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Triumph TR6 - Body Removal

I am getting ready to restore my '73 - I would like to take the body off of the chassis, so I can detail the chassis. Everything I have read cautions to not do a frame off restoration, due to body warping/cracking the rusted sills, etc. My car has always been garage stored, so I have no rust (ok, none that I have found) and but the seat pans are clean and the A and B pillars and both bulkheads are solid and rust free. I have plenty of room to store the body while I work on the chassis, and have a hydraulic lift to assist in removing the body.

Now - should I remove the body?

And, if so, what is the best method for removing the body? I know to put a piece of angle steel between the bonnet mount and the A-pillar, but any other ideas for attachment points to lift the body, suggestions, etc. would be appreciated.

P.S. I have already loosened the seat pan bolts (3 at each A-pillar and 4 at each B-pillar and they came out easily - no rust or sticking. I haven't removed the other body bolts yet, I just wanted to make sure that the ones in the seat pans were removable, because I had read that these could be the hardest to get off, due to corrosion (I got tired of saying rust).

Thanks,

Bob

Hi BOB,

Take off the doors and the 'B' post striker plates.

Cut four pieces of steel approx 6" x 3" about 3mm thick.

Use the striker plates and the top door hinge as templates to mark out the holes onto the plates.

Attach the plates to the 'A' and 'B' posts with bolts and screws.

Weld a section of steel 30mm x 30mm (or similar) between your newly fitted plates.

Voila, door gap braces which will hold the car together while you work on it.

DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL YOU MAKE UP SOME DOOR BRACES.

Trust me, I'm doing the same body off job as yourself, only difference is mines a 73 with plenty of rust and botched repairs.

Good luck buddy, let us know how it goes !

Best Regards

Bob '73 TR6
Bob Blewitt

Thanks for the info.

How did you actually pick the body up - did some friends provide lifing muscle or did you lift it with pulleys? I plan on using a hydraulic engine lift to raise the body.

I guess what I realy meant to say, is what points did you use to pick up the body - would you attach chains to the holes in the floor pan (with wood to spread the load) and also tie on-to the bulkheads to support the ends? Or do you think that just lifting the left side, putting a 2"x4" board underneath it, doing the same then to the right side, and then attaching chains to the 2"x4"s would be good enough? Also, how well is the body balanced over the holes in the floor pans?

And yes, I will be sure to brace the door openings - your method looks to be much better than another method I had seen. Thanks
bob

I did this about 6 years back. After bracing the doors the body wasn't very heavy, had 4 people, each on a wheel arch. I built rotisserie for it, it was easy to do metal work and paint under the car. Where are you located in VA, I might be able to find the number of the guy I lent it too. That was a long time ago, but I can always check it out if you are interested.

-Adam
72 Tr6
Adam Wilhite

Also I added an additional brace from the rear deck to the dash. This was probably over kill....
Adam

Everyone is correct in that you should (must) install door braces. As far as lifting the body I use plates
bolted into where the bonnet hinges attach and plates at the top of the rear wheel arches attached where the seat belt attaches. With these four points I use adjustable web straps (available anywhere and cheap). I hook these onto my engine lift and off it comes. Easy to do and one person can remove and replace a body easily. Have fun! You only have four months until driving time begins!
Steve Yott

I'm at the north end of the Shenandoah Valley near Winchester. A rotisserie would be sweet. I occasionally (maybe once per year or so) have to be in the Hampton Port area. Let me know.

While the 6 is undergoing work, I will be begging my wife to let me drive her Porsche 944, which I just recently finished some work on. I also am doing some engine top-end (side-end?) work to a 1952 BMW R67/2 (very rare).

I love old stuff - especially when I got some of these things when they were new - like my soon to be 30 year old Harley-Davidson XLCR-1000 Cafe Racer. (check out www.xlcrclub.com to see one)

Many thanks for all of your replies.
Bob

This thread was discussed between 02/12/2002 and 03/12/2002

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