Body Lifting Options

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leocar
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Joined: Thu Nov 17, 2022 1:20 pm

Body Lifting Options

Post by leocar »

Hi Everyone,

I am starting my first build and will soon be looking to lift the body off my 1940 Chev to get to the chassis and work on the suspension. I have a reasonable size double garage but it is a bit too narrow (plenty of height) for a two post hoist. As such, I was looking for an economical way to lift off the body. I was thinking of a full height scissor lift (so I can use in the future to service vehicles). Idea is lift the body using floor jacks or engine lifters about 200mm, inserting a timber sleeper/beam frame between the body and chassis, lift the entire car with the scissor lift, support the timber frame with timber legs, lower the chassis and then wheel it out. I can then use the scissor lift to lower the body if required. Sounds a bit complicated but if anyone has a better idea without using a two post hoist I'd really like to hear and see photos of it. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers
Leo
Fargoman
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Location: Dural NSW

Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by Fargoman »

My first thought was a 2 post but i see your problem.

I think your idea is good but not sure about supporting the sleepers with a timber frame.

The Chev body won't be light and having it fall will definitely damage it and may damage you.

I'd rather support the sleepers on stacks of 600mm long 3x4 timber laid crosswise on each level. I would be tempted to have the stack either solid or nail/screw the timbers together. Go to a demolition yard and buy the timber.

I learnt to think hard before doing things after being crushed between two cars due to stupidity.
Twin Spinner
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by Twin Spinner »

Is the roof structure strong enough to sling the body above your work area, I did this years ago when rebuilding my F100.
If it has tits or wheels, you can expect trouble.
leocar
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by leocar »

Stacking the timbers sounds like a good idea. Kind of agree, I don't want the car falling because I tried to cut a corner.

I don't want to go to the ceiling as in my infinite wisdom I put up a gyprock ceiling and would need to attach a beam to multiple rafters, apart from trying to locate them it wouldn't look good at all in the long run. I also don't really trust it.
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Sly Fox
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by Sly Fox »

I did a similar thing to what Fargoman suggested to get the body off my Dodge Kingsway.

First, I jacked up the car to a height that allowed the chassis slide out and stacked solid clay pavers under the sills, then supported the chassis on front and rear trolley jacks, took the wheels off, unbolted the body from the chassis, and lowered the chassis to the ground then rolled it out on some round tube.

I did the same in reverse to put the body back on, and both times I did it on my own.
It's slow work but I was happy that it worked out a safe way to do it, good luck.
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XP6
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Location: Pt Pirie SA

Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by XP6 »

Get yourself a gantry and hoist it with a block n tackle.
www.machineryhouse.com.au/k090
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FRANK BASILE
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by FRANK BASILE »

I lifted a 38 Chev by jacking it and suspending it with a couple of cross beams suspended on concrete brick piers, height was just done enough to slide the chassis out forward minus rear wheels with a dolly under the rear . The drop and body height allowed the chassis rear wheel arches to clear everything.
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turns
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by turns »

Have a BBQ with a bunch of mates - remove the body for too many drinks
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FRANK BASILE
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by FRANK BASILE »

An advantage of being in a club turns. I remember back to the early 70,s when a fellow Sultans member made up a fresh chassis for his already on the road rodded Model A tub. A matter of minutes had a club gathering lift off and place the body onto it,s new home.
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steve the ford guy
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by steve the ford guy »

I bought 4 of these, very strong piece better and cheaper than what supercheapy sells
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/25548263611 ... media=COPY
Build a wooden rectangle frame and fit one on each corner good cheap way to lift and roll car bodies around. :wink:
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jeffa
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by jeffa »

My Chev was easy. Its a roadster so it came apart into a lot of bits. Easy for one person to manage.
My Essex though was a full four door sedan.
I removed everything I could - doors, guards, bonnet etc.
Used an engine hoist to lift the body at the cowel. High enough to slip some timber supports under it, and rested the timbers on two 44 gallon drums.
Took the engine hoist round the back and did the same. The timbers and 44 gal drums were at the main body mount points and the Essex being mainly steel in the body structure meant it was fairly rigid.
The body stayed up that high so I could pull the chassis out to work on it and put it back under when the missus needed to put her car away (4-car garage).
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steve the ford guy
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Re: Body Lifting Options

Post by steve the ford guy »

Hare & Forbes sell lifting trolleys
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/lifter-trolleys
I find they lift items much taller than engine hoist can manage.
Engine hoists can't handle tall objects and can tip over, the arm only goes so high. I used one of these lifter trolleys to place a milling machine on a stand. Could also be useful lifting car bodies and other components.
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