Finally, after organizing everything to make room to work, I started the restoration. First thing: separating the body from the frame.

There are eight mounting bolts that hold the fiberglass structure to the frame. I would advise using an anti- seize product like PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench on the bolts before attempting to remove the bolts. It really doesn’t matter which bolts you start removing first. I started with the easiest bolts at the rear and worked my way forward. The very rear mounting bolts are visible even when the tires are on.

The next two rear mounting bolts become visible once the access plates are removed. After that, you can find the next two located on the interior of the car. These bolts can be easily removed once the kick panels are taken off. The last two mounting bolts are located behind the front tires. These bolts are so easy to find and take off that I didn’t bother to take a picture of them.

Before lifting the body, don’t forget to remove the seat belt underbody center cable and disconnect the parking brake. To get the straps under the body, I used a floor jack to lift the corners up and then set pieces of wood between the frame and the fiberglass to make just enough room for the straps to run under.

Once the straps were under the body, I placed two pieces of wood across the top of the doors to spread the straps and take the pressure off the doors. NOTE: With a convertible, it is highly recommended to keep the doors installed to give extra strength to the body. Without the doors or door support braces, there is the possibility of damaging the body. I have seen a coupe lifted with both T-tops and the doors removed, but personally I wouldn’t take the chance.

To be certain that I didn’t forget to disconnect anything, I slowly raised the body up one inch at a time and continuously checked the underbody. Once clear, I lifted the body up all the way and rolled the frame out from under it.
To keep the body mobile, I made a rectangular (55 ½ by 53 inches) wood frame and placed it underneath the body. If built correctly, the dolly should fit into the frame grooves. I also placed two pieces of 2x4 under each wheel well in order to allow the entire body to sit level. With that being completed, I can now store the body safely out of my way and begin working on the frame.

Questions:

Should I use a door brace when lifting the body?

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