Is there a "step by step" guide how to get the cerb body off

[flyingdutchie]

Been looking for this on the forum, but all I can find are some experiences and other guys asking how much a chasiss furb should be costing. A step by step guide would help me in deciding if I could do this myself.

[Storer]

This is probably going to be my winter project so a guide would be very useful.

A list of all those hard-to-find bolts that just stop it coming off when you think you are ready would be useful and any diagrams/photos would be superb.

[cupra20v.t]

i too would like to see this as i fancy taking it apart for chasis restoration.

[markh1]

Yep me too. Dont think the car needs it as such but it will be off the road all winter and I was going to strip the wishbones and polybush it all anyway.

[Peppe]

Storer said:

This is probably going to be my winter project so a guide would be very useful.

A list of all those hard-to-find bolts that just stop it coming off when you think you are ready would be useful and any diagrams/photos would be superb.

You find most of the bolts rather easy, except of the two that is under the dashboard.

[Peppe]

There is a chapter about how to take the body off in the workshop manual. Worked fine for me when I did it on my Cerbera.

[cupra20v.t]

what sort of time scale would it take to get a body off?

is it interior out and dash board off?

[Brummmie]

cupra20v.t said:

what sort of time scale would it take to get a body off?

is it interior out and dash board off?

Seats and centre console must come out, the front seatbelt mounts are a bit of a pain, i drilled mine out, then rewelded new ones in. Got mine off in about two days.

[flyingdutchie]

How did you guys lift it off without damaging the paint. As the workshopmanual decribes with 2 guys at each corner or differently?

[diycerb]

flyingdutchie said:

How did you guys lift it off without damaging the paint. As the workshopmanual decribes with 2 guys at each corner or differently?

All my bolts came out no problem, windy guns are wonderful things

Just remember to cut the fibre glass away around the front seat belt outside anchorage before you try and lift the body.

You'll need more than 8 people believe me. I jacked mine away at both ends before the first lift to help. Its SO heavy and also difficult to hold onto. You'll need ten minimum plus a couple to drag the chassis out from underneath.

When refitting I made a brace which fitted through the rear wheel arches and sat on the strong fibre glass behind the diff. We lifted the rear end with an engine crane and 8 people lifted the front and sides. Its more difficult refitting as you have to prise the transmission tunnel around the chassis.

BTW you don't have to do a body off to fit an LS1, it makes building the exhaust easier though.

Good luck!

Rich.

[flyingdutchie]

Richard,

my thought was to put straps through the front arches and rear arches. We have a chain engine puller (I don't know the english word for it) on a heavy steel H-profile in the ceiling.

Only thing is that I am affraid off is it will damage the fresh paint.

[HRG]

Probably heavier than a Griff, but I lifted mine off on my own. Lift, jiggle a bit then take up the slack with three or four jacks and blocks of wood. It's easier if you only lift 5 or 10 mm at a time till you clear the chassis.

[Omerta]

I did it by myself - jacked up at each end initially, then two lumps of timber through the wheel arches lifted by straps and a hoist at each end. Just use rags and blankets to stop anything rubbing and you'll be fine.

[Snake the Sniper]

You can't need 8 people surely? 8 average people should be just about able to pick the whole car up! If it's anything like pulling most cars apart, just take it very slowly, make sure you're stands/mounts are secure and double check that you have removed everything, and remember that an engine crane is really there to check the tensile strength of all the bits you didn't undo!

[FarmyardPants]

HRG said:

Probably heavier than a Griff, but I lifted mine off on my own.

You sound like a handy person to have around. You don't also pull up tree stumps by any chance?

[HRG]

FarmyardPants said:

HRG said:

Probably heavier than a Griff, but I lifted mine off on my own.

You sound like a handy person to have around. You don't also pull up tree stumps by any chance?

Nope, it's pure technique I was a little alarmed the first time I tried to get the body off though, I actually lifted the front NS clear of the axle stand mental note to self, remember the bolts under the console...

Talking of technique, lots of protection then place back to the car, arms straight and hands low and grab the wheel arch. If you lift with your legs and brace against the body you'd be surprised just how much you can lift.


Here's me with my old Beetle when I was much younger

[Byker28i]

Shouldn't you be green in that picture

[HRG]

Green? My face was bright bloody red by the time I had finished

[WIL35]

Can we have a bit of background on that picture? It looks like you were dismantling a terminally rusty Beetle in a public car park!

[HRG]

Sadly not a public car park, that was outside the Baker Perkins motor club some time in the late eighties. I wanted a beach buggy and it seemed like the perfect candidate...

You're right however, when I got the body off it was indeed terminally rusty