Projects Lifting a body off the frame

I installed a winch in the attic over my '36 coupe body so I can lift it off the frame time after time during the build progress. Any suggestions on the straps to use ?. Looked at H.F. but didn't find anything that looked like it would work. Hard to find a way to fasten to the body. The winch just has the one little hook to fasten too. Looking for suggestions.. Thanks Terry

 

I used a spreader on top and their 6000 lb strap below.
Pete

 

I used 2" ratchet straps through the window openings on a VW Bug I did. With the ratchet you can adjust each strap so it picks up level.

On a coupe like yours, I'd look into making some kind of brackets that you could bolt to the body front and back and attach the straps to them.

 

That seems to be the problem , no place to bolt too. Thinking spreader with 2 straps thru the quarter windows, strap front and rear. Just no place to hook too.

 

Have you thought of just using bottle jacks and two-by-fours? That's what I did on the 49 Ford Coupe lifted up high enough to slide the frame out.

 

Yes I did that the first time I took it off. Putting it back of the whole thing shifted and fell on the floor.

 

I built an adjustable spreader that allows 4 lift points, initially to lift pickup beds. On body shells I usually slip two pieces of padded 1&1/2" conduit through the windows and use drop chains to hook to the corners of the spreader. It might take a couple tries to get the right balance, but only once per project. The 4 point spreader with a single center lift point allows you to tilt and twist the load without losing it. Handy to get holes to line up each time.
Be sure you support your hoist from plenty of rafters, I'd say at least 4 even for just a body shell over a long duration.

 

I've learned not to lift with one unit. Use two, one front one back. Here's how I do it. some where at the firewall find something to bolt a light chain to It can even be the top hinge bracket. If your car had hood hinges you can use that mount spot. next is go into the trunk or even through the back window with your cheery picker and lift from the back. Now your not trying to balance at a central point, just side to side tilt. Easy to get a square pick with chain over a strap. Here's a Truck cab and one man operation. Chain is better than strap. I never lift by the roof ever.

 

on my 36 suburban I bolted the front body mounts to a 8 ' 4x4 and the rear body mounts to a 8' 4x4 then used eye bolts through the 4x4s to hook the straps to

 

This is pretty commonly done. The challenge is to get the 4x4's under and then back out. If your doing multiple lifts for fit and specially after paint it can be a real bitch.

 

I use the levelling gadget from my engine picker with 4 short pieces of chain.

 

We just lifted my A coupe body, but from below not by hanging it thru straps the windows. I was worried it would damage the doors / roof . However you lift it (we had access to a 2-post lift with 4 arms), I think doing it from under the sub frame /floor pan is best. In my case, it took 2 friends to lift one end of the body (which was stripped inside but still had all the glass and doors on) off the frame enough to slide a 2x6 under the B pillar first, and then again at the other end just ahead of the rear wheel wells. Putting in some lag bolts would hold the timbers in place. It lifted like a dream, no damage to the body / roof and after we rolled the chassis out, we set the body down on a dolly I had already built for the body. It even sits at (I hope) eventual ride height. Gary

 

skyhook..the only way to do it..

 

This simple spreader bar is what I have been using for 35 years, safe and works every time.

 

straps work great...2inch..these were used ones I got from a tow guy..strong and did the job...just as anything , be aware and never put limbs under the body..just to be sure...

 

The thing I don't like about straps is, the pressure it puts on drip rails, a spreader lifts vertical without drawing the body together, especially ones with an opening in the roof.

 

Lifting my '36.....pretty easy with this setup

DCP_3144 by TagMan, on Flickr

 

TagMan , you lifted it with just that 4x4 ? Don't see anything else in the photo to balance it out. Explain a bit more. Thanks

 

you can compensate the drip rails by using a furring strip in the area just below..of course every car is different..the strap method is the best ive ever used and i have lifted few dozen bodies off frames...

 

This is the X member I built to lift my 31 coupe.
It’s bolted to the inside of the body, braces and doesn’t distort the body. Just a cherry picker, one man deal.

 

This is the low rent way, but it works.



-Abone.

 

The foam wrapped spreader bar
Thought everyone had one of those Because they work great.
Fresh foam for new paint

 

Quite useful when rigging with straps
Round pin goes in hook and the strap loops go in the ring.

 

Yes, just the 4"x4" with an insert with a pivot in the end of the cherry picker's boom and a piece of 3/16" rubber where it contacts the door opening. Centered the pivot point and had a friend balance the body at the rear. Very easy and had no problems with it. I used the same set-up on a '46 Chevy truck and lifted the body with no help at all.

 

this thread gave me a lift...keep em coming..the x brace is damn nice...ive had bodies on , off , on....the leg extensions seem a bit to retracted....maybe not...

 

This may not apply to everyone and every type of body but I use my four post lift to raise the body so it can be installed or removed from my rotisserie. Instead of using the ramps I suspend the car from under the lift. It takes me less that an hour by myself to do this.

 

You’re right ! That A body is so light it didn’t matter.

 

Great ideas here...
I too, use my 6 wheel cherry picker; also used it to raise my 12 foot high steel rafters for my shop, 6 of 'em.
Cherry picker used a 10 foot boom extension (2-1/2" tubing) and a '53 Merc short block on its end behind the mast for ballast. Worked slick!

 

those flatheads ARE good for something after all!!