Removing the sheet metal clip from the parts car.

I borrowed a tool from a body man to remove spot welds.   The idea is to drill out the weld on only one of the metal sheets of the weld. This will allow the separation of spot welded panels without (too much) damage.
 

 Looks like an air powered drill with an odd attachment.
 

 This odd attachment is an adjustable depth limit.

The depth needs to be set to drill out all the weld but the last sheet of metal.

The first spot weld

 

the bit is shaped to cut fairly square.  I have been told the bits are not cheap.

I did have to "help to separate the panels. A slight amount of deformation but nothing like when I tried it with out the drill.  (Different project.)

 Just a bit of wiggling and off the clip came!

 

I have been told that when reattaching you fill these holes in... welding by hand.  Pretty much just replaces the spot welds.

The 1994 has a side stiffener structure much longer than the 1989.  It may or may not end up on the finished project.

As you can see, the spot welds have been removed.  If I was reinstalling, it wouldn't be THAT hard.

On the Trailer, Strapped Down and Ready to Roll!

I talked to  Dave and Stuart of CLASSIC AUTO BODY AND PAINT and made a deal for them to splice in the sheet metal needed to repair the Tin Top.

I have a few hours "free" and it isn't raining.  

(It is almost always raining here in "The Great North Wet.")

So... out comes my brand new air powered cut off wheel.

 

I have cut the parts car right centered on the shock tower.  There is only a small amount still connected.  (Less than 1/2 inch.)  Dave said he would lend me the tool to drill out the spot welds on the other end.  I think I'll wait to call as it is currently 4am!

 

 I also pulled all the brake lines from the Tin Top body.  It will be getting the ones from the 1994 with RWAL, so they needed to come out anyway.

Another thing that needed done was to clean out the interior.  I removed all the lower trim and will be adding "sound proof" material before reinstallation.
  

I had to post this picture for the Suzuki forum friends that live in rust belt areas.

  

 On the trailer, strapped down and ready to roll.

 

 I'm thinking of having the body painted white with gold or light bronze (the color of the Malibu seen in the above picture) and think this rear tail gate would be easier than repainting the old red one.  What ever isn't used goes on the '92 as it's tail gate is damaged and doesn't have a wiper,

Once the sheet metal is removed from the parts Kick, the body is ready for delivery.  Note that the red tin top kick doesn't have a drive train... if it did, I do not think it would be safe to pull behind another Kick... larger Sport model or not. 

Chassis Swap

This post documents the swapping of chassis.  Parts car and "Keeper."

I have seen pictures of an A frame (like this, just taller) being used to pull the body from a GMC motorhome.  (Like the one in the back ground.) So I figured a shorter version would work for this less demanding application.   I used a saw horse hardware kit, that I would not use for a heaver lift.  2x4x8 legs, 2x6x8 cross bar.

Some diagonal supports from material I had on hand.  1 ton Harbor Fright chain hoist attached with a pair (doubled up) of strap ties (found with the nail plates) from Home depot. 

Another 2x6x8 for the "spreader bar" chain hoist connected with some more strap ties.

The weight bearing "spreader bar guides" are sitting on 2x4 "feet."  (See 1st picture.)

For the lift of the TinTop body, I was still trying to find the balance point and used the load leveler I use for motor installs.  Lifted OK but wasn't as much under control as I would like.

You can see it isn't quite balanced.

The rear required a little hand lifting and propping up.

Rust free, but dirty and greasy.

It was getting dark.  So I set the body on wooden supports on top of the "new"chassis.

The next day I set the body on the chassis with all the rubber mounts and....

Pushed it out front to be washed and wait the metal work. 

Now to get the parts car body on the "old" chassis... the body is sitting in the "user" motorhome's winter parking spot.

I skipped the use on the spreader bar and bolted the chains directly to the outboard front bolt for the front seats.

Much more controlled lift. Just needed to open the doors for chain clearance.  Next time, I'll use the spreader bar and connect to these same points on the body.

The rear still had to be "hand lifted" and propped up.  But I could do it with one hand.   I might go back to the cherry picker.  (See the post when I pulled the parts body... and dropped it!) But not as the main lift... just to lift and control the rear.  like Yoda says, "Control, you must learn control!"

Rolled the chassis under and lowered the rear into the holes on the rear mountings. 

Lowered the body lining up each mount as the angle gets less.  I left a wooden support under the front to space the front sheet metal from the frame.  It should make it easier when I cut it off for transplant later.

Now to push everything out of the way,  The "good" motorhome wants it's parking place.