HPF resto

[jonnydiver]

I am about to get my Droopsnoot firenza back from the bodyshop for me to put back together. This is my first rebuild and I am looking for advice so I don't make silly un needed mistakes. Is there a correct order of how and when to fit things. I have a 14.5ft by 22.5ft garage with a decent amount of tools. I am going to put the engine on the rebuilt front xmember and suspension. Then attach the gearbox and lift the body up and wheel the engine and gearbox underneath the shell and lower it down. This will happen after I have attached the rear axle and suspension. Then I will fit the refurbished wiring loom and go from there. Please feel free to coment on my ideas good or bad and offer advice.

[pbottomley]

Good idea about engine and box, only thing is use old engine mounts that
you dont mind breaking whilst wheeling and shifting the engine on the
subframe (trust me it will bend twist them a lot), once its all in place
lift engine (on a hoist) and replace with good new mounts.

You will need to lift the car a hell of a lot in order to get it all under
the front panel, make sure you have the height in the garage. Its possibly
best that this method is used in a wide garage so one can get down sides
of car and stuff, secondly one is not in a rush.

I would say you need at least 3 foot raise as the front in order to get
the engine in.

see picture for a car I did this way years ago:

http://www.annteak.com/images/HCs/Sienn ... CN2311.JPG

[jonnydiver]

Cheers for the advice I will probably do the lift outside infront of the garage as I will have to lift it even higher because of the lower spoiler of the droopsnoot etc.

[droopsnoot]

When I did mine, I used exactly the same method to get the engine back in. I did it before the nosecone went on the shell (partly because of the extra clearance, partly because of the risk of damaging it), and I did it before the head went on the engine, partly for weight (I had no hoist, I had to manhandle it onto the subframe) and partly again for height.

One piece of advice that Paul touched on - do all this when you're not in a rush. I was making great progress the weekend after I got my shell back, then I got *Bleep* and put a big (down to primer) chip in the roof when I didn't lift something high enough.

But you're on the best part of the rebuild - the shell's been done, everything is starting to go back together, and the end is in sight.