109 SW body removal

[Doug Main]

I just acquired a '73 109 SW that is going to need some frame work. All I have ever owned and worked on extensively are 88's. My goal is to remove the rear tub so I can get at the rear cross member. I am somewhat familiar with the "T" sections that form the door openings for the front and rear door from what I have seen in the catalogs. Based on my inspection today it appears I need to remove the "T" frames first. What I am looking for are some lessons learned and maybe some photos of the process.

Thanks.

Doug Main
'73 Series III 88
'66 Series IIA 88 SW restoration project
'73 Series III 109 SW 6cyl RHD

[MerlynIIa]

Hi, I don't know much about 109's, had seen a website that shows a bit of a 109 teardown and rebuild. You may have already seen it. looks like the center door brace was left in place while the rear tub was removed, at least at first. Page three has some more information during the rebuild. not much help but may be useful.

http://britpics.co.uk/LWBrst/

Good luck!

[StX_Rovers]

Hi,

We are doing a frame over on our 2A 109 SW. We had put on the rear tub and T pieces, then the bulkhead. Along the way, got a bout of shipfitter's disease (while I am in here I might as well also do....) and decided to remove the tub to replace the cross pieces under the floor and also discovered some corrosion on the tub bottom plate.

Anyway, the short answer is that the T pieces have to come off with the rear tub. Of course, this also means that the roof needs to come off as you will have to lift the tub up and over the 5 tabs on the rear of the frame. That is not too hard. Getting it back into place is the tough one. The t pieces have to be sort of rotated in and out of place. At least, that is what we had to do. There are several pop rivets at the back you will have to drill out, too. Those are the least of your problems.

Probably the simplest, if you have an over head hoist of some type, is to remove the whole thing as an assembly. You have to remove a lot less bolts this way. Remove the forward floorboards and tranny tunnel. Then, unbolt the 4 bolts attaching the t pieces to the bulkhead, and the bolts attaching the roof to the windscreen. Unbolt the cross piece behind the seat base from the tabs on the frame. Unbolt the tub from the tabs on the frame. Lift the whole mess up for an inch or so to clear the tabs. Curse at the wires you forgot to unhook. Unhook said wires. Continue lifting body and either roll chassis out from underneath or go backwards with body. Place on ground or blocks etc.

Fix frame, etc.

"Reassembly is the reverse of removal".

If you want to make it a little easier, loosen up the two bulkhead bolts and the six bolts holding the steering box braces and scooch the bulkhead forward even 1/4" and it will drop in much easier.

Good luck!

[SafeAirOne]

Hi, we are doing a frame over on our 2A 109 SW...

Any photos of your body shell removal by chance? It'd be interesting to see photos of the process...

[StX_Rovers]

Any photos of your body shell removal by chance? It'd be interesting to see photos of the process...

HI. Sorry to be so tardy with replying. We have some. Is there anything in particular you are interested in? We did the whole dismantle thing, not just a lift off in one piece to patch frame as I suggested for the original poster, as that seemed to fit his situation better. If you want to pm me with an email I can send some pictures. We have some of the original bulkhead which will make anyone feel much better about theirs.

Best regards, Dave

[SafeAirOne]

...We have some [photos]. Is there anything in particular you are interested in? We did the whole dismantle thing, not just a lift off in one piece to patch frame as I suggested for the original poster...

Oh...Sorry--I misread your post. I thought you had taken the whole rear body off as a unit. That's what I'm interested in having a photo or two of. If anyone has done this sort of thing and has a photo or two, I'd love to see them.