Body to chassis alignment

[TomMull]

I've just cleaned the earthing connection at the right center of the dashboard on my Plus 2. I removed the bolt to the chassis to do this. Problem now is that I cannot get the bolt back in. I had the same problem when I removed the cross brace behind the rear seat. I was able to get that right by jacking the body as I aligned it with a punch. It looks like I'll have to remove the dash to get that grounding bolt aligned.
The car is sitting on it's wheels so I had hoped that the stresses would be minimal. I do plan to install my new chassis soon so am hoping to avoid alignment issues when I do. I think there was an earlier post where someone had drilled all the holes in a new chassis and had the same problem wen he set the body back down.
I know my sills are bad and that certainly does not help but otherwise I can see no major structural damage or repairs to the body. I had also hoped to keep the body pretty much intact but it is looking like this might not be possible. Suggestions?
Tom

[wotsisname]

Can you use a torch and some wire (or drill bits) to workout which direction the offset is... this might help with diagnosis... [pictures/diagrams may be useful] are you trying to keep it on the road for now as you may be able to overcome the current issue and delay the chassis change.... maybe this all depends on what the root cause is ?
With the fittings at the rear strut brace the weight of the wheels and everything else hanging (when jacked up) puts the holes in a different place to when it's all on the floor..that's with a Spyder chassis

[seniorchristo]

Can you grind the end of the bolt on a taper to aid starting?

[Gray]

I've had this a few times. Try loosening the other chassis bolts to allow a bit of movement, the other one on top of the transmission tunnel holding the bottom of the dash first. The bolts underneath and front turrets are easily accessible, the rear less so. But you may not need to undo the rear turrets. Once the bolts are loosened, but not out, try jacking the body a little on the chassis. It won't move much unless the turret bolts are out. Be careful not to cross thread.

[alan.barker]

Tom when you fit your new Chassis it will be drilled to suit the Body so there will not be fitting problems.
Chassis are not pre drilled.
Alan

[wotsisname]

I've seen others strongly recommend that the sills are in good order before removing the body.
Also check that you have any shims in place for any of the body mounting points.. for example you don't want to pull the body and front uprights together to close a gap as, in time, this will crack the body around the bobbins.

[alan.barker]

+1 for sure change the Sill members before lifting Body
Alan

[TomMull]

Thanks Watsisname, With the dash still in, I don’t have room for a torch and a mirror and can’t get my head in there either. To answer the second question, I’d like to drive it before I do the chassis but that is not absolutely necessary. I got into this particular issue trying to get some instruments to work. And yes, I am looking for the root cause. Perhaps the body has lost some rigidity? Maybe just the sills, which I will replace before I do anything else.

And Seniorchristo, good suggestion and I went a step further by taking a quarter inch of threads off the end and then put an outside chamfer on the end at the lathe. That, and a little force got it in. It just seems as though it shouldn’t have moved.

Good suggestions Grey, but with the dash still in place, I can’t tell which way to go.

Alan, If I have the process right, (I have not studied the manual) I will mount the body on the chassis, drill the holes, lift the body again the put in the nutserts or weld the nuts onto the chassis. If this is correct, I fear having the same misalignment issue when I put the chassis back on.

As usual very helpful replies, thanks all.

Tom

[alan.barker]

Hi Tom ,
the Chassis has thick metal pads in some places eg. Front Towers, Rear Towers, the 2 clearnce hole Bobbins at bottom of Dashboard . These you centre drill through the clearance hole. You need to get centre Drills the right dia or get drilling bushes made so the pilot holes are central. Then they will be tapped after Body is removed.
FIRST THING TO DO IS:
Position the Body on the new Chassis it needs to be a rolling Chassis with Engine and Gearbox in place.
Then work out what Shims you need to fit so the Camcover doesn't touch under the Bonnet.
Take your time to be sure the Body is correct height and central/level.
Double or treble check before drilling/marking pilots holes.
Alan

[RichardHawkins]

Tom,

I may have been the person whose post you read who was having a similar problem.

My car is a fixed head S4 two seat Elan. I fitted the new chassis to the body, had the body painted and then when I fitted the two back together only two of the sixteen bolts aligned between the chassis and body. By this time the chassis is mainly assembled and painted. I did not want to damage anything that might then corrode. My solution was to screw plugs into the bobbins held in place with araldite and re-drill and tap the holes to align with the chassis. With the benefit of hindsight if I had drilled the chassis with large clearance holes I could have refitted the bolts using large washers. That leaves the six bolts that have to be drilled and tapped into the chassis. I should have left these untapped until I finally fitted chassis to body.

Hope this helps,

Richard Hawkins

[wotsisname]

I have read other people suggest fitting the chassis when it is bare. I did mine as a rolling chassis (don't connect the rear driveshafts at this point in time, particularly if fitting rotoflex). I painted a patch of paint onto the chassis at the various mounting points, so that any marks were easily spotted. Ideally spot with a tool that fits the bobbins perfectly so that everything is square. Worth scrutinising all the bobbins before hand as you can helicoil or otherwise address any issues. Mine is a Spyder Chassis and I bought a complete set of new bolts (which should also fit the Lotus Chassis.. if they still sell the set).

[alan.barker]

With a bare Chassis i would like someone to explain how you can be sure the Camcover won't touch the inside of the Bonnet.
Alan

[TomMull]

Your post was the one Richard and your hindsight is valuable. I wonder if there is any reason why one should not center, drill, tap and fasten in one operation rather than lifting the body off again.

There are also lots of reasons I can think of for not putting the body on a bare chassis and none at all for doing the same. That was certainly not in my plan.

Tom

[baileyman]

Aligning holes is straightforward by first making a couple of guides out of bolts. Center drill for your pilot bit a bolt with shank, and the same to a screw with thread. Then insert them into the bobbins and drill the right spot.

I used a long 1/8" flexible bit from the home center. Of course, make sure the overall alignment is right first and wedge the shell to the chassis so it won't shift on you!

John

[Bushwacker]

Speaking of body bolts, can anyone shed some light on which bolt locations, if any, utilize nuts in addition to the threaded bobbin? I have an S3 FHC that the prior owner seems to have modified some of the bolts. My parts books does list a nut or two, but the chassis bolt kit that I purchased from Paul Matty has 6- 3/8 inch UNC nuts as well. I figure the two long bolts at the front which support the horns get nuts, but beyond that not sure.


Thanks much,

Eric Johnson