Not trying to talk anyone into it - who isn't comfortable with doing their own body bonding and panel installation. But, just for information - if you purchase an unbonded kit here is what your receive (I did purchase the Jag rear suspension in my kit)
The first thing you will do is spend about a week disassembling most of what ERA has already pre-fit and trial assembled. I put alignment marks on the body and frame to ensure it went back together in proper alignment. They are in the firewall area and at the rear cockpit bulkhead.
I realized later that this wasn't really necessary because of the assembly clips/plates that ERA installs. As long as I got the screw through the bracket and back into the hole in the body framing - it was going back together just as ERA assembled it.
The front frame at the grill area is the one area that did not have a clip (at least from memory) but the other mounting clips centered it with my original tic marks. There may have been a couple of temporary attachment screws there. This is after bonding - you can see the line of gray epoxy in the body to frame contact area.
Major bond joints.
After bonding.
This is the best shot I have of the alignment/mounting plates that pre-mount and center the body to the frame.
I didn't install the foot boxes or panels until I was through with painting. I used a black adhesion caulking material and applied a bead at all contact points with the body or frame. I figured if any of the black did extrude out of the joint it would not be glaring in appearance. But with a little care that didn't turn out to be much of a problem. Doing your own bonding and panel installation does mean you will spend a lot of time with a drill and 1/8 inch bits - buy a quantity of them. A close quarters drill is nice to have for a few of the rivets in tight corners. You will spend an equal amount of time with a rivet gun. An air rivet gun from Harbor Freight is a good idea but you still need a hand gun for some tighter areas.
Edit: I failed to note above if you don't have ERA do the frame powder coating then yes, the body will have to come off the frame for painting/coating and that will require more garage/shop space during that time. I know at least a few ERA builders have painted their frames themselves so that is another approach. I did have ERA powder coat mine and it seems to be a high quality application so for me it was money well spent.
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