Chassis swap

[Benji55]

4 hours ago, cackshifter said:

If doing just body off, it's worth noting bits of body that are hard to get to with the body on, and maybe give them some TLC while you can, but things always take more time and money than you think. Thinking things like 110 csw cross member.

Thanks for the advice. I’m comfortable with minor welding and repairs but, like most I’m sure, it’s the bulkhead that I suspect will be the major game changer. Other than the chassis and one door bottom rail there’s no visible rot. Floor panels are solid as it the tub. However, so much of the bulkhead is concealed at this stage, if that proves rotten I assume I will have no choice but to dismantle the whole body anyway.
 

thanks again  

[Peaklander]

1 hour ago, Benji55 said:

That’s very professional looking scaffolding structure, did you assemble it?

It was built by a local scaffolding company. I did dismantle it though; quite a job as they use the highest torque impact guns and the last few poles all need skyhooks to hold them as the final few clips are undone!

I forgot to mention that I ran new brake lines in a mix of new and salvaged clips. Also I had already changed the CSW crossmember that @cackshiftermentioned, but the rear tub supports were replaced a year or so after the footwells which as I said, was a year after the chassis.

I think you get the idea; it’s a chase and you’ll probably replace everything eventually. 😄

[reb78]

On 8/12/2022 at 10:50 AM, Benji55 said:

Good luck with yours. What condition is yours in and have you much experience with this type of project? Also how long do you anticipate the project to take?
 

 

Bulkhead and doors are gone. The rest of the body isnt bad but the paint is worn so basically all of the body needs something doing to it as new doors and old body wont match. 
 

Mechanically its sound. Bushes are good, clutch isnt that old so, apart from new brake and and fuel lines I will just be transferring the mechanicals and running gear over. 

[Snagger]

My 109 took two years, but that was largely due to the fact that everything was stripped to the last nut and bolt; not just the body (even stripping to doors down to replace the skins and refurbish the locking and window mechanisms) but also the mechanical assemblies, and also the sheer amount of mods with mostly used parts which also needed refurbishing or repair.  If you are doing a straight chassis swap with good mechanical assemblies which don’t need refurbishment and aren’t making any mods or fitting many accessories, then it should be quite a quick job.  The bits that may cause unexpected work and delay are the bulkhead, tub floor and body mountings being corroded, as they are often worse than they look. A tub floor will probably take a weekend to put right, including painting.  Body mounts on the tub front ends and the rear cross member probably a day.  A bad bulkhead can be months of work, though, and even an outright replacement with a really good one (£££) is going to take several days(realistically at least a week) for the dash, wiring and alignment.

[Benji55]

3 hours ago, Snagger said:

My 109 took two years, but that was largely due to the fact that everything was stripped to the last nut and bolt; not just the body (even stripping to doors down to replace the skins and refurbish the locking and window mechanisms) but also the mechanical assemblies, and also the sheer amount of mods with mostly used parts which also needed refurbishing or repair.  If you are doing a straight chassis swap with good mechanical assemblies which don’t need refurbishment and aren’t making any mods or fitting many accessories, then it should be quite a quick job.  The bits that may cause unexpected work and delay are the bulkhead, tub floor and body mountings being corroded, as they are often worse than they look. A tub floor will probably take a weekend to put right, including painting.  Body mounts on the tub front ends and the rear cross member probably a day.  A bad bulkhead can be months of work, though, and even an outright replacement with a really good one (£££) is going to take several days(realistically at least a week) for the dash, wiring and alignment.

That was a major project on yours then, where you happy with the end result and glad you went so far with it? I would like to do more on mine but also want to start using her. Due to family circumstances mine was left standing on my drive for 3 years. I couldn’t believe how rotten the chassis had gone whilst standing. I had patched it a few times before so decided it’s time to replace it. If the bulkhead is very bad I will probably replace with a galvanised if the order times are too bad. 

[Snagger]

My project was to make a vehicle for the rest of my life, so yes, I was glad with the way it turned out.  There are, as always, a handful of things I’d do differently, but it is still in good order 16 years after completion, just a little corrosion on the tub where a paint shop over polished their work and rubbed through the new paint to the aluminium on the concealed edges, but it’s minor.  It’s in storage now, but has stood up well to that too.

My chassis and bulkhead are galvanised, which is a big help.  Ralph (Western) is the galv king of the forum!

[reb78]

6 hours ago, Snagger said:

My project was to make a vehicle for the rest of my life, so yes, I was glad with the way it turned out.  There are, as always, a handful of things I’d do differently, but it is still in good order 16 years after completion, just a little corrosion on the tub where a paint shop over polished their work and rubbed through the new paint to the aluminium on the concealed edges, but it’s minor.  It’s in storage now, but has stood up well to that too.

My chassis and bulkhead are galvanised, which is a big help.  Ralph (Western) is the galv king of the forum!

This is my aim too. After this job, i never want to touch the body or chassis again. 

[Benji55]

It’s arrived and now safely stored.

Definitely no going back now so I’ve started stripping out the seats, floor and bulkhead matts, front grill and resistor / inter cooler. The bulk head and seat box all look suspiciously solid with only very very light surface rust where paint was worn. For this reason, unless I come across any serious rot I’m going to remove body whole (less wings, and doors),

thank you all, not only for the welcome but all the great advice and reassurance. I’m sure I will have many questions but will try not to bother you with every nut and bolt. 
 

 

[cackshifter]

If you take the body off whole, you can inspect the bulkhead closely, and swap or refurbish it while the body is off. If yours is in good shape why not get it blasted and galved rather than buy a new one if you can spare the time.

[Arjan]

"..... bulkhead closely, and swap or refurbish it while the body is off. If yours is in good shape why not get it blasted and galved rather than buy a new one if you can spare the time. ......"

Agree.

But........

Make sure you get real quotes for the blasting, possible repairs and the galvanizing and see what a new galvanized bulkhead costs...

I learned the hard way that having a good chassis blasted, galvanized and powder coated was much more money than getting a new one.

I'm about to rebuild a Ninety (and have a OneTen waiting.....)

Bon Courage !!

[miketomcat]

11 hours ago, cackshifter said:

If you take the body off whole, you can inspect the bulkhead closely, and swap or refurbish it while the body is off. If yours is in good shape why not get it blasted and galved rather than buy a new one if you can spare the time.

I would be very careful removing the bulkhead from a body already off a chassis as it will have very little structural integrity. 

Mike

[FridgeFreezer]

15 hours ago, miketomcat said:

I would be very careful removing the bulkhead from a body already off a chassis as it will have very little structural integrity. 

It has very little structural integrity the moment you un-bolt it from the chassis, removing the bulkhead or even opening the doors risks it going very floppy indeed!

[Benji55]

Having the bulkhead prepped and galvanised if it’s solid make great sense but isn’t stripping the dash and bits a lot more work? 
 

I’ve seen new galvanised bulkheads for around £1.5k. How would that compare to sand blasting, peeping and galvanising my existing one?

 

thanks

[Northwards]

I've recently been helping a friend replace a bulkhead on his 90.

Ww started with a Shielder (oh dear...)  and are now persevering with an 'Ultra'. 

Prior to this I've done the job twice before, but that was back when proper LR bulkheads were still reasonably available and priced. 

Predictably the LR bulkheads fitted easily without major drama. The 'aftermarket' ones, not so much. 

If (please, no) I was doing this again I'd look very closely at getting a genuine bulkhead repaired and then treated/galved. Yes, it seems like more work initially, but might mean less in the long run. 

[FridgeFreezer]

11 hours ago, Benji55 said:

Having the bulkhead prepped and galvanised if it’s solid make great sense but isn’t stripping the dash and bits a lot more work? 

It's a ton of work, you'll also find and/or create a load of wiring problems in the process, and if you remove the bulkhead from the body away from the chassis everything goes very floppy and you can damage other parts/panels if you're not careful.

[Benji55]

On 8/19/2022 at 9:13 AM, FridgeFreezer said:

It's a ton of work, you'll also find and/or create a load of wiring problems in the process, and if you remove the bulkhead from the body away from the chassis everything goes very floppy and you can damage other parts/panels if you're not careful.

Thanks. I suspected it would be a lot of work and out of my skill level. Unless necessary I think I will leave the bulkhead complete and attached to the roof and body

[Peaklander]

I used the bulkhead as a lifting point, with two steel cables coming off a chain block, down to an engine crane balancing arm across the width. As has been said already, without the bulkhead there's nothing else to fasten to at the front.

[Benji55]

Could someone advise on removal of some chassis bolts please? Hi.with the very limited time I’ve had so far progress was going well. I’d say 30% of bolts have had to be cut so far but I was anticipating this. I’ve removed seats, front floor panels, radiator, grills, wings etc. most chassis to body bolts are out but I think the rear tub is bolted to chassis just backward of the rear outriggers. The mounting points are in line with the chassis sections. I can’t get to them to cut and they won’t undo. I’ve taken a few photos to try and explain what I’m talking about. Could anyone describe how to get to them or if they do need to be removed please?

thanks

[Benji55]

I think they are located here marked in yellow and look like they attach the rear tub to chassis

[cackshifter]

Have you tried tightening them? Sometimes that loosens things or they shear. Either way you are back in business. If they move at all, soak with plusgas and take your time, go back and forth. Or just cut the bracket off to release the body and deal with it when you can get at it. If you can I'd give it a good jetwash to get things as clean as possible too. We all hit these kind of obstacles!!

[Snagger]

Those are the ties between seat belt buckle anchors and chassis.  Obviously, they need to be in very good order when you refit them, including all the threads in the captive nuts and the bolts.  Because of that, it may be easier to cut your losses and replace them, so enabling you to cut these off now.

[paime]

Those bolts were stuck solid on mine as well. I had to use a large cold chisel with some brute force and ignorance to get mine moving. Your only other option is to cut the bolt off at the seat box side but there's a risk you could manage things so best be careful.

[Benji55]

11 hours ago, Snagger said:

Those are the ties between seat belt buckle anchors and chassis.  Obviously, they need to be in very good order when you refit them, including all the threads in the captive nuts and the bolts.  Because of that, it may be easier to cut your losses and replace them, so enabling you to cut these off now.

 

 

Thanks. That makes sense they are behind where the seat belt mount onto the body. It’s such a narrow gap between the underside of the rear tub and the chassis I can’t get a grinder in there. I guess I could cut the chassis where itself as I’m scrapping it anyway.
 

it’s funny as I remember reading on someone’s thread about chassis swap and they said sometimes you just have to walk away and try again another day. Best advice ever. 

[western]

I didn't have to touch the seat belt lower mount bolts during my chassis change as the attach to the body only. 

[Benji55]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Milestone achieved today, body off still intact and stored out of the way. 

I remember someone saying to cut the section of chassis with the number from the old chassis. Where is the original number stamp or vin plate located? I can’t see it anywhere obvious