Body removal write up for +2

[Dave240]

The body is off! With the help of a few friends, I took the body off my +2 project a few days ago. I did a full write up on how it came of on MyAutoProject. View it here: http://www.myautoproject.com/2013/08/removing-the-lotus-elan-2-body/

As you can see, I wanted to be able to store the body on top of the chassis, so that I wasn't using up my entire garage for the project. I got some great ideas from another thread on this forum to make it work.

The next step is to take the engine off the chassis and get it rebuilt and start stripping the chassis down then get it dipped and powder coated or painted.

Here's the chassis all tucked away in its new home:


And here's the actual lift!

You can check out all the pics on the MyAutoProject post I made.

[robertverhey]

Well done, great write up and video. Makes it look easy but i know it's a complicated process. Lots of challenging and satisfying work ahead! Will follow with interest. Robert

[TeeJay]

Hi Dave, great write up and video.
Looking forward to the next instalment .

[KevJ+2]

Great job Dave, and an informative write up.
I'm planning on doing this job but what I'd give for a garage like yours! Love that ceiling height.
I think I'll have to find 4 Hobbits to help, luckily I live in Newmarket so maybe I can grab some willing jockeys
Kevin

[stugilmour]

Great job Dave, Thanks for the excellent write-up.

Curious. Did you remove the door glass and motors to reduce weight? I see pretty much everything else including light pods stripped, as you mentioned in the write up.

Kevin had a question regarding total body weight in his intro thread, and I found your excellent thread while trying to give him an idea. When I lifted my body off I left the pods, doors, all glass, old felts, etc. in place. My guess for weight was about 650 to 800 lb., which I figured was too much to handle with available manpower. Yours looked more modest for weight; do you have a guess at what it was?

Cheers & thanks for sharing.

PS Just noticed your location again. For sure get in touch if you are down to Calgary. Will see if I can drop by with my car at some point for a bit of inspiration.

[billwill]

Your support frame does not look particularly resistant to sideways force to me.



Rectangular structural frames are not strong and are avoided where possible in Engineering; triangles are much stronger and used when possible. U shapes, which you have here are particularly weak; if the open ends (the floor supports in this case) move inwards the whole lot could topple sideways; if they splay outwards it will squat on top of your rolling chassis.

I would suggest that once the chassis is underneath it will spend most of its time there so you can make two pair of removable triangulating support struts which go from the top on one side, to as low as possible on the other side. using say 2 by 1 timber. in a crossover pattern at both front and rear. Also put a diagonal strut on each side from the top of the front vertical to as low as practical on the rear vertical.

Take a look at some scaffolding the next time you see some; though they start by erecting rectangular frames, they always put in diagonal braces.

You would not want the whole lot tilting sideways and depositing your Plus 2 body onto your wife's car, while you were juggling the chassis one day.

Also perhaps fasten some struts to the garage wall on the nearest side.

[stugilmour]

Kevin, a quick note for you in planning the lift. Note in Dave's video the videographer coming into frame for a quick adjustment of the support. Make sure you have one spare person for this sort of assistance and to provide direction for the crew. No matter how the lift is undertaken it is a bit of an awkward process. other point is the body is heavier on the rear, so line backers to the back and jockeys to the front.

Great job Dave and also looking forward to next installment.

[Dave240]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Sorry to not respond sooner, I took off for a roadtrip through the Balkans just after I posted this and just got back!

Stu: The glass and motors were already stripped when I bought the car. The only thing I have removed from the car since I bought it were the few nuts holding the body on to the chassis. That was pretty convenient. However, I'm not looking forward to putting it back together, with no knowledge of how it came apart! The workshop manual will come in very handy I imagine.

I'm not really sure what the weight was, but it was a cinch to lift. It didn't feel like I was lifting more than 60-70 pounds (I was lifting on the back left corner).

Bill: Appreciate the feedback. I agree that my setup could definitely be stronger, but honestly, it weighs so little, I don't think I'll have any issues. I'm hoping the car won't be perched up there for too long and I can get it back on the chassis sooner rather than later.

[cal44]

Dave,

I knew it had to be in North America...........the garage is bigger 6 x 12

Nice vid on the lift

If you cut a couple of 2" x 6"s and double bolt them on an angle (top to the bottom) both sides, you'll be able to sit a '62 slab side Lincoln up there.

mike