Removing the body question (after watching ffr how to video)

[Shady302]

After watching the body removal video by Dan at factory five, I just have one question.
It scares the poo out of me to see the rear end of the car bend and twist up when he lifts it off the frame. I always thought that you had to put a 2 x 4 board in between the dash and the rear to keep it from flexing like that.

I already cut a 2 x 4 board and put it in to support it, but now I'm worried that I won't be able to lift the back end off with it in place, not allowing it to flex.

Can anybody advise me if the board is okay to stay or is it going to stop me from pulling the body off the frame. Thanks!

[kgkeys]

I think most guys just use the board to support the center of the body while stored on a buck (I didn't use one and my body seems fine). In my opinion, it can and should be able to flex while you're putting the body on or taking it off, so take the board out.

I know the video you're talking about and that is extreme, but demonstrates how much the body can take. The real trick is putting the body back on after you have all of the bulb seal on. When we did mine, we brought the rear end high over the front of the car and hooked the chin under. Then you work the sides around the door area, and guide the rear over gently.

Removal is just the opposite, but should be pretty easy with 3-4 people and no bulb seal installed.

Hope that helps,
Kyle

[initiator]

If it's a Mk 4, you can and should skip the 2x4 strut across the cockpit. That was for previous bodies.

[edwardb]

This is discussed quite a bit. The answer is whatever you're comfortable with. The Mk4 body is much more solid than previous Mk's because of the wraparound body under the doors. It was pretty much mandatory before to either use the brace or have enough help that you didn't bend it too much. Both directions. But now the brace is optional. Use it if you want. Or not. But it's not going to prevent you from getting the body on/off. I do almost all of my work by myself, including taking the body on and off for several builds. One Mk3 and and two Mk4's. I use pulleys attached to hooks in the ceiling and can have a body on or off pretty quickly. Personally, I use the brace because it just makes it a bit easier. When I lift the back, for example, the center also moves rather just flexing. But that's a personal choice and short of outright abuse, probably not necessary.

BTW, the main issue with getting the Mk4 on or off isn't the back or front, it's the sides. They need to be spread quite a bit to clear the door hinges and fit over the chassis sides. I stack a bunch of towels in those areas to spread it over on the way up or down. Also, once you have the bulb seal in place, you'll want to be very careful of the seal around the rear corners of the trunk sides. You have to pull and stretch pretty hard to clear it over the back, and the edge of the body can damage the bulb seal. Again, I use towels or rags to protect.

One additional note. Once the body is painted, I put the brace away to avoid potentially marring the paint. That's when I get some helpers. I'm am admitted chicken with a painted body.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Like edwardb I do the R&R by myself (even when painted; microfiber towels are your friend ) and use the cockpit brace.

Jeff

[GaryAndy]

I just got done talking with my painter and the guy who will do my final fitment. They really dont like the idea of painting the body off the car. Reason being that with all the flex and that the body never goes on identical....once back on their experience is that door, hood, and trunk margins/gaps will often be off. Any thoughts on this ?

Gary

[GoDadGo]

I just got done talking with my painter and the guy who will do my final fitment. They really dont like the idea of painting the body off the car. Reason being that with all the flex and that the body never goes on identical....once back on their experience is that door, hood, and trunk margins/gaps will often be off. Any thoughts on this ?

Gary

Gary,

I've got mine set up where the body goes back in the exact spot....My reference points are my rear bumper bolts, my two roll bars, my 6 Allen Screws under the rockers where the body wraps over and front bumper bolts....The front of my car also has two additional brackets that I made that sit on the front 3/4" tubes which allows me to reinstall the body in the same location.

It can be done with little difficulty if you have done your homework creating fixed mounting points.

Like you, I'm about to go to paint and my body shop pal (Ernie The Owner) would prefer the body on the car....To his less than thrilling feelings, we will paint the body off the car like Jeff Kleiner and his buddy Jeff Miller do....My friend Heath had his body shop leave his body in place and after it was done the shop owner wished he had pulled the body instead of painting it in place.

Hope This Helps!

Steve

Body On The Car
https://youtu.be/CaRlqMmKIzk

What It Looked Like A Week Ago
https://youtu.be/6UK6K2jcwTU

[Jim Wehr]

I just got done talking with my painter and the guy who will do my final fitment. They really dont like the idea of painting the body off the car. Reason being that with all the flex and that the body never goes on identical....once back on their experience is that door, hood, and trunk margins/gaps will often be off. Any thoughts on this ?

Gary

Everyone with experience recommends painting the body off of the chassis.

[edwardb]

I've had Roadsters done both body off and body on. The shop that insisted on doing one body on, for the exact reasons you mentioned, agreed that next time it would be body off. That's how most of the experienced shops do it as well. Not particularly difficult to get the Roadster body exactly back in the right spot. As for flex, I'd recommend a couple helpers once it's painted. For obvious reasons to not damage anything. But also you can minimize the flex, even though it's really not an issue.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I just got done talking with my painter and the guy who will do my final fitment. They really dont like the idea of painting the body off the car. Reason being that with all the flex and that the body never goes on identical....once back on their experience is that door, hood, and trunk margins/gaps will often be off. Any thoughts on this ?

Gary

Quite simply, he's wrong. On both counts.

FYI, here’s a video I posted a couple of weeks ago showing how I do body removable solo. Going back on is the reverse except I move a little slower, add padding to the brace and hooks and use a homemade contraption to keep the rocker panels spread as the body goes down over the hinges.



Cheers,
Jeff

[msbrown6]

I think I'll go with body off for paint - thanks for the advice. Also, just attended the build school and the brace between the front and back during lift is really recommended to prevent overflexing the sides.

[ggunter]

I found using the mounting holes under the rockers is a fixed point that screws or rivets (whichever you use) will be going back into the same place which will locate the body for and aft and using the 1/4" behind the striker mount is a good way to tell that you are in the right place. You can easily mount and dismount yourself if you have a garage tall enough to hang the body above the car. With some electrical pvc conduit you can make these handy body spreaders to spread the body over the chassis. I made mine from a guy on here who had them and they worked great. ( thanks to whoever made them)I had my body on and off five times or so and when you get the hang of how they go on ( front first, then pull the back over the trunk sides and down) it's not a biggy, even painted.IMG_6464.jpgbody inst.pngIMG_6464.jpg

[ggunter]

Sorry about the pics, sometimes they load straight and sometimes they don't

[JacobusLemmens]

Thanks for sharing your experience with mounting and dismounting a car body. Using the mounting holes under the rockers as a fixed point is a good idea, as it allows for consistent placement of the body on the chassis. The 1/4" behind the striker mount is also a useful reference point for ensuring that the body is in the correct position.
The use of body spreaders made from electrical PVC conduit is a great tip for anyone looking to make the process easier and more manageable. These spreaders can help to evenly distribute the weight of the body and prevent damage to the paint or body panels during the mounting or dismounting process.
It's also helpful to hear that with some practice, mounting and dismounting the body becomes easier, even with a painted finish. This can be reassuring for anyone who may be hesitant to attempt this process themselves.
Thanks again for sharing your insights and tips for mounting and dismounting a car body.