VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 41 frame replacement

Hi Alligator,

Remember to disconnect the gas line from the tank, and check the muffler to see if it is anchored to the body (mine was). Your body will tell you what is still attached. It will not want to let go of its best friend, its frame. You need a lot of working room so don't be hesitant to remove a potential problem like the battery and tray. If you raise the body like I did you will need to remove at least the transmission. I would also remove the engine because of the extra work room it provides. It is easier to see what is going on with the engine out of the way. If you are planning on cleaning up the frame why not take the engine off it before removing the body?

Eventually, you will need to raise the body to around 29 inches to get the tires to clear the body as you wheel the frame out from under it.

Yes, you will need to remove the steering column and gear box. The engine can remain on the car if you are pushing the frame out from under the car by pushing the frame forward. So it does matter which direction you park your car in your garage to do all your work. Park it wrong and you will have to remove the engine and radiator/support.

I do all my work alone, and do everything slowly. You need to concentrate on thinking things threw. It is real easy to loose the balance of the body as you raise it and then have it fall or tilt partly back onto the frame, so just take many small steps. Watch where you are standing, where your hands are, and keep your phone in reach.

Yes,it is better to have a buddy with you. But they must be serious about the potential dangers, and not disrupt your thought process.

You want to try to visualize the steps you want to take. If you use a friend for help thoroughly explain each step to them before you do it, and ask for their opinions on how they would do it. I learn a lot from how others think a problem can be solved, but still be careful to make the best choice for you! I feel rushed by having friends around. When I feel rushed things seem to get damaged!

Please remember to make a video of all your work so you can remember how things go back together. I always narrate my video. Some times I do not know the name of a part so I look it up while I am filming. My manual and parts catalog are always close by.

Best wishes, Mike

Sorry Mike,
Mail Allert doesn´t work Will lift the body with a Hydraulic Ramp. Engine must leave his place anyway, remember this Problems:
https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/314316/1
https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/314443/1
So will take slowly and carefull, Step by Step. Manual and parts catalog are my best Friends ;)and Photos i take from every Step. Thank you for your Tips.

Andre,

My wife and I bought plane tickets to Germany yesterday. We will be flying in and out of Frankfurt. We will visit friends in Kassel, Dresden, and Oldenburg. We try to visit Germany every 3 years as my wife is a retired German teacher who has taken many trips with her students to Germany and was herself an exchange student in high school. On one of our trips we will have to plan a stop to see you and your beautiful car.

Here is our email address fraub48@yahoo.com

Best wishes always, Mike

P.S. On a trip in 2008 Stefan met us in Munich with the Blue Whale his beautiful 1940. Thanks for posting links to your engine problems. I had forgotten all the engine work you want to do. Taking the body off will give you time to carefully check the condition of your rocker panels. I ended up replacing mine on the drivers side and rebuilding them on the passenger side. I am now grinding down the welds on my repairs to the cowls and firewall. Will do some leading soon and then sandblast the body.

It's time to lift the motor outside
but don't know how to install the lifting eye bolt?? Manual says on the place from the third cylinder bolt.Really? Only one? Think there must be two, one front one back?! Any instructions? Pictures?
By the way, is it possible to lift the engine without the transmission?
Only loose the four bolts?

Hi Andre,

Here is a link to a past post covering some of your question.
Removing an engine question

It is possible to lift the engine without the transmission. To do so requires a very strong back. You will need to straddle the transmission and pick it up after unhooking the universal joint. For a little more wiggle room you will want to removing the bracket that holds the emergency brake cables so you can lower the drive shaft. Make sure you put something under the drive shaft when you lower it. It can easily drop to the floor. The transmission only comes out by lifting it up. No way to lower it.

To get you through the torque tube problems here is another must read. Torque tube assembly

Here is another link for removing the transmission. Transmission removal

Good night,
Mike

P.S. Spent the morning helping a friend build a 10' X 15' spray paint booth in his heated garage so we could paint are sheetmetal - fenders, hood, doors, trunk lid and his 34 Ford pickup truck cab. In the afternoon I sandblasted a front fender and some other parts in the backyard. I cleaned 8 inches of snow off the lawn and put tarps down and "got her done."

P.S. #2 I didn't answer what bolt holes I use on the cylinder head. I use the first cylinder head bolt on the passenger side of the head and the last cylinder head bolt on the drivers side.

Here is a link to the 1948 to 51 truck shop manual. It gives instructions for lifting the motor out. It is a different vehicle but the basics are the same. lifting a 216

I don't know if this frame swap is finished. I hope so, and truly hope it was done in a successful fashion, with no injuries.

When I see 2 x 4's used on the end of a hydraulic jack to raise a body and see rectangular lengths of metal stock, stacked upon one another, like blocks of ice, it simply scares the he** out of me, knowing what negative results could be waiting.

I hope anyone and everyone working on this frame swap is safe.

To RAISE THE BODY with ratchet straps or chain hoists are the way to go. Chain hoists are my choice, one for the front, one for the rear. Smooth, effortless action.

Of course, the garage rafters need to be supported well, but suspending the body, then rolling out the frame is how we did such jobs, for 35 years in an auto shop ..... and at home, for those projects, as well.

Once the frame was rolled out, the body was lowered to the desired working level, then supported with 4 x 4's or 4 x 6's, with 6,000 lb or plus jack stands, as anchors or foundation points, but never with concrete blocks.

Yah,

Sometimes I worry about old Mike. You wonder if he can walk and chew gum at the same time? Frame replacement part 2

Well I bet the old guy has learned a lot from this chat site and does appreciate all the good advice.

Now since I am the old guy let me tell you that my 6 stands are truck stands rated to 12 tons each. I do bolt my box iron parts to the frame to eliminate all slipping issues, and use rubber pads from my snow blower blades to keep medal on medal parts from slipping. I even put the pads between the metal box iron and the top of my jack stand. I also use two jacks to raise either the front or back of my car and do all my lifting in about a 2 inch increment. There is nothing scarier about working by oneself than lifting heavy objects, but normally that is how I do it.

Might have to change some more of my evil ways now that I am 68? Still got a lot to learn so appreciate everyone's advice.

Best wishes, Mike

Just work in a safe manner, that's the primary concern ....... always.

Long Time nothing heart from me.Because I've had a little accident, the front spring of my Daily Driver gets in my Face and my Nose was broken.
Now I've got to be well and went back to work.
With your Tipps and handmade mountings removed the engine without problems.Now don't know, how to mount this on my engine stand?

It will be necessary to remove the clutch housing and mount the arms of the engine stand firmly to the back of the engine block. Try to center the weight of the engine where the stand rotates. That way it will be easier and safer when you need to rotate the engine.

Hi Andre,

Sorry to hear of your accident. Why not just make a stand like mine to hold your engine?

Good luck, Mike

Thanks Mike. Need my Stand to turn the engine around. Must change the rear main seal