Body/chassis spacers

XK
1

I’m now at the point of fitting the sills to the chassis, then aligning the front end to the sills before fitting the doors. I have some questions about the packing spacers, prompted by my findings when I dismantled the car. I’d be grateful for comments on the following:

  1. The small rectangular plates that support the base of the bulkhead on the inner edge of the main chassis rails, i.e. the bottom of the toeboard. They fit through an oval hole to allow some sideways adjustment. Viart (p.336) implies that there should be only one of these - my car had 3 on one side, and 5 on the other.
  2. Is the distribution of spacers shown on Viart p.336 typical, give or take? I have some with no aluminium spacers. Should there be fibre between chassis and aluminium spacer, or fibre between spacer and body? Both, or just one or the other? I’m assuming one aluminium spacer with one fibre spacer on top of it.
  3. Should the sill (and other) bolts be positioned with the bolt head down, or on top? My car still has the original Philidas locking nuts as per early 140 (April '55).

Given that I’m replacing so much metalwork, I’m assuming I should start with Viart’s suggestions and add/subtract accordingly. How close to his distribution of spacers do people normally get, or is it very variable? Interestingly the Coventry Autos spacer pack aluminium spacers are all different thicknesses from my originals (e.g. ½" instead of 7/16" etc.)

Thanks

Roger

2

I had one rectangular spacer on each side of the bulkhead and other spacers pretty much as Viart indicates, although I didn’t record it properly.
I think the most bolts should go in from the top, it would be very awkward to get nuts on the other way round. I used new metric bolts and plain nuts while setting up for ease, they go in and out a lot of times.
Some of the spacers I replaced with nylon, just to have s variety of thicknesses .
A tip that was give to me is to see that the floor clears the box at the front spring hanger as a sort of starting point.

3

Thanks Jim - particularly for the floor clearance tip. Was that another of Martin’s?

4

Yes, plus that width measurement that I gave you, but have now forgot .

5

53¼"!!!

Relevant today as I’m bolting the sills on.