Body work before build??

[Otee453]

For those of you that have some experience...

I have a brand new complete kit sitting in my shop.
What I'd really like to do is utilize the warm weather of this fall to do the body work and spend the cold months of Dec-Feb in the shop working on the chassis build. I plan to paint in one of the big inflatable paint booths (under a large 25x30, full wall metal RV port). The body sanding and such will be done under the RV port, not inside the inflatable paint booth.

Is this a reasonable plan? If so, how much of the chassis build needs to be completed before doing the body fitment and work?

Plan B is work on the chassis build until spring, hoping I'm completely done with it and do the body work once it gets nice in spring.

I should mention, weather in my area is very nice (generally stable) weather in the 70's-low 80's in the fall, while spring brings large fluctuations and usually lots of thundershowers. (Kansas City/Topeka area)

Thanks

[edwardb]

Really not reasonable. The body has to be fitted to your chassis before serious work can begin. You could hang just enough aluminum panels on the chassis to get a likely close fit. But then those would be in the way for all the other work, like front and rear suspension, fuel and brake lines, electrical, engine installation, etc. You're much better off IMO getting the chassis to a near complete stage, then mounting and fitting the body, then doing body work. You can leave out carpet, seats, etc. but the rest of the chassis should be essentially complete. Sounds like your plan B. FYI, there is a company that paints these without the body. Whitby in NC I believe. But they have a chassis of their own that they use. Doesn't apply to you since you're doing your own body/paint.

[Otee453]

Really not reasonable. The body has to be fitted to your chassis before serious work can begin. You could hang just enough aluminum panels on the chassis to get a likely close fit. But then those would be in the way for all the other work, like front and rear suspension, fuel and brake lines, electrical, engine installation, etc. You're much better off IMO getting the chassis to a near complete stage, then mounting and fitting the body, then doing body work. You can leave out carpet, seats, etc. but the rest of the chassis should be essentially complete. Sounds like your plan B. FYI, there is a company that paints these without the body. Whitby in NC I believe. But they have a chassis of their own that they use. Doesn't apply to you since you're doing your own body/paint.

That is precisely as I suspected. I will savor the build for the next 8 months! Thanks.