Dave:
You wrote:
> I have the old girl disassembled to a bare body on the frame with the
> exposed coachwork stripped and primed.
>
> Now I ponder doing a frame-off to catch the crud I know is down there.
>
> My biggest question is how best to pull this off? As I look at the
> coachwork, it ocurrs to me that I could build a cushioned coutoured
plywood
> support structure that went under the dash and another one that went under
> the strip of body over the gas tank, connect them with a couple of struts
> and pull straight up.
If you do decide to separate the tub from the frame, I suggest that you
build a metal cage that puts a support across your A & B post and then a
cross member that connects to the two door supports and is also bolted to
the transmission tunnel. Check out pages 49 - 53 of "How to restore Triumph
TR2, TR3 & 3A" by Roger Williams. This cage keeps the integrity of the body
tub when you remove the frame from it. Without a good cage the tub will
bend and twist.
I imagine the best way to remove the body would be with 6 people, 4 at each
corner and two at the doors. Unlike the restoration shows on TV, I have
never had 6 people around to do that so I can just imagine that it would be
best.
So I have removed the tub from a rolling frame using two people with each of
us lifting at the A-B post brace on the cage (this is just the bare tub, no
fenders, no trim, no tank, etc.). With the cage in place you could likely
also lift it by the cage using an overhead block.
However you decide to lift the tub off, the cage will help the project.
> Other options is to build a "spit" and let it turn, or sacrifice a set of
4
> bolt wheels from the junkyard and build a pivot to roll it up on its side.
>
I am interested in your idea of a "spit" and do you have any plans or
pictures on how to build one that will allow only the body tub to be fixed
to a rotisserie (e.g. tub is separate from the frame)? How would you
sacrifice 4 bolt on wheels to put the car on its side? Do you have any
pictures on either of these two ideas?
Doug
1962 TR3B - in fewer pieces than last month
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