Body Removal

PostPost by: Donels » Tue Nov 22, 2016 8:18 pm

This week-end I removed the body from my Elan +2. Not having access to lifting equipment or any idea of the weight (doors and glass still fitted) I pondered the process for a while and read the many different approaches put forwards on this site. I eventually decided to make my own lifting frame that could be used for lifting, storage and transportation to the paint shop.
Attached are some photo's of the frame if anyone wants to make one similar (the wooden ends are for collision protection and not support).
It consists of two galvanised scaffold pole running along the sills and two scaffold cross tubes bolted together at four points by threaded rod.
The threaded rods protrude clear of the tubes and pickup the body at the jacking points (obviously check these before hand).
The frame makes lifting the body easy for 4 people and is cheap to make costing around ?40. It comprises 2 x 6 foot poles for the sides, which require shortening by approx 100mm. 2 x 8 foot cross poles, which provide the lifting handles, 4 x 200mm threaded 10mm bar and 16 nuts.
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fullsizeoutput_619.jpeg and
fullsizeoutput_616.jpeg and
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PostPost by: The Veg » Tue Nov 22, 2016 11:10 pm

Very interesting! To what extent did you strip the interiour, and approximately what does the weight work out to per person with four lifting it this way?
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PostPost by: billwill » Wed Nov 23, 2016 12:30 am

I don't understand how you could lift the body off like that as the cross poles would try to lift the chassis too.
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PostPost by: nmauduit » Wed Nov 23, 2016 11:46 am

on the same topic, though probably less applicable to the +2, I lifted the body of a 2 seater coupe with the front windshield on and limited side access using a hoist and extension. Body is light, but the hoist necessary for a one man operation. The long reach harm was further extended by approx. 50cm to get the anchoring point about the gearbox lever location, near the center of gravity (pushed in front because of the windshield). For this a scaffolding pole war inserted through the hoist harm, with a piece of wood on top to avoid rotation during operation. Suspension length must be carefully determined to clear both trunk and ceiling for the harm angle range required to lift high enough to clear the chassis with a supporting structure (plus I preferred to keep the body horizontal). Lifting was primarily from flat bars bolted underneath through seat attachment holes, with front and rear stabilization via straps to the side mesh. Once up, I sled wood beams underneath and attached them to the ceiling through a pulley at each end.

img-20161108-02926.jpg and
long reach body lifting


img-20161108-02927.jpg and
seat attachment and stabilization


img-20161110-02928.jpg and
hoist off, body attached to the ceiling, ready to prepare the bottom...
Last edited by nmauduit on Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PostPost by: Donels » Wed Nov 23, 2016 11:49 am

All of the interior was removed so it really was just the shell, doors with glass, front and rear screen, etc. No problem for four normal size blokes to pick up to chest height. I guess the weight is around 350 lbs.

The method was as follows:-
To insert the cross poles you need to lift the body above the chassis by about 100mm. This is relatively easy for one person, two hydraulic jacks and some wooden blocks. Two people are then needed to assembly the poles.
The threaded rods are fitted into the side poles protruding approx 70mm preset by the two locked nuts. The cross poles are then threaded between the chassis and body, and onto the bottom of the threaded rod and secured by a nut. The frame can then be positioned under the jacking points, the 70mm protrusion fitting into the jacking holes leaving the poles clear of the body. Then just get four mates, lift and place the body on some supports.
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PostPost by: theelanman » Wed Nov 23, 2016 12:16 pm

I removed none of the interior when I did mine......
just got a few of the lads round....fed them and watered them and hey presto.......

I guess that with this frame once you've got the body past the central beam (propshaft casing....lol) you'd be able to slide the poles under....

its still amazing how high you have to lift the body to clear the rear turrets
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