Finally got the lift put back together, this consists of pushing the ramps back together and setting the rolling jacks back in place. It was necessary to make these modifications in order for the Malibu wagon body to fit between the ramps so I could use the lift to raise and lower the body on the chassis. Will be nice to have my lift back operational, really gonna have to build me one of those body carts one of these days.
That done, I had the Mrs. help me push the wagon up on the lift so I could finish installing the rest of the body cushions and bolts. Sat there on my rolling chair looking at the bottom of the car now sitting on the chassis, that’s when I noticed the heat I had used in the interior to pound out some dents had blistered the paint on the bottom. That's easy to fix, but then I noticed the latest assembly situation. Amazing the things you don't see when you're not looking, and then, almost as if a Simpson Ha Ha, it stares me right in the face. That fuel filter that I so carefully placed on the chassis, is now hidden by the body. Yikes!
After the proverbial Simpsons “Doh”, I set out to remediate the issue by first taking all the body bolts loose and all the left side bolts out completely. Don’t have photos of me placing my five foot jack stands in strategic locations so I could let the lift down and jack up one side of the car (really wasn’t in the mood), but that’s what I did until I finally had access to the fuel filter. I took the fuel filter out and let the car back down on the chassis.
To say I was pissed would be a stupid thing to say but needless to say I was. How in the world can a person miss this little detail? Well, when the body and chassis are in two different bays, it certainly comes down to out of sight, out of mind. Normally I don’t share my boners with the masses but I figured what the hell, I don’t have anything to prove other than I’m human. The real reason is I’m hoping that this helps at least one person not make the same mistake. Note to self; the body covers most of the mid section on the “C” channel frame members dummy.
So, even though I wish it were closer to the tank, I cut the forward-most line and will move the fuel filter closer to the front of the car. I ordered a five and a half inch long Fuel Injection hose with 16mm female ends on both ends. I’ll use a union and a short length of tubing from where the fuel filter was, to where it’s going to be now. No one will be able to see it hidden behind the body, (that’s really not the point). The hose will make it easier to replace the fuel filter and also absorb some of the harmonics created by the fuel pump. Probably should have considered this in the first place. Yeah, that’s it, it’s a design enhancement. NOT
😳 :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:
