Chassis replacement in Single Garage - Logistics?

[terryp]

When I replaced the chassis on my Ginetta it was easy. I was in my parents front garden and the whole family lifted the body to one side and all was well.
We pick up our new federal Elan next Thursday and a few logistical problems have sprung to mind.
Basically I want to keep the body and new chassis dry and be able to lift the body off of the chassis all in my single garage.
My questions:-
It is better to leave the old chassis rolling for removal or just remove everything?
It is better to leave the engine in and remove once the body is off?
I need to lift the body and suspend it somehow high enough that a rolling chassis would be able to be rolled in and out underneath. I had thought about two removable joists straddled from side to side of the garage to be inserted once the body was up in the air. Has anyone tried something similar or are there any axle stands that can extend to this height?
Front or rear end towards the back of the garage?

Thanks a lot
Terry

[elanfan1]

are there any axle stands that can extend to this height?

Thanks a lot
Terry

Just a thought - maybe you could borrow some acrow props?

[Higs]

Terry

You could do the removal in the garage but that would appear overly complex.

Why do you not prepare the body / chassis for removal and then seperate them outside the garage? You can then put the body back into the garage on two wood joists going across the garage as high as possible and then roll the chassis back in under it.

Btw, I have a spare Plus 2 body stored this way so that is perfectly safe.

Hope this helps,

Richard

[AHM]

My questions:-
It is better to leave the old chassis rolling for removal or just remove everything? - Rolling - you will have to get the body a bit higher but everything is much easier with the body off
It is better to leave the engine in and remove once the body is off? - Yes
Front or rear end towards the back of the garage? - depends on your constraints - The high points are the engine at the front and the suspension turrets (which are higher) at the rear, so rear out. Otherwise consider where/how you will do the work and storage - most work is at the front, so front out

[billwill]

Front towards your workbench area wherever that might be. On the other hand you may have more clearance at the door of the garage for manipulating an engine hoist.

If you make a dolly with say 4 inch wheels on it, you will be able to put it under the chassis & push that in & out of the garage on fine days, regardless of whether or not it has any suspension & road wheels on it.

The engine is easier to get out after you have lifted the body off unless you need the headroom above the engine to get a hoist in there. If the body is up there in your headroom you won't be able to do that.

[oldelanman]

Removing and refitting the engine is undoubtedly easier on the rolling chassis but removing and refitting the body with the engine in is a very tight sqeeze. You need to remove the carburettors and the rearmost manifold studs along with the heater valve to clear the footwells and even then there is barely enough room. Mine is a Stromberg engine - there might be more clearance with a Weber head.

[rodlittle]

You can remove the body with an engine crane, see my thread in the gallery section http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/elan-photos-f18/restoration-0086-unit-3067-t21274-15.html

Yes you do have to remove the carbs and a few studs but I reckon its easier than trying to take the engine out of the body first
cheers
rod

[frearther]

I removed the engine and secured the tranny to the body with heavy wire. Initially, the body was lifted from the floor with jacks and set on stands. Then I built two giant sawhorses at ceiling height to which I attached manual lifts (comealongs). The lifts were attached by chains to the ends of two wooden beams across the sills. Then I very slowly lifted the body off of the frame - having a friend with good synchronization skills would be good at this point.

It was possible to raise the body to leave about 3 feet of space underneath it. This was in a garage with a ceiling less than 8 feet in height. Having shorter lifting mechanisms than comealongs would have helped get it higher.

Fortunately, my garage space is in my basement, so I had little trouble doing this while having room for the engine, the tranny, etc. Doing it in a 1-car garage could be quite a bit tougher.

[twincamman]

' HES BAAAACK'----- OK heres what I did and the reasoning ----1 lift the body and hang it from the rafters .Make sure the roof is capable of holding the weight ---2 roll the complete old chassis out side and tarp it up . If you live in a high crime centre build a wooden box made of 2x4s and 1/2 x 3 wood and tarp it up it wont save anything it will just make the thieving buggers work a bit ---place the new chassis in the garage on jack stands assuring yourself all is secure -- the chassis will face engine side out to the door so you can get the hoist in and manoeuvre the engine in ----you will be removing the bits and transporting them into the garage for rebuild and then attaching them to the chassis so a small in side work place would be nice .re plumb the brakes with fresh hard pipe with 45 degree flares made with the flaring tool you will buy and convert the fittings to a/n -3 aluminium fittings [ turn the fittings 2 or 3 flats when tightened no more or the fitting will break ] and re flare all the pipe carefuly bending and attaching the pipe to the chassis so it resembles a work of art NO KINKS IN THE PIPE PLEASE . also use steel braided -3 flex line from the race shop this will cost about 400 dollars total but the fittings are re usable and the system wont leak ---its race car /aero plane stuff ---change the bullet connectors to spade ones and add some fuses you are adding reliability at this point --- ----put a black board up and make a list removing each item as completed .I took 2 years to build my shapecraft - 26R ) enjoy .......now---- any one wanting to contact me or see if I can help please use the PM service or e mail me at [email protected] ----please ..there are fewer problems that way -- --ed

[terryp]

Thanks chaps, I think I have some planning to do!
Has anyone just jacked the body off the chassis? One end at a time?

Cheers
Terry

[ardee_selby]

Has anyone just jacked the body off the chassis? One end at a time?
Cheers Terry

I progressively jacked up the whole car as high as I could via the chassis (which was being replaced). Working at each end...a bit at a time. I then reversed the process & lowered the assembly until the body reached some "supports"...and kept on lowering until the chassis could be removed from underneath.

Well, when I say supports! download/file.php?id=16177

The body assembly was shifted (as part of a house removal) into a single integral garage and supported on oil drums & timbers. This was high enough to allow the re-built rolling (new) chassis to be shifted in & out. Height restriction was such that it had to be done on its rims

When it came to marrying them up again I lowered the body part way & then jacked up the frame to meet it. I then lowered the whole lot onto the ground...and onto some tyres at last...

Good Luck - Richard

P.S. Did you see this thread...may help with others ideas. post152380.html?hilit= supports#p152380

[twincamman]

ok -----2 jacks and slowwly one pump at a time end for end MAKE SURE ALL BOLTS AND WIRE CONNECTIONS ARE FREE one 18 gauge wire can lift a house and a throttle cable too . check as you go---- I used the trunk bulkhead and the front under tray for lift points with 2x4 s to distribute the force let things adjust and go slowly again it is crackly and crunchy job but it comes off ---- check the chassis bottom where the battery ground goes for its nut and bolt look for anything the P.O. has attached oh yes remove the windshield and surround in one piece before jacking wrap it securely they cost 550 bucks 6 years ago --I did all lifting with the wheels on the ground as jack stands may have fallen over and rebodieng also with the chassis wheels attatched ---------e

[ardee_selby]

...look for anything the P.O. has attached e

Yes. A very good point. "Extraneous" fixings not listed in the manual...as I found out!

Per: download/file.php?id=15118

Cheers - Richard

[twincamman]

oh dear what ever did they do on the car Richard??They look primitive enough to be factory parts ed

[ardee_selby]

Terry,

Re: Logistics etc. I forgot to mention...

You will have to marry your new chassis to the body twice. The first time to mark the positions for drilling & tapping the fixing holes, and the second when it all finally comes together...

There is a thread on here (somewhere) with good tips about this part of the job...can't find it at the moment...

Richard