Trouble with Body Alignment
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Hillsborough NJ
Trouble with Body Alignment
I am trying to straighten my body, but I am having trouble getting it to budge. I have loosened/removed all 8 body mounts and the bolts attaching the rear bumper mounts to the frame. I have tried a combination lift/shove while standing at the rear of the car with no success. I can get the car to teeter on the jacks, but the body still doesn't shift. Am I missing something or underestimating the weight of the body?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,226
Likes: 4,313
From: Westminster Maryland
James,
I believe the complete body with glass and interior weighs about 1000 pounds. The body mounts are often 'stuck' to the frame and body and need to be pried loose to lift or move the body even a tiny bit.
Regards,
Alan
I believe the complete body with glass and interior weighs about 1000 pounds. The body mounts are often 'stuck' to the frame and body and need to be pried loose to lift or move the body even a tiny bit.
Regards,
Alan
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: Waverly NY
You might be able to use the body lift straps and an engine hoist to take the body weight off the frame then push it into place. If your going that far, i'd recommend replacing the body mounts while your at it.
Kipp
Kipp
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
You will have to loosen the front bumper mounts as well to get the body to move. Also, there are a couple of rear bumper braces that come in to the outside of the frame that you might have missed. My son missed them when we were getting ready to remove the body from the 72 and we almost broke the main supporting beam of the house.
Rick B.
Rick B.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 162
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From: Formerly DFW Missing Texas Now in NJ
Yes unbolt the front ear horns and radiator support.
You can break loose the body a bit if you use a floor jack just under the bird cage VERY CAREFULLY. Don't forget the shifter if it's a stick.
To align the body there are holes under the door sill plates that line up with holes in the frame. I used a steel rod. If the body is "free" you can push the body around until it lines up by putting the bar into the holes and pushing and shoving a bit. You can really shove the body around this way if it's loose.
You can break loose the body a bit if you use a floor jack just under the bird cage VERY CAREFULLY. Don't forget the shifter if it's a stick.
To align the body there are holes under the door sill plates that line up with holes in the frame. I used a steel rod. If the body is "free" you can push the body around until it lines up by putting the bar into the holes and pushing and shoving a bit. You can really shove the body around this way if it's loose.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 162
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From: Formerly DFW Missing Texas Now in NJ
Was a piece of cake but I did it when I put the body back on so everything was loose and clean. You don't have to lean on the rod much at all. The only problem is once you realize you can do this you mess around with it for a long time trying to get it perfect. I got it to the point where you could drop the rod in from the top and it would shoot straight down with no problem on both sides.
