Post #259
Get the front bulkhead holes in for the strut bracing first, tack the main cage together to make sure it all fits up, then break the rear half off at the tacks, take the mounting plates out and weld up the a-pillar/main hoop connections.
You might have to break the tacks on the door cross to get the hoop to flex in order to get it back on the plates, but that doesn't really matter by then anyway, you can get to those anyway.
And don't forget to sink the two rear tubes through the boot floor to the beam, you'll need to fettle the holes out above the rear beam bolts with a die grinder, but they should drop all the way down to the beam mount to reinforce the rear suspension - I've seen two now where they've just been welded on top of the rearmost gusset plates - you'll see what I mean when you're putting it together.
Personally, once the a-pillars were welded to the hoop, I pushed the entire thing back a little further than the mounts onto where the rear seats sit, and tilted it slightly, so we could weld the front of the windscreen bar easier, but then it's quite a big torch tip on our MIG, you might be able to get in with something a touch smaller, bit more welding kit on hand I suspect
The upside is we could then weld the chassis plates for the hoop in without the hoop being in the way, then shuffle the cage forwards until it met the plates, and tilt it back to where it should be with the aid of a nice 8lb rawhide mallet, which meant it is tight up against the b-pillars and the roof.
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