I'm about to start stripping the car, the long range forcast is rubbish and to be honest I just want the car stripped down so I can start to plan my winter.

We have removed the seats, roll bar and dashboard.
The wiring is out and the screen is off.

Is the body and inner tub one unit or does the body come off on it's own?
The bonnet is easy enough to figure out having the 4 bolts but the tub seems to be bolted and riveted in.

Once the body is off it's wire brush time and rework the seat belt mounts and seat mounts to suit my kit and them slosh the smoothright about.

Obviously all the suspension will be checked and dealt with if needed.

Any advice on getting the body off and are there any particular problems with doing this job?

Cheers

Gary

It's no more than a two man lift, body is one piece - rear bumper is separate on the S3

There are two bolts in the boot
Four bolts at the front
the roll bar bolts
The dash frame bolts
Seat belt and seat points

Steering column
Brake lines
Wiring connections
heater
Fuel lines
Handbrake

May have missed something but cant think of it at the moment.

Andrew

Thanks Andy,

I'll let you know how we get on, I just need to trace the fuel line, everything else you mention seems pretty easy to remove.

Cheers

Gary

Setting about the steering column and cables today, looking to get the tub off this weekend. Just waiting on the lads arriving and then it's straight to it.

Piccys of the chassis as soon as I can get them.

Gary

Good luck and take it easy, there might be a few things you miss ;)

Cheers jonno

I'm having a bit of bother getting the steering column to split, the splines seem to have rusted into the grooves in the lower part of the universal joint.
I need to split it here so I can draw the coulumn through the tub.

I need to have a think obout how to do this without breaking the car or myself, not a lot of room to work :unsure:

The rest of it is coming apart nicely and the overall condition looks ok up to now.

I do have to repair the tub though. The near side rear arch has a crack from about midway in the buldge to the edge. Bit of a pain but can be easily sorted with GRP I recon.

I've already lost the wiper system as I'm fitting a low screen, I may even lose the heater unit, I'm not driving this when it's going to be cold enough to need a heater ;)

Just having a rest, I think I'll start again tomorrow :rolleyes:

Gary

Still trying to get the steering column out without breaking it or the tub.

I'm about to get the big hammer out and see if that'll shift the thing.

I'm rapidly going off rust, In fact you could safely say i'm well annoyed at corrosion. :P

Hi Gary,

How's it going?

Regarding removing the steering column this may sound a stupid question but have you taken the bolt out of the clamp rather than just slackening it off?

I'm not wishing to insult your inteligance but I've had this problem before not realising the shaft of the bolt is sat in a recess... :angry:

Mick.

Hi Mick,

My mate Mick found the hiccup, the column tube was welded to the pedal box plate on the bulkhead, I'm guessing the tube was moving with the inner column so was welded to fix it in place.

I'll grind it off tomorrow, I'm going to make a bracket to stop it turning when we rebuild the car so we don't need to weld it to the rest of the car.

The tub should be off in a day or so , then I'll have more of an idea about what needs doing to the car.

regards

Gary

Well it's off, I recon it's not too bad rust wise but it could do with a rethink.

If I hill climb or do any other motorsport with this it's going to need some more steel putting in.
It has no steel in the tunnel so a broken prop could wind up coming through the tunnel and injuring someone.

The roll bar needs rethinking and the seat and seat belt mounts need a serious reworking.

I'm at the stage I could do with an experienced eye and advice. Anyone up for a brew and chat so I get a better idea of how to proceed? I'm thinking now would be an ideal time to price up the 5 point suspension and see if I can afford that too.

Any help at all would be most welcome, I don't want to spend on steel I don't need and don't want to start doing anything on the off chance someone advises doing it differently.

I'm off for a little lie down now, this nearly did me in me this week with having to manage short handed, My mate Mick is a bit crook and has had to take it easy.

Cheers in advance

Gary

Hi Gary, well done so far :) I wish i 5 linked my old S3 when the body was off so i would do it if i was you, i did not do anything to the tunnel as thought the grp was probley thick enough if the prop did go, think if would be messy if one did brake :unsure: ! ( Most seven's tunnels only have ally tops and sides )

I have no experience of motorsport though !!... Maybe Andy might be worth a shout ;)

Keep going... it will be worth it :D

Thanks jonno,

I'll be picking Andy's brain as soon as he has a chance to see this.

Gary

It would be worth while having a word with Dave Taylor (davetvhuk) on the other message boards too. He's from Bolton and has a phaeton although I don't recall which series.
I also have aquired large amounts of 'gasket' foam in various thicknesses. Can be used for chassis to body insulator to prevent star fractures in the fibreglass due to road induced vibrations. I will drop you off one sheet of each thickness at some point, when you finish the car just dump the remainder back on me and I will throw it at someone else who's doing a rebuild later.
Once again, keep up the good work.

Adrian

Thanks very much Adrian,

I'll take you up on the offer of the foam too cheers mate, any and all ideas to damp vibration are most appreciated.

I have posted a general enquiry on the DOC site so hopefully Dave will spot it and hopefully he'll have the time to have a scoobies at my chassis.

I'm going for some hammerite /smoothrite today. I hope they have some red left. I fancy doing the chassis red.

Has anyone got any tube or box section they dont need, I want to fit heavier set mounting rails in the bottom of the car. the 15 x 3 mm flat bar in the bottom of the car is twisted a bit and definatly won't handle any heavy duty stuff for too long without breaking.

Thanks again.

Thanks for calling by today Mick,

The debate continued for a while after you left and we came up with a bright idea,

I have some timber lying about and were going to mock a frame up round the tunnel to see if what we discussed will be feasible.

I'm not adverse to cutting the tunnel and tub if need be, it'd certainly make choosing seats a lot easier, for the sake of 30mm I have had to narrow my choice of seats, that 30mm makes for a wider choice and a few considerably cheaper options.

I recon we could fit a much better roll cage now I've had time to think about what we discussed.

I'll give you a ring next week, I'd love to come and see just how you do squeeze a V8 into a S1 chassis. I'm well intrigued.

Thanks again for all your help and time, it is much appreciated.

Regards

Gary

half tempted to fit V8 to my S1 seen it done several times, if any thing it looks an easier option than the later models (bigger engine bay)

No problem Gary,

Was good to meet two fellow petrol heads.

You've got my number so give me a bell any time.