Motor in or out

[brian-nz]

Hi.

I am shortly to send my TR3 to the panelbeater (my brother in law). He is a qualified panelbeater but I was talking a fellow classic car enthusist and he advised to leave the motor in while the tub is being done. When he had his Healey done, the motor was out but once the motor was put back in the additional weight caused the car to 'flex' and the doors don't fix correctly now.

 

Should I leave motor in while the tub, doors sills,A posts, floors and being done or will this not matter.

Cheers

Brian

[TR 2100]

I am shortly to send my TR3 to the panelbeater (my brother in law). He is a qualified panelbeater

but I was talking a fellow classic car enthusist and he advised to leave the motor in while the

tub is being done. When he had his Healey done, the motor was out but once the motor was put back

in the additional weight caused the car to 'flex' and the doors don't fix correctly now.

 

Should I leave motor in while the tub, doors sills,A posts, floors and being done or will this not matter.

 

 

The chassis is solid and may look as if it wouldn't flex -

but it does, and will. Leave the engine in place. I don't

think it should make so much difference, but even a small

amount of flex could be noticible at the top of the doors.

 

You could even put additional weight in to compensate for

the removable panels and trim.

 

AlanR

[Don Elliott]

As Alan says, you need to have the engine in the frame.

 

If you are planning a major restoration, you also want to make sure that the frame is supported across the front and rear axle lines. If you use some sort of jack-stands and they are not under the axle lines (but say on the 4 corners), the car will sag differently after you put it all back down on the wheels.

 

See how my supports were right under the axles back in 1987 to 1990. Now, 20 years and 103,000 miles later, the gaps are all still perfect.

[foster461]

As Alan says, you need to have the engine in the frame.

 

If you are planning a major restoration, you also want to make sure that the frame is supported across the front and rear axle lines. If you use some sort of jack-stands and they are not under the axle lines (but say on the 4 corners), the car will sag differently after you put it all back down on the wheels.

 

See how my supports were right under the axles back in 1987 to 1990. Now, 20 years and 103,000 miles later, the gaps are all still perfect.

 

 

Don, how did you get it up to that height ?

 

Stan

[Don Elliott]

The starting point was the finished and pre-painted frame with the final paint having already been done. When you are assembling a bare car from the start, there is nothing there. The bare frame is an easy two-man job to lift up onto the stands. Then we added and added all the other pre-painted items. When it was finished and all the gaps were perfect, I installed the wheels. Then I removed all the panels, doors, lids, etc. After that, with an engine hoist, we lifted the car a bit, slid out the stands and lowered it to the floor. Then we unbolted and lifted off the tub, turned it over and I MIG welded where it was needed on the bottom of the tub. Then the tub and panels all went to the paintshop separately.

 

You can see all these steps on the Montreal TR site.

 

http://www.rucompatible.com/triumphmtl/member_cars.htm#TR3

[foster461]

The starting point was the finished and pre-painted frame with the final paint having already been done. When you are assembling a bare car from the start, there is nothing there. The bare frame is an easy two-man job to lift up onto the stands. Then we added and added all the other pre-painted items. When it was finished and all the gaps were perfect, I installed the wheels. Then I removed all the panels, doors, lids, etc. After that, with an engine hoist, we lifted the car a bit, slid out the stands and lowered it to the floor. Then we unbolted and lifted off the tub, turned it over and I MIG welded where it was needed on the bottom of the tub. Then the tub and panels all went to the paintshop separately.

 

You can see all these steps on the Montreal TR site.

 

http://www.rucompati...er_cars.htm#TR3

 

 

Aha, thanks Don. Your ancestors must have built Stonehenge.

 

Stan

[Don Elliott]

Foster - They got their first experience building the wooden horse in front of the gates of Troy.