door braces before body lift (after body repair)?

[Unkel Kunkel]

I have just finished replacing my Spitfire's  lower A posts ,inner sills, middle sills and outer sills, both floors ,lower B posts, inner rear wings and outer wings.(On the chassis with door gaps braced).

it wasn't really a case of bracing  the door gaps to maintain positions  as in it's" previous  life" repairs had not maintained these- it was more having adjustable braces to improve /restore the door gaps as  welding proceeded 

 

It's all done and rigid now with fairly  reasonable (well,  better)  door gaps

 

I intend to lift the body off the chassis by eye bolts through  suitable locations in the floor,  suspending it by my engine crane whilst I tackle some chassis work , tilting  by adjusting the  supporting chains to allow  a tidy up of the underside of the body.

 

Finally....The question......

 

Will the door gaps  still need bracing  prior to lifting after all the new panels? -it  does seems  pretty  solid

 

 

Andrew 

[Pete Lewis]

In general its recommended to  use the braces ,

 

         if you dont and it sags you would kick yourself for being brave   !!!

 

    Pete

[Unkel Kunkel]

Yes,see your point

That would be sensible 

I defer to your wise counsel,Pete

 

I was a bit too quick  recycling the bits of  my  Mk1  DIY Heath -Robinson braces... the bits are in something else now.

I will  just mig weld some box section tube across (since  the  gaps are ok  and adjustment not needed now)

 

Andrew

[Pete Lewis]

Im no wise counsel  just a load of been there done  it ,  before senior moments remove the ability memory stick

 

  Ha!!

 

 I never lifted a Spitfire body but its pretty well documented they can sag fall in half or whatever regardless of how good the structure is

 

guess you need to see the   video of what Triumph got upto on the assy line .  

 

so my iidea was better safe than sorry rules  

Pete