Body refitting with engine installed

[Donels]

After an 18 month wait I’m due to get my repainted +2 body back. I have an easy and controllable method to lift and lower the body so my plan is to install the engine and gearbox in the chassis and then lower the body onto it.

Any tips on fitting the body this way?
Do I need to remove the studs in the inlet/exhaust for extra clearance?
Anything I need to fit to the body before installation like light pod mechanism and brake pipes?

Dave

[billwill]

I don't recall whether I had the engine in or out back in 1978, but if I was doing it now I would try fitting the entire exhaust system to the engine before lowering the body onto it. the tubular+Y piece exhaust is extremely difficult to fit in situ if the body and cylinder head are in place.

I suspect there is plenty of clearance to fit the body after the engine with exhaust, on RH drive cars; it may be more difficult on LH drive cars maybe you would need to remove the steering column & fit that later.

[alan.barker]

Hi Donels,
Are you using a new Chassis.
If so when body is in place before drilling check bonnet and cam cover clearance. To see if you need to shim.
Alan

[Donels]

Bill,
Good advice about the exhaust. I’ll fit with the engine and gearbox.

Alan,
I’m using an existing galvanised chassis that was very badly fitted around 1983. No shims we’re used just graunched up causing other problems. I shimmed it before painting so the front is now about 6mm higher so hopefully the cam cover should be clear.

[alan.barker]

I check using blue tack or plastercine.
I put a big blob on the front of cam cover.
Fit bonnet with hinge screws in the bobbins and very carefully close after removing the spring loaded pins.
You don't want stars in a freshly painted bonnet. Min 6mm clearance. Check rad cap height also.
Good luck
Alan

[berni29]

Hi

I would check that the body has not changed shape during the time it has been parted from the chassis. Apparently this can happen.

I will be fitting my body back to the chassis on my car in due course. I will have all fuel & brake lines and anything else I can think of connected and torqued up before I do!

This particular one will be a Zetec though.

Best of luck

Berni

[Foxie]

I've lifted and replaced the body several times with the engine and exhaust manifold in position, and the carbs, removed no problems that I remember.

When I fitted my +2 Spyder chassis many years ago, the original Lotus chassis was sound, ( and had already been reinforced around some cracks and weak spots ) It has been hanging on the wall ever since.

I now have another +2 with a completely disintegrated original chassis, in which I plan to fit my old chassis.

As I expect that some or all of threaded drillings/holes in the chassis may not to align with the bobbin holes, I will be prepared to increase the diameter of chassis holes (ie all the vertical fixings ) or open the bobbin holes (front & rear turrets and tunnel top at the gear lever.

Has anyone fitted a non-matching chassis and body ?

[stugilmour]

A few points of caution to check or consider

• The Plus 2 heater hoses are difficult to fit with the engine in place. I think you will have to have the heater hoses fastened to the heater core and then loosely place them in position around the engine as you lower the body.
• I didn’t quite get if the chassis is presently drilled for this body and it’s revised shimmed position. Caution is it is very difficult to get an angle drill to the front tower bolt holes with the engine in place.
• I think the two brake boosters on my Federal model would have to be out of the way.
• Obviously carbs off and firewall really clean of stuff. Not sure clearance to stock fuel pump (mine is remote mounted electric).
• Steering shaft.
• Examine all the wiring to ensure you have easy access to any connectors, even adding some to make it easy. Particular attention to any grounds. eg the reverse light switch is easy to forget and depending on access a connector block might be added.
• Not sure if the stock speedo cable is an issue. Easiest if you can feed it back to the transmission while lowering? Both the reverse switch and speedo cable are difficult with my MT-75, might be a non-issue with stock.

Interesting puzzle. I think it can be done. There is a forum member that posted he routinely lifts the body to work on the car. Hopefully he posts here, or look in the archives and PM him? I bet this procedure is a heck of a lot easier the second time. All the best. Let the forum know how you make out.

Also, I am keenly interested in Foxie’s question above. Unfortunately when we drilled and installed the body we got the left side about 3/8” low. Ideally I would like to raise it up by adjusting the front and rear tower bobbin holes. The caution I would mention to avoid this is to make sure you check your chassis ride height carefully before placing the body, and re-check the wishbones are all at the same angles before measuring body height to the ground.

HTH and hope it makes sense.

Stu

[Donels]

Before painting after I had shimmed the body to chassis correctly several of the holes didn’t line up. The worst was the engine bay to front chassis leg which required the bobbin to be cut out and reglassed and one in the rear upright was significantly out but careful dressing of the bobbin got it to fit. Reglassing this one was going to be tricky and it’s the horizontal position that’s important not vertical or L to R. All others could be made to fit with gentle fettling.

My guess is that if you get the rear uprights to bobbins lined up the floor bobbins won’t be far out, but the engine bay may be.

Good point about the heater hoses.

[alan.barker]

Hi Foxie,
I helped a friend fit a pre-drilled chassis and we fitted threaded plugs in the tapped holes. We made a mistake by welding the plugs in position. It meant the metal got hardened and very difficult to drill new holes. If you fit threaded plugs fix them in place with a strong Loctite. For the clearance holes you can elongate and use big washers.
Alan

[GLB]

I lowered my body onto the stock chassis with the stock cast header in place, no carbs or carb studs as I recall. Fuel pump on. Here are some pictures but not much detail. It went easily as I recall. Chain hoist through the windscreen opening anchored to the body mounts where dash attaches and at the rear with engine hoist attached to the chassis- body mounts in the boot. I set it on wood blocks ( 2x4) between body and chassis and released the hoists, the used a floor jack to raise the body slightly to remove the blocking. I had my wife steady the body but it was not too tippy, but I felt better. Gary

[Donels]

Alan/Foxie,
Brian Buckland warns of this procedure for recovering misaligned holes, see attachment para 1.

BB book.pdf

(1.17 MiB) Downloaded 161 times

[alan.barker]

Hi Donels,
I have BB's book and imho he is wrong. The problem is not drilling ht bolts that have been used to make plugs. The problem is drilling the weld. Do not weld and make plugs from normal stud bar which is not HT. Then loctite them in place.
Only my personal ideas and it's good to have different ways to arrive at the same goal.
Alan

[ncm]

I've removed the studs from the inlets of 3&4 to give clearance (and peace of mind) when lifting the body off my early Plus 2.

Brian.

[seniorchristo]

Would filling the hole with J-B weld or similar epoxy be a solution?