MKVI Body Removal

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:08 am Post subject: MKVI Body Removal

I am about to assist in the removal of the body from a MKVI donor car. I have never done this before.

We've got a suitable gantry hoist and lots of equipment ranging from dainty (3/8" drive whitworth sockets) to brutal (plasma cutter and 9" angle grinder) and everything in between. I suspect that, as the day goes on, we may end up gravitating from the former to the latter.

There doesn't seem to be a section in the manual on body removal hence this post. All constructive suggestions and posts devoid of aggression and sarcasm gratefully received.

John Robins · Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 6:23 pm Post subject:

Wear a pair of steel toecap shoes!

I suppose that the job becomes a bit easier if the body and associated electrics are all to be scrapped. The other thought is to remove the petrol tank first to reduce chances of fire. From what I have seen from underneath mine, once the seats and floor are out, it should be relatively straightforward to work out what you need to do. It isn't that light in weight either.

Sorry if that's all a bit too basic.

Good luck.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:35 am Post subject:

Have you unbolted the bulkhead, if not you will have to remove the steering box etc?

There are body mounts under the rear of the boot floor.

Paul Bennett · Joined: 05 Mar 2014 Posts: 90

How did the exercise unfold?

Was the body reasonably straightforward to remove?
What has to be undone first?
Would it be theoretically possible to remove the body leaving all the instruments connected and the dashboard in situ?

Interested to learn how it went and if any photos.

regards
Paul Bennett
B143 WG

PeterWilliams53 · Posted: Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:34 pm Post subject:

Having completed this task in 1973ish and as a totally unmechanically minded person with just a standard tool kit I stripped the body as much as possible, unbolted all chassis mounts, yes they came undone with just a simple spanner but that was when the car was only 25 years old, unbolted the floor, cut through remains of sill and roof by A post and at local agri engineer's used hoist to lift body shell off. The scuttle bit was then unbolted as previously mentioned and taken off separately as when complete with the body the steering wheel would have been in the way.
Best of luck if not yet completed, and KEEP EVERYTHING, I have had numerous requests recently for the body joints, the bits that are bolted into the mounts, if you are not going to re-use these for your new body.
Peter Williams

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 9:13 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Peter. Inspiring stuff.

At the moment we are waiting for the DVLA to do the transfer of ownership. The car has been off the road for many years and it seems there is a danger that it may have to be inspected by a youth with a clipboard and not the faintest idea what he/she is looking at. Hence the new owner has decided to leave the body on until either the V5C is returned or all hell breaks loose.

I've removed the setscrews attaching the bulkhead. These came out as if they were put in yesterday. The floor screws will be more problematic. I've made a shake 'n break which may help but we may end up cutting the floor out. It's too dangerous to use the plasma cutter on the floor as it goes straight through any metal behind the bit being cut. I'd rather not use cutting discs in the confines of the car so may end up with the air chisel. I'll report back in due course.

John Robins · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 8:42 am Post subject:

You may be pleasantly surprised by the floor screws, which will probably have been in and out over time, plus all the oil spray from the engine would help. One thing, that floor panel is heavy, have some help available to get it out.

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 9:34 am Post subject:

If you are transferring one V5 for another without any alterations to the car, I can,t see a problem arising. Let the new owner reapply when he alters or decide to alter the body.

Floor screws are rarely oil splashed and they should be soaked in engine oil from underneath for many, many, many, hours or even weeks. WD40 (or even 60) has no lubrication properties, particularly where there is crusty rusty. You could improve all the slots using a Dremel with a cutting disc in the collet.
Use a wide screwdriver (turn screw to the gunsmiths) with two spanner flats ground into the shaft.

Do you actually need to remove the floor, can't you cut the heater pipes and remove the pedals?

The Derby kit car,Bitsa-Autojumble delight-PITA, may be going on Wednesday, the owner is delighted with the scrapings up.

"Lazarus, come forth, we know that you are faking it". Very Happy

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:13 pm Post subject:

Well the body came off. I'd describe the job as straightforward but long-winded. I can thoroughly recommend having a pal who arrives with an electric gantry hoist then goes off to get coffee and sticky buns as spirits start to flag. It took two people a day to remove the seats and floor plus the body mounting bolts and bulkhead screws (most of which were already loosened). About a quarter of the floor screws had the heads drilled off. This was pretty quick with cobalt drills. The problem was that the screws had acquired lumps of corrosion on the free end, not that they were stuck in the captive nuts. I had hoped the shake 'n break might bully them out but, on this occasion, it didn't work. It was all quite jolly in a rather destructive sort of a way.

The new owner has started on the project already and is amazed at the extent to which the nuts and bolts come apart, as has been mentioned on the forum many times. He will use a FB60 engine with a Ford Transit diaphragm clutch cover (and presumably the MKVI plate) and the MKVI gearbox.

Sorry there wasn't time to compile a step by step Haynes manual style photo story.