Squaring A body for steel reinforcement

[AussieT]

I have a new body which is very flexi. I have made a temp chassis from timber that i have sat the body on. My question is, can I steel reinforce the body on a temp chassis setup, or should I wait untill I have the chassis that the body will sit on....
I am trying to sqaure the body so it sit's and looks right, but being so flexible it is giving me some stress.
Thanks is advance....

 

[LumenAl]

adding steel is certainly an option... my single wall body was anything but ridged, so I wooded the body, filled the voids with foam, and then glassed over it... made the body very ridged

I did mine before I discovered the OASIS SAHARA II Green florist foam which is a lot easier to work with than what I used... Here is a good picture on how VroomKrazy did it using OASIS SAHARA II Green -

IT Does not absorb water... Most of the oasis foam that florist us absorbs water so make sure you get the stuff that doesn't! HUGE difference in outcome!

Here is a picture after he glassed over it and painted it... Note that a very cool touch he did was to create a recess for the body panels... very nice touch!

 

[akitagandy]

what are the steps to do this,I like the green stuff it's clean and smooth ,I'll be ready to do mine in 3 weeks.

 

[der Spieler]

I have a new body which is very flexi. I have made a temp chassis from timber that i have sat the body on. My question is, can I steel reinforce the body on a temp chassis setup, or should I wait untill I have the chassis that the body will sit on....
I am trying to sqaure the body so it sit's and looks right, but being so flexible it is giving me some stress.
Thanks is advance....

I would think it could be done as long as the timber chassis was rigidly made, trued up and well anchored so that it doesn't have any movement in it. The wood body reinforcement that Al used looks great and will make the body very rigid. Does Aussie law allow you to use wood or do you have to use steel?

 

[AussieT]

Thanks for the info and pics boys, Aussie law requires steeled out bodies to pass for registration.
I have been working on it this morning, the chassis timber it is on is level and true. I have had to put packers under the front right corner then secured it all to the timber with G-Clamps. I have had to put in cross braces from the chassis to the sides to get them aligned, and one brace from the dash to the back of the body to get the correct length.
It has been made really out of wack.
Will post a few pics soon...

 

[Wild Mango]

Mate, polyester bodies that don't hold shape as bought is because the layup is thin and resin hungry. Especially if its gunstock. Yours sounds worse than usual, I've had one like it. Once you get it all trued up, sand the whole interior surface and roll on a layer of 6oz chop strand mat and epoxy resin before you do anything else. If you don't do this the bugger will continue to sag out of shape. Glassing it onto the floor first up will help heaps as well, even if you need to cut bits out of the floor later to fit it on the frame. This may sound like a hassle but not nearly as bad as at the end of the job when you try to fair it up so its looks sharp with the finish paint on it, and you discover its all bulges and sags

 

[Youngster]

the wood frame will work to install your floor. i would suggest mounting the body with the floor in it on your chassis before adding the steel framework. less chance of error i would think.

dose the law specify the guage of the steel to be used? i have used 16ga with great results.

sorry i haven't sent the plans you asked for. the tubing bender works but needs a little more engineering on the adjustable caster. just haven't had the time to get back to it. gentle curves can be done with a dead blow hammer. sharper corners can be pieced together.

Ron

 

[AussieT]

Thanks for the info fellas, I think i have it under control now. I think I will do what Mango said and lay another skin on the interior.

No worries about the plans Ron, Your photo's are pretty detailed enough to work out the setup, thanks for them and your advice.

Who Roo

Shawn