Chassis flex during panel replacement

[fastosca]

I am in the process of restoring my German-spec. 1962 BT7, side shift tri-carb. I need to replace inner and outer sills, and rocker panels. The floors are OK. I will be using the original to the car, body panels and shrouds. Now to the question. Is it necessary to leave the engine and transmission in place when welding in the sills and rockers? Can the body panels and doors be fitted with the drive train removed? How much does the chassis flex with or with out the drive train?
Your collective experience would be much appreciated.
Herb Miller

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Re: Restoration Question?

In my opinion from working on cars that were welded together wrong, I would only weld it together with the engine , transmission and suspension in place and the car supported underneath the axles directly. Take a floor jack and raise the car from the rearmost chassis crossmember ( directly under the gas tank ) now try and open or close the doors, you'll see how much the chassis flexes ! ( Assuming your car is fully assembled now). Welding of the A ( door hinge) pillar to the inner sill determines the gaps so its important that the door hinges are in good shape . Kevin

 

[roscoe]

Re: Restoration Question?

I suppose you can't really go wrong if you have the running gear installed, but I did my inner and outer sills, rocker panels and rear door pillars with the engine and transmission out. I can live with the results I got. I could have better door gaps, but I do not think it is bcause of frame flex that they aren't perfect. Most people seem to think it better to have the weight in the right places. I suppose if you put some serious weight roughly where the engine and transmission would be you could fake it.

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Re: Restoration Question?

It does depend on what the goal is sure. If you want a truly great Healey the door gaps need to be right and as consistant as you can get them without using shims behind the hinges. The sides of the car need to be straight and square. The doors need to open and close effortlessly. Just like when they were new ! I'm not saying it can't be done on a bare chassis, I'm saying if you want the "best results" leave the car all assembled while you are doing the structural welding and fitment of panels and locks. I don't take credit for this advice ! Read Richard Newton's book on Austin Healey . It doesn't take much chassis flex to ruin your restoration. When you add 800 lbs of weight plus passengers between the axles of a Healey 3000 the A pillar ( door hinge) pushes downward and since the rear door gap is on a rearward angle it drops the rear of the door into the rear fender. AVOID THE PAIN !

 

[Keoke]

Kevin got it right---Keoke---

 

[Randy Forbes]

I've done it both ways, and I did have an easier time of it with the car otherwise still assembled.

I made these up to help get the pillars into the positions I wanted them in (sills/rockers and doors can be fitted/closed with them in place):

Using the jackscrews, you can open/close and raise/lower the aperature to suit the door, plus fine tune the fender and rocker gaps.

 

[roscoe]

Randy, I swear you must have at least 32 hours in your days. Nicely done. Solves the issue.

 

[HealeyRick]

Randy, I swear you must have at least 32 hours in your days. Nicely done. Solves the issue.

Add another four hours for the time taken to record it in photographs (for which we're all grateful).