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TR4/4A Body Frame refit sequence

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S

shoopal

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Doing a TR4A restoration. Body Shop has the body off for primer and paint. The Frame has been painted and the engine has been rebuilt and is running on stand with the OD transmission and all the electrics hooked up.

The shop does not have a hoist to lower the body on the frame but there are plenty of warm bodies for help.

The question is: Should I mount the engine on the frame before lowering the body on or should I mount the body on the frame first and then stuff the engine and transmission in afterwards.
First option pros: easier to get the engine/trans on without endangering paint. Cand do it all together. Cons: lots of stuff to take off engine so body clears and without a hoist could be problems
Second option: Pros: Easier to get body on frame without engine pieces in the way Cons: Probably would need to fir engine and trans separately. Possible paint damage refitting engine
I would defer to experience (shout out to Randall) if you have done this
Thanks
Al Shoop
 
I personally would put the engine/drivetrain in the frame with everything installed except the carb manifold/carbs. I would also fit my exhaust before lowering the body onto the chassis. Make sure you have the suggested number of packing pieces/sims in place on the frame before lowering the body.

My two cents,
Cheers
Tush
 
I believe you want to put the accelerator pedal rod on the body before assembly, regardless of option 1 or 2.

Other than that, I'm not sure what order is best.
 
According to the manual p306 Starter solenoid, carbs but not the manifold, and the gear selector are in the way. As I remember the throttle linkage attached to the firewall is tricky to get in place if the engine is already in. Oops, sorry Mike I didn't read your post first.
With all that, I'm still concerned that those guys, hand wrestling with the body to get it over the motor and down will have a problem.
Thanks for your input
Al
 
I'm facing the same dilemma and have decided to install the engine (minus carbs and intake), trans and exhaust system first. Since the body just went to the paint shop and I still have the front suspension to complete I'm a long way off. Let us know what you end up doing and how it works out for you.

Brian
 
Hi Al,

Having just completed the installation of the engine/transmission into a TR4A with the body and fenders on I support putting the body on after the drivetrain is installed. While it was not a real hassle we were not able to do it without some scratches to the engine paint (front of the oil pan) and a few contact points on the frame and body.

I recommend that you should not have the carburetors, distributor cap, and perhaps the heater control valve installed. I know it makes things heavier but it is better to do this with the doors installed. This will reduce the tendency for the body to bend in the middle. Also you can easily see the doors gaps to make adjustments.

Either way you are going to need all the people to lift and maneuver the body whichever sequence you use. If you look in the shop manual they show how to lift the body off the rolling chassis (5-201). And the prior pages have dimensions so you can check your frame for square and position of the body mounts. Note the recommendation to use some alignment rods as you lower the body. If you can find 5/16" fine threaded rod that would be ideal. Otherwise get 4 to 6 of the longest 5/16" bolts you can find and cut the heads off.

I also suggest that you need at least 4 strong people plus yourself, possibly 6. One of the prior response to your post talked about body mount pads. Those are key to getting the body to sit correctly on the frame and make sure the door, hood, and fender gaps are good. Don't be surprised if they have to lift the body up about 4" to 6" quite a few times so you can add or remove body mount pads. It is a trial and error process.

Be patient, take breaks (no strong refreshments until done), and methodical.

Rusty
 
For my TR4 I also had the engine (except intake manifold and carbs), exhaust, etc installed before the body. I also had the accelerator pedal installed in the body.

One thing I did to hold the four hole rubber body pads in place was put two bolts up from the bottom of each of the four out riggers just far enough to keep the pads in place while installing the body.

I got the painted body back on by myself with no help. I built a huge saw horse looking support using 2x4 legs and 2x8 cross beam and attached a Come-Along to the cross beam with chain around the 2/8. Picked the body up and rolled the completed chassis in and then lowered the body back on the chassis. I can't remember how I attached the come along to the body, but it was all at the interior area of the TR4.
 
I plan to have the engine, transmission and header/exhaust on along with accelerator rod installed on the frame before putting the body on. I start on the frame/suspension tomorrow. Let the shop put the body on the frame so if any damage happens it is on them.
 
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