A little while ago, I finally got back to a TR4A live axle restoration. I
wrote the list asking about the feasibility of cutting the back section of
the body out (inner and outer) and welding the same section from a donor car
onto it. The response was generally that it was feasible but be
veeeerrrrrrrrrry careful about keeping the body form stable.
Well, I decided that perhaps it wasn't necessary to do all that cutting and
changed my intention to just swapping the outer body parts of the recipient
car with the donor car. I started to remove the recipient car's fenders and,
while I knew they were full of bondo, I had no idea how much. The fenders, in
the rear at least, weren't even bolted to the inner fender. There was so much
adhesive that they were actually "molded onto the inner body, looking like
they were held on by the adhesive itself. There was no way to get the fenders
off as a whole part. We actually had to chisel down the line where the seam
should have been and break them off from the inner fender.
That was the good news. What that endeavor revealed was that the inner body
is so rusted that it's a miracle anything stayed attached. But I'm glad I
know now.
However, I am fortunate in that the inner body on the donor car looks to be
in almost pristine condition. So now, I'm back to the idea of a down to the
frame restoration which I never should have abandoned.
What I'd like to figure out before I start is the best way to remove the
inner body parts from the frame. And how big a job will this be. Don't be
gentle. I'm doing it no matter what. I just want to know what to expect.
I believe someone said there were something like 14 bolts to the frame. Is
that it? I mean after I've removed the fourteen or so bolts, am I down to the
frame?
Also, how few sections can the inner body come off in? The front portion of
the car (from valance to bulkhead) appears to be one piece - or a series
of welded pieces. How much comes off in one piece?
Is it welded to the bulkhead or is the bulkhead part of the front section
and, if so, what is it welded (or bolted) to?
Similar question for the rear. How much can come off in one section and how
far forward would that section go?
The middle poses the greatest questions to me. Is it - like the front and
rear (if they are) - possible to take the middle part of the body off in one
section or does it even come off? Is it just a matter of removing the bolts
at the door posts?
I'm sure these questions are simple to the initiated but that description
does not include me when it comes to body parts. TIA.
CT54531
1965 TR4A Live Axle
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