A GTL body on a 1983 TL

[nicky4tl]

Hi, Antoinette got split in 2 this weekend. It took me 2 days: somebody here suggested half a day for such a job. Well thinking it would take half a day was probably the encouragement i needed to attempt such a thing and it kept me out of the pub.
Really good fun and almost dissapointingly the chassis is pretty much rust free. Just needs a good paint and a little sanding in a few spots. The body is a different story. Having looked over my junk gtl in the field though Ive come up with a cunning plan. The gtl is rotten everywhere except its body: Is there any reason anyone can think of why a GTL body couldnt go on a TL chassis. Just the body mind, the doors and wings and all mechanicals will be from the tl.
thanks folks

 

[malcolm]

That's the TL in the photo? (a post 1983 one). I can't think of any differences between post '83 GTL and the TL bodies apart from the headlining. The GTL body would need a lot of modifying (or a little botching) to take a cloth headlining instead of the nasty solid plastic one.

There are some holes in the triangular apex panel of the GTL for the plastic trim that would need welding up. That's about all I can think of.

Pre-83 TLs had external door hinges so the doors and a lot of the body trim wouldn't fit a GTL.

 

[nicky4tl]

yep. thats the TL in the photo. its a 1983 tl with a solid plastic roof liner and the hinges are the same as the gtl which is 1986 i think.The one difference I can think of is the handbrake is umbrella in the TL. Im not near the gtl at the minute but I wonder is it much of a job t0o put the umbrella into its shell?

 

[malcolm]

A very easy job - all the holes should already be there on the GTL shell.