why wait until winter to start working on it ? :-)

I've received some very very useful pictures from Spadge at Cottage Classics that shows how and where they cut the body to free it. If anyone wants the pictures i'll post them somewhere or email them. And have at look at my homepage http://tvrgrantura.blogspot.com/ with the resoration of the mentioned Grantura. ATM i'm getting the engine out so I can get the car onto its side so i can start cutting !

Regards,
Olav

[mttwolf]

Hi TVRDK, just started my project too. I'm very interested in understanding how and were to cut the fiberglass,

regards

Matteo

[Barbarossa]

Matteo, where are you based? I am near Modena.

Paul

[mttwolf]

Hi Paul,
I'm from Siena, nice to meet you here

and what about your Grantura? I sow your site, seems to be a lot of work to do
I'm quite in the same conditions !!!


Mat

[GreenV8S]

I'd suggest you try to get in touch with Ian Massey-Crosse, if you haven't already.

[bugattiqueen]

Wise words from V8S, or maybe not. He talks much about shock absorbers and 1 particular car with much authority but I am not sure I M C has too much knowledge of torsion bar cars.

[GreenV8S]

Ian has done a nut-and bolt rebuild of a Grantura, I don't know how similar Ian's car is to the OP's one (but Ian might well know) but I remember reading a fairly detailed account of the work Ian did to remove the body from the chassis which sounds like just what the OP is asking about.

[Notanutter]

Ian M-C and Steve Reid probably know more between them about the mechanical aspects of Granturas than anyone else (apologies if I've forgotten anyone else...), I'm no mechanic so found their support invaluable when I was working on the maintenance (notice that, not 'restoration') of my 1961 Grantura Mk2 which I owned for 13 years from 1989-2002. A local [to me, i.e. Dorset] classic cars specialist did the mechanical work for me when the torsion bars needed overhauling / bushes and track-rod ends needed to be replaced (he's still in business and I can supply contact info), I can help with detail items like pics/info on original trim specs, layout of instruments, i.e. the non-oily bits.

[jomarsaidel]

Hello,
Would you mind giving me your serial #, name and address for my database. Sincerely,
Alex Saidel

[Terminator]

Ahh, Alex, you've made it to the forums at last! Maybe now people will beleive me when I tell them that the Jomar isn't named after John & Mary but after your siblings Joanne & Marc...

Colin

[karvid]

I'm not shure it will give you some ideas but my webpage shows the restoration of my Grantura Mk3. http://user.tninet.se/~kaw434x/e_tvr.

The frame was already free from the body when I bought the car... It was a mess.

Good luck with your car!
//Kenneth

[jsaidel]

In response to Terminator's March 9 posting: The Jomar was named after my brother, Marc, and myself. Hopefully this will clarify the misprinted information.
Joanna M. Saidel, USA

Edited by jsaidel on Saturday 17th March 03:57