Body lift

[everitj]

Just after some advice on the matter really, I have looked through all of the past threads regarding this but none seem to cover what I am looking into doing.
I want to do a decent job of getting the outriggers really well protected and want to be able to get a wire brush to the tops of them. Is it possible to leave the car on it's wheels and jack the body up away from the chassis say by 4 inches or so that access to the tops of the tubes is possible. Has anyone done this?? I can't think that it is that difficult but thought I would run it past the forum to see if there is anything I have overlooked. Any thoughts on this would be welcome..

J

[victormeldrew]

It is possible for sure, though I haven't done it personally. I'd heard a good method was to jack up the whole car, prop the body separately with the chassis on jacks, undo all the connections (hoses, electrics etc) then lower the chassis down on the jacks leaving the body suspended. Less efort required apparently.

I'd be tempted to get the body off completely once you've got that far. Getting to the tops of the rear suspension mounts (which will also have some corrosion) will take more than a few inches of clearance!

[paul garabette]

I have lifted the body to replace my outriggers. If you plan to raise the body by a few inches you have to do about 99% of the work that you would do to take off the body completely.

To access and undo all the bolts securing the body I needed to:

- remove the fuel tank to access bolts into rear of the main chassis members behind

- remove the radiator to adequately access bolts into the front of the main chassis members

- remove the dash (top and bottom) to access the bolts on the top of the transmission tunnel which are conveniently under the dash

- remove exhaust manifolds as the body won't lift even a few inches without doing so because of clearance

These were the big bits. That on top of the obvious body secuing bolts, wiring, brake pipes, seatbelt mounting points, heater water pipes.........etc.

This is what I had to do. There may have been ingenious ways round doing some of this that I was (and am)unware of.

Its a big job. If you anticipate doing it just for access to scrape and Hammerite.....I'd say don't! Just do as best you can with the body securely in place. After all if it aint broke........

[wheeljack888]

James (everitj)

I've done a body off restoration on mine, see link here for some pics.

Agree with Paul it's about 99% of the work involved to remove the chassis completely. It is a killer of a job. I started it in June and only last week did I get the MOT, I reckon it was probably about 200 hours.

If your up for it though, I did manage to access to the 2 bolts under the dash without removing the dash. However I did have to cut an access flap in the carpet at the right place each side and then used a ratcheting 17mm ring spanner. Can't tell that its cut because it's well hidden and also figured that some point I would replace the carpets because I don't like the colour!