Dropping an XK120 OTS body back onto its chassis - video

Rubber. 1/4” thick.
… for the rad saddles, that is.

Nice …
Gtjoey13-4

Any custom or hot rod touches?

None. After having this project for almost 30 years my principal motivation is finishing the thing before I can’t do the work anymore. For the time being it’s 95% restored to original spec. Once it’s on the road and I’ve had the opportunity to drive it for awhile I may explore options to upgrade the steering and brakes, but will more likely leave it as it is.

Its good to see its almost complete , it is 30 years…wow.
Good job.
gtjoey1314

Nick,
That is a great video of your true “barn-find” …and a real treasure to go along with your restored car. You have made amazing progress. I am in WI so I know first hand what our road salt does to cars. Not many classic Jaguars to me seen here, it is wonderful you were able to rescue yours. I had my project shipped into WI last March and I am getting ready to remove the body when the weather gets just a bit warmer. (It is a CA car that has been sitting in CA and WA since 1985) Your videos showing the bracing were well timed. Thank you again. Good luck with your car, you are in the home stretch.
Tom A.

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Hi Nick,
Awesome job, and the car looks very grand.
That’s cool you have a video of the barn find; a true barn find it is, hay and all.
It must have been a very satisfying moment after the marriage was done.
Hopefully I can visit soon,
Rob

Nick:

I am constantly in awe of the skill level of folks on this Forum which, by the way, put my tinkering to shame, but to watch you perform this whole process single-handedly simply staggered me! Not even a mate around to sing out if something at the end opposite you was about to foul somewhere. My hat is off to you sir. The car is looking great and once it is running you have a standing invitation to test drive it in the direction of Ancaster and I will be delighted to host you to a glass of Spanish red (or a pint of my home brewed ale, your choice) to celebrate the restoration. Congratulations.

Trust the E-type is now fully refurbished OK?

Chris.

Thanks, all. I’ll look forward to getting together in the spring, Rob, this damned pandemic allowing. The Ancaster season kick-off isn’t looking too likely, Chris, but the 120 won’t be done till summer anyway, given I get my butt in gear and get back at it - that video at the top of the thread taken near the end of April last year was the last time I worked on it and this winter’s focus has been repairing my little E-type shunt from the fall - all done now. Next will be doing the hardtop over again so won’t be getting back to the 120 till March.

brave man trying with one person
ideally 2 extra people one front one rear.
A little more difficult leaving radiator in place better to remove and fit back
note it has a hole for aircleanner on LH side but not on RH side?

This is how its done elsewhere where manpower is not a problem!

Not bravery, or corollary, state of mind, Terry, but analysis, planning and follow through. Agreed, however, that the job would go faster, not necessarily safer, with a couple of spotters. This being a significant milestone, I had intended to pick up some pizza and wings and invite a few local Jaguar enthusiasts over for the event, but our first Covid lockdown kiboshed that idea - and I’d already delayed getting my E-type out of storage by several weeks for lack of room.

The single most important controllable of the process was relieving the hydraulic valve of the shop crane. Crank it open too quickly or too much and the body could come crashing down - though having helpers involved won’t mitigate that potential and actually presents a pinch point hazard for errant fingers that a solo manoeuvre doesn’t. What does mitigate the potential for a too sudden release is tightly applying a hose clamp and tape to the cylinder rod to limit its range.


Of course, lifting the body off the chassis is more straightforward but still better done with a spotter or two.

Amazing that you can accomplish that job single-handedly. Would you like to do mine?

The video is scary. Little control to maneuver the body, very wobbly and prone to scratching things.
Starting point:

I did it with a help of my daughter and her friend:


















Tadek

PS. This is how the pros did it :slight_smile:

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…damn cowhorn…

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I respectfully disagree, Tadek.

Manoeuvring the body onto the chassis was the lesser part of the equation - it’s rather the other way around. Having the ability to adjust the position of the chassis below while the body is very slowly and systematically lowered resulted in a precise placement onto the mounts. I did, however, manage to get the cow horn out of position. That was my error, but it had nothing to do with using the shop crane to lower the body and wheel dollies to position the chassis into alignment, and there were no scratches or scuffs in the paintwork at all, unlike, for example, the potential for damage from slings and hooks rubbing against the body. The wobble, such as it was, presented no challenges whatsoever, so the point is moot. More important is how securely the body is suspended. With the single, adjustable and robust point of balance the body lowers at a fixed angle relative to the frame, rather than in the teeter-totter movement inherent lowering the body using two points of balance, and there’s no potential of a sling or wooden board suddenly sliding off to one side and throwing the balance off. If anything, I see more potential for things to go sideways in the photos above, though I’m sure you took steps to mitigate them.

Regardless, I presented this manoeuvre without recommendation and with the caveat that one must exercise a due diligence. If one doesn’t have the confidence and control required to pull off the procedure I’ve posted then he should not by any means attempt it. And, as already said, the job would go faster with a spotter or two, though it would not be safer in my estimation.

I have also many times while working solo employed a shop crane with a single, adjustable point of attachment to remove and reinstall engine/gearbox assemblies from and into freshly painted bodies without incident. Also something I don’t recommend unless one has the confidence and control to do it.

Nick, I guess each one is going to find one own’s path.
I do believe that the path we have taken (to assemble the chassis with engine, transmission, radiator and then mate it to a assembled body) is the best one.
How to mate them, is a matter of the most suitable path for ones garage possibilities.

Tadek

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Fantastic ingenuity. I will make use of these photos as I pull my body off.
It looks as if you have a few projects in the background.

Healey was done about 10 years ago. the e-type is in the finishing stage :slight_smile:

I give all of you credit
I do my own work but the patience for an early XK
All I can say is WOW
Looks great
Gtjoey13-4

@zdet, @Confused1 … this ENTIRE thread.