# Body lowering



## crosley (Aug 20, 2010)

Any tips or tricks on lowering the bodies for tjet racers.Its probably a rehashed subject,but I have a few "racer" bodies I can now cut. Or is lowering the body just a myth. I feel I can get my chassis to accelerate good and handle good, but lowering the bods just might be another edge.
Any info would help
Thanks
Bart(crosley)


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## TJETDRAGRACER (Jan 25, 2008)

*A 1962 JL Chevy Low Rider*

I lowered this JL '62 Chevy to the Max 
Just start by shaving the post a little at a time and keep putting the body back on the chassis afterwords and then run it to make sure nothing interfering with the gear plate every time. Sanding the inside trunk area helps a lot. 
On all JL & AW T-Jet Bodies I just shave the rear post if I am going to mount a stock Aurora chassis under it. ~ As in the El Camino pic. Brings it down to more of a stock look.

Added: 1-23-2012 / The JL Bodies are mounted on JL/AW T-Jet Chassis with Aurora T-Jet size short axles & MEV Rims.
I sold them cars along with many other custom T-Jets some years ago. Sill have saved pictures of most of them.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Some JL/AW bodies can be lowered really nicely. Here is one lowered on a Aurora T-Jet Chassis....tho I did need to trim back the fwd top plate rails for clearance up front(btw- JL/AW Chassis have these top plate rails already trimmed/missing).








PS- since this pic was taken, I mounted (REAR)Tuffy wheels/Axles- front and rear, and man does this chassis handle like a Dream now :thumbsup:


Oh yeah, I've even lowered the Willys body too, but in this pic, the rear looks jacked because of the EXTRA Tall rear tires and hogged out fenders, but do note those are Tuffy size Super tires on the Front....


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## slotking (May 27, 2008)

one of the main things to do for bodies at Greenbrier Thunderjet challenge coming up at the end of March


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Sneak up on it*

Bart,

I guess a lot depends on what your trying to lower. Are ya just modeling or following a specific club rule set?

When cutting or shaving screw posts I usually only remove half of what I think I need and then work incrementally until the body is settled on the chassis. Obviously it's important to keep the post cuts level so the body sits even side to side. 

As you channel the chassis up into the body, eventually you run into the fenders. Scroll to post 2249. Tracing a line around the tire is far easier than the by guess and by golly method. 

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=215904&page=150

If your running abnormally low profiles to get your drop, then you've got to work with your pick ups and settings as well as your guide pin length and mounting screw.

When the gear plate comes out the hood or trunk....you've gone a bit too far.


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*What Bill said....*



Bill Hall said:


> *snip* ..............When the gear plate comes out the hood or trunk....you've gone a bit too far.


 But sometimes, you can work around that too


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Here's a pic of some T-Jet Car bodies I've lowered in the past several months.








The Willys is a modded resin cast, but I lowered it a whole lot by trimming the screw posts and radiusing the wheelwells, which btw are filled with low profile Hot Rod tires(front axle is also in the long wheelbase position). The JL Corvette was lowered at both screw posts, and the windshield bottom(and underhood) needed shaved quite a bit. The JL Firebird was really easy, just both screw posts were shaved, and they could have gone shorter- but I didn't want to radius out the wheelwells. PS- all these bodies are sitting atop Aurora T-Jet Chassis.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Easy on dem posts Bart....*

If racing... check yer rulebook before you do anything, but if it's for a custom or rules allow modifications... you do have options. Many of the JL bods have lots of extra glass and glass mounting tabs hang'n in the body cavity. That buys you some immediate room when you cut'em off. MEV's are a hair by hair operation on the inside body area with a light touch and a dremel round stone... your results may vary depending upon which body you're doing... they can ride high from the get-go. Resins are a wildcard. Some are pretty thick and can really be hogged out. Some are crispy thin and a no-go. Really all depends on the body/brand. Your chassis can always be tweaked too. Namely the back top corners of the gear plate can be trimmed, the forward front area can be sanded down, and the chassis rails can be cut too. Just dont interefere or hamper the mechanicals of the chassis. I always start with a close eyeballing of the body screwed down with no modifications. Peek in through the fender wells  ... and down through the windows too. 

AND... you can post a picture of your intended victim and ask for some suggestions from the board. Chances are somebody's tried it and can help. Whatever you decide to do, you gotta size-up the situation first, because it's no fun shaving too much off the posts or ruining a chassis. Measure or ask twice... cut once ! !


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

One more thing.. On some bodies, the post trimming can be supplemented with a little inner fender well trimming. Usually a hair or two of inner body removal at the wells will make a big difference as far as clearance is concerned. This mod helps when you're mounting an original skinny tire T jet in a JL/AW body and going for a low slung street car look. Just take your time, low speed on the dremel, go slow so you don't burn through the outside.


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