Re: getting body off frame

[srubano@xxxx]

Required: 
-2 people (make it easier and you have an extra set of eyes to watch) 
although you can do it alone.
-2 2.5 - 3 Ton rolling floor jacks. Again you can do it with only 
one, but it makes it easier.
-15 - 20 cinder blocks (to keep the body on top of while you work)
-a few lengths of 4x4 wood posts. The jacks have a limited travel and 
some of them cannot lift the body high enough to clear the frame, 
that's where the wood comes into play. Place them in-between the body 
and the jack.
-Level area to work on
-Patience!

Body Removal:
As always disconnect the battery before doing any work.
There are a Total of twelve (12) bolts that are holding the body to 
the frame. They are as follows: two (2) are in the luggage 
compartment, each one located above the shock towers. 

Six (6) are located inside the car, three (3) on each side of the 
center console located near the seats. Two of those bolts (out of the 
six) are holding the seat belts to the frame. Once you unbolt the 
seat belt from the floor, pull back the carpeting on both sides (the 
bolts are located right near the seat belt bolt) of the center 
console and you will see the other four (again 2 on each side).

Four (4) are located in the engine compartment. Here's where it gets 
tricky. There are two located on the cross member bar (see parts 
manual). Now from what I understand it is a common problem that the 
bolt(s) are frozen in there (at least mine was a few other owners 
have told me). Be careful removing these since the nut is just a cage 
nut sitting in the frame...you can bend the "cage part" (welded to 
the frame) and cause the square nut to just spin in there, you'll 
then have to cut the bolt and use a little ingenuity in getting the 
other half out of the cage (shocks are in the way). The last two will 
require the removal of the rear fascia. One you get the fascia off 
you will se two large openings on either side of the pontoon, the 
bolts are located in there. You'll have to stick your hand in there 
with a socket to remove them.

Once you have the bolts removed, disconnect the following: Brake 
lines to the master cylinder, Clutch line to the Clutch master 
cylinder, Remove the leather gear shift boot, remove the front ground 
wires (bolted to the frame), disconnect the ground wire from the 
battery to the trailing arm bolt, disconnect all the engine wiring 
harness (behind the ignition coil cover), ground wires going to the 
engine.

Jack up the body from the sides GO SLOWLY. If you use two jacks, 
place a piece of wood between the two and place them on both sides of 
the body under the seat area as close to the edge as possible 
(stronger area near the bend). DON'T place the jack directly in the 
center of where the seats are unless you want a floorless Flinstone 
car. Again, jack up the car slowly and EVENLY. As you jack it up 
you'll see that the body will start to rock from front to back...use 
the cinder blocks to prevent that by placing some in the front and on 
the sides (next to the jacks) as you raise the body.

Is it necessary to remove all those things? Some are...but some you 
may be able to leave connected since some of the wires are long 
enough (since you are just lifting the body enough to get to the 
lines). When you go to replace the fuel lines, be prepared those 
plastic clips will break when you are removing the old line! I would 
suggest ordering all those clips holding the fuel line also, they are 
very inexpensive and I believe DMC Houston has them in stock.

I hope this was semi helpful. I have a few pictures of me removing 
the body off of the frame completely. If you need any more help you 
can contact me directly by email if you like.

Steve Rubano

--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Walter" <Whalt@xxxx> wrote:
> Nobody has volunteered any info yet on getting the body off the 
frame so
> that I can replace a kinked fuel line. I'm not out to completely 
remove the
> two halves, but just get them far enough apart to replace the line.
> 
> According to the parts manual there are a total of 10 bolts that 
hold the
> fiberglass underbody to the frame. Is this correct? What else 
needs to be
> disconnected in order to get the two apart? Brake master cylinder?
> 
> <SNIP>