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E Type body alignment


Moderators: Gordon, David Brown

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First Jag

Mon Aug 20 2007, 06:54PM

Registered Member #276

Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 11:27AM
Posts: 4

Hi there. My name is John and I live in France. I recently bought a LHD 1970 E Type Series 2 convertible that needs some work to the sills, floor etc. Does anyone know where I can obtain drawings giving alignment dimensions so that when replacing sills and inner sills, for example, I can retain the integrity of the body tub?

JTodd

David Brown

Sun Jan 06 2008, 12:13PM

Vice Chairman & Treasurer

Registered Member #3

Joined: Thu Apr 06 2006, 08:31PM
Posts: 31

Hi John,

Did you get this resolved or is it still a problem for you?

David

First Jag

Sun Jan 06 2008, 11:04PM

Registered Member #276

Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 11:27AM
Posts: 4

Hi David. No, you're the first to reply.

The situation is this; I bought the car in March last year and it arrived in England in June, when I found that it needed rather more work than expected, of a complexity that I am not experienced with. I've restored many cars over the years, but mostly older and with separate chassis.

I live in France but the car is still sitting in my garage in England, while I decide what to do. There are friends over here who have said that they would help me with the welding, but I've read in a few articles that it's imperative to use a jig to avoid misalignment of doors etc afterwards, and I've seen pictures of them in use on the internet.

I wonder whether it's possible to make one? What worries me is that the left-hand side outer sill is bad, and presumably the inner will have gone as well, and closing that door isn't easy, though a lot of it is play in the hinge. There is, however, also a gap between that window and the hood of about an inch, which isn't there on the right-hand side of the car. Hence if I made up a jig to fit the car as it is, maybe I would be copying what is already a slight sag. Hope you can follow all this ????!!!

I have also seen that cross bracing across the inside of the car is done - this isn't difficult to do provided that I know that the tub is straight to start with!

Is there some way that I can obtain drawings of a jig, or a drawing showing the measurements between fixed points of the tub to ensure that it is aligned before I start removing things? My idea would, in any case, to do one side completely before starting the other.

Any ideas would be welcomed.

JTodd

David Brown

Thu Jan 10 2008, 12:05PM

Vice Chairman & Treasurer

Registered Member #3

Joined: Thu Apr 06 2006, 08:31PM
Posts: 31

Hi, John,

I have some tollerances / dimensions which I can copy and send to you if you send your e-mail address to me at david.brown©jdc-etype.org.uk. However, if you are in doubt about the alignment of the body, I must advise professional advice. If the body is basically straight, then using panels from a company like Martin Robey, changing a minimal number of panels at a time and constantly checking gaps around doors, etc. should keep the body in good shape. However, it is not a job for the amateur! Whoever does it, needs to know what they are doing.

As regards inner sills, they can be largely checked from the inside of the car. They usually rot along floor line. Remove seats and lift carpets to see them. There are strengthener panels between inner and outer at the front and rear of the sills which usually rot too.

Gaps between windows and hood (within reason) are not unusual and are not indicative of body twisting. When door is "lifted" to take up hinge wear, it should be a good fit in the door aperture with even gaps all round.

Regards,

David


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