Martin90 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi there, A friend and I are planning to install a galvanised chassis to his series 3. We want to get the heavy work done in a long weekend ( 3 long days) in a double garage. It's not on the road so we can do some prep before the weekend removing bits and bobs, it's the donkey work that needs two men we want to get done in the weekend. Our intention is to lift the body up as one using the garage joists as support beams. We're sticking on new springs, shocks, engine mounts, bushes, fasteners. Anyone recomend replacing anything else whilst we're at it that won't significantly increase work load. Unsure about clutch as we weren't going to split the engine and box. We're getting a marsland chassis via paddocks but it doesn't come drilled or tapped. I'm told the steering relay bolt holes need retapping and it is 1/4 UNF. Is this right, can I use a standard length tap, and are there any other holes need retapping? Also, are there any holes bigger than 12mm that will need redrilling as I'll need to purchase some more bits! Any other advice or info would be very much appreciated! Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingdong2 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi martin the only problem i have had with a marsland chassis is the fitting of the steering relay with my s11a swb fitted with a s111 chassis the new relay ( britpart ) wouldn't fit in the hole and i had to grind a few mm off the bottom flange on the relay as the flange is slightly wider than the relay body. and on my friends s111 swb chassis the tube that the relay fits into must have been damaged before it was galvanised and again we had to grind away some of the flange on the relay. maybe if you buy a better relay from another supplier you may not have this problem ? graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingdong2 Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 i have also herd with a richards chassis that some of the engine / gearbox mounts are slightly out of line the thing is they will never be as good as a GKN ( british steel ) chassis ? graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJRH Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 My replacement chassis came from Marshlands and everything fitted perfectly. Your right about the holes not being drilled out of excess galvanize. As most of the holes (like the leaf spring ones) are really easy to get to just bang an old bolt through with a hammer to clear them out. There are 4 captive nuts on the bottom of the front cross member that do need to be tapped again, I can’t remember what size tap is required, but they are actually only for the dust cover for the steering box. As for lifting the body off complete, I know this is how my local independent land rover garage do chassis swaps. I did not do it this was as I don’t have the height in my workshop. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Depends if it's LWB or SWB really, I know the body of my 109 CSW wouldn't have stood being lifted as one piece. I find it hard to believe original LR chassis are more accurate than replacements, given LR's engineering tolerance of "about an inch or so" it's more likely the genuine LR bits such as bulkhead & bodywork were all a bit squiff from the factory, certainly that's what we've found to be the case more than once - if you make something square, then try to bolt a LR bit to it it doesn't fit and you have to then adjust it to be slightly wonky I had to re-do all my tub mounts after meticulously making them all exactly level and square Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin90 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Thanks guys. It's a short wheel base soft top. It's already without hood sticks, windscreen, and all the body cappings as they've been re-galv'd so top of bulkhead is the highest point. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 In that case I'd say the vehicle lacks the structure to lift in one piece; It would be 'just as easy' to dis- and re-assemble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuntman Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Split it in 2, Back tub and bulkhead with the wings etc attached. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92a Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 all the mounting points where the body and chassis meet are probably turning to powder so will want attention,if you lift the tub the weight of the bulkhead will probably destroy the tunnel/ sills/ floor so strip it and do it properly once or just bodge it up and have a "to do" list a mile long good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 It might be worth getting a new nut and bolt set - then you can cut every bolt with a grinder and save wrestling with bolts that probably might move for a bit, then shear off anyway... It takes no time at all to dissassemble the bodywork from a series with a grinder (ask me how I know ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotal Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Depends if it's LWB or SWB really, I know the body of my 109 CSW wouldn't have stood being lifted as one piece. Why do you say that? Is it a comment about just your body or do you think that all 109 Bodies won't stand being lifted in one peice? Reason I ask is we are doing this with a 109 in a couple of weeks time, complete body off inc bulkhead and doors, swing across and drop onto prep'd chassis. We're using a Hi-ab to lift and swing it across. Spoken with someone on another forum who has done this with a CSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Reason I say it is that the sills were rotten and therefore everything was a bit floppy, if it's not a CSW there's less to flop and you have rigid sides to hold it all up. Having the roof bolted on helps although I suspect that would not have been enough with mine. When we did Trev's chassis we just took it apart in chunks, I reckon it was actually easier & quicker in the long run than trying to lift everything off in one bit - after all, bulkhead, doors & wings are only a few bolts to remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Unless you are 100% sure the body is 100% good then budget on seperating the parts. Even then it is a better way of doing it as the risk of warping something is high. buy new door sills. buy new mud shields, have a gallon of waxoil handy have some decent rust paint handy (for the bulkhead) have LOTS of tea handy. Get a grinder with a wire brush. Also have some thick alu sheet (4 to 5 mm) handy to reinforce the mounting holes, as most will be powdery (as mentioned above). I usually rivit this on, with a chemical metal type gunge sandwiched in between. double check the placement of the rivits for fouling something. Also - assume it takes twice as long and costs 4 times as much, or vice versa. Soak every nut and bolt in plusgas or 3in1 penetrating spray anyway. Best of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 In case it helps, here's how we did it in a weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin90 Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks Fridgefreezer, seen the video before, I'm afraid that was what inspired us to go for it after making a mess of installing a new dumb iron and knowing there was further chassis work to do. Then again, you guys make plenty of stuff look easy! Good point about the rigidity of the body, plan was to use the windscreen mounts at top of bulkhead and also sling under the rear body to create a four point lift, might have a reconsider. The grinder will be used exstensively if we want to get done in a weekend! Hadn't thought about having some aluminium sheet either, bound to be required, cheers! Thanks for all your replies, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Good point about the rigidity of the body, plan was to use the windscreen mounts at top of bulkhead and also sling under the rear body to create a four point lift, might have a reconsider. The grinder will be used exstensively if we want to get done in a weekend! That lift would fold the car in half unbolt seatbox from tub, floor from bulkhead, do it in chunks - it's just nuts & bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin90 Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 That lift would fold the car in half unbolt seatbox from tub, floor from bulkhead, do it in chunks - it's just nuts & bolts. Thanks, I will take your advice, much appreciated. Regards, Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks, I will take your advice, much appreciated.Regards, Martin And post lots of pictures so we can offer deconstructive advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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