Need door braces when lifting body?

[gnoplos]

Sorry if this has been said already, I couldn't find anything when searching.

Do I need to take the doors off and build those braces when I remove the body or do the doors suffice? I've seen it done both ways.

Thanks in advance!

[RCMike]

Are you trying to set body gaps while the body is off the frame? Or is there massive corrosion?

My bodies have lived just fine without doors, off the car.. I always find this bracing thing an odd idea.

[Nissanman]

I always find this bracing thing an odd idea.

Well, I think you answered your own question.
If there is "massive corrosion" then one could easily weld the car into a banana shape if the door apertures are free wheeling.
I would recommend bracing and fitting them BEFORE lifting the body off the chassis so the aperture shapes are maintained.
If the body is off and the doors still fitted, I would check that they open and close satisfactorily, then remove them and fit the braces.
Just my opinion

[RCMike]

Well, the body is going to take the shape of the chassis it is being bolted to. And just because of the way they were originally built, no two chassis are identical in shape. So if you plan to brace the body to lift it and repair, make sure you do not weld on the chassis because that WILL pull it out of the unique shape that was achieved with all the spot welds on sheet steel the first time. And make sure when you are fixing the corrosion, especially around the body mounts, that they go back exactly where they were. Because they are going to need to be in those unique locations to mate with the chassis again.

And when you are done, and you mount to body on the chassis, plan on adjusting all the panels to fit right again. Because things move, every time a welder hits them, and they will not go back exactly where they were. Which in my limited experience with popping bodies off these cars, is part of every reassembly.

And since resetting the panels is going to be part of assembly, my opinion is it does not make a ton of sense to try to make a semi flexible body rigid. And then try to fit it to a pretty rigid frame. Instead, I would spend that time fixing the body, then making it all fit when it is again made rigid by bolting it to a rigid frame.

Unless there is like a missing rocker or door pillar or something.. Then I am not sure where you would start, except maybe with a donor body..

[C.Costine]

gnoplos, I have experienced changing size and shape while welding various things. While most likely your roadster will be good without bracing, chances are that you will want to work on the doors before putting the body back on the frame. The straightening if it does bend, would take so much time that it would be a good idea to brace it.

[theunz]

I bolted some 1/8" plate to the door hinge holes and another to the striker plate holes, then I welded some tubing from one plate to the other. That way when I was done there was no cutting or grinding involved, just unbolt and go. Since this was some scrap steel I had laying around there was no cost involved. Of course if you don't have a welder or a friend who does then it's going to set you back a little. Like RCMike says if your rockers and floor are good and solid then you'll probably be ok. If you have the means to do it then it's just a little extra insurance.

[gnoplos]

I guess I could have elaborated more on my grand scheme. Currently my car is pretty rough. Everywhere. The body is coming off this winter to get the 350z drivetrain in place (follow my build thread!). Next winter I’ll probably lift it again to do the frame up nice. And maybe the following winter I’ll start work on the awful body.

So it sounds like it’s the safest to make the braces? My doors don’t fit super well but they do latch (if I slam the door hard enough lol)

[Leadpaw]

Just pulled a heavily corroded body off its frame. Doors still open and close with no issues. This body bas been in a pretty bad accident and has been rewelded together once or twice and its keeping its external patina so body gaps are not going to be closely monitored. Results may vary .

[RustyBucket]

Can you tell me where the Body Mounting bolts are located on the car ? There is like 8 of them right ??
I'm tempted to yank the body off my SPL, but how much of a P.I.A? is it ?

Has anybody made a check sheet of what need to be disconnected between the body and frame ?? Hate to start pulling the body off and bugger the darn thing up ! --> $$$
thanks

[Nissanman]

Here are some diagrams which should help.

SP[L]310_311 Frame mounting points diagram.jpg

The red lines show where the mounting bolts are located.

Chassis to body pad location.jpg

Chassis pads and mounting clips.

[bobd]

I bolted some 1/8" plate to the door hinge holes and another to the striker plate holes, then I welded some tubing from one plate to the other. That way when I was done there was no cutting or grinding involved, just unbolt and go. Since this was some scrap steel I had laying around there was no cost involved. Of course if you don't have a welder or a friend who does then it's going to set you back a little. Like RCMike says if your rockers and floor are good and solid then you'll probably be ok. If you have the means to do it then it's just a little extra insurance.

That's what I did and actually used those braces to lift the body off the frame.

[C.Costine]

Like RCMike says if your rust isn't really bad you should be OK. HOWEVER, four of the places where these cars rust the worst is at the is at the rocker end caps. They are what take most of the strain when you lift the body if they are still there. You can see the front ones pretty readily in behind the front fenders. The rear ones are enclosed behind the sheet metal between the door opening and the rear wheel well. Most likely if your front one are good the rears will be as well.

[eye]

Bracing can't hurt. Will it help? Maybe, it just depends.
I brace the crap out of my builds but thinking it will be perfect when you bolt it back together is a myth.
Plan on shimming and tweaking and adjusting. Take a break, go watch TV come back and repeat. I braced the body between the floor and dash as well as door braces. Then I can take the door braces off to work on the floor if needed and can also put the doors back on to work on them.

[S Allen]

Rustbucket,

Here is a checklist in the tech wiki regarding removing the body from the frame.http://www.311s.org/pmwiki-311/pmwiki.p ... yFromFrame

Steve

[S Allen]

Rustbucket,

Here is a checklist in the tech wiki regarding removing the body from the frame.http://www.311s.org/pmwiki-311/pmwiki.p ... yFromFrame

Steve