How To: Body and Frame Separation - Checklist

I just completed the Body-Frame separation for the TesLorean project. I built up this checklist from multiple listings on old and existing DeLorean forums (thanks to all the contributors).

As regards the lift itself, not to many issues...
- The handbrake/emergency brake cables rubbed against the LHS rear trailing arm as the car was lifting (just enough room to get the bent out of the way)
- Two plates mounted on the underside of the fiberglass and above the front shock towers came lose. I suspect they were at one point glued or adhered to the fiberglass, but fell off during the lift.

Do note that there are some alternatives to the method listed below (e.g. battery positive lead disconnection).

================================================== =
Tree: Body Frame Separation
Disconnect
___Front
______Bracing
_________Front radiator shroud
______AC
_________Evaporator Lines @ passenger wheel well
______Coolant
_________Heater Core lines @ front firewall
______Control
_________Steering linkage @ firewall
_________Speedo cable at Angle Drive
_________Brake lines @ master cylinder (master cylinder goes with body)
______Electrical
_________Radiator Fan lines @ front frame
_________Horn lines @ front frame
_________Fuel level sender wiring @ sender
_________fuel pump wiring @ fuel pump
_________Front lighting wiring/ground junction area @ front crumple tubes
______Fuel
_________Fuel filler hose @ fuel tank
______Hydraulics
_________Clutch line @ master clutch cylinder
_________Brake lines @ master cylinder
___Cabin
______Shift boot and shifter @ console/shifter area
______Mode switch vacuum lines @ engine bay / driver's pontoon ?
___Engine Bay
______Control
_________Throttle cable @ spool
____________disconnect cable from spool
______Electrical
_________Engine wiring @ connector box
____________7 'church window' connectors
_________O2 sensor @ sensor
____________driver's side at front of rear wheel well
_________Distributor wire (tachometer?) on a sprung connector - runs into the rear firewall on the LHS
_________Alternator Power @ alternator
____________or alternative - remove positive cable from battery and push cable & grommet through firberglass
____________remove positive cable from 'post bolt' aft of engine wiring connector box
_________Starter Power @ starter
_________Automatic Transmission computer lines (if applicable)
_________Battery ground cable @ passenger lower control arm AND @ rear frame
_________Frame/body grounds @ rear quarter stainless panels
______Emissions
_________Carbon Canister lines @ drivers pontoon
______Air
_________Air duct to filter box @ passenger's pontoon
___Rear
______Control
_________Emergency Brakes @ each brake caliper / rear hub
______Electrical
_________Reverse switch connector - can be unplugged from the transmission on LHS
___Rear Fascia
______Engine cover release cable @ release
______Rear tail lights (for access)
______Fascia wiring assembly @ inside rear fascia
______Bolts along bottom of fascia
_________plus two bolts, one each attached to bottom molding at rear quarter panel
______Rear fascia assembly (whole)
_________common to see fender washers between rear fascia and end of pontoons, need to get inside pontoon to remove bolts/nuts
_________Small ground wires run from the rear quarter panel to the rear frame rail, disconnect at rear frame rail
______Rear side marker lights
_________pull wiring back into the rear fascia, remove the side marker housing to release the bulbs
Bolts Removed
___2 bolts in the front trunk bolting to top of shock towers
___bolts inside cabin along center tunnel bolting sideways into the frame
______2 bolts towards the front (either side of the gear stick)
______2 bolts toward the rear just behind the seat belt (to frame) bolts
___2 seat belt bolts @ inner side of each seat
___2 above the rear shock towers (also holds on the rear brace that spans across the front of the rear engine bay)
___2 in rear pontoons @ pontoon inside, after rear fascia removed

I just used this list this past weekend on my DeLorean and it was SUPER HELPFUL. Thank you SO MUCH! It saved me hours of time, for sure. We only had a few snagged things once we started jacking the car up.

I wanted to make some suggestions for other items that people should disconnect or know about before they jump into the process. Here they are:

• AC system has to be discharged and recovered, since it will be disconnected. [Did not apply to me, my AC system was not connected]
• Coolant needs to be drained out of the system. Recommend jacking up the rear of the car while doing it to get as much as possible.
• Even after draining the coolant, the heater core had a lot left inside - so when disconnecting it, prepare yourself with a bucket. When you jack the car up in the rear, more will come out here, too.
• There is no 'Reverse switch connector' on the automatic transmission.
• There is a thin black tube that goes from the left of the engine bay to the front of the engine, to the 'vacuum advance unit'. The tube pulls right off.
• Both of the "air deflector plates", if you have them, need to come off. There are 3 screws that hold them to the body, and then little slide clips that attach to the frame.
• The automatic has a connector for the computer that's mounted on the firewall (as noted in the original list), mine actually had a large L-shaped stainless connector, and I disconnected the whole thing together.
• Ignition coil needs to be disconnected or maybe loosened and removed. We disconnected the wiring, but left the ignition coil attached to the body.
• Coolant reservoir on the right side of the engine bay needs to be disconnected from the body.

I think many of these are obvious to anyone with some experience fixing cars... but that isn't me. I'm very happy I had someone with a lot more experience helping me out. :) Again, thank you a hundred times over for the list!!

I forgot another one!

• Drain or pump out the brake fluid in the master cylinder. I used a cheap pump to get as much as I could out through the top, then removed the brake lines and let it drain the last little bit out.

Pulling the body off my frame. This info will come in useful.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Big Thanks to DrJeff for the original post in this thread. I used it when I did my own body-frame separation last year. I also made notes on anything that was missing or unclear. I have now put it into a google sheets file so it can be edited as needed. Here is an export PDF of my version of the checklist. I'd like to think it's complete but if anyone uses it and has feedback for me, please do share it and I will update the PDF.



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